GOD IS NEAR by Hjalmar Rued

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Apr 15, 1897

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 23, No. 15.

GOD IS NEAR.

By Hjalmar Rued

ALL nature seems in festal dress And full of cheer, And sunbeams play with sweet caress On far and near. The wind trails softly through the leaves, And wondrous notes yon bird achieves, While singing, “God is near.”

From o’er the fields a cowbell’s chime Comes to my ear. Its gentle tinkle brings the time Of childhood near; When hop and skip was all the day, And all the world was full of play, And God seemed very near.

And now while musing ’neath this tree, In quiet here, Those old-time scenes come back to me, So fond and dear; Again I sit at mother’s feet, And listen to her song so sweet, And feel that God is near.

And to my thoughts in sweetest rhyme, Come, strong and clear, The deep-toned, mellow, Sabbath-chimes— I gladly hear. They ring forth love, and joy, and ease, And tidings of such quiet peace, That, surely, God is near.

HJALMAR RUED.

Granton, Wis.