73
And brake them, and then took their metal god,
Burnt, powdered, watered it, and make them drink,
He himself suffering his heavy share
Of Moses' indignation and reproof.
But with strong anguish and deep earnestness,
And self-renouncing love did Moses stand
Before his God in that tremendous breach
And crave forgiveness for the trespassers;
And he was heard,—for gracious is the Lord.
Burnt, powdered, watered it, and make them drink,
He himself suffering his heavy share
Of Moses' indignation and reproof.
But with strong anguish and deep earnestness,
And self-renouncing love did Moses stand
Before his God in that tremendous breach
And crave forgiveness for the trespassers;
And he was heard,—for gracious is the Lord.
But holy, just and righteous is the Lord,
And for that sin, and for unnumbered sins,
And for inherent, universal sin,
Atonement must be made by sacrifice.
And, even as they sinned, that gracious Lord
Had been devising honourable means
Whereby to pardon, and to save and bless.
So on the mountain Moses had received
With the stern law assurances of grace,
And most minute instructions of the plan
Which God for their salvation had decreed.
Central, amid His wondrous purposes,
Should be an altar and a sanctuary,
A holy, consecrated priest, a man
Who should atone for their iniquity;
And Aaron, true devoted saint of God,
Though with infirmity, should be that man,
And all his sons should aid his ministry.
They should be separated, washed, and clothed,
And be anointed with God's holy oil
According to His special ordinance.
Then must each one be purged by sacrifice
To keep the charges of the sanctuary;
By holy ritual to perpetuate
The worship of Jehovah, the One God;
To offer many a complex sacrifice
With all exactness as He had enjoined.
Once every year must Aaron only go
Into the Holiest, with special rites,
And make atonement for the sin of all;
And for that sin, and for unnumbered sins,
And for inherent, universal sin,
Atonement must be made by sacrifice.
And, even as they sinned, that gracious Lord
Had been devising honourable means
Whereby to pardon, and to save and bless.
So on the mountain Moses had received
With the stern law assurances of grace,
And most minute instructions of the plan
Which God for their salvation had decreed.
Central, amid His wondrous purposes,
Should be an altar and a sanctuary,
A holy, consecrated priest, a man
Who should atone for their iniquity;
And Aaron, true devoted saint of God,
Though with infirmity, should be that man,
And all his sons should aid his ministry.
They should be separated, washed, and clothed,
And be anointed with God's holy oil
According to His special ordinance.
Then must each one be purged by sacrifice
To keep the charges of the sanctuary;
By holy ritual to perpetuate
The worship of Jehovah, the One God;
To offer many a complex sacrifice
With all exactness as He had enjoined.
Once every year must Aaron only go
Into the Holiest, with special rites,
And make atonement for the sin of all;
