Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1884-07-26
THE CHANGED CROSS.

1t was time of sadness, and my heart,
Although it knew and loved the better part,
Felt wearied with the conflict and the strife,
And all the needful discipline of life.
And while thought on these as given to
me-
My trial tests of faith and love to be-
II seemed as if never could be sure
That faithful to the end l should endure.
And thus no longer trusting to His might,
Who says ''we walk by faith and notify
sight,"
Doubling, and almost yielding to despair,
The thought arose, My cross cannot bear.
Far heavier its weight must surely be
Than those of others which l daily see;
Oh if might another burden choose,
Msthinks should not fear my crown to lose.
A solemn silence reigned on ali around
Fen nature uttered not sound;
The evening shadows seemed ofpeace to tell,
And sleep upon my wearied spirit fell.
A moments pause, and then heavenly
light
Beamed full upon my wondering, raptured
sight;
Angels on silveIy wings seemed everywhere,
And angels music filed the balmy air.
The One more fair than all the rest to see
One to whom all the others bowed the knee
Came gently to me as trembling lay,
And, "Follow me" He said; III am the Way"
Then speaking thus, He led me far above
And there, beneath canopy of love,
Crosses Of divers shape and size were seen,
Larger and smaller than my own had been.
And one there was most beauteous to be.
hold
A little one, with jewels set in gold
"Ah this" methought, ~ can with comfort
wear,
For it will be an easy one to bear"
And so the little cross quickly took,
But all at once my frame beneath it shook
The sparkling jewels-fair were they to see,
But far too heavy was their aCoigM for me.
"This may not be, cried, and looked again,
To see if any here could ease my pain;
But one by one passed them slowly by,
Till on a lovely one cost my eye.
Fair flowers around its sculptured form en-.
twined,
And grace and beauty seemed in it COM
bined;
Wondering, gazed, and still / wondered
more
To think so many should have passed it DER
But, oh that form so beautiful to see,
Soon made its hidden sorrows known to me
Thorns lay beneath those flowers and colort
fair;
Sorrowing l said, "This cross l may moi
bear"
And soft was with each and all around
Not one to suit my need could there be
found;
Weeping laid each heavy burden down,
As my guide gently said, "No cross, nc
crown"
At length to Him raised my saddened
heart;
He knew its sorrows, babe its doubts depart
''Be not afraid" He said, but trust in Me:
My perfectlov shall now be shown to thee
And then, with tightening eyes and willing
Q feet,
Again turned, my earthly cross to meet;
With forward footsteps, turning not ABIDE,
For fear some hidden evil might betide.
And there, in the prepared, appointed way
Listening to hear, and ready to oby-
A cross quickly found of plainest form,
With only words of love inscribed thereon
With thankfulness raised it from the rest
And joyfully acknowledged it the best,
The only one of all the many there
That l could feel was good for me to bear.
And, while thus my chosen one confessed
l saw heavenly brightness on it rest;
And as bent, my burden to sustain,
Recognized my own old cross again.
But oh 4! how different it seemed to be,
That He who knows me best should ehoos
for me;
And so, whate'er His love sees good to send
I'll trust it's best, because He knows the end