St. Thomas the Apostle

Doubting soul! lay down thy fears,
For thy Lord is nigh thee;
Joy for sadness, smiles for tears,
Jesus will supply thee.

Plead not reason's poor pretence,
Trust what God hath told thee;
Lean not on thine erring sense,
When His arms enfold thee.

Tho' His coming be delayed,
Truth can never alter;
Where His promise has been made.
Faith should never falter.

Tho' the East be dull, and grey,
Still the dawn is clearing;
Shadows soon shall flee away,
Before Christ's appearing.

Thou would st with thine eyes behold,
What thy soul desireth;
Thou wouldst to thine ears have told,
What thy sense requireth.

Faith, inured to harder tasks,
In submission kneeleth,
Nor, with doubting Thomas, asks
More than God revealeth.

Many a soul thou canst not see
To His law attendeth;
Many a hidden heart and knee
Daily to Him bendeth;

Unseen thousands ' watch and pray/
With their lamps all burning;
Hastening with their prayers the day
Of their Lord's returning.

And the eye of Faith perceives
How that day is breaking;
And its ear, 'mid rustling leaves,
Hears the morning waking.

And the fainting soul is blest,
With the fresh'ning breezes,
Blowing o'er the land of rest,
Whence we look for Jesus.

Lift then, trembling heart! thine eyes,
Soon His rays shall reach thee;
Blushing dawn, and reddening skies,
God's own truth shall teach thee.

Watch above, and wait below,
While thy soul receiveth
That high blessing, he shall know,
Who seeing not believeth.