To Veil Thy Truth

To veil Thy truth by dark’n­ing or by hid­ing;

To stand ir­re­so­lute

or shrink ap­palled;

To deal vague words of cus­to­mary chid­ing;

Father! to no such work Thy voice hath called.

Our eyes are dim

yet can we seek the du­ty;

Our ears are dull

yet we can shun the wrong;

’Tis not in vain that here

amid the beau­ty

Of Thy deep teach­ings

we have stayed so long.

Some wounds have turned to pearls; some limbs of­fend­ing

We had the strength to seize and rend away;

Some pas­sioned earth­ly songs have changed

in end­ing

To chor­al an­them and tri­umph­ant lay.

To build of gen­tle hearts Thy church

the peer­less

To speak the truth in love

what­e’er be­falls

To make our bro­thers hum­ble

tire­less

fear­less

This is the work to which Thy Spir­it calls.

Some seeds we sow may blos­som in­to flow­ers

And those bear fruit

to rip­en ’neath Thy sun;

And Thou wilt lead these trem­bling hearts of ours

On to that peace where and aim and deed grow one.