 | Poems by the late John Bethune |  |
192
BAPTISM.
Hush thee sweet child!—these drops, whose fall
Awoke thy little cry,
Were meant to bless, and not appal,
Thy soft blue dreaming eye.
Awoke thy little cry,
Were meant to bless, and not appal,
Thy soft blue dreaming eye.
Thou little know'st the gift bestow'd,
Else smiles, instead of tears;
And love and gratitude to God,
Had been instead of fears.
Else smiles, instead of tears;
And love and gratitude to God,
Had been instead of fears.
Yet we, who boast a mightier mind,
Dark mysteries to see,
To heavenly blessings are as blind,
Sweet innocent, as thee!
Dark mysteries to see,
To heavenly blessings are as blind,
Sweet innocent, as thee!
Although from heaven no holy dove
Descends upon thy head,
As on the Lord of life and love,
Where Jordan's waters spread;—
Descends upon thy head,
As on the Lord of life and love,
Where Jordan's waters spread;—
May He who erst in Jordan's stream
Received that sacred rite,
Pour on thy infant soul a beam
Of pure redeeming light:
Received that sacred rite,
Pour on thy infant soul a beam
Of pure redeeming light:
And may thy whisper'd earthly name
To heavenly courts arise;
And in God's golden book of fame
Be read by angel-eyes.
To heavenly courts arise;
And in God's golden book of fame
Be read by angel-eyes.
193
And may the prayers by mortals pour'd
For thee, sweet bud of earth!
In Heaven's immutable record
Attest thy second birth.
For thee, sweet bud of earth!
In Heaven's immutable record
Attest thy second birth.
Now thou art pleased!—and may thy brow
For ever wear that smile;
And may thy heart be free, as now
From sorrow and from guile.
For ever wear that smile;
And may thy heart be free, as now
From sorrow and from guile.
With thee, in growth, may wisdom grow,
And on that soul of thine
May heavenly consolation flow
To bliss thy life's decline.
And on that soul of thine
May heavenly consolation flow
To bliss thy life's decline.
And when at last thy race is run,
And Nature sinks, oppress'd,
May the Eternal Sire and Son
Welcome thee to thy rest.
And Nature sinks, oppress'd,
May the Eternal Sire and Son
Welcome thee to thy rest.
| Poems by the late John Bethune | |