 | The Poetical Works of Robert Montgomery |  |
CHURCHING OF WOMEN.
“We give thee humble thanks, for that thou hast
vouchsafed to deliver this woman thy servant,
from the great pain and peril of childbirth.”—
English Prayer Book.
In mother's love there hides a spell
Maternal hearts alone can see;
Transcending all that tears may tell,
Or man could be.
Maternal hearts alone can see;
Transcending all that tears may tell,
Or man could be.
Far down within the spirit's deep
Her fountains of affection lie,
Like currents which in darkness sweep,
Nor face the sky.
Her fountains of affection lie,
Like currents which in darkness sweep,
Nor face the sky.
Tender abyss of peerless love!
To heaven's omniscient eye-glance known,
The Woman-born, Who reigns above,
Thy claims doth own.
To heaven's omniscient eye-glance known,
The Woman-born, Who reigns above,
Thy claims doth own.
A pillow'd Babe on mother's breast,
Beneath Him throbb'd the Virgin's heart,
And, Woman! thou on Him canst rest,
Whoe'er thou art.
Beneath Him throbb'd the Virgin's heart,
And, Woman! thou on Him canst rest,
Whoe'er thou art.
Oh! magic force of nature, felt
Far as the sun and sea extend;
Beneath whose law all beings melt,
All spirits bend.
Far as the sun and sea extend;
Beneath whose law all beings melt,
All spirits bend.
The Indian mother, stern and strong,
Cradles her infant on the tree,
And wildly chants her loud wood-song
For lullaby.
Cradles her infant on the tree,
And wildly chants her loud wood-song
For lullaby.
And the stern negress, seeking food,
Fastens the babe upon her back,
To roam each rocky solitude
Or lion's track.
Fastens the babe upon her back,
To roam each rocky solitude
Or lion's track.
Nor scene, nor change, nor earth nor sky
Enfeeble Love's maternal force;
Distance and time before it die,
Whate'er their course.
Enfeeble Love's maternal force;
Distance and time before it die,
Whate'er their course.
A passion this, so pure, so deep,
That while bereavèd fathers moan,
Oft wordless mothers only weep
In heart alone.
That while bereavèd fathers moan,
Oft wordless mothers only weep
In heart alone.
But why did God such love create
Unquenchably supreme, and pure?—
Because from mothers Spirits date
Their curse, or cure.
Unquenchably supreme, and pure?—
Because from mothers Spirits date
Their curse, or cure.
Thus saints and martyrs, heroes, all
Whom wond'ring Time delights to praise,
In heaven itself may still recall
Their infant-days,
Whom wond'ring Time delights to praise,
In heaven itself may still recall
Their infant-days,
When learn'd they from maternal lips
Lessons of holy love and prayer,
No clouds hereafter could eclipse,
Nor soul's despair.
Lessons of holy love and prayer,
No clouds hereafter could eclipse,
Nor soul's despair.
Then, pallid mother! draw thee nigh,
Perill'd by pangs, but saved in birth;
And gently lift thy downcast eye,
To heaven from earth.
Perill'd by pangs, but saved in birth;
And gently lift thy downcast eye,
To heaven from earth.
The virgin whiteness of that veil
Becomes thine inward purity,
And hides upon thy forehead pale
What angels see
Becomes thine inward purity,
And hides upon thy forehead pale
What angels see
Of blissful worship,—deep and mild,
Which mothers for their first-born pay,
And Love, with conscience undefiled,
Offers to-day.
Which mothers for their first-born pay,
And Love, with conscience undefiled,
Offers to-day.
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Thou art the parent of a Soul,
The mother of a deathless Mind!
And Christ to thee imparts control
For this design'd.
The mother of a deathless Mind!
And Christ to thee imparts control
For this design'd.
Self-discipline, and prayer-born love,
And persevering wisdom calm
Breathe, Holy Spirit! from above
With soothing balm;
And persevering wisdom calm
Breathe, Holy Spirit! from above
With soothing balm;
That from Thine altar she may part
In saintly mood, screne and high,
And worship Christ with yearning heart,
Until she die.
In saintly mood, screne and high,
And worship Christ with yearning heart,
Until she die.
Mothers are more than mines of wealth
If God-devoted Souls they be;
And what makes Empires' moral health
And purity
If God-devoted Souls they be;
And what makes Empires' moral health
And purity
They guard, For, when do Nations sink
Into dark graves of sin and woe?—
When Church and State no longer think
What debt they owe
Into dark graves of sin and woe?—
When Church and State no longer think
What debt they owe
To christian mothers; unto whom
Both God and nature have consign'd
Existence, from whose dawning bloom
They nurse mankind.
Both God and nature have consign'd
Existence, from whose dawning bloom
They nurse mankind.
| The Poetical Works of Robert Montgomery | |