Poetry · Chapter
A Thanksgiving for F. D. Maurice explained
A poem of thanksgiving and praise for the life and legacy of F.
What happens
A poem of thanksgiving and praise for the life and legacy of F. D. Maurice, celebrating his prophetic voice, innocence, truth, purity, and humility. The speaker reflects on his role as a divine messenger, his learning, his victories over sin and fear, and his ultimate return to God, while expressing hope that his spirit may be sent back to guide the faithful.
Themes in this chapter
Redemption and Grace
The poem celebrates Maurice's life as a reflection of divine grace and his death as a return to God, emphasizing redemption through faith.
Love as Ultimate Strength
The speaker's love-sharpened eyes and the emphasis on Maurice's tender wrath and plenteous ruth highlight love as a guiding force.
Characters to notice
Key passages
“The veil hath lifted and hath fallen; and him / Who next it stood before us, first so long, / We see not; but between the cherubim / The light burns clearer: come—a thankful song!”
The barrier between us and the divine has been removed and then closed again; the person who stood closest to us for so long is now hidden from sight, yet the light of God shines even more brightly. Let us sing a song of gratitude.
The opening lines describe the death of Maurice as a lifting of the veil, revealing a clearer divine light.
“For his humility, dove-clear of guile;— / The sin denouncing, he, like thy great Paul, / Still claimed in it the greatest share, the while / Our eyes, love-sharpened, saw him best of all!”
For his pure and guileless humility—though he denounced sin like the apostle Paul, he always claimed to be the greatest sinner himself, even as our loving eyes saw him as the best among us.
Highlights Maurice's humility and self-awareness, comparing him to Saint Paul.
“When thou, O Lord, ascendedst up on high / Good gifts thou sentest down to cheer thy men: / Lo, he ascends!—we follow with the cry, / His spirit send thou back in thine again.”
When you, Lord, ascended to heaven, you sent down good gifts to encourage your people. Now Maurice ascends to you—we follow with a plea: send his spirit back to us, united with yours.
The closing lines draw a parallel between Christ's ascension and Maurice's death, asking for his spirit to return as a gift.