The Church Walking with the World: IV.

So the poor were turned from her door in scorn,
And she heard not the orphan's cry;
And she drew her beautiful robes aside,
As the widows went weeping by,
The sons of the World and the sons of the Church
Walked closely in hand and heart,
And only the Master, who knoweth all,
Could tell the two apart.
The Church sat down at her ease and said,
"I am rich and in goods increased;
I have need of nothing and nought to do
But to laugh and dance and feast."
The sly world heard her, and laughed in his sleeve,
And mockingly said aside,
"The Church is fallen - the beautiful Church -
And her shame is her boast and pride!"

The Angel drew near the mercy-seat,
And whispered, in sighs, her name,
And the saints their anthems of rapture hushed,
And covered their heads with shame.
And a voice came down, through the hush of heaven,
From Him who sat on the throne;-
"I know thy works, and how thou hast said,
I am rich; and hast not known
That thou art naked, and poor and blind
And wretched before My face;
Return, repent, lest I cast thee out,
And blot thy name from its place!"

Matilda C. Edwards

Taken from the Free Presbyterian Magazine vol. 3 (Reprinted Glasgow, 2000).

The Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland has an excellent online bookshop, based in Glasgow, and are responsible for publishing many interesting books of Scottish interest. Not least among these are the first six volumes of the denominational magazine. We would like to take this opportunity to reccomend these volumes to all our readers. Not only are they of historical interest and significance, but they contain a great deal (such as the poem above) that speaks to our current situation.