Breathe thoughts of pity o’er a brother’s fall,

But dwell not with stern anger on his fault:

The grace of God alone holds thee, holds all;

Were that withdrawn, thou too wouldst swerve and halt.

2 Send back the wanderer to the Saviour’s fold—

That were an action worthy of a saint;

But not in malice let the crime be told,

Nor publish to the world the evil taint.

3 The Saviour suffers when his children slide;

Then is his holy name by men blasphemed!

And he afresh is mocked and crucified,

Even by those his bitter death redeemed.

4 Rebuke the sin, and yet in love rebuke;

Feel as one member in another’s pain;

Win back the soul that his fair path forsook,

And mighty and eternal is thy gain.