The adopted daughter and other tales |
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| 18. | THE CONSECRATION. |
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 | The adopted daughter |  |
199
THE CONSECRATION.
[BY PHŒBE CAREY.]
O soul, that must survive that hour when heart shall fail and
flesh decay,
God, angels, men, are witnesses of vows which thou hast made
to-day.
What solemn fears this hour are born, what joyful hopes this
hour are given:
Thought reaches down from heaven to hell, and up from farthest
hell to heaven.
Before my fearful vision pass those star-like souls, grown
darkly dim—
The sea of mingled glass and fire, the saints and priests with
conquering hymn.
O God! shall I go down with those, wandering through blackness
from their place,
Or up with the redeem'd and saved, who stand before their
Father's face?
For now my eyes have seen the truth, this is thy sure and just
decree:
“If I shall turn again to sin, there is no sacrifice for me:”
And the baptismal touch which lay so lightly on the brow
beneath,
Shall be omnipotent in power, to press me surely down to
death.
Its seal shall be a diadem, to shine amid the angel choir,
Or on my forehead burn in hell, an everlasting crown of fire;
And all who hear my vows to-day, shall hear my final sentence
read:
God, angels, men, are witnesses at the great judgment of the
dead.
flesh decay,
God, angels, men, are witnesses of vows which thou hast made
to-day.
What solemn fears this hour are born, what joyful hopes this
hour are given:
Thought reaches down from heaven to hell, and up from farthest
hell to heaven.
Before my fearful vision pass those star-like souls, grown
darkly dim—
The sea of mingled glass and fire, the saints and priests with
conquering hymn.
O God! shall I go down with those, wandering through blackness
from their place,
Or up with the redeem'd and saved, who stand before their
Father's face?
For now my eyes have seen the truth, this is thy sure and just
decree:
“If I shall turn again to sin, there is no sacrifice for me:”
And the baptismal touch which lay so lightly on the brow
beneath,
Shall be omnipotent in power, to press me surely down to
death.
Its seal shall be a diadem, to shine amid the angel choir,
Or on my forehead burn in hell, an everlasting crown of fire;
And all who hear my vows to-day, shall hear my final sentence
read:
God, angels, men, are witnesses at the great judgment of the
dead.
| The adopted daughter | |