Christ comes

The Feast of Tabernacles.

(The Gospel History, Section 77)

But when it was now the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught.

Christ comes

(The Saviour of the World, Vol V Book I Poem VIII)

And while the rulers lie in wait,
And people watch with idle prate
Of, Will He come or will He stay?
Or, Sure He’ll fall a certain prey
To the machinations of the Jews—
Not they the men such chance to lose:—

While the people wait, half hope, half fear,—
Lo, Christ is there! Illumining, clear,
As the light of day His presence seems:
That gracious presence on them beams,
Revealing, cheering, chiding those
Who, unconscious, stains expose

Before the silent Light: men haste
To gather round Him; who would waste
A chance of hearing words, the Jews
Would have men to their hurt refuse?
So in the portico they walk,
Christ and the multitude: His talk,
They strain full eagerly to hear:
But why are all His words so dear
To the callous crowd of late so cold,
Now, sudden grown impassioned, bold,
Nor caring aught what they may do—
The haughty priests and all their crew!

An Outlaw, Christ had come at last
When three days of the Feast were past,
And the jealous Jews had ceased to ward
The city gates with sedulous guard:
But not in byways stood the Lord,—
In the Temple’s self, men heard His word:

Aye, all men heard; His captious foes,
Afraid to touch Him there with those,
His followers about, lent ear;—
Hap, some stray word may yet appear,
Dropped casual, shall serve to accuse
This Man of guilt before the Jews.

St. John vii. 14.

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