Poems (Hoffman)/Come

by Martha Lavinia Hoffman

COME.

Look, when Mercy's day is past
Heaven's pearly gates have closed at last;
Within victorious millions shout,
And the lost Nations wail without!
Was it their crimes that sealed their doom?
No; Christ has plead with them to come,
Not Earth's most heinous sins forgiven
Have barred one deathless soul from Heaven.
They come to-morrow and too late,
To enter at the pearly gate;
To-day is Mercy's open gate,
They come to-morrow and too late.

To-night be strong O faltering heart,
And bid the tempting one depart;
Come from the darkness into light,
While Jesus calls, oh, come to-night!
To-morrow, oh, the uncertain doom,
Christ and His mercy may be gone;
God and His justice, in thy sight
May stand where Jesus stands to-night!

To-night the evil one stands near
To turn thy courage into fear;
'Tis he who bars the living way,
'Tis Satan's voice that whispers "Stay."

To-morrow, oh, the dread abyss,
Where sinking hope and happiness,
The foolish lingering wait!
Come from that brink of danger, come,
That dread abyss may be thy doom;
To-morrow be too late!

To-night the loving Saviour stands
With gentle face, with beckoning hands;
O heart, with sin and anguish dumb,
 'Tis Jesus' voice that whispers "Come!"