The Fig Tree Near the Wayside Showed

The fig tree near the way­side showed

Its bright leaves from afar

But those green leaves

which looked so fair

Now sere and blight­ed are.

Green leaves it had

but fruit had none;

Christ came and looked for fruit;

Let none e’er eat of thee

He said;

It wi­thered to the root.

Have faith in God—yon ci­ty now

Shines bright­ly in the sun;

Christ search­es it; it shows much leaf

But fruit of faith has none.

Soon Christ Him­self will wi­thered seem

By that proud ci­ty’s scorn;

But Pas­sion-tide will lead Him forth

To a bright East­er morn.

Have faith in God. Be not per­plexed

By Cal­va­ry’s suf­fer­ing;

From that dark win­ter Christ re­vives

To an eter­nal spring.

Have faith in God; that ci­ty proud—

That leafy

bar­ren tree—

Will

by the light­nings of His Word

Withered for ev­er be.

The hy­po­crite and ev­il man

May flour­ish in the breeze

Of way­side earth­ly fame; but God

Will blight all bar­ren trees.

Root us in faith

make us bear fruit

Of ho­li­ness and love;

So may we ever flour­ish

Lord

In para­dise ab­ove.

To Fa­ther

Son and Ho­ly Ghost

Eternal glo­ry be;

O praise and bless with songs of joy

One God

and Per­sons Three.