They sought throughout the barren night
The fruitage of the sea,
Till dawning came with holy thought
That set their efforts free—
That set their efforts free to prove
Love's guidance, patient, kind,
To cast their nets upon the right
And goodly harvest find.
For lo, the Lord stood even by
Upon the morning shore
And hailed them with a gentle word,
As oftentimes before.
And now again in Galilee
He brake with them that bread—
Dear bread of heaven that long since
Their eager souls had fed.
And he who said, "Be merciful,"
And "Blessed ye that weep,"
Saw in that hour the needs of man
And counseled, "Feed my sheep."
Today as on that distant shore
We hear that charge to keep;
The wide earth hungers for the truth—
Oh, let us feed his sheep!
