Contents of Volume II: His Dominion
Christ healed the rich man’s son: the man believed;
“God is a spirit,” the lesson he received.
He preaches to His own; mad hate they bring,—
Would from steep brow of hill the Saviour fling!
People who sat in darkness saw great light
Whose brightness baffled unaccustomed sight:
Those fishers four on Sea of Galilee
The fishers of the Lord were called to be:
At Capernaum Christ preached: the people heard,
And knew Authority was in His word.
Vile spirit bade He forth in that same hour,
And all men recognised an unknown Power.
Peter’s wife’s mother, raised from fevered bed—
By hand that raised her would thenceforth be led.
“At even ere the sun was set,” they came
To Him for healing, sick and blind and lame.
Then wearied, He, a great while before day,
Went out to desert place that He might pray.
The folk of Galilee would make Him King;
He knows how little worth the praise they bring.
Weary with preaching, Christ bade put to sea;—
Behold, a wondrous draught, the fishers’ fee!
A leper cried, Thou canst,—wilt make me clean?
I will, saith Christ; healed, who had leprous been!
Levi took customs’ dues by the seaside,
And when the Master called, he straight replied.
His Jews rejected for hypocrisy;
Too skilled in subterfuge, what hope have we?
Man at Bethesda’s pool so long had lain—
The Lord who healed him to betray was fain!
Christ taught,—the Father and the Son were One
In words They spake, in all works They had done.
On the Son the royal crown of judgment set;—
He learned the ways of men, nor would forget:
In Him was Life; and all the souls that live
Draw breath from Him, to Him their praises give.
The Law, the prophets, witness; to each heart,
The Father testifies, and shows his part.
Thy Jews condemned, grant us, good Lord, to heed—
Unstable in our faith, slack in our deed!
Christ walked in cornfield on the Sabbath day,
And set men free from bondage whilst they pray.
He instantly the withered hand restores,
And, grieved, the Rulers’ faithlessness deplores.
Once more to fair Genesareth He came,
And multitudes drew nigh, with love aflame.
Our Founder chose the Twelve, and laid them, sure
Stones to sustain that Church which shall endure.
He charged them; told them, how the poor are blest;
How persecutions should their lives molest:
Taught them the brother-secret; how to give;
How with all men as brothers they should live.
Of blind man led by blind man, cupboard’s store,
Of building House of Faith, He told them more:
And then He climbed the Mount that all might hear,—
That multitude had come from far and near:
“Blessèd are they that mourn,” He told the sad;—
With promise of the Father’s care made glad.
Chaste must they be and kind and guard their speech;—
For God’s own holiness is in man’s reach.
He taught men how to give their alms, to pray;
And all their anxious fears to put away.
Behold, the Church He founded on that day
Received those Institutes should guide her Way.
The people heard, and hardly understood,
But knew the Word He spake was very good;
Perceived Authority in every word
And fain would bear due fruit of that they’d heard.