By the side of a Well in Samaria's land,
Stood a woman whose life had been marred,
Through sin and despair and false-hearted man
And she from clean company was barred.
By the side of a Well on a hot, sultry day,
Sat a Stranger who came from afar;
On her sin-laden soul with deep pity He gazed
For the wonderful Teacher had seen every
scar!"
Oh, give me a drink! I am thirsty!" He said,
But she answered " Nay !" and amazed did
demand
How He being a Jew would not feel but defiled
At taking a drink from her hand !
But He smiled as He looked on her dark wondering
face,
And said,
" If thou knewest who speaketh to
thee.
Thou would'st ask for the Living Water of Life,
Which will spring up in the soul for Eternity !"
Amazed and with haste she asked for the gift
For she thought,
" To this Well I need never
more come!"
But He looked with His searching eyes into her
soul
And rebuked her of her sins every one.
With wonder she gazed on His grave, kindly face,
" O Sir, Thou'rt a Prophet ! Now tell me and
say
Whether we Samaritans should worship God
here
Or go up to Jerusalem's Temple to pray?'^
Then the Master replied to her soul's eager
thirst,"
Behold, I give thee this message forsooth.
Not in temples bedecked by man's sinful hands.
Shall Jehovah be worshipped but in Spirit
and Truth!
" For God is a Spirit He dwells not on earth,
Nor lives He in temples, the work of man's
hands
But He dwells in the hearts and souls of each
one
And He sees and passes through all the
lands!''
The Woman then said with, bright, eager eyes,*
-As the light of Grod's truth was filling her
soul.
That she knew when Christ, the Messias, would
- come, :
V
He would teach them all things to make them
whole !
The Saviour looked and He knew of her faith,
And said,
" I that speak unto thee am He I"
With rapture and love transcending her soul,
She cried, "Lord! to think Thou should- st
speak to me !"
She at once left her work and made haste to the
city.
And cried,
" Come with me ! The Christ waits
outside I
He hath told me all things whichever I've done
Oh come! that His grace may on you abide!"
Nought cared she for laughter or her neighbors'
rough scorn.
She had found the Christ! and the news she
would spread.
For to save all her friends was the thought filled
her soul,'And with joy she wished them to God to be led.
Ttiy came to the Saviour ^^ho sat at the W^ll,
They stood and spellbound they heard the
Great Story,
And said,"
Oh, come and I'emain with us here,
That we may learn to tell others God's glory I"
O Samaritan woman ! thou wert scorned of each
one
For thou hadst sinned deeply and a wicked
course run !
But thou didst accept thy God when He came.
And make haste to tell to the others the same.
Though thou hadst been one of the worst in the
city,
Yet the Message was given in Love's great pity.
And at once thou didst hasten to bring every
friend
To receive of God's wonders for time without
end !
Thy name is remembered, when those that reviled
thee.
Those that had scorned, and mocked, and defiled
thee.
Are in dust and forgotten as the ages roll by-
While thy bright faith in God is recorded on
high!
