50. REMOVAL OF SEVERE ILLNESS. Short seem'd the step down to the awful grave, Where ev'ry vig'rous limb all stiffen'd lies, While weeds and grasses o'er my bed shall wave. This world of ours, built up so beauteous, brave, Must it be faded ever from my eyes? Shall my dull ear hear no sweet symphonies? And from this dreaded doom can naught me save? Naught sav'd me but thy pow'r, O God of love! I live again to Thee be all the praise; : And let me live with heart on things above, As one, in all things whom thy Spirit sways; So serving Christ, as sure to me 'tis given To see him in a brighter world—in heaven! 51. GOD MAN'S ALL-SUFFICIENT GOOD. Although no blossom'd fig tree deck the field, The God of my salvation; songs shall rise And heav'n's unmeasur'd good, and joys untold. 52. THE DEATH OF REV. DR. I. NICHOLS. In boyhood's prime our four years' course being done In band of numbers unsurpass'd before, All said, as richest gems we counted o'er,"The highest rank Thou, youngest, yet hast won." Again, when now brief interval was run, Our toils renew'd as long a time once more In Harvard's walls, t' acquire the honey'd store.Since then just fifty years our lives have spun.A few days past I hail'd my birth-day light; Alas, it was thy day of death, my friend, When thy keen eyes were clos'd in deepest night: Yet 'twas thy birth to life without an end! Thy trust be mine-is now my sick-bed pray'r— In God's own Son, who came our sins to bear. 53. THE VOICE OF NATURE TO POETS. Your homage has been paid me much too long, Nor sweetly-warbling Nightingale in wood, 54. THE CROSS AND CROWN. Bright symbols, which a daughter's hand hath wove, What more significant before mine eyes Or showing forth sublimer mysteries,The color'd Cross the suff'ring Savior's love, The Crown of green his Father's gift above?Why bear these autumn leaves such crimson dyes, Save to express his death, his agonies, Whose hand outspread each decorated grove? If all be, then, the purchase of his blood,All who repent, and love, believe, obey, Who, now redeem'd, walk in the upward way, Cheer'd with the hope of heav'n's eternal good,— Let me not boast of all within my thought, Save in Christ's CROSS, by which my CROWN was bought. 55. DYING I AM BLEST. Great kings must leave their thrones and rule unjust, Philosophers forget their idle schemes, Beauty her form, and poets too their dreams, And rich men mingle with the worthless dust. Alas, what is the earth to poor man's trust? How fleeting all earth's joys, like rushing streams! Yet 'tis not dark to me: I see bright gleams, Which from my God on high on me outburst,Visions of good eternal in the skies :— My sins effac'd by blood,―redeeming love,— God's Son, once on the cross, enthroned above,My long-lost ones again before my eyes, With all the good.-I cry, "Death brings me rest; Through thee, O Jesus, DYING I AM BLEST!" 56. COMPACT ON BOARD THE MAYFLOWER. The wondrous "Mayflow'r," floating on the sea, As yet had found no circling shore for rest, Though land was near; 'tis now her Company To guard against disorders, which might be, And firm foundation lay for empire blest, Their "Solemn Compact" made, that none might wrest, Each pledg'd the Rule to follow cheerfully. Freedom and Law are bound in union sweet; For all have equal pow'r till common vote Authority confer, to which all bow, Its exercise restrain'd, as is most meet, To Public Good. No acts of their's denote 57. TO JESUS CHRIST, GOD'S SON. O, blessed, first-born Son of God most high, Leaving thy glorious, heav'nly mansion bright, 58. TO DR. THOMSON, MISSIONARY. Old WARRIOR, two decades of years and more Thee and thy fellows from this land of light 59. HAPPY OLD AGE. 'Tis good our destin'd course in life to run, The fruits of many a deed of good appear, From which new plants are waving to the eye. Forward we look; no terrors we descry, But all is light, and peace, and pleasures dear: |