Poems (Shipton)/Crown Jewels

by Anna Shipton

CROWN JEWELS.

"The Lord their God shall save them in that day as the flock of His people: for they shall be as the stones of a crown, lifted up as an ensign upon His land."—Zech. ix. 16.
"All things come of Thee, and of Thine own have we given Thee."—1 Chron. xxix. 14.
"They shall be Mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up My jewels."—Mal. iii. 17.

I leave Thee, Lord, my jewels,
 Though they are scattered wide;
Have them in Thy close keeping,
 Safe by Thy wounded side.

Thine eye can still behold them,
 Their place no more I see,
No watch can I keep o'er them,
 Oh, watch o'er them for me!

They are Thine own: I would not
 Adorn myself with them;
Thou hast ordained their beauty;
 To grace Thy diadem.

Thy love awhile hath granted
 These "stones of grace" to me:
And now I leave my treasure,
 In trust, O Lord, with Thee.

For some, long time I travailed,
 With many a hope and fear,
And marked them growing brighter
 With each succeeding year.

And some are freshly gathered
 From darksome pit and mine,
By the ensign of Thy power
 In Thy kingly crown to shine.

Fairer than Zion's mountain,
 The eastern sun hath kissed,
Shines in its modest beauty
 Thy purple Amethyst.

By dust of earth encumbered,
 None prized the precious stone;
Christ looked on it, and loved it:
 How fair His gem hath grown.

Here's an Onyx, love-engraven
 By the Master's patient care,
Who reads the secret meaning
 Of each mystic character.

Rough seemed the file and chisel,
 Ordained by Him to bring
New beauty to His jewel,
 More honour to the King.

I wept to see how deeply
 The graver's tool must go;
But now, God, Thou knowest,
 We would but have it so!

Vainly we watch the seedling
 To life and form expand,
So the work of the great Master
 Is hidden 'neath His Hand.

Here's an Emerald from the valley,
 That suffering endears,
The dearer for the darkness,
 And the waiting, and the tears.

A Diamond from the desert,
 Where I watched all alone;
And a Sapphire, the fairest
 Because my latest one.

There, where the storm raged round us,
 And clouds rolled o'er my head,
I found a rosy Ruby
 Within its sandy bed.

And now it shines in glory,
 More beauteous in Thy sight
Than the golden orb of morning,
 In its radiant car of light.

There's a Topaz—but I leave them,
 My eyes with tears o'erflow;
My heart in love yearns o'er them,
 As Thou alone canst know.

And I would trust Thee fully
 With the dearest gifts I own!
I shall find them in the glory,
 When I see Thee on Thy throne.

In faith and with thanksgiving
 My treasures, Lord, I cast
Upon Thy care, believing
 Their future from my past.

Thy hand alone can fashion
 Thy costly stones to shine;
When Thou makest up Thy jewels—
 No longer mine, but Thine.