The pilgrim Author:John Henry Newman Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: Leave all the charities of home, and worst, The fellowship of prayer from childhood sweet, To cast my lot with strangers? How alone Endure their scorn, their jus... more »t severity? A bolder heart than mine might quail with fear, Or in the agony of doubt expire." No answer follow'd, and the speaker pass'd Slowly from that alcove ; a mantle hid With its long folds the features and the form : Her name, her race might have a history; She might have seen and suffer'd ; but she went Unquestion'd on her way. The weary hours Brought round a festival observed by few, And its strange history ; how light from heaven Fell with resistless glory upon Saul, And cast him blind and helpless in the dust. The thoughts and schemes of his long, busy life Were vanish'd wholly, and he only pray'd To know the will of God. The lesson struck Full on the heart of that afflicted one; And she at length resisted not the grace. Then, like a wreath of vapours in the sun, The dreams and phantoms of so many years Vanish'd at once. Then prostrate and alone, She vow'd (but not as yet in simple trust, For sophistry was strong,) she would obey Each indication of God's providence; And, should all fail, submit to holy Church Before the Feast of the Nativity. So she went forth again ; but in her vow She found a secret peace, a resting place Amid perplexities. Another spring Grew into summer ere her watching eyes Discern'd an object in the vacancy : Then, as a road from some new eminence, Before her lay a Pilgrimage to Rome. A pilgrimage ? Yes: others sigh'd like her To seek for rest at the Apostles' Tomb. They would go forth as pilgrims, and would hide Their thoughts and purpose from the mocking world, Not beneath russet frock and hooded cloak, But in the deep disguise of common life. And she whose voice had told th...« less