O Shadow in a Sultry Land!

O Sha­dow in a sul­try land!

We ga­ther to Thy breast

Whose love en­fold­ing like the night

Brings qui­et­ude and rest

Glimpse of the fair­er life to be

In fore­taste here pos­sessed!

From aim­less wan­der­ings we come

From drift­ing to and fro;

The wave of be­ing min­gles deep

Amid its ebb and flow;

The grand­er sweep of tides se­rene

Our spir­its yearn to know!

That which the gar­ish day had lost

The twil­ight vig­il brings

And soft­er now the ves­per bell

Its sil­ver ca­dence rings

The sense of an im­mor­tal trust

The brush of ang­el wings!

Drop down be­hind the sol­emn hills

O day

with gold­en skies!

Serene ab­ove its fad­ing glow

Night

star­ry crowned

arise!

So beau­ti­ful may Heav­en be

When life’s last sun­beam dies!