 | The forest minstrel |  |
ON THE NEW YEAR.
'Tis past!—Another year has signed and sealed
Its complement of days. We sigh in vain,
And send regret to plead with the dim past;—
They never will return to us again.
Its complement of days. We sigh in vain,
And send regret to plead with the dim past;—
They never will return to us again.
Each came from heaven a radiant messenger,
Sent by our holy Father from above,
To lead us with a gentle discipline,
Toward the home of holiness and love.
Sent by our holy Father from above,
To lead us with a gentle discipline,
Toward the home of holiness and love.
Have we obeyed the angel ministers,
And suffered each to bring us nearer heaven?—
Or have we, with a grave hypocrisy,
Walked in the way with only one in seven?
And suffered each to bring us nearer heaven?—
Or have we, with a grave hypocrisy,
Walked in the way with only one in seven?
Or did we turn our backs upon them all,
Using their precious gifts with thankless breast,
And throwing from us, most ungraciously,
Each wholesome fruit that had a bitter taste?
Using their precious gifts with thankless breast,
And throwing from us, most ungraciously,
Each wholesome fruit that had a bitter taste?
And wrestling with them, when by gentle force
They sought to turn our faces toward the way,
Ay, wrestling! and with most rebellious words
Chiding the God whose mandate they obey?
They sought to turn our faces toward the way,
Ay, wrestling! and with most rebellious words
Chiding the God whose mandate they obey?
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Or did we take the precious things they brought,
And give them to the idols we adore?
To Pleasure—to Ambition—unto Pride,
Or add them unto Avarice's cankered store?
And give them to the idols we adore?
To Pleasure—to Ambition—unto Pride,
Or add them unto Avarice's cankered store?
If so, they will be ever unto us
Accusing spirits, haunting all our ways,
With mournful mien, and sad reproachful eyes,
Casting their shadows on each sunny place.
Accusing spirits, haunting all our ways,
With mournful mien, and sad reproachful eyes,
Casting their shadows on each sunny place.
And in the blessed night, when we would rest
Upon the balmy bosom of sweet sleep,
Their shades will pass before our weary souls,
And come in restless visions till we weep.
Upon the balmy bosom of sweet sleep,
Their shades will pass before our weary souls,
And come in restless visions till we weep.
And there's no angel, by kind Mercy sent,
To kiss away the tears of that regret;
They dim the eye—they eat into the cheek—
The hair grows gray on pillows they have wet.
To kiss away the tears of that regret;
They dim the eye—they eat into the cheek—
The hair grows gray on pillows they have wet.
And they will point us to the dread abode,
Where all the unransomed of the earth must go;
Where deep Despair gnaws ever at the heart,
And Deathless! is the word of deepest wo.
Where all the unransomed of the earth must go;
Where deep Despair gnaws ever at the heart,
And Deathless! is the word of deepest wo.
Alas! that misspent days should haunt us thus,
Mingling remorse with all our present hours;
Blending low wailing notes with Hope's sweet song,
And twining nightshade with all Memory's flowers,
Mingling remorse with all our present hours;
Blending low wailing notes with Hope's sweet song,
And twining nightshade with all Memory's flowers,
Yet still they walk beside us. Still we hear
Their voices in our dreams. We plead in vain—
In vain we weep. The irrevocable Past
Will never give one moment back again.
Their voices in our dreams. We plead in vain—
In vain we weep. The irrevocable Past
Will never give one moment back again.
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No,—though with that one moment, we might buy
Eternal happiness. Our struggling prayer
Returns from the inexorable gate,
To crush us with one cold word, despair!
Eternal happiness. Our struggling prayer
Returns from the inexorable gate,
To crush us with one cold word, despair!
But Jesus pleads with Justice. Let us come
With penitence, and humble trust, and lay
Our misspent days before him—pleading there
That he will hide them from the judgment day.
With penitence, and humble trust, and lay
Our misspent days before him—pleading there
That he will hide them from the judgment day.
Ay—leave the Past with Jesus—and go forth
To hail the New Year, with an humble joy.
He comes with precious gifts of other days,
Which we may be permitted to enjoy.
To hail the New Year, with an humble joy.
He comes with precious gifts of other days,
Which we may be permitted to enjoy.
But whether few or many shall be ours
Is only to the gracious Giver known,—
Oh! let us then improve the precious hours,
And make the proffered blessings all our own.
Is only to the gracious Giver known,—
Oh! let us then improve the precious hours,
And make the proffered blessings all our own.
Yes, let us make them messengers of joy
To every child of sorrow, pain, or care;
Send them with Gospel light to death-dark souls,
And unto God, with thankfulness, and prayer.
To every child of sorrow, pain, or care;
Send them with Gospel light to death-dark souls,
And unto God, with thankfulness, and prayer.
Ah! let us fill their bosoms with warm love,
For those to whom our love is happiness;
And if one creature hate us, let them bear
To him kind words of brotherhood and peace.
For those to whom our love is happiness;
And if one creature hate us, let them bear
To him kind words of brotherhood and peace.
So shall they walk beside us with sweet smiles,
To soothe and cheer us through all time to come;
Each with a band of gentle memories,
And pointing to our Father's heavenly home.
To soothe and cheer us through all time to come;
Each with a band of gentle memories,
And pointing to our Father's heavenly home.
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And when we lie upon the bed of pain,
Our future with dim shadows overcast,
Our present agony—Oh! sweetly then
Will come these smiling angels of the past,
Our future with dim shadows overcast,
Our present agony—Oh! sweetly then
Will come these smiling angels of the past,
To hover round our pillow all day long,
And chase the phantoms from our reeling brain,
To weave their form in all our fever dreams,
And tell us that we have not lived in vain.
And chase the phantoms from our reeling brain,
To weave their form in all our fever dreams,
And tell us that we have not lived in vain.
And they will stand beside us at the day
Of judgment, when all hearts shall fail with fear;
When heaven shall roll together like a scroll,
And the Eternal Majesty appear.
Of judgment, when all hearts shall fail with fear;
When heaven shall roll together like a scroll,
And the Eternal Majesty appear.
Then Jesus, who shall judge the quick and dead,
Shall hear and answer to their humble plea,—
“Come, blessed of my Father, reign in bliss,
For ye have ministered to mine—and Me.”
Shall hear and answer to their humble plea,—
“Come, blessed of my Father, reign in bliss,
For ye have ministered to mine—and Me.”
Let us secure, against that solemn day,
A crowd of these most blessed witnesses;
Earth has no ransom for the sinful soul,
No pleaders, but the voice of well-spent days.
A crowd of these most blessed witnesses;
Earth has no ransom for the sinful soul,
No pleaders, but the voice of well-spent days.
And oh! may every day the New Year gives,
Be added to our angels, with its wreath
Of Faith, and Hope, and fervent Charity,
Which make our happiness, in life, or death.
Be added to our angels, with its wreath
Of Faith, and Hope, and fervent Charity,
Which make our happiness, in life, or death.
| The forest minstrel | |