The light is fading in the tired eyes,
  The weary race is run;
Not as the victor that doth seize the prize. 
  But as the fainting one,
He nears the verge of the eternities.

And now the end has come, and now he sees
  The happy, happy shore;
O fearful, and faint, distrustful soul, are these
  The things thou fearedst before—­
The awful majesties that spoiled thy peace?

This land is home; no stranger art thou here;
  Sweet and familiar words
From voices silent long salute thine ear;
  And winds and songs of birds,
And bees and blooms and sweet perfumes are near.

The seraphs—­they are men of kindly mien;
  The gems and robes—­but signs
Of minds all radiant and of hearts washed clean;
  The glory—­such as shines
Wherever faith or hope or love is seen.

And he, O doubting child! the Lord of grace
  Whom thou didst fear to see—­
He knows thy sin—­but look upon his face! 
  Doth it not shine on thee
With a great light of love that fills the place?

O happy soul, be thankful now and rest! 
  Heaven is a goodly land;
And God is love; and those he loves are blest;—­
  Now thou dost understand;
The least thou hast is better than the best

That thou didst hope for; now upon thine eyes
  The new life opens fair;
Before thy feet the Blessed journey lies
  Through homelands everywhere;
And heaven to thee is all a sweet surprise.

WASHINGTON GLADDEN.

BEYOND THE SMILING AND THE WEEPING.

Beyond the smiling and the weeping
      I shall be soon;
Beyond the waking and the sleeping,
Beyond the sowing and the reaping,
      I shall be soon.
  Love, rest, and home! 
  Sweet hope! 
  Lord, tarry not, but come.

Beyond the blooming and the fading
      I shall be soon;
Beyond the shining and the shading,
Beyond the hoping and the dreading,
      I shall be soon.
  Love, rest, and home! etc.

Beyond the rising and the setting
      I shall be soon;
Beyond the calming and the fretting,
Beyond remembering and forgetting,
      I shall be soon.
  Love, rest, and home! etc.

Beyond the gathering and the strowing
      I shall be soon;
Beyond the ebbing and the flowing. 
Beyond the coming and the going,
      I shall be soon.
  Love, rest, and home! etc.

Beyond the parting and the meeting
      I shall be soon;
Beyond the farewell and the greeting,
Beyond this pulse’s fever beating,
      I shall be soon.
  Love, rest, and home! etc.

Beyond the frost chain and the fever
      I shall be soon;
Beyond the rock waste and the river,
Beyond the ever and the never,
      I shall be soon.
  Love, rest, and home! 
  Sweet hope! 
  Lord, tarry not, but come.