When the Shades of Coming Sorrow

When the shades of com­ing sor­row

Deepen into star­less night

Faith’s bright rays il­lume my dar­kness

With her mot­to—God thy light.

Yes

my light—though all around me

Groping

seek to walk by sight

Let me fol­low where Thou lead­est

God of Love and Light of Light.

If by paths un­known

un­trod­den

Thro’ deep gorge

o’er diz­zy height

Guide my feet

up­hold my go­ings

Thou

Thou on­ly

art my light.

Grant me pow’r

dear Lord

to wit­ness

How pure faith gleams ev­er bright

Thine the cloud and Thine the sun­shine

Thou my Lord

my life

my light.

Such the faith of those

our loved ones

Standing now in robes washed white

Now they know how all life’s sha­dows

Brought them near­er to Thy light

On the shield of faith borne home­ward

Rest they from the hard-won fight

And no more can pow­ers of dark­ness

Dim their vi­sion of Thy light.