Classic Poem

1.

There was a little family
Who lived in Bethany;
Two sisters and a brother
Composed this family.

2.

With praying and with singing,
Like angels in the sky,
At morning and at evening,
They raised their voices high.

3.

They lived in peace and pleasure
Though poor for years and years,
Although they laid up treasure
Beyond this vale of tears.

4.

Though poor and without money,
Their kindness made amend;
Their house was always open
To Jesus and his friend.

5.

And thus they lived so happy,
So poor, so kind, so good.
Their brother grew afflicted
And rudely throwed in bed.

6.

Poor Martha and poor Mary,
They wept aloud and cried;
But still he grew no better,
But lingered on and died.

7.

The Jews came to the sisters,
Put Lazreth in the tomb,
And tried for them to comfort,
And drive away their gloom.

8.

When Jesus heard these tidings,
Though in a distant land,
How swiftly did he travel
To join this lonely band!

9.

When Martha saw him coming,
She met him on his way;
She told him that her brother
Had died and passed away.

10.

He cheered and he blessed her,
He told her not to weep,
For in him was the power
To wake him from his sleep.

11.

When Mary saw him coming,
She ran and met him too,
And at his feet fell weeping,
Rehearsed the tale of woe.

12.

When Jesus saw her weeping,
He fell a-weeping too;
He wept until they showed him
Where Lazreth was in tomb.

13.

He rolled away the cover,
He looked upon the grave,
He prayed unto his Father,
His loving friend to save.

14.

Then Lazreth in full power
Came from the gloomy mound,
And in full strength and vigor
He walked upon the ground.

15.

Now if we but love Jesus,
And do his holy will,
Like Martha and like Mary,
He'll always use us well.

16.

From death he will redeem us,
And take us to the skies,
Where we will reign forever,
Where pleasure never dies.