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THE LOVE OF GOD

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Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Aug 26, 1897

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 23, No. 33.

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THE LOVE OF GOD.

By J. G. Whittier

So to the calmly-gathered thought The innermost of truth is taught, The mystery dimly understood, That love of God is love of good, And chiefly, its divinest trace In Him of Nazareth’s holy face; That to be saved is only this,— Salvation from our selfishness, From more than elemental fire, The soul’s unsanctified desire, From sin itself, and not the pain That warns us of its chafing chain; That worship’s deeper meaning lies In mercy, and not sacrifice, Nor proud humilities of sense And posturing of penitence, But love’s unforced obedience; That Book and Church and Day are given For man not God,—for earth, not heaven,— The blessed means to holiest ends, Not masters, but benignant friends; That the dear Christ dwells not afar, The king of some remoter star, Listening at times, with flattered ear, To homage wrung from selfish fear; But here, amidst the poor and blind, The bound and suffering of our kind, In works we do, in prayers we pray, Life of our life, He lives to-day.
—J. G. Whittier.