Wherever is an empty chair —
Lord, be Thou there!
And fill it — like an answered prayer —
With grace of fragrant thought, and rare
Sweet memories of him whose place
Thou takest for a little space!—
— With thought of that heroical
Great heart that sprang to Duty's call;
— With thought of all the best in him,
That Time shall have no power to dim;
— With thought of Duty nobly done,
And High Eternal Welfare won.
Think! Would you wish that he had stayed,
When all the rest The Call obeyed?
— That thought of self had held in thrall
His soul, and shrunk it mean and small?
Nay, rather thank the Lord that he
Rose to such height of chivalry;
— That, with the need, his loyal soul
Swung like a needle to its pole;
— That, setting duty first, he went
At once, as to a sacrament.
So, Lord, we thank Thee for Thy Grace,
And pray Thee fill his vacant place!