The Winter’s Sleep Was Long and Deep

The win­ter’s sleep was long and deep

But earth is awak­ened and gay;

For the life ne’er dies that from God doth rise

And the green comes af­ter the grey.

So God doth bring the world to spring;

And on this ho­ly day

Doth the Church pro­claim her apos­tles’ fame

To wel­come the first of May.

Two saints of God went by the road

That lead­eth on to light;

And they gave up all at their mas­ter’s call

To work in their mas­ter’s sight.

Would Phi­lip’s mind the Fa­ther find?

Lo

he hath found the Way;

For to know the Son is to know the One

Whom the earth and the heav­ens ob­ey.

And James

’twas thine by grace di­vine

To preach the Christ­ian life

Where our faith is shown by our works alone

And love ov­er­com­eth strife.

Lord

grant that we may breth­ren be—

As Christ­ians live in deed;

For it is but so we can learn to know

The truth that to Thee doth lead.