Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, FUNERAL ANTHEM, by HENRY HART MILMAN


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

FUNERAL ANTHEM, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Brother, thou art gone before us
Last Line: And the weary are at rest.
Variant Title(s): Burial Hymn
Subject(s): Funerals; Burials


BROTHER, thou art gone before us,
And thy saintly soul is flown
Where tears are wip'd from every eye,
And sorrow is unknown.
From the burden of the flesh,
And from care and sin releas'd,
Where the wicked cease from troubling,
And the weary are at rest.

The toilsome way thou'st travell'd o'er,
And hast borne the heavy load;
But Christ hath taught thy wandering feet
To reach his bless'd abode;
Thou 'rt sleeping now, like Lazarus,
On his Father's faithful breast,
Where the wicked cease from troubling,
And the weary are at rest.

Sin can never taint thee now,
Nor can doubt thy faith assail;
Nor thy meek trust in Jesus Christ
And the Holy Spirit fail;
And there thou'rt sure to meet the good,
Whom on earth thou lovest best,
Where the wicked cease from troubling,
And the weary are at rest.

"Earth to earth," and "dust to dust."
Thus the solemn priest hath said;
So we lay the turf above thee now,
And seal thy narrow bed;
But thy spirit, brother, soars away
Among the faithful blest,
Where the wicked cease from troubling,
And the weary are at rest.

And when the Lord shall summon us
Whom thou now hast left behind,
May we, untainted by the world,
As sure a welcome find;
May each, like thee, depart in peace,
To be a glorious, happy guest,
Where the wicked cease from troubling,
And the weary are at rest.





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