We Cannot Think of Them as Dead

We can­not think of them as dead

Who walk with us no more;

Along the path of life we tread—

They have but gone be­fore.

The Fa­ther’s house is man­sioned fair

Beyond our vi­sion dim;

All souls are His

and here or there

Are liv­ing un­to Him.

But still their si­lent min­is­tries

Within our hearts have place

As when on earth they walked with us

And met us face to face.

Ours are they by an own­er­ship

Nor time nor death can free;

For God hath giv­en love to keep

Its own eter­nal­ly.