Matin Bells and Scarlet and Gold By "F. Harald Williams"[i.e. F. W. O. Ward]. First Edition |
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THE “WORM” (SAUL). |
 | Matin Bells and Scarlet and Gold |  |
THE “WORM” (SAUL).
Long and lanky
Is clever and keen-witted Saul,
And his Sankey
Seems ever so glib at his call;
He can sing,
He does ring
All the changes on hymns and the songs
That are food to his Whitechapel throngs,
To the airs which they borrow from tavern and stage,
When with pious contortions he chooses to squirm
With one page from the boards—from the pulpit one stage,
Like a worm.
Is clever and keen-witted Saul,
And his Sankey
507
He can sing,
He does ring
All the changes on hymns and the songs
That are food to his Whitechapel throngs,
To the airs which they borrow from tavern and stage,
When with pious contortions he chooses to squirm
With one page from the boards—from the pulpit one stage,
Like a worm.
Even Ethel,
The pride of the coster and flower
Of smug Bethel,
Admits he has wonderful power;
He will raise
With his praise
Such a tempest of soul-searching sound,
That the Devil himself is quite drown'd.
Saul improves the occasion, while warning the hearts,
Just to empty the pockets of friends who are next,
While he wriggles with unction and sticks to his arts
And his text.
The pride of the coster and flower
Of smug Bethel,
Admits he has wonderful power;
He will raise
With his praise
Such a tempest of soul-searching sound,
That the Devil himself is quite drown'd.
Saul improves the occasion, while warning the hearts,
Just to empty the pockets of friends who are next,
While he wriggles with unction and sticks to his arts
And his text.
Like a lion
He roars at the folly and sin,
And in Sion
His voice thunders bolts against gin;
He can preach,
He does teach
The most beautiful sentiments pat,
And then weeping goes round with his hat;
O he writhes, O he wrestles in prayer with vice
For the weal of the flock he religiously shears,
And surrenders his all while his dupes pay the price
Of his tears.
He roars at the folly and sin,
And in Sion
His voice thunders bolts against gin;
He can preach,
He does teach
The most beautiful sentiments pat,
And then weeping goes round with his hat;
O he writhes, O he wrestles in prayer with vice
For the weal of the flock he religiously shears,
And surrenders his all while his dupes pay the price
Of his tears.
At revivals
His twistings and turns are the best,
New arrivals
By such are most deeply imprest;
All in black,
With no lack
Of good principles and a smart phrase,
He can make the fresh tinder soon blaze.
Neatly shaven, long-jawed and close-cropt, with his showers
Of repentance he looks a church rock and as firm;
But, if false to the core yet he doats upon flowers,
Though the “Worm.”
His twistings and turns are the best,
New arrivals
By such are most deeply imprest;
508
With no lack
Of good principles and a smart phrase,
He can make the fresh tinder soon blaze.
Neatly shaven, long-jawed and close-cropt, with his showers
Of repentance he looks a church rock and as firm;
But, if false to the core yet he doats upon flowers,
Though the “Worm.”
| Matin Bells and Scarlet and Gold | |