The True Christian.
I.
If thou’rt a Christian1
In deed and thought,2
Loving thy neighbour3
As Jesus taught,—4
Living all days5
In the sight of Heaven,6
And not one only7
Out of seven,—8
Sharing thy wealth9
With the suffering poor,10
Helping all sorrow11
That Hope can cure,—12
Making religion13
A truth in the heart,14
And not a cloak15
To be worn in the mart,16
Or in high cathedrals17
And chapels and fanes,18
Where priests are traders19
And count the gains,—20
All God’s angels will say, “ Well done ! ”21
Whenever thy mortal race is run.22
White and forgiven,23
Thou’lt enter heaven,24
And pass, unchallenged, the golden gate,25
Where welcoming spirits watch and wait26
To hail thy coming with sweet accord27
To the holy city of God the Lord !28
II.
If Peace is thy prompter,29
And Love is thy guide,30
And white-robed Charity31
Walks by thy side,—32
If thou tellest the truth33
Without oath to bind,34
Doing thy duty35
To all mankind,—36
Raising the lowly,37
Cheering the sad,38
Finding some goodness39
Even in the bad,40
And owning with sadness,41
If badness there be,42
There might have been badness43
In thine and in thee,44
If Conscience the warder45
That keeps thee whole46
Had uttered no voice47
To thy slumbering soul,—48
All God’s angels will say, “ Well done ! ”49
Whenever thy mortal race is run.50
White and forgiven,51
Thou’lt enter heaven,52
And pass, unchallenged, the golden gate53
Where welcoming spirits watch and wait54
To hail thy coming with sweet accord55
To the holy city of God the Lord !56
III.
If thou art humble,57
And wilt not scorn,58
However wretched,59
A brother forlorn,—60
If thy purse is open61
To misery’s call,62
And the God thou lovest63
Is God of all,64
Whatever their colour,65
Clime or creed,66
Blood of thy blood,67
In their sorest need,—68
If every cause69
That is good and true,70
And needs assistance71
To dare and do,72
Thou helpest on73
Through good and ill,74
With trust in Heaven,75
And God’s good will,—76
All God’s angels will say “ Well done ! ”77
Whenever thy mortal race is run.78
White and forgiven,79
Thou’lt enter heaven,80
And pass, unchallenged, the golden gate81
Where welcoming spirits watch and wait82
To hail thy coming with sweet accord83
To the holy city of God the Lord !84