O city girt with glory!
Thou scene of quiet rest,
Where dwells the King Eternal,
Oh, beautiful and blest!
Thy streets are filled with glorious song,
The praises of a myriad throng.
With stones of polished beauty
Is reared thy structure fair;
And gems, and gold, and crystal
Are sparkling everywhere;
With pearls thy gates are glittering gay,
And golden is thy bright highway.
144
For ever, and in sweetness
Are Alleluias given;
Unending is the feast day,
The royal feast of heaven;
Whate'er within thy walls is stored,
Is pure and holy to the Lord.
No clouds with sombre curtain
Thy glorious brightness screen;
There shines the Sun eternal,
And aye at noonday seen;
There is no night to give repose,
For no one toil or trouble knows.
The vernal glow of spring-time
Is rich and lasting there;
The wealth of summer's beauty
Is scattered everywhere;
And that fair realm can never know
The autumn's blast, or winter's snow.
145
The notes that fall in sweetness,
Where birds in woodland sing;
The sounds of softest music,
That winds in summer bring,
Are wafted o'er that city bright,
In strains of unalloyed delight.
There youth adorned with vigour
Ne'er into age declines;
No aged fears the mortal,
Nor for the past repines;
For past and future are unknown,
In heaven the present reigns alone.
No fleshly law can triumph,
And over reason ride;
With bodies pure and stainless
The spirit shall abide;
And power of flesh, and power of will,
Shall both one common law fulfil.
146
Oh, bright the heavenly glory
This fragile frame shall wear,
When health, and strength, and freedom
Shall crown with beauty rare;
And pleasure's draughts no sorrow know,
But everlasting joys bestow.
Now gladly bear the burden;
With zeal thy task maintain;
And gifts shall crown thy labour,
And all thy loss be gain;
When decked with splendour thou shalt be
Where glory shines eternally.
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