What Sound of Lofty Praise

What sound of lof­ty praise is this

Suffusing all the air?

What ago­ny

what un­told bliss

Are meet­ing

striv­ing there?

Earth’s last great sha­dow—end­less life

On one same thresh­old stand;

Immortal peace—earth’s dark­est grief

Both call from dist­ant land.

God owns me

Mo­ther! thus he spake

What rest

what ra­di­ant joy!

Peace

stormy soul! For his dear sake

Be still—God owns my boy.

A strange

cold sha­dow comes and goes

In those clear star-like eyes;

Life flick­ers now

it faint­ly glows

A voice calls

Spir­it

rise!

Lift up your heads

ye gold­en gates—

Once more that sound of joy!

God owns me

Mo­ther: Je­sus waits

To wel­come home your boy.

Thy rest is glo­ri­ous

brave child!

Thy tri­umph ear­ly won!

Thy soul’s young tem­pest soon was stilled;

Thou’rt wait­ing—we will come.