THE FIVE PORCHES
(St John V1-15)

In this fine house of mercy, friends,
Which old Bethesda means,
We find our Lord one Sabbath day
Amidst heartrending scenes.

Impotent folk, some rich, some poor
Lay there day after day
In hope that when the waters moved
Healing would come their way.

But Jesus asked a certain one,
As through the crowd He stole,
With all His sympathetic heart
MAN, “Wilt thou be made whole?”

What followed forms the porches five
As plain as plain can be,
Now, may the Holy Spirit take
And let each reader see.

PRAYER constitutes the first of these
Because the man told straight,
“No one was there to help him in,
And therefore he was late.”

POWER forms the second portal,
For Jesus straightway said,
“Although you have been here for long,
Now walk off with thy bed.”

PRAISE then comes in as number three,
This was the Sabbath day,
And to the temple he repairs
His homage loud to pay.

PERFECTION was the blessing Christ
For him had there in store,
“Saying, his faith had made him whole,
And go and sin no more.”

PREACHING was just porch number fire,
With sar’d body and soul.
“He went and told even the Jews
That Christ had made him whole.”

My prayer now is that each and all
Of you, my readers dear,
May pass through these five porches safe
In the incoming year.

Eddie, Cullybackey, 22nd December 1917