Wisely Thou givest—­all around
Thine equal rays are resting found,
Yet varying so on various ground
   They pierce and strike,
That not two roseate cups are crowned
   With drew alike: 

E’en so, in silence, likest Thee,
Steals on soft-handed Charity,
Tempering her gifts, that seem so free,
   By time and place,
Till not a woe the bleak world see,
   But finds her grace: 

Eyes to the blind, and to the lame
Feet, and to sinners wholesome blame,
To starving bodies food and flame,
   By turns she brings;
To humbled souls, that sink for shame,
   Lends heaven-ward wings: 

Leads them the way our Saviour went,
And shows Love’s treasure yet unspent;
As when th’ unclouded heavens were rent. 
   Opening His road,
Nor yet His Holy Spirit sent
   To our abode.

Ten days th’ eternal doors displayed
Were wondering (so th’ Almighty bade)
Whom Love enthroned would send, in aid
   Of souls that mourn,
Left orphans in Earth’s dreary shade
   As noon as born.

Open they stand, that prayers in throngs
May rise on high, and holy songs,
Such incense as of right belongs
   To the true shrine,
Where stands the Healer of all wrongs
   In light divine;

The golden censer in His hand,
He offers hearts from every land,
Tied to His own by gentlest band
   Of silent Love: 
About Him winged blessings stand
   In act to move.

A little while, and they shall fleet
From Heaven to Earth, attendants meet
On the life-giving Paraclete
   Speeding His flight,
With all that sacred is and sweet,
   On saints to light.

Apostles, Prophets, Pastors, all
Shall feel the shower of Mercy fall,
And startling at th’ Almighty’s call,
   Give what He gave,
Till their high deeds the world appal,
   And sinners save.

WHITSUNDAY

And suddenly there came a sound from Heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.  And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.  And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost.  Acts ii. 2-4

When God of old came down from Heaven,
   In power and wrath He came;
Before His feet the clouds were riven,
   Half darkness and half flame: 

Around the trembling mountain’s base
   The prostrate people lay;
A day of wrath and not of grace;
   A dim and dreadful day.

But when he came the second time,
   He came in power and love,
Softer than gale at morning prime
   Hovered His holy Dove.

The fires that rushed on Sinai down
   In sudden torrents dread,
Now gently light, a glorious crown,
   On every sainted head.

Like arrows went those lightnings forth
   Winged with the sinner’s doom,
But these, like tongues, o’er all the earth
   Proclaiming life to come: