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CRUCE AND CORONA.
The gate of hope, which death doth close for aye,And urges them—how pleadingly!—to come,And, ent'ring there, give all their souls to HimWho gave, in love so great, His life for them;Then there in solemn presence of the deadArise the wailing cries of penitence,Wherein so many voices blend, the voiceThat pleads, no longer to be heard, doth cease.
But soon this cry of mourning grows subdued;And then Crucè invokes the God of loveTo send the new life to those mourning hearts.And, quick as lightning-flash, the sounds of woeAre changed to songs of praise to Christ their God.And when are given to the dead the lastSad ministries, then to their homes returnA band of new disciples of the cross.
And soon within that heathen city comesA change. And soon each idol temple standsBy all deserted save the temple priests.But they, of numbers many, have no thoughtThat they will silent this desertion bear,But vow that on each head shall vengeance fall.
Nor vow they vainly. Their appeal is heardBy kingly pow'r. And soon the mandate comes,
