Classic Poem

PARABLE LXXI

The Woman of Samaria.

Christ in a certain town remains,
Call'd Sichar, in Samaria's plains,
Near to that spot, the patriarch bless'd
For Joseph, in his will express'd.
Now Jacob's well was where he went,
And Jesus, with his journey spent,
Sat down at ease upon the brink
(The hour was then the sixth) to drink;
When from Samaria thither came
A woman—Christ address'd the dame,
‘Give me to drink.’ (For his co-mates
For meat had sought the city-gates)
How comes it, Sir, to pass, said she,
That you should ask to drink of me,
A woman of Samaria's place,
And thou a man of Jewish race?
For with Samaritans the Jews
All kind of intercourse refuse.
Then Christ, ‘Didst thou but understand
‘God's gift, and him that asks thy hand,
‘Thou'dst offer'd of thine own accord,
‘And hadst receiv'd for thy reward
‘From life's eternal well a draught.’
Sir, says the woman, thou hast nought
Wherewith to draw, and deep the spring,
Whence living water canst thou bring?
Canst thou afford more pow'rful aid
Than father Jacob, he that made
This well, whence for himself he drew,
His children, and his cattle too?
Then Christ, ‘Who to this water makes,
‘Shall thirst again; but whoso takes
‘The quick'ning water that I give,
‘Shall never thirst, but ever live.
‘For what I give to him in peace
‘Shall be life's well-spring not to cease.’
Lord, with this water me suffice
That I nor thirst nor draw, she cries.
Says Christ, ‘Go call thy husband here,
‘And with him at this place appear.’
No husband in the world have I—
‘I have no husband, is no lie.
‘I have no husband, is well said:
‘For five thou hadst; but art not wed
‘Unto the man you now receive.’
Sir, thou'rt a prophet, I believe.
Our fathers worshipp'd in this mount:
But in respect to your account,
Jerusalem's the place of pray'r,
And we should only worship there.
The Lord returns, ‘You may rely,
‘O woman, that the hour is nigh,
‘When neither here, as heretofore,
‘Nor there you shall your God adore
‘Ye worship that ye do not know:
‘But with the Jews it is not so,
‘From where salvation comes in pow'r.
‘For now arrives the very hour,
‘When faithful men, divinely meek,
‘In spirit and in truth shall seek
‘The Father; 'tis the Father's will,
‘That such their homage should fulfill.
‘God is a Spirit, we confess,
‘In truth and spirit must we bless’
The woman answers, I am clear,
Messias, call'd the Christ, is near,
Whose coming all things shall explain
Then said the Lord to her again,
‘I that speak with thee am the Man.’
At which forthwith the woman ran,
Without her water-pot, and calls
Unto the men within the walls,
Come, see the Man, that did the tale
Of all my life at once unveil;
Is not this Christ himself indeed?
Then went the citizens with speed
But mean time his disciples pray'd,
And urging, Master, eat, they said.
But he return'd unto their pray'r,
‘Eat must I when you're not aware.’
Then 'mongst themselves they ask'd, and sought,
Has any man some victuals brought?
‘My meat, he cries, is to fulfill
‘My Father's word, and do his will,
‘Do ye not say, four months remain,
‘And then arrives the time for grain:
‘Behold! I say, lift up your eyes,
‘And look up to the crops that rise,
‘Which stand upon the fields around,
‘Already whit'ning all the ground,
‘And he that reaps shall earn his hire,
‘And life's eternal fruit acquire,
‘That they that sow, and they that reap,
‘With joy one harvest-home may keep:
‘And herein a true proverb's shown,
‘One reaps what was by others sown.
‘I sent you to be reapers there
‘Of that, in which ye took no care:
‘Their labour other men bestow'd,
‘And you upon the spoil abode.’
?And many of Samaria's race
Believed on the Prince of Grace,
For that the woman said, ‘The tale
‘Of all my life he did unveil.’
So when the city came to greet
The Lord, they did his stay intreat;
And two days did he there abide:
And many persons more beside
Believ'd through faith in his own word,
And with the woman thus conferr'd,
‘Now we believe that he is true,
‘Not for the words he spake to you;
‘For we have heard him with our ears,
‘And to us all the truth appears;
‘And in his words and deeds we find
‘The Christ and Saviour of mankind.’