 | Wood-notes and Church-bells |  |
16
THE SUN-DIAL ON THE CHURCH PORCH,
LONDESBOROUGH—1764.
Though circling shadows of a hundred yearsHave traced Time's reckoning on this Dial-stone,
Unless from Heaven a sunbeam now be thrown
The figured disk to me a blank appears.
But lo! a sudden ray the graveyard cheers,
And Time's own finger on the wall is shown,
By instantaneous bar of darkness known—
Telling the hour with stroke which no man hears.
So Holy Scripture precious Truth conceals
Until the Spirit darts a heavenly ray
Upon its outspread pages, and reveals,
As to the saints of old, to me to-day,
The world-encircling shadow of that Tree
Which points to life and immortality!
| Wood-notes and Church-bells | |