He Is Gone, a Cloud of Light

He is gone—a cloud of light

Has re­ceived Him from our sight;

High in Heav’n

where eye of men

Follows not

nor an­gels’ ken;

Through the veils of time and space

Passed into the ho­li­est place;

All the toil

the sor­row done

All the bat­tle fought and won.

He is gone—and we re­main

In this world of sin and pain:

In the void which He has left

On this earth

of Him be­reft.

We have still His work to do

We can still His path pur­sue;

Seek Him both in friend and foe

In our­selves His im­age show.

He is gone—we heard Him say

Good that I should go away

Gone is that dear form and face

But not gone His pre­sent grace;

Though Him­self no more we see

Comfortless we can­not be:

No

His Spir­it still is ours

Quickening

fresh­en­ing all our pow­ers.

He is gone—to­wards their goal

World and church must on­ward roll;

Far be­hind we leave the past;

Forward are our glanc­es cast:

Still His words before us range

Through the ag­es as they change:

Wheresoe’er the truth shall lead

He will give what­e’er we need.

He is gone—but we once more

Shall be­hold Him as be­fore;

In the heav­en of heav­ens the same

As on earth He went and came;

In the ma­ny man­sions there

Place for us He will pre­pare;

In that world un­seen

un­known

He and we shall yet be one.

He is gone—but not in vain

Wait un­til He comes again:

He is ris­en

He is not here

Far above this earth­ly sphere;

Evermore in heart and mind

There our peace in Him we find:

To our own eter­nal friend

Thitherward let us as­cend.