60.

PILGRIMS ON PLYMOUTH ROCK.

The 66

Mayflow'r"'s anchor'd in the wintry bay; And now the crowded boat with busy oar Glides onward to the solitary shore,

Where, just emerging from the wave, there lay A Rock, which trusting feet would not betray.

On this the Pilgrims land, to float no more
On angry billows, as they ceaseless roar;-

But here to fix their dwelling-place for aye.-
This scene may well the future good unfold,

Which o'er th’Atlantic wave their feet had sought

THE LIBERTY OF CONSCIENCE, prize untold, Each shackle broke which bigotry had wrought

Symbol, which sure our eyes do not bemock,
Of FREEDOM's Empire, founded on a Rock!

As now, methinks, my fated hour draws nigh,

With all its scenes before my vision clear,
Why must I take my flight without a tear

To dim the lustre of my heav'n-lift eye?
Why leave I sweetest joys without a sigh,

As though to my blest soul not rich and dear? Is all my love to lov'd ones insincere,

That I am calm while other spirits cry? Oh no! I love them; but love others more

Our common SAVIOR, victim on the tree

Their Mother and their Sister gone before
To heav'n, there ready now to welcome me.

Harvests of glorious Good about to reap,-
Dying to enter LIFE,-how can I weep?

I see thee, outcast from thy native shore,

Exile from England lov’d, to toil and die;
And ne'er didst thou behold our western sky ;-

Yet in both lands what name is honor'd more
Than thine, O ROBINSON? We hence adore

That Providence, which thus uplifts on high
The worthy from their deep humility,

And makes them stars to shine forevermore. The Truth thou didst discern and didst maintain

Freedom to worship God-with courage bold,

Unaw'd by foes in pow'r and pride arrayed.
This claim the world will ne'er forget again,

Nor thee forget, its champion of old,
But breathe thy noble spirit undismayed.

As city, near volcanic mountain's brow,

When heav'd by earthquake in its strongest wall, Trembles, and seems just tott'ring to its fall;

Such seem'd my frame of clay beneath the blow. 'Twas Wisdom's way to make the suff"rer know

The lesson oft forgot, needful for all,
That fleeting life soon flies beyond recall,-

That heav'nly bliss is nigh or endless woe.
One day death’s gloom seem'd settling on my head;

The next I joyful felt God's arm of might,

And rose as one recover'd from the dead.
To whom then now belongs my life of right?

Thee, Lord, I praise, whose mercies overflow;
Thee will I serve with angel's zeal below!

Of intellectual worlds Truth is the sun,

Outpouring on the mind heav'n's purest light, Before which quickly fly all shades of night.

And as his daily course the Truth doth run,
He sheds a vivifying heat. This done,

Each plant of virtue grows up in our sight;
But ev'ry vile imposture feels a blight.-

With thee has truth, God's truth, the vict'ry won? Alas! by ev'ry cheat and wicked lie

Man is misled, deluded to his woe;

And o'er him Satan holds dominion high,
Reigning o'er all the wretched race below,

Till God doth interpose in wondrous love,
On man his Spirit pouring from above.

O death, how dreadful is thy certain doom,

The beautiful all hidden from my eye
In the dark pit, where their stiff bodies lie!

And must I join them in the loathsome tomb ? Yet sure the spring-flow'r does not fail to bloom,

When wintry frosts give way to genial sky.
For body's happy change we need not sigh;

Nor for the spirit's flight from all earth's gloom. Then, Death, thy presence brings me no affright,

But wakes my loud, exulting voice through grace,

A shout of glorious victor in the fight,
Or of the winner in the struggling race.

Death is quick transfer of the soul to heaven,
A boon to all Christ's friends in mercy given.

66. GOD'S MARVELLOUS WORKS. Ps. 104.

'Tis God, who made and heav'n and earth sustains :

We render homage due.- When floods arose,
The Lord did quell them to a quick repose.-

He made all springs for mountains and for plains. T'enrich the earth he gives his plenteous rains ;

The herb for man and grass for cattle grows.The moon for seasons made, the sun too knows

His going down, when thickest darkness reigns; Then forest beasts creep forth, who shun the light.

To God young lions for their meat do cry;

The sun ariseth,--down in their dens they lie : But man unto his work goes out till night.

Thy works, O Lord, how manifold and great!
In searchless wisdom didst thou all create !

67. THE LAST WORDS OF A MINISTER.

CHRIST and redeeming mercy,—these alone

His themes, as soon his life would cease to move;
Then hear as if his voice still with you strove :-
" My Friends ! whom I would meet before

Christ's throne,
And welcome where all ransom'd souls are one,

The Son of God from his high throne above
Came down to this low world in boundless love

By anguish of the cross our guilt t’ atone, Immortal life by rising bring to light,

For the deprav'd God's Spirit to procure.

For weakest Christian all his promis’d might, And thus the failing hope to re-assure :

Compar'd with Christ count all things then but loss, Nor glory save in Christ and in his cross !"

68.

PLYMOUTH MONUMENT LAID 1859.

This upbuilt monument, though broad and high

As tow'ring pyramid on Egypt's plain,
Our Pilgrim-Fathers' rarest worth in vain

Attempts to show forth to the kindled eye.
They said—“We'll seek a land of Liberty;

No child of ours shall wear a galling chain !"Such purpose bore them o'er the stormy main :

Here was their home, and here their bodies lie. We'll build their noble virtues in our hearts,

The love of Truth, the love of Good and Right,

The Faith which sees beyond our earthly sight, The Zeal which love to God and man imparts:

Such MONUMENT we will not fail to raise,
When rock-built piles shall fall to bear their praise!

How vast the change by death in man's estate ?

How silent now the orator's proud tongue,
On which so many thousands often hung ?

How fled the concord of sweet sounds, which late Drew to the songstress admiration great ?

How heedless now the monarch to the throng
Of worshippers? Alas, to whom doth now belong

The rich man's gold, which yielding to his fate He leaves behind ?—Whate'er on earth ye love

Ye soon must lose ; then seek with earnest heart

The proffer'd blessings near Christ's throne above: Once gain'd, there's naught can them and you dispart

While you shall live ; nor shall one joy be gone While endless centuries of bliss roll on !