I said, delay no longer; He surely will provide All for the toilsome journey, Up the steep mountain side. He sought me in the valley-- He knows my utmost need; But He's a Royal Bridegroom, I shall be rich indeed. Rich in His pardoning mercies,-- Bounties that never cease: Rich in His loving kindness, Rich in His joy and peace, So then I took the Raiment. And the jewels that He sent; And, gazing on His beauty, I up the hillside went. V. And still with feeble footsteps, And turning oft astray, I go to meet the Bridegroom, Though stumbling by the way I soil my royal garments With earth whene'er I fall; I break and mar my ornaments, But He will know them all. For it was He who gave them; Will He forget His own? Ah! for the love He bore me, He called! will He disown? VI. He sent His Guide to guide me: He knew how blind, how frail The children of the valley:-- He knew my love would fail. He knew the mists above me Would hide Him from my sight. And I, in darkness groping, Would wander from the right. I know that I must follow Slow when I fain would soar: That step by step thus upward, My Guide must go before. VII. Cleave close, dear Guide, and lead me! I cannot go aright! Through all that doth beset me, Keep, keep me close in sight! 'Tis but a little longer; Methinks the end I see: Oh! matchless love and mercy, The Bridegroom waits for me; Waits, to present me faultless, Before His Father's throne; His comeliness my beauty, His righteousness my own. --_Unidentified._ "It may be in the evening, When the work of the day is done, And you have time to sit in the twilight And watch the sinking sun, While the long bright day dies slowly Over the sea, And the hour grows quiet and holy With thoughts of Me, While you hear the village children Passing along the street Among those thronging footsteps May come the sound of My Feet: Therefore I tell you, Watch! By the light of the evening star, When the room is growing dusky As the clouds afar; Let the door be on the latch In your home, For it may be through the gloaming I will come. "It may be when the midnight Is heavy upon the land, And the black waves lying humbly Along the sand; When the moonless night draws close, And the lights are out in the house; When the fires burn low and red, And the watch is ticking loudly Beside the bed: Though you sleep, tired out on your couch, Still your heart must wake and watch In the dark room, For it may be that at midnight I will come.