20. DEATH. Job 14. Poor man, of woman born, is child of woe; 21. THE STORM ON THE LAKE. The vessel floated on the inland sea, And Jesus found repose to nature dear, When straight the angry storm comes wing'd with fear, And heaving billows roll tumultuously. Asleep in undisturb'd tranquillity, The voice of terror breaks upon his ear, "Master! now save us, or we perish here;— We sink, unless deliv'rance comes from Thee!" He rose and said-"Ye tempests! cease to blow; Ye billows! be ye calm as infant's sleep :"When lo,the winds are hush'd and smooth the waves. Ye toss'd and tempted souls! to Jesus go; In him your faith and trust unshaken keep, And ye shall be secure, for JESUS saves ! 22. ON JACQUES BALMAT. Mont Blanc! That he first gain'd thy snow-built height Of man's strange pride, for which the angels weep, Whatever point he gains by struggling might. First scholar, artist, genius of the age, First with the sword or with the tongue's debate, Poet strong-wing'd or philosophic sage,However loud the trump, that calls thee great,— Proud, boasting worm! just think of poor Balmat, In ice-chink plung'd from all his high eclat! I've struck the milk-white quartz with gentle blow, Whose charms the beams of star-born diamond mock ; That gem is Truth—the truth, which angels know! Delve patient; make the stubborn barriers fly; Though long the toil, let hope assuage thy care; Each blow the glad and glist'ning beams may wake. With zeal contend; the inquisition ply; Yet in debate this needful caution bear— Be gentle, or the crystal thou mayst break! 24. THE SABBATH. Sweet is the dawn of tranquil holy day, Hallow'd, e'en from the birth of time, to rest, To purest joys, and contemplations blest ;The cares of this vain world put far away. God said, "Let there be light:" and straight the play Of varied hues all nature did invest: Creation ended,-this was God's behest ; "Let Sabbath peace return, while earth shall stay." Once more, near thrice the hundred thousandth time, The blessed light upon the world is spread, And wakes an heav'nly flame in many an eye :— Just emblem of that Sabbath day sublime, Whose beams in heav'n on ransom'd souls are shed In glorious brightness through eternity! 25. THE WIDOW'S SON RAISED. No company of revellers is here, But sad procession solemn moves and slow, While sobs are heard, and tears of anguish flow;— A widow's only son is on the bier. But now the mighty Son of God comes near, And says "Young man, I tell thee, rise!" The dead man lives, and speaks in accents clear! O, what a tide of ecstasy was thine, Blest widow, kissing that son's face once more, Then falling at His feet, who wak'd the dead! So, at another day, that voice divine Shall reach all caverns of the grave with power, And rapture through innum'rous hearts shall spread. 26. THANKSGIVING-DAY, 1859. Thanks be to God on this Thanksgiving-Day "Our Country's FREEDOM!" "Tis not known by all, Though loud we cry, 'tis man's most rightful claim. Methinks I hear in thunder tones heav'n's call,"Ye glorying States, that boast of LIBERTY, Look on four million SLAVES and make them FREE!" 27. THE LORD MY SHEPHERD. The Lord my Shepherd is-the Psalmist said- My soul his kind restoring mercy knows; 28. CHRIST'S RESURRECTION. Welcome, O Day, in dazzling glory bright, When all Christ's friends with him in heav'n shall rest; For on this day, in his recover'd might, The sleeper wak'd to see this morning's light ;"The Son of God!" glad angel-hosts attest: So, when alive, most fully shown, confest, For on this day he took his heav'n-ward flight. When therefore our glad eyes this morning's sun See rising on the earth, we'll lift our thought To Him, who by his death our life hath bought, And victor-king for us a crown hath won. It e'er shall be a day of sweetest joy, Till we shall see our Lord in yonder sky! 29. DARKNESS UNTIL HEAVENLY LIGHT. Dark is the soul of man all hist'ry shows, While pride and ev'ry passion keep their sway. |