The Poetical Works of Robert Montgomery Collected and Revised by the Author |
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DYING SAINTS. |
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 | The Poetical Works of Robert Montgomery |  |
DYING SAINTS.
But Death has often been by faith uncrown'd
And daunted, till dis dim and icy gaze
Forewent its terror; and his summons rang
Like fairy preludes from seraphic lyres
Heaven-wafted, on the parting Spirit's ear.
And if that Volume, where pure Angels keep
A soul's bright history, could unfolded be,
Pilgrims of earth! who seek the better land,
How would ye burn with apostolic love
And in the ashes of the tomb discern
A Spark immortal, kindling for the skies
What adorations, warm as incense-fire,
What bursts of faith, what notes of speechless joy,
What gleams of Christ in glorified array,
What tones and tears of overwhelming love
Around the couch of dying virtue throng'd
Ere rushed the spirit from its house of clay!
And daunted, till dis dim and icy gaze
Forewent its terror; and his summons rang
Like fairy preludes from seraphic lyres
Heaven-wafted, on the parting Spirit's ear.
And if that Volume, where pure Angels keep
A soul's bright history, could unfolded be,
Pilgrims of earth! who seek the better land,
How would ye burn with apostolic love
And in the ashes of the tomb discern
A Spark immortal, kindling for the skies
What adorations, warm as incense-fire,
What bursts of faith, what notes of speechless joy,
What gleams of Christ in glorified array,
What tones and tears of overwhelming love
Around the couch of dying virtue throng'd
Ere rushed the spirit from its house of clay!
Oh! beautiful beyond depicting words
To paint, the hour that wafts to heaven a soul!
The world grows dim; the scenes of time depart;
The hour of peace, the walk of social joy,
The mild companion, and the deep-soul'd friend,
The loved and lovely, see his face no more:
The mingling spell of sun, of sea, and air,
Is broken; voice, and gaze, and smiles which speak,
Must perish; parents take their hush'd adieu;
A wife, a child, a daughter half divine
Or son which never drew a father's tear,
Approach him, and his dying tones receive
In God's own language!—'tis an hour of awe
Yet terrorless, when revelations flow
From faith immortal; view that pale-worn Brow,
It gleams with glory! in his eye there dawns
A dazzling earnest of unutter'd joy:
Each pang subdued, his longing soul respires
The gales of glorified eternity;
And round him, hues ethereal, harps of light,
And lineaments of earthless beauty throng,
As, wing'd on melody, the saint departs
While Heaven in miniature before him shines.
To paint, the hour that wafts to heaven a soul!
The world grows dim; the scenes of time depart;
The hour of peace, the walk of social joy,
The mild companion, and the deep-soul'd friend,
The loved and lovely, see his face no more:
The mingling spell of sun, of sea, and air,
Is broken; voice, and gaze, and smiles which speak,
Must perish; parents take their hush'd adieu;
A wife, a child, a daughter half divine
Or son which never drew a father's tear,
Approach him, and his dying tones receive
In God's own language!—'tis an hour of awe
Yet terrorless, when revelations flow
From faith immortal; view that pale-worn Brow,
It gleams with glory! in his eye there dawns
A dazzling earnest of unutter'd joy:
Each pang subdued, his longing soul respires
The gales of glorified eternity;
And round him, hues ethereal, harps of light,
And lineaments of earthless beauty throng,
As, wing'd on melody, the saint departs
While Heaven in miniature before him shines.
| The Poetical Works of Robert Montgomery | |