Classic Poem

From Moab's hill the stranger comes,
By sorrow tried, widowed by death;
She comes to Judah's goodly homes,
Led by the trusting hand of faith.

CHORUS .

Ye friends of God, a welcome lend
The fair and virtuous Ruth to-day; —
A generous heart and hand extend.
And wipe the widow's tears away.

She leaves her childhood's home, and all
That brothers, friends and parents gave:
The flowery fields, the lordly hall,
The green sod o'er her husband's grave.

She leaves the gods her people own, —
Soulless and weak, they're hers no more;
Jehovah, H E is God alone,
And Him her spirit will adore.

At Bethlehem's gates the stranger stands,
All friendless, poor, and wanting rest;
She waits the cheer of loving hands,
And kindred hearts that God hath blest.

Entreat me not, dear friend, to go,
Or leave thy cherished side;
The Lord hath called me here, I know,
And here I will abide.

CHORUS .

There is a place beyond the sea,
Where sisters meet again;
Ah! let me journey there with thee,
And with thee still remain.

The haunts of girlhood, once so dear,
My soul doth prize no more;
I yearn, my Love, far off to hear,
And find the better shore.

I leave the mansions of the dead, —
Farewell the grassy mound;
The flowery plains we soon will tread,
Where all the lost are found.

I'll go with thee, do not deny;
I'll make with thee my home,
Where'er thou diest I will die,
And there shall be my tomb.

Pity the widow, desolate and poor;
Those little parcels are her only store;
Meekly upon her breast she crosses them,
Prophetic of the Cross of Bethlehem;
Then looks, imploringly, into the sky,
Where sits enthroned the pitying Deity.

Widow, mourning for the dead,
Midst the golden harvest mourning,
Beats the sun thy aching head,
Burns the stubble 'neath thy tread?
No kind look thy gaze returning?
These poor parcels all thy store?
Surely God will give thee more.

Stand, then, mournfully and sigh;
Raise thy hands in meek submission;
Thy Redeemer, R UTH , is nigh, —
Marks thee with a gracious eye,
Knows thy lonely, sad condition;
All thou'st given Him, and more,
Shall be rendered from His store.