W. Garrett Horder, comp. The Poets’ Bible: New Testament. 1895.
Thomas Not with the Ten
Herbert Kynaston (1809–1878)O
Where wast thou Thomas, then;
Not with the rout that raged without,
Not with the faithful Ten?
Why not with friends sure counsel take,
Who sought the House of Prayer;
O why, the first Lord’s-day forsake
The first assembling there?
His preacher’s flag unfurl’d
And lit their torches at the flame
Which overshone the world!
Not there, when each became—to preach
The Cross from pole to pole,—
Breath’d on with breath which conquer’d death,
An ever living soul!
For Him at danger’s call:
O better far with Christ to die,
When Christ has died for all!
It was not fear, for all were near
Who closed the doors for fright,
Hid in that room, when e’en the tomb
Was full of living light.
The Paschal barley-ears,
Heaved bright and high across the sky,
When harvest-time appears?
More blest were they that week’s first day,
With Him the feast was kept,
Who came to wave, fresh from the grave,
First fruits of them that slept.