Of Martha you’ve already heard,
Who entertained the Lord
When once He passed through Bethany,
And Mary heard His word.
* * *
They had a brother, Lazarus,
And Jesus loved the three,
And now the young man was brought
low,
And very ill was he.
* * *
And his sisters sent a message
Unto the Lord, in haste :
“Behold, he whom Thou lovest well
Is sick and failing fast.”
* * *
But Jesus said :”This sickness
Comes not that he must die,
But for God’s glory, that His Son
Be glorified thereby.
* * *
“Our friend, Lazarus, sleepeth,”
Were the next words He spake :
“And I go hence that I may him
Out of his sleep awake.”
* * *
Then said they : “Lord, if Laz’rus sleep
He surely shall do well”–
Thinking that it was natural rest
That o’er his eyelids fell.
* * *
Then He said, plainly : “Lazarus
Is cold and still in death.
But well, for your sakes, ’tis that I
Went not while he had breath.
* * *
“For so your faith shall be made bright,
That may be somewhat dim;
But now arise and leave this place,
That we may go to him.”
* * *
Then Thomas said–called Didymus–
To the disciples all,
”Let’s go, that we may die with Him,
If death should Him befall.”
* * *
And now all hearts are sad and still,
And many throb with fear,
As Jesus and His followers
To Bethany draw near.
* * *
And those who meet Him tell the news
Of sorrow and of gloom,
That Lazarus has already lain
Three days within his tomb.
* * *
Now Bethany was very near
Unto Jerusalem;
And many to the sisters came,
To see, and comfort them.
* * *
And as they sat in silence,
Their hearts with grief bowed down,
The word was brought that Jesus
Was coming into town.
* * *
Then Martha went to meet the Christ,
And said unto Him : “Lord,
If Thou hadst been here, my brother
Had recovered by Thy word.”
* * *
“Thy brother,” thus the answer came,
“Shall rise again, I say.”
“Yea, in the resurrection morn,”
She said, “at the last day.”
* * *
“I am the resurrection, and
The Life,” the Lord replied.
“He that upon my name believes
Shall live, though he had died.”
* * *
“Oh, Lord,” she answered fervently,
“I truly do believe
Thou art the Christ, the Son of God,
Whom this world should receive.”
* * *
When Jesus saw the sister’s tears,
And tears of those around,
He groaned in spirit and was sad,
With troubled thoughts profound.
* * *
He said to them : “Where have ye laid
Your friend and mine to sleep?”
They say to Him : “Lord, come and see,
Then all beheld Him weep.
* * *
And then they took away the stone
From where the dead was laid,
And Jesus lifted up His eyes,
And solemnly He said :
* * *
“Father I thank Thee that Thou hast
Heard my heart’s secret prayer,
And I know that Thou dost always
Bow down to me Thine ear.”
* * *
And when He thus had spoken,
He cried in accents loud :
“Lazarus, come forth,” and the dead
Came forth, bound in his shroud,
* * *
And his face bound with a napkin;
His movements thus were slow;
But Jesus called out, with command:
“Loose him and let him go.”
* * *
Then O, what deep and solemn joy
The sisters’ hearts conceived!
While many of the Jews around
On Jesus Christ believed.
