Was it a dream? such gladness with it bringing,
That life whose dawn with such deep joy we hailed, —
Those loving baby arms so fondly clinging, —
Those eyes whose smiles so soon in death were veiled?

Alas! no dream had left such life-long traces,
Such silence as that little voice has left, —
The blank no other presence e'er replaces;
It is no dream which leaves us thus bereft.

It is no dream! Thy spirit dieth never!
That little star through endless time shall beam;
Heaven shall be brighter for thy light for ever,
And gladder for thy voice. It is no dream!

It is no dream! By God that gift was given;
Man may repent his gifts; God deals not thus
A new immortal joy is ours in heaven,
And He who gave will give thee back to us.

It is no dream, that Paradise immortal
Where He who bless'd the babes has welcomed thee:
Fearless the infants pass its solemn portal,
Borne in His arms, His face alone they see.

Yet, Father! who, for us, in love most tender,
Didst yield to death Thy Son, Thine only Son,
Thou knowest all the cost of such surrender;
Help us to say with Him, Thy will be done;

Till looking back, with this our child beside us,
On all the way through which our feet were brought,
We sing, " It was no dream by which God tried us —
No dream the weight of glory it has wrought! "