Contents of Volume V: The Great Controversy

Of forgiveness, spake the Lord to angry men
Who, hurt, conceived that they might hurt again!

“Till seven times seventy shall thy brother sin,
And thou with love endeavour him to win.”

And then the Lord told tale of him, abused
His master’s kindness and his wealth misused;

And, when his Lord forgave him all that debt,
His own poor debtor’s plea with harshness met.

Ah, blesséd country, how thy paths are dear!
Christ walked in Galilee when Death was near.

His brethren, unbelieving, urged that He
Should in Jerusalem work, that all might see.

He went not up with them their joy to share,
But, later, went, “in secret as it were.”

In Jerusalem, behold, a wondrous throng,
All come for sacrifice and holy song.

They talk and wonder much, “Will Jesus come?”
“Here hath He enemies: He’ll bide at home!”

Christ to the Temple came and people taught,
The learnéd wondering whence His lore He brought.

He tells them, None shall know but he who wills;
And great astonishment those doctors fills.

That they intend to kill Him, Christ perceives;
But, of the strangers, none this thing believes.

“A devil hath he!” country people cry;
Christ bids them not condemn Him ere they try.

The townsfolk know their rulers’ wicked plot,
Yet would not have their alms and zeal forgot.

They know Him and His kinsfolk, they declare;
Christ shews, there’s more to know than they’re aware.

He offered them the truth, and bade them choose,
Would they believe His word or dare refuse?

They feared when told that He would go away:
“Nay, whither goes He? Where, then, can he stay?”

For all their proud derision, in their heart,
They knew the Christ full surely would depart.

The prophet, dry of soul, and much distress’d,
Saw that fair stream which all the nations bless’d.

Christ stood and cried,—Come unto Me and drink,
Ye fainting souls who on life’s highway sink!

The thirsting people heard and would obey;
But Nature cried, There is an easier way!

One more hard saying, powerful to divide,
The people found those words that Jesus cried.

The Sanhedrin send officers to take;
They touch not Christ, for, “Never man so spake!”

A shameful woman to the Lord they bring;
He bids the innocent the first stone fling.

The people sat in darkness; none could tell
Which way to go, or choose ’twixt ill and well.

Then One stood up and cried, I am the Light!
And sudden vision cheered their darkened sight.

“I know whence I came forth, and whither go:”
These be two things no man may ever know.

“Who art Thou?” ask they, though the Lord had told,
And they had mocked His words,—in ignorance, bold.

“I have many things to judge concerning you;”
They flinch before the Judge who all things knew.

“As Abram rose, obedient unto Me,
I bid you quit the ways where sinners be!”

“Who followeth Me, lo, he shall never die.”
“Dead long ago do all our fathers lie!”

“I seek not Mine own honour,” spake the Lord;
But they, vainglorious, mocked at His meek word.

“Abraham was glad, for he My day beheld!
How hast Thou, not yet old, seen men of eld?”

“Before Abraham was I am,” the Lord declared:
Thus, all the ages have the Saviour shared.

The disciples moved with pity, asked the Lord,
“Has this man sinned, that he’s from sight debarr’d?”

“Nay, suffering may become a work divine,
Enduring much, make ye God’s glory shine.”

Then to the man,—“Go, wash in Siloam’s pool.”
His blindness left him at the waters cool.

Saith Christ,—“Dost on the Son of God believe?”
“Lord, knew I Him, how glad would I receive!”

“That, whereas I was blind, now do I see,—”
The blind man’s evidence serves you and me.

The silly sheep Christ gathers in His fold,
Where we may enter free nor be too bold.

When the Good Shepherd calls, with answering bleat,
His sheep come flocking close about His feet.

The sheep are safely herded in the fold;
The Shepherd seeks out wanderers in the cold.

The sheep, they be but silly, go astray
At every turning in the narrow way:

They wander into every hazardous place;
The careful Shepherd doth the wanderers trace.

Again Christ to Jerusalem returns,
And there more fiercely hate against Him burns.

Eternal Life He offers to His own;
And, full of wrath, the Jews the Lord would stone.

Christ hid Himself from those so violent men
By quiet Pool, where many sought Him then.

There came a message from a household dear;
“Lazarus is sick; we know Thou wilt draw near!”

Three days He tarried; then said, Let us go;
Lazarus is dead; but ye shall mysteries know.

He goes; the sisters meet Him and complain,
Had He been there Lazarus had not been ta’en.

He shews what Resurrection signifies,
They think,—“What hope for us since Lazarus dies?”

“Lazarus, come forth!” is the Almighty word;
The dead man came and stood before his Lord!