p. 1 | RETRIBUTION by Vesta N. Cumworth

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Sep 29, 1868

RETRIBUTION

By Vesta N. Cumworth

AIR—"Pass under the Rod."

Though bold, unforgiven, thy dark sins have stood, Long veiled from the world's feeble eye; With the finger of justice, they are written in blood, And will fill you with shame by-and-by. The dearly-bought laurels that twine 'round thy brow, Were woven in anguish and pain; With the tears of thy victim, they sparkle and glow, And soon will be withered again. A pitying eye saw that heart-stricken one, And brushing a tear away, Bore it safely on high, to God's glorious throne; Thou shalt meet it again in that day.

For all thou hast given, four-fold back again, Thou shalt reap as the fruits of thy toil; And the measure of suffering, anguish, and pain, Returned, running o'er, to thy soul. Though long thou hast waited, the pay-day will come; Retribution's a law that is sure as God's throne.

In the pit thou hast dug for thy neighbor, thy soul Shall sink in the day of thy woe; In the snare thou hast set for thy fellow, shalt fall, While none shall their pity bestow; While back in thy bosom the slanders shall roll, With falsehood, oppression, deceit; And a bounteous harvest spring up in thy soul, For what thou hast sown, thou shalt reap.

For God overrules in the routine of life, And the crowns nestle close to the cross; Though man heats the furnace, oftentimes in the strife, God takes it, to burn up the dross.

Soon Justice, grown weary, will take thee away, And give thee the cumberer's doom; He will soon cut thee down in his wrath, and will say, Where God is, thou never shalt come. Though long thou hast waited, the pay-day will come; Retribution's a law that is sure as God's throne.

VESTA N. CUMWORTH. Springfield, Mass.