Kinship by Minnie Embree Parker

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Jul 23, 1912

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 39, No. 28.

Kinship

By Minnie Embree Parker

'Tis a beautiful Bible story, And teaches a lesson grand, Of the lonely Hebrew widow, And the damsel from Moab's land. For devotion to filial duty, With reward reaped even here, As told by the sage, on the sacred page, It stands without a peer.

When she left her home and kindred, To lift and bear the cross With God's peculiar people, She did not suffer loss; For the lot all women longed for Was hers — to bear a son In the line of birth, when He came to earth, Of that wonderful Coming One.

She gleaned in the fields of Boaz, Who took her to be his wife, Buying again the possession Of the husband who lost his life; For thus reads the law of Moses,— That the one who was next of kin Should redeem his land, and receive the hand Of her who his wife had been.

Of JESUS, the hope of ages, The Jews by these laws were shown; For they were the chosen nation, And God will instruct His own. He has purchased the lost possession We have forfeited by our sin. O, wonderful plan to redeem lost man Through Jesus, our next of kin!

He took not the form of angels, But lowered Himself to be Our Kinsman and Elder Brother, For the love that He had to me. His compassion for me in my darkness Sent Him down from His throne on high To take my place, and die in disgrace, That I might not have to die.

He was born with a sinful nature, But He did not yield to sin. He can succor the weak and tempted, For He is our next of kin. He will save us if we but let Him; He'll comfort us day by day; He will bear our cares, and answer our prayers, For He has passed by this way.

All ye who are sad, take courage; For Jesus, the Son of God, Is also the son of a woman, And the human path has trod. He gave His own life to purchase Our pardon, and save from sin. He conquered the grave, and has power to save, For He is our next of kin.