■•:- FROM THE LIBRARY OF REV. LOUIS FITZGERALD BENSON, D. D. BEQUEATHED BY HIM TO THE LIBRARY OF PRINCETON THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY fa SO^- rX^JL r>& Las U^ &, **f ■ / r) /no. Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2012 with funding from Princeton Theological Seminary Library http://archive.org/details/easterdawnOOnewy // faster §I&1 JUN 1 Dawn of dawns, the Easter Day Far and wide in splendor breaks : Darkest shadows flee away Where it breaks. Veiled in its vernal light Christ the Light of Light arose, From the grave's unbroken night, He arose. NEW YORK: ANSON D. F. RANDOLPH & CO. 900 BROADWAY, COR. 20th STREET. > 4 ^2 ; |> A VL COPYRIGHT, I080, BY Anson D. F. Randolph & Co. Edward 0. Jenkins, Printer, •'. William St., N. Y. ^t> f IV CONTENTS. PAGE A Child's Easter, 40 An Easter Carol, g An Easter Legend, - - - - - 59 An Easter Morning, 46 An Easter Teaching, - - - - 49 A Song of Thanks, - - - - - 36 At Easter Time, 52 Christ is Risen, 20 Easter, - 15 Easter Days, 24 Easter Day, ------ 86 Easter Lilies, 16 Easter Lilies, 34 Easter Tide, - 45 Golden Light Streaks Early Day, - 80 "He is Risen,"- . 13 I Say to all Men, Far and Near, - - 72 4 CONTENTS. tage " Life for us is in His Dying ! " - - 64 Lift Up, Lift Up, your Voices now, - 62 Mortis Portis, ------ 33 Not Here, ------- 27 Oh, Rouse Thee, Earth, and Rode Thy- self, - ------- 32 Our Life, - - - - - - - 11 Plaudite Cceli, - - - - - - iS Resurgam, - - - - - - - 57 "Ring Out, Sweet Easter Bells," - - 7 See the Land her Easter Keeping, - - 85 Shout Aloud, O Earth and Heaven ! - 22 The Light of Life, 89 The Mighty Wonder, - - - -29 The Resurrection Flower, - - - 54 The Rising, ___--. 69 The World itself keeps Easter Day, - S3 True Easter, - - - - - - (7 Twas Night! Stili Night! - - - 75 <■ 4 4., "RING OUT, SWEET EASTER BELLS !" "O ING out, sweet Easter bells, ring out ! The world to life is waking, And heavenly hosts in triumph shout, The joy of man partaking ; For He who died our souls to save, The Lord is risen from the grave. Alleluia ! Once more the sea its wave divides, That we our Lord may follow 7 ; Then o'er the foe in triumph rides, The hosts of sin to swallow ; For He who saved us from our doom, The Lord is risen from the tomb. Alleluia ! ^ ? ,D. i S ' ' RING OUT,S WEE TEAS TER BE II S. ' ' The Roman guard in vain shall keep The dark and silent prison ; No more sad Magdalene shall weep, For Christ the Lord is risen : The Saviour, Who for sinners bled, The Lord is risen from the dead. Alleluia ! Then ring, sweet bells, the joy of earth In Easter hymns to Heaven, And tell the new, Immortal Birth Of man by Christ forgiven ; For our dear Lord is risen indeed, And lives on high to intercede. Alleluia ! Amen. JOHN ANKETELL, A.M. ^% V *£: 4 AN EASTER CAROL. TTAIL, Day of Days! Day of which prophets have spoken, Day on which death's night is broken, Welcome to Thy healing rays ! Hail, Day of Light, Day of Days ! Hail, Day of Days ! Sun of Peace, radiant and glorious, Rising o'er darkness victorious, Shine on our sin-clouded ways ! Hail, Day of Light, Day of Days ! Hail, Day of Days ! Hoping and trusting, believing, Unto the dust no more cleaving, Into the tomb do we gaze — Hail, Day of Light, Day of Days ! ^ t & AN EASTER CAROL. Hail, Day of Days ! He is not here — He is risen, Bursting the bonds of death's prison, Freeing" our hearts in His praise — Hail, Day of Light, Day of Days ! Hail, Day of Days ! Born in the dew of Thy morning, Hope is the soul's life adorning, E'en while the body decays — Hail, Day of Light, Day of Days ! Hail, Day of Days ! Now to the Father in heaven, Son, and the Spirit be given ; As from the earliest days, Evermore, evermore, praise ! H. HASTINGS WELD, D.D . !> i\' *£. 4 ^ OUR LIFE. r I "ELL all the world the Lord is risen — The Easter message, ever new ; The grave is but a ruined prison — Invisible, the life breaks through. Earth can not long ensepulchre In her dark depths the tiniest seed ; When life begins to throb and stir, The bands of death are weak indeed. No clods its upward course deter, Calmly it makes its path to-day ; One germ of life is mightier Than a whole universe of clay. ^ ^ Yet not one leaf-blade ever stirred, Bursting earth's wintry dungeons dim, But lived at His creative word, Responsive to the life in Him. Since, then, the life that He bestows Thus triumphs over death and earth ; What power of earth or death can close The Fountain whence all life has birth ? And, as the last up-springing grain Breathes still the resurrection son--, That light the victory shall gain, That death is weak, and life is strong ; So with immortal vigor rife, The lowliest life that faith has freed, Bears witness still that Christ is life, And that the Life is risen indeed ! MRS. ELIZABETH CHARLES. F V -HE IS RISEN." "\ 7ERY early in the morning, Ere the light shone in the East — Ere the stars announced the dawning Of the day — at God's behest : — Early to the tomb of Jesus Came the loving watchers near; — But two shining ones approached them, Saying : " Jesus is not here ! " " He is risen ! " — Lord of Glory ! " Pie is risen ! " — earth to bless ! Risen with the wings of healing ; — Risen — Lord of Righteousness ! Vanquished now are sin and Satan ! Conquered, man's last, cruel foe ! Christ hath Death's strong fortress taken, That the world His peace may know. ^t i 14 "HE IS RISEN." Peace which passeth understanding ! Peace that earth takes not away ! Peace within the soul abiding, Ruling all with gentle sway. Strength, by which to battle daily With the powers of hell and sin ; Grace, to conquer in the conflict, If His kingdom we would win. These our risen Saviour gives us ; — Gives lost man — for whom He died ; Man, created in God's image, And with angels close allied ; — That as Christ from death has risen, Man may from Sin's death arise ; Soar above to highest heaven, Through the Saviour's sacrifice. JULIA H. PORTER. § if tf ? A. EASTER. HP HE icy arms of Winter half unclose, The world is full of subtile growth and bloom, And Spring-, a fragile, tender child, is rocked Within a cradle that is Winter's tomb : Along the slumbrous air a whisper runs ; It fills the solemn silence like a tune ; It softly calls, ''Awake ! dear blossoms, all, And ope your eyes to greet the golden noon. Awake ! the Resurrection Day has come ! The Lord Himself has led the way from prison ; Put on your whitest robes, O lily bells, And chime the anthem, ■ Christ the Lord is risen ! ' " MARY F. HIGHAM. ^L IV 4. ^ EASTER LILIES. HPHE Lord is risen ! From out the garden tomb, Set amid lilies' fair and fragrant bloom, The Conqueror, triumphant from the dead, Bright and serene, uplifts His royal head. Scent of His garments' spicery and balm Distills through all the garden. Pure and calm, His loving glance, emerging from the tomb, Rests on the lilies, hallowing all their bloom. Glad shines the golden sun on Easter Day ! A healing brain gilds earth with brightest raw Amid the lilies Christ hath second birth, A risen Lord is here revealed to earth. & f 4. EASTER LILIES. 17 First fruit of them that sleep ! Oh ! mighty Lord, Forever be Thy holy name adored ! Hope of the world ! Oh ! Conqueror over death, Shed o'er our souls the lilies' odorous breath ; That, with pure heart and spotless hand, we may Lift up to Thee, our songs on Easter Day, While in each heart, released from sin's dark tomb, The lily of Thy holy love may bloom. MARY E. C. WVETH. V 4 .[> c PLAUDITE COLLI. T7 XULT, bright heaven, Laugh, dewy-lipped air, From morn until even — Be joy everywhere ! Where swept the dark tempest Stands up the tall palm, And steals through its fair crest A radiance calm. Come forth, O sweet spring-tide, Come forth, ye fair flowers, On every bright hill-side Be beautiful bowers ! — Blue violets tender, With red roses bold, And white lilies slender, Amid marigold. 'I> «IV PLAUDITE COELI. 19 Break forth like a river, Oh, joy-burst of praise ! Let ever}' string quiver In thrill of amaze ! For Jesus is risen, And comes, as He said, Unhurt from the prison, Alive from the dead ! Exult, O ye mountains, Ye valleys reply, Ring back, hills and fountains, The jubilant cry ! All hail ! He is risen, And comes, as He said, Unhurt from the prison, Alive from the dead ! Translated by ALEXANDER R. THOMPSON, D.D .IV <1. "CHRIST IS RISEN." /"^HRIST is risen ! Christ is risen ! Glory to the Father's name. Christ is risen ! Christ is risen ! Go, the joyful news proclaim ! Death forever He hath conquered, And He reigneth now en high ; Christ is risen, Christ is risen, God the Saviour glorify. Shout Hosanna ! shout Hosanna ! He is Victor ! He is Victor ! O'er the terrors of the grave ! Christ is risen ! Christ is risen, All His children He will save ! ^T "CHRIST IS RISEN." 21 All ye nations, bow before Him, He is God forever-more ! With the Father now He reigneth, Heaven and earth His name adore. He hath opened to His people Glory's gate eternally, Christ is risen, Christ is risen, Spread the news from sea to sea. Shout Hosanna ! Come ye ransomed, to His temple, Sound His triumph to the skies ! Come ye faithful, ye repentant, With your risen Lord arise. See we now our soul's redemption, Jesus died and rose again, Christ is risen, Christ is risen, Life of all believing men. Christ is risen, Amen. ANONYMOUS. JV 4 SHOUT ALOUD ! O, EARTH AND HEAVEN. CHOUT aloud ! O, earth and heaven ! Angels join the glad refrain ! Christ, for man, Himself has given ; Christ has died, but lives again ! Hail ! thou glorious Easter morning ; Day of joy beyond compare ! Angels hailed thy golden dawning, Found the stone no longer there. Found the grave no longer bound Him, Found Death's victory was o'er ; Christ, new glory shining round Him, Reigns in heaven forevermore. % ? ■k SHOUT ALOUD ! 23 Christ has died ! O, wondrous story ! Died ! our sinful race to save. Can we bear this added glory ? Christ has risen from the grave ! Risen ! that we may dwell forever With the Lord in heaven above ; Nothing now from Him can sever Those for whom He showed such love. All ye nations now adore Him, Cast your offerings at His feet ; Bring sweet flowers to lay before Him, And glad hymns of joy repeat. Shout again, O, earth and heaven ! Saints and angels, swell the strain ! Christ, for man, Himself has given, Christ has died, but lives again ! ANONYMOUS. f 'I < EASTER DAY. I. Romans viii. 2; St. Luke xxiv. 34; Isaiah' lxi. 1; Psalm xxiv. 7. 13 RIGHT day of freedom, Easter Day ! All hail our risen King ! Restored, redeemed, the sons of God, New hymns of triumph sing - . No more shall Israel captive mourn. Set free from death and sin ; Fair Zion's gates their heads lift up, And Jesus enters in. IT. 2 Chron. v. 13 ; Lev. ix. 24 : Numbers x.w iii. 6 ; Exodus xxx. t, 7 ; Rev. viii. 4. Again above her mercy-seat The cloud of glory burns, To Salem's altar now in peace The sacred fire returns. ^ \ 7P 7 & 26 EASTER DA Y. Where silence dwelt, glad music swells Through everlasting days. 0, Saviour, open Thou our eyes, Feed us with living bread, That we may know Thy presence, Lord, And with Thyself be fed. & 4 NOT HERE. /^OME see the place where Jesus lay, He is not here; the angels say That Christ the Lord is risen to-day ! Before the rising of the sun, Came Mary and the other one To find the mighty marvel done ! Then failing Peter, loving John, Did speed the precious tidings on, And doubting Thomas, too, anon. How well that guard the prison kept ! How joyously the saints who slept To life at His arising leapt ! ^ 28 NOT HERE. This is the thing that we have heard : This is His own fulfilled Word ; Are not our hearts within us stirred ? Oh, rocky tomb, with riven door, And sacred shroud and hallowed floor . And victory gained forever more ! Oh, risen Saviour ! God and Lord ! Be with our lips and hearts adored In songs of sweet and full accord ! Let buds and blooms and garlands gay Tell forth in all their rich array Immortal life to mortal clay. Come, see the place where Jesus lay, Believe, rejoice, then go your way, Tell all the world 'tis Easter Day. Christ us resurrexit ! % < w •IV THE MIGHTY WONDER. /^HRIST hath risen ! What, to me, May this mighty wonder be ? Watching soldiers fell as dead, Reading in the lightning dread, Fearful looking-for of doom : View I, thus, the empty tomb ? Christ hath risen ! What, to me, May this mighty wonder be ? Freedom from death's broken chains ; Life, with Him in light who reigns ; Harvest of our hopeful tears, With His dead, when Christ appears. V 1' Jt 30 THE MIGHTY WONDER. Christ hath risen ! What, to me, May this mighty wonder be ? Must I place, at His command, On His wounds my shrinking hand ? Trembling - , touch His riven side, Ere my faith in Him abide ? Christ hath risen ! What, to me, May this mighty wonder be? Dare I ask Him, Who art Thou? Late the Victim, Victor now? Rather, clinging to His feet, I my Lord and Saviour greet. Christ hath risen ! What, to me, May this mighty wonder be? Lord — Rabboni ! Lord — mine own ! Fully as if mine alone ; Call me by my name as Thine, And I know that Thou art mine. I> \ b 1^ TW^ MIGHTY WONDER. 31 Christ hath risen ! What, to me, May this mighty wonder be? Signed with Thy Cross I am, Call me by my Christian name ; Saviour, risen from the dead, Break to me the living bread. H. HASTINGS WELD, D.D. I> -d ^ i A CHILD'S EASTER. 4 r All thro' the long, dark night when others slumbered, Close, close beside Him still I would have stayed, And, knowing how He loved the little children, Ne'er felt afraid. "To-morrow," to my heart I would have whispered, " I will rise early in the morning hours, And wand'ring o'er the hillside I will gather The fairest flowers. " Tall, slender lilies (for my Saviour loved them, And tender words about their beauty spake), And golden buttercups, and glad-eyed daisies, But just awake. f £ 42 A CHILD'S EASTER. '* l Grass of the field ' in waving, feath'ry beaut), He clothed it with that grace, so fair but brief, s all soft and green, and crimson berry, With glossy leaf. " While yet the dew is sparkling on the blos- soms I'll gather them, and lay them at His feet, And make the blessed place where He is sleep- ing All fair and sweet. "The birds will come, I know, and sing above Him, The sparrows whom He cared for when awake, And they will fill the air with joyous music For His dear sake." 1> <• & 4 ^ CHILD'S EASTER. 43 And, thinking thus, the night would soon be passing, Fast drawing near that first, glad Easter light. Ah, Lord, if I could but have seen Thee leaving The grave's dark night, I would have kept so still, so still, and clasping My hands together as I do in prayer, I would have knelt, rev'rent, but oh, so happy ! — Had I been there. Perhaps He would have bent one look upon me ; Perhaps, in pity for that weary night, He would have laid on my uplifted forehead A touch so light ; And all the rest of life I should have felt it, A sacred sign upon my brow imprest, And ne'er forget that precious, lovely vigil, So richly blest. 1- .[> ^A 44 A CHILD'S EASTER. Dear Lord, thro' death and night I was not near Thee ; Tut in Thy risen glory can rejoice, So, loud and glad in song this Easter morning, Thou'lt hear my voice. ANNIE T. SL' % 3 *7 o 4 2d^ EASTER-TIDE. RISEN Christ ! Thou art the Door, The ever-shining Way ; The blessed Easter-gate of life, That opens to the day ! To Thee, glad lustrous lilies white, Meet Easter-type, we bring ; We chant, " The Lord is risen indeed ! " First fruits of coming Spring ! The spot that was Thy guarded tomb, Now, with its angel guest, Seems but the lighted portal fair, Whence pass we to our rest. All praise, our risen Lord, to Thee, For love that conquers death ; For faith that maketh quick to hear One word that "Jesus saith." ^ ^ ^L AN EASTER MORNING. T N the far-off Land of the Sunrise, In the early Easter-morn, Where the winds of heaven breathe softest, My sweet heart-flower was born. Did I stand between it and heaven That it faded away so soon ? Or the warmth of my heart-love scorch it, Like the heat of a burning noon ? For it faded, it faded, — I watched it, And the plant from which it grew, It withered, it withered before me, For the lack of the heavenly dew, * 4 ^ A. A N EA S TER MORNIXG. 4 7 I carried my plant and my flower, I carried them over the sea ; I thought perhaps in the home-land They would bloom again for me. But they faded, oh, they faded ! And I stand at the Easter-dawn ; But what if my plant has withered, And what if my flower has gone ? I will work through all life's harvest, And will hide the secret pain, While I care for the flowers of others, And help to gather the grain. I will wait till the south winds blow In the time of the springing corn ; I will wait to see my flower At its resurrection morn. ir .V <1. AT EASTER TIME. T^IVE times, sweet heart, have song-birds said Their matins o'er thy little mound, Since all our lives were overspread With anguish which no words have found. Five times, sweet heart, have Easter flowers On chancel-rail and altar-stair Been strewn, by loving hands of ours, To greet the dear Christ's coming there. And He will know. His loving heart Will feel it, and will understand Why from the flowers we bring a part And lay them, with a trembling hand, ^ < m J± AT EASTER TIME. 53 Upon this little sacred place, With faith and hope beyond our pain. We trust, dear Christ, Thy words of grace ; Our precious dead " shall rise again." M. E. N. *=& > ^ 7F* •IV i THE RESURRECTION FLOWER.* TTE folded his hands across his breast, As token that toils should cease ; And his pallid face had a look of rest, That startled them with its peace. So weary had been the stress and strife, So chafing the trials past ! And now like a loosened bark his life Was drifting* away at last. They had not the heart to signal him, With even a touch or tone ; As out to the sea unknown and dim They watched as he went alone. * The Virginia name for the Daffodil or Easter flower. THE RE S URRE C TION EL WER. 5 5 They knew that the pilot who held the helm Would guide to the furthest verge ; Nor suffer a fear to overwhelm, Nor suffer a wave to merge. And so, as they sat with hushing breath, Too burdened, too awed to speak, There burst on the silent room of death A child, with a flashing cheek. " Ah, see ! " she said, "it is sweet and bright, And brimmed to the edge with dew. It hurried to open its leaves last night, To be ready in time for you." She knew not, the darling, what she did, As her childish thought she told ; Nor what was the mystic meaning hid In that delicate cup of gold. T 1 y^ 56 THE RESURRECTION FLOWER. For over the greening April land Had broken the Easter hour, And the flower she laid in the dying hand Was a Resurrection Flower. MARGARET J. PRESTON. *=. ^K 7TP ■\ 4 w RESURGAM. HAT if the earth hath seen no Easter- day, No white - robed angels splendoring the gloom ? What if that stone was never rolled away, No place left vacant in the world's vast tomb ? After Golgotha's agony and shame, Oh ! what, my soul, if Christ rose not again ? For sweetest love is slain and none to save, Joy turns to ashes even in my grasp ; My outstretched hand within the open grave Bears witness now that there is none to clasp, I have been thrall to Love and found it sweet. Has it no hope but Death's eternal sleep ? \ 5S RESURGAM. Oh ! pale lips broken by this bitter cry ! ( >h ! eyes of dry despair without a tear ! Faith in the vaults of Death sits starrily And sings : " The Christ is risen, He is not here. Come see the place where the Deliverer lay — The empty place, that could not hold its prey," For our Redeemer lives, so Love shall live. Our fair, sweet hopes are heirs of earth and sky. What greater grace or guerdon would we give To our Beloved than Immortality ? His Word our surety 'mid all doubt and strife : " I am the Resurrection and the Life." LILI.1E V.. BARR. ^r <£. &■ 4 AX EASTER LEGEND. T T 7HERE lay the stone, in Joseph's garden fair, By resurrection-angel rolled away, There sprang, in later Easter-time, A flower which ne'er before had seen the day. Close to the portal of that rock-hewn tomb, Arose this emblem-flower, of grace untold, As willing witness (so the legend runs) Unto His rising, whom no grave could hold. And now, by hidden virtue of its birth, After long years, afar from where it grew, This plant, though dry and lifeless to our ken, Unfolds, upon the water's brink, anew. ~. r -*=£: *^v 60 AN EASTER LEGE X P. Oh, wondrous type of life embalmed of death ! Of promised dawn beyond the "three days' " grave ! Fair flow'ring of our glad Evangel-hope, Sown by the Christ who died and rose to save ! Dear token of that earliest Easter morn, When, in the garden, Mary heard the voice That waked her heart to life, and bade her haste, That Peter, too, the fallen, might rejoice ! Within the quiet garden of the soul, Who works for God, no frost of death can chill ; He who created, knows each secret germ — Christ is the Life, and " quickeneth whom He will." t 1 tp' AN EASTER LEGEXD. 61 And since a flower may symbolize His truth, Tis ours to water with our prayers and tears The driest plant — God's Resurrection Flower, And He will bid it blossom through the years ! M. K. A. s. *a. •\r i 7^ ^sx IV LIFT UP, LIFT UP, YOUR VOICES NOW. IFT up, lift up, your voices now, The whole wide world rejoices now, The Lord hath triumphed gloriously, The Lord shall reign victoriously. In vain with stone the cave they barred, In vain the watch kept wapd and guard ; Majestic from the spoiled tomb In pomp of triumph, Christ is come ! He binds in chains the ancient foe, A countless host He frees from woe, And Heaven's high portal open Hies, For Christ hath risen and man shall rise. d- 66 "LIFE FOR i'S IS IN HIS D YING." Faith in Christ that will not falter Crowns with Easter bloom His altar, Decks His shrine in sweetness vernal, Lives with Christ the life eternal, Tells, in song and chime and story, All a risen Saviour's glory. MARY LOWE DICKINSON. H> ir [V TRUE EASTER. r I ^HE world for the dead Christ weepeth, And holdeth her Lenten fast ; Doth she think that Christ still sleepeth And night is not overpast ? Nay, but the word is spoken, Nay, but the tomb is broken, And " Christ is risen ! Yea, Christ is risen indeed ! " Long past is the Lenten moaning, Long past is the bitter night, Long past is the Easter dawning, Now it is noonday light. Set ever}' song to gladness ; Why should the Bride have sadness ? Her " Lord is risen ! Her Lord is risen in- deed ! " *V*t f .fv 68 TRUE EASTER. He suffered once and forever The cross, the smiting, and pain ; Once did the sepulchre sever, But never, never again. Earth nor hell can bereave us, Jesus never will leave us, For " He hath risen ! Yea, He hath risen indeed ! " Always so ready to ease us, Always so willing to stay, Pray, pray that the Living Jesus ^ May walk with us day by day. Always the Easter glory, Always the same glad story, "The Christ is risen! The Christ is risen indeed ! " L1LLIE E. BAKfc. i ,v &