<h2><SPAN name="THE_LIVING_WATER" id="THE_LIVING_WATER" />THE LIVING WATER</h2>
<p><i>I that speak unto thee am he.</i>—John 4:26.</p>
<div class="poem"><div class="stanza">
<span>She left her home that morn<br/></span>
<span>In fair Samaria's land,<br/></span>
<span>All heedless of her state forlorn,<br/></span>
<span>Sin-bound, both heart and hand.<br/></span>
<span>With prejudicial pride<br/></span>
<span>She scorned the meek request<br/></span>
<span>Of One who sat the well beside,<br/></span>
<span>With heat and thirst opprest.<br/></span>
<span>"Thou art a Jew," she said,<br/></span>
<span>"And asketh drink of me?<br/></span>
<span>Samaria's daughter was not bred<br/></span>
<span>To deal with such as thee."<br/></span>
<span>She would not yield a sip<br/></span>
<span>E'en if its maker sued,<br/></span>
<span>While he from love, with thirsting lip,<br/></span>
<span>Sought and her heart renewed.<br/></span>
<span>He made her ask for life,<br/></span>
<span>Eternal life through him,<br/></span>
<span>And "living water" was the type<br/></span>
<span>To her perception dim.<br/></span>
<span>O yes! She fain would taste<br/></span>
<span>And never thirst again,<br/></span>
<span>And never cross the burning waste<br/></span>
<span>In weariness and pain!<br/></span>
<span>Her life he questioned now;<br/></span>
<span>Revealed her history.<br/></span></div>
<div class="stanza">
<span>She must have blushed. How could he know?<br/></span>
<span>Here was a mystery!<br/></span>
<span>Abashed she now replied,<br/></span>
<span>"Thou art a prophet, sir!"<br/></span>
<span>And straightway sought with clannish pride<br/></span>
<span>Instruction's voice to hear;<br/></span>
<span>Instruction that will bless<br/></span>
<span>The world each passing day,<br/></span>
<span>For every spot man's feet may press,<br/></span>
<span>There may he praise and pray.<br/></span>
<span>The woman lent her ear,<br/></span>
<span>Then urged Messiah's plea.<br/></span>
<span>Amazing words she now doth hear,<br/></span>
<span>"I that speak unto thee am he."<br/></span>
<span>What joy! The angels too<br/></span>
<span>Must share it from above.<br/></span>
<span>She left her water-pot, and flew<br/></span>
<span>On feet made swift by love.<br/></span>
<span>Oh, will these tidings last?<br/></span>
<span>This news, it must be spread!<br/></span>
<span>"He knows my present, knows my past;<br/></span>
<span>This is the Christ," she said.<br/></span>
<span>That woman lost in sin<br/></span>
<span>Drank of the living spring,<br/></span>
<span>Then swiftly sped dead souls to win,<br/></span>
<span>And to that fountain bring.<br/></span></div>
<div class="stanza">
<span>Forbid that we should shrink<br/></span>
<span>To publish grace so free,<br/></span>
<span>For all who will that tide may drink<br/></span>
<span>And live eternally.<br/></span></div>
<div class="stanza">
<span>They begged that he would stay,<br/></span>
<span>Believed the truths unfurled,<br/></span>
<span>And joyfully received that day<br/></span>
<span>The Saviour of the world.<br/></span></div>
</div>
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