The fig tree near the way­side showed
Its bright leaves from afar,
But those green leaves, which looked so fair,
Now sere and blight­ed are.

Green leaves it had, but fruit had none;
Christ came and looked for fruit;
Let none e’er eat of thee, He said;
It wi­thered to the root.

Have faith in God—yon ci­ty now
Shines bright­ly in the sun;
Christ search­es it; it shows much leaf,
But fruit of faith has none.

Soon Christ Him­self will wi­thered seem
By that proud ci­ty’s scorn;
But Pas­sion-tide will lead Him forth
To a bright East­er morn.

Have faith in God. Be not per­plexed
By Cal­va­ry’s suf­fer­ing;
From that dark win­ter Christ re­vives
To an eter­nal spring.

Have faith in God; that ci­ty proud—
That leafy, bar­ren tree—
Will, by the light­nings of His Word,
Withered for ev­er be.

The hy­po­crite and ev­il man
May flour­ish in the breeze
Of way­side earth­ly fame; but God
Will blight all bar­ren trees.

Root us in faith, make us bear fruit
Of ho­li­ness and love;
So may we ever flour­ish, Lord,
In pa­ra­dise above.

To Fa­ther, Son and Ho­ly Ghost
Eternal glo­ry be;
O praise and bless with songs of joy
One God, and Per­sons Three.