The Voice Says, “Cry!”

The voice says

Cry! What shall we cry?

All flesh is grass

and like the flow­er

Its glo­ries droop

its plea­sures die

Its joys but last one fleet­ing hour.

The voice says

Cry! O pi­te­ous cry!

And are there none to help and save?

Have all that live be­neath the sky

No oth­er pros­pect but a grave?

The voice says

Cry! Yet glo­ri­ous cry!

The Word of God can nev­er fall

And tells how Je­sus

throned on high

Holds out eter­nal life to all.

The voice says

Cry! Who needs the cry?

O bro­ther men! who needs it not?

By count­less mill­ions

far and nigh

’Tis still un­heard

des­pised

for­got.

The voice says

Cry! What stops the cry?

Our greed of wealth

our love of ease

Our lack of ear­nest will to try

Mankind to save

and God to please.

The voice says

Cry! O let us cry!

Though stand­ing on death’s aw­ful brink

Men feast

they jest

they sell

they buy

And can­not see

and will not think.

The voice says

Cry! Lord

we would cry

But of Thy good­ness teach us how;

For fast the hours of mer­cy fly

And

if we cry

it must be now!