listen not to the word that would have you believe

that the voice of the age is a moan;

that the red hand of wrong

is triumphant and strong,

and that wrong is triumphant alone;

there was never a time on the face of the earth

when love was so near its own.

do you think that the love which has died for the world

has not lived for the world also?

filling man with the fire

of a boundless desire

to love all with a love that shall grow?

it was not for nothing the white christ was born

two thousand years ago.

the power that gave birth to the son of the king

all life doth move and thrill,

every age as ’tis passed

coming nearer at last

to the law of that wonderful will,—

as our god so loved the world that day,

our god so loves it still.

the love that fed poverty, making it thrive,

is learning a lovelier way.

we have seen that the poor

need be with us no more,

and that sin may be driven away;

the love that has carried the martyrs to death

is entering life to-day.

the spirit of christ is awake and alive,

in the work of the world it is shown,

crying loud, crying clear,

that the kingdom is here,

and that all men are heirs to the throne!

there was never a time since the making of man

when love was so near its own!