The world went on as it was wont; And no man knew the while Of that poor lonely prodigal, Upon his lonely isle. He clomb the cliffs to look afar Over the distant sea; If, please God, for his rescuing A coming sail might be. He lit his beacon fires at night; He hoisted signals high;-- But the world went on as it was wont, And not a ship sailed by. He was not missed among his kind,-- Man had forgot his name; But unto Him who cares for all, Who sees the little sparrow fall, His lonely misery came. God saw him; saw his broken heart, His cheerless solitude, Saw how his human pride was gone, His human will subdued. Saw him and loved him. Broken heart, Look up! the Father’s voice Calleth thee from thy depths of woe, And biddeth thee rejoice! --Now Marien from the trading town Had voyaged; sent of Heaven She knew not whither; and the ship, Which with long storm had striven, At length upon a glorious isle Amid the seas was driven; Where dwelt a gentle race at rest Amid their flowery wilds, Unknown to all the world, with hearts As simple as a child’s. With them abode sweet Marien: But now it chanced one day, As in a slender carved boat Upon the shore she lay, A strong wind came, and filled the sail, And bare her thence away. She had no fear, true Marien;-- That God was good, she knew, And even then had sent her forth Some work of love to do. The prodigal upon his rock Was kneeling, and his prayer For confidence in heaven, arose Upon the evening air, Just as the little boat approached The island bleak and bare. The boat ran up a creek, as if, ’Twere steered by angels good; And ere the evening prayer was done Beside the youth she stood. The chiefest joy it hath not words Its deep excess to say; And as if he had seen a sprite, His spirit died away. Then with clasped hands, and broken speech, And tears that ceaseless flowed; He poured forth from his full heart A fervent praise of God. PART XII. “But let us hence,” said Marien; And with the earliest morn, Within the slender carved boat, They left the isle forlorn. A light breeze from the desert shore Over the waters blew, And the little boat sailed on before, Till the isle was out of view. As friends long parted, met once more, They sat; and of times gone, And of the blessed dead conversed, As the slender boat sailed on. And as they sailed, sweet Marien Over the Gospel bent, And read of joy that is in heaven O’er sinners that repent; And of the weary prodigal Returning bowed with shame, And the good father hastening forth To meet him as he came;