The Legend of Mary Magdalen.

Her sins are forgiven her, for she loved much.

"T WAS within a Hebrew palace,
At a Hebrew ruler's board,

From her alabaster chalice

Magdalen the ointment poured.
Flowed the precious perfume, filling
All the air with odors sweet;
But, from Mary's eyes distilling,
Poured an offering far more meet,

Even than the costly ointment,
For the worn and weary feet
Of the Blessed Lord.

Humbly weeping, humbly loving,

Meck she kneeled beside Him there:

Tears and perfume both removing

With her soft and clustering hair.

But there wakened thoughts of evil

In the minds of the Eleven;

And the first to scorn or cavil

Spake the traitor-cursed of Heaven:

494

LEGEND OF MARY MAGDALEN.

"How much better were this ointment

"Vended, and the money given

66

Thinking, "'T would my store increase:

But when JESU looked, He loved her,
And He bade their murmurs cease;
Saying, "Not for her preferment

Doth she here before Me bow,

But it is for mine interment

That she thus anoints Me now."
Then he uttered, turning toward her
That divine and gentle brow,
"Mary, go in peace!"

Who doth love shall be forgiven;
He hath mercy still in store,
He hath boundless power in Heaven
Whom the cross on Calvary bore.
Earthly love may fail to ease you
When you bend in your despair,
But the gentle heart of JESU
Turneth never from a prayer.

To the asker all is granted;
He who seeketh findeth there

Rest for evermore.

495

LEGEND OF MARY MAGDALEN.

Lamb of GOD! Our Priest and Pastor,

Who canst bid all evil cease,

Ever dear and holy Master,

Make our feeble love increase!

So that when we seek Thee, owning
That Thy wrath is our deserts,
Thou, blest Lord, at whose atonement
All iniquity departs,

Mayest speak from thine enthronement
To our rent and wearicd hearts,
"Sinner, go in peace!"

C. Donald M'Leod

The Woman of Samaria.

OH! woman of olden Samaria! tell

What the stranger of Galilee said at the well,

When he paused and sat down all alone by the way With his holy lips parched, like the summer-dried clay.

"I will tell you the words of the sage that I saw, When I went to the well the bright waters to draw, Where the stones are all mossy and green at the side, And the life cheering drops so delightfully glide.

"Alone with my jar, ere the blaze of high noon,
With a caroling voice, and my feet all unshoon,
I leisurely sought for a draught of that wave,
Which the wisdom of Jacob our forefathers gave.

"At the verge of the fountain I stood, and, behold,
In silence there sate, with his garments in fold,
A Hebrew appareled in seamless attire,
Whose presence did reverence deeply inspire.

"He asked for a drink from the pitcher I bore,
Of that cool well of Jacob, delicious and pure;
And I gave it unready, yet gave it at last,
When the spell of his spirit had over me passed.

THE WOMAN OF SAMARIA.

"He told then of waters that flowed for the soul,
From the rivers of life that unceasingly roll,
Gushing freely for all that would seek them in awe,
With faith in the might of the Lord and his Law.

"He said that salvation was born of the Jews,
With a blessed Messiah to love and to choose,
Whose feet with the brightness of Virtue were shod,
While Righteousness rose in the path that he trod.

"He said in these mountains our worship should cease, And Jerusalem's glory forget to increase ;

That GOD was a spirit to love and adore,

Whom in spirit and truth we must seek and implore.

"And, with countenance looking celestially calm,
Whence holiness beamed with a soul-given charm,
He said that himself was Messiah, foretold
By the Patriarchs, Seers, and the Prophets of old!

"Oh! beautiful sight, on those features to gaze,
As the holy announcement came forth, like the blaze
Of the horizon lights, to the zenith unfurled,

For the wonder and love of the sky-viewing world!

He told me of things that I deemed were unknown,
Save unto myself, and my chosen alone;
And all that I knew he perused in my soul,

As it bowed to his will, and confessed his control.

497