“He hath done all things well”

Deaf and Dumb Man, and many others, healed.

(The Gospel History, Section 67)

And again he went out from the borders of Tyre, and came through Sidon unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the borders of Decapolis. And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech him to lay his hand upon him. And he took him aside from the multitude privately, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat, and touched his tongue; and looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened. And his ears were opened, and the bond of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain. And he charged them that they should tell no man: but the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal they published it. And they were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: he maketh even the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.

And he went up into the mountain and sat there. And there came unto him great multitudes, having with them the lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and they cast them down at his feet; and he healed them: insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb speaking, the maimed whole, and the lame walking, and the blind seeing: and they glorified the God of Israel.

“He hath done all things well”

(The Saviour of the World, Vol IV, Book II, Poem XXXVII)

To that Decapolis He came again
Where He had left those hard, insensate men
Who bade Him quit their coasts for fear of loss:
Yet left He there a witness to His Cross:

They brought Him quick a man afflicted sore,
Deaf was he with impediment; before,
These men thought only how to keep their wealth;
Now, pity bade them seek their brother’s health.

Away from all the crowd He led the man;
A ritual of healing there began—
Whose meaning men might not as yet discern,—
Grown luminous for us prepared to learn.

All the sealed ears of men the wide world through
Impervious to His word, the Saviour knew
Present in this one man; each stammering tongue,
Which could not utter praise,—yea, all men hung,

Presented in that man, before His eyes:—
Is it for these, as looking up, He sighs,
The Lord is sad and wearied? Is it for these
He heals as in a parable,—who sees,

May know that touch of Christ alone can make
His stone-deaf ear to th’ call divine awake;
May know, Christ’s very Self must touch his tongue
Ere praise articulate by him be sung?

In the man’s ears His fingers placed the Lord—
Ah, what a channel for the heavenly Word!
He spat and touched his tongue: did Christ impart
His very substance through this simple art?

“Ephphatha!” said the Lord, and at the word,
His ears were opened—happy man, he heard!
His tongue was loosened,—quick to utter praise
Of Him, restored him to men’s natural ways.

Nor only the man praised Him, all the crowd,—
“He hath done all things well,” they cry aloud,
“He makes the dumb to speak, the deaf to hear;”
Ah, Lord, our Healer, to our coasts draw near!

St. Matthew xv. 29-31.
St. Mark vii. 31-37.