A living, loving, lasting word,

My listening ear believing heard,

While bending down in prayer;

Like a sweet breeze that none can stay,

It passed my soul upon its way,

And left a blessing there.

Then joyful thoughts that come and go,

By paths the holy angels know,

Encamped around my soul;

As in a dream of blest repose,

Mid withered reeds a river rose,

And through the desert stole.

I lifted up my eyes to see —

The wilderness was glad for me,

Its thorns were bright with bloom;

And onward travellers still in sight,

Marked out a path of shining light,

And shade unmixed with gloom.

O sweet the strains of those before,

“The weary knees are weak no more,

The faithful heart is strong;”

But sweeter, nearer, from above,

That word of everlasting love,

The promise and the song.