How Painful Is the Task

How pain­ful is the task

A mem­ber to dis­own;

Once by the church es­teemed and loved

And as a bro­ther known.

Could aught pre­vent the deed

The so­lemn deed de­clared

How hap­py it for us had been

From such a du­ty spared.

But oh

the love of Christ

The love of truth de­mands

This need­ful

pain­ful sac­ri­fice

This du­ty at our hands.

Should we at sin con­nive

Or any ev­il spare

How could we give ac­count at last

When Je­sus shall ap­pear.

His eyes as flames of fire

Search all the church­es through

Naught can be hid­den from His sight

Though veiled from mor­tal view.

To Him may we our­selves

In faith­ful­ness ap­prove;

And while we mourn our hum­bled state

Wait His re­viv­ing love.