 | Verses of a life time |  |
169
HYMNS.
171
THE CHRISTIAN SABBATH.
We bless thee for this sacred day,
Thou, who hast every blessing given,
Which sends the dreams of earth away,
And yields a glimpse of opening heaven.
Thou, who hast every blessing given,
Which sends the dreams of earth away,
And yields a glimpse of opening heaven.
Rich day of holy, thoughtful rest!
May we improve thy calm repose,
And in God's service truly bless'd,
Forget the world, its joys and woes.
May we improve thy calm repose,
And in God's service truly bless'd,
Forget the world, its joys and woes.
Lord, may thy truth, upon the heart
Now fall and dwell, as heavenly dew,
And flowers of grace in freshness start,
Where once the weeds of error grew.
Now fall and dwell, as heavenly dew,
And flowers of grace in freshness start,
Where once the weeds of error grew.
172
May prayer now lift her sacred wings,
Contented with that aim alone,
Which bears her to the King of Kings,
And rests her at his sheltering throne.
Contented with that aim alone,
Which bears her to the King of Kings,
And rests her at his sheltering throne.
Charleston, S. C. 1821.
173
PATIENCE.
'T is wise to crush the impatient thought,
And mould the heart to gentleness;
Looking with calm, unclouded eyes,
We meet a blessing while we bless.
And mould the heart to gentleness;
Looking with calm, unclouded eyes,
We meet a blessing while we bless.
'T is wise to crush the angry word,
And bid our kindly answers fall
Like leaves around a summer bower,
When sudden breezes harshly call.
And bid our kindly answers fall
Like leaves around a summer bower,
When sudden breezes harshly call.
How patiently the Deity
In all his earthly work appears;
Atom with atom softly blends,
And quietly each fabric rears!
In all his earthly work appears;
Atom with atom softly blends,
And quietly each fabric rears!
And Christ was patient—mild in death,
To this great virtue nobly true;
E'en for his foes, the prayer was heard,
“Forgive! they know not what they do.”
To this great virtue nobly true;
E'en for his foes, the prayer was heard,
“Forgive! they know not what they do.”
174
Then let us sit at Jesus' feet
With passion's standard closely furl'd,
And listen, as he talks of love
And patience to a restless world.
With passion's standard closely furl'd,
And listen, as he talks of love
And patience to a restless world.
And wait, through life's dim darkling night,
Though faint should beam hope's flickering ray,
Till Faith shines slowly from afar,
And brightens to eternal day.
Though faint should beam hope's flickering ray,
Till Faith shines slowly from afar,
And brightens to eternal day.
Charleston, S. C. 1830.
175
DISAPPOINTMENT.
Mark yon rich cloud, its hues so bright,
Ting'd with the warm sun's setting ray;
Soon will the sable brow of night
Scowl all those golden hues away.
Ting'd with the warm sun's setting ray;
Soon will the sable brow of night
Scowl all those golden hues away.
Mark yon soft sea, its placid rest,
The gentle curling of that wave;
Soon shall the ponderous billow's breast
Raise on that sea, a gloomy grave.
The gentle curling of that wave;
Soon shall the ponderous billow's breast
Raise on that sea, a gloomy grave.
Like these, alas, are mortal joys!
When in those joys we rest secure,
Some stroke of fate the charm destroys,—
That stroke is Heaven's—oh hush! endure.
When in those joys we rest secure,
Some stroke of fate the charm destroys,—
That stroke is Heaven's—oh hush! endure.
Savannah, Ga. 1811.
176
THE ORPHAN'S ANNUAL HYMN.
Brothers! sisters! we are meeting
On this day, a grateful throng,
To enjoy the heart-felt greeting,
And pour forth our annual song.
Thee we hail our noble city,
Fostered kindly on thy breast,
Nurtured by thy love and pity,
See thine Orphan Children rest.
On this day, a grateful throng,
To enjoy the heart-felt greeting,
And pour forth our annual song.
Thee we hail our noble city,
Fostered kindly on thy breast,
Nurtured by thy love and pity,
See thine Orphan Children rest.
Patrons, hail! with hearts untiring,
Naught can bid your labor cease,
No reward or price desiring,
Save our welfare, joy and peace.
Teachers, hail! with daily duty,
You have urged to learning's strife,
Throwing over toil a beauty,
Showing us the worth of life.
Naught can bid your labor cease,
No reward or price desiring,
Save our welfare, joy and peace.
Teachers, hail! with daily duty,
You have urged to learning's strife,
Throwing over toil a beauty,
Showing us the worth of life.
177
Christ, all hail! for higher soaring
Thee we find our Saviour-friend,
Sacred light forever pouring
On the heaven to which we tend.
God, Our Father! hear us raising
Our young voices up to thee!
May thy Spirit aid our praising
Through a long eternity.
Thee we find our Saviour-friend,
Sacred light forever pouring
On the heaven to which we tend.
God, Our Father! hear us raising
Our young voices up to thee!
May thy Spirit aid our praising
Through a long eternity.
178
ORPHAN'S HYMN.
O Thou, who hear'st our orphan sighs,
When lowly at thy throne we bend,
Let this our happier hymn arise,
And to thy mercy-seat ascend.
When lowly at thy throne we bend,
Let this our happier hymn arise,
And to thy mercy-seat ascend.
Our infant hours began in gloom;
No ray of worldly joy was near;
Cold want destroyed our early bloom,
Pale sorrow called our early tear.
No ray of worldly joy was near;
Cold want destroyed our early bloom,
Pale sorrow called our early tear.
But, Charity, thy genial light
Burst thro' the shade, and cheer'd our way,
And, kindlier still, revealed to sight
The glories of the Gospel day.
Burst thro' the shade, and cheer'd our way,
And, kindlier still, revealed to sight
The glories of the Gospel day.
179
Great God, for those whose fostering love
Has gently nurtur'd our young powers,
We pray that blessings from above
May lightly wing their earthly hours.
Has gently nurtur'd our young powers,
We pray that blessings from above
May lightly wing their earthly hours.
And when the solemn day draws near,
That calls our rescued souls to thee,
Together may we all appear,
And mingle in eternity.
That calls our rescued souls to thee,
Together may we all appear,
And mingle in eternity.
180
TEMPTATION RESISTED.
My soul! the storm is near;
Temptation 's on the wave,
And passion's surges dashing drear,
In threatening fury rave.
Temptation 's on the wave,
And passion's surges dashing drear,
In threatening fury rave.
Look on—fear not—a power
Stronger than these is nigh,
And in this overwhelming hour,
Its wrestling strength will try.
Stronger than these is nigh,
And in this overwhelming hour,
Its wrestling strength will try.
And if thou seekest for aid,
Religion's ark shall rest
In fair proportions, fitly laid,
Upon thy harass'd breast.
Religion's ark shall rest
In fair proportions, fitly laid,
Upon thy harass'd breast.
Each pure and holy thought,
In earth's wild deluge driven,
Shall to this ark of peace be brought,
With pinions plumed for Heaven.
In earth's wild deluge driven,
Shall to this ark of peace be brought,
With pinions plumed for Heaven.
181
And hope shall upward spring
With faith, the child of care,
Shaking earth's waters from their wing,
And come and nestle there.
With faith, the child of care,
Shaking earth's waters from their wing,
And come and nestle there.
Look now,—the storm has past;
And see, o'er yonder sky,
An arch of peaceful glory cast,
While clouds and darkness fly.
And see, o'er yonder sky,
An arch of peaceful glory cast,
While clouds and darkness fly.
Watertown, Mass. 1817.
182
ST. LUKE, IX.
[_]
There came a cloud, and overshadowed them; and they feared as they entered into the cloud. And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.
A cloud flits o'er the youthful brow,
And grief's first shadowings veil it now:
But, hark! within its misty wreaths,
A tone of heavenly mercy breathes,
“'T is my beloved Son: hear him.”
And grief's first shadowings veil it now:
But, hark! within its misty wreaths,
A tone of heavenly mercy breathes,
“'T is my beloved Son: hear him.”
A cloud hangs o'er yon manly form,
While buffeting misfortune's storm,
A wreck, his earthly treasure lies—
But ah! a voice in mercy cries,
“'T is my beloved Son: hear him.”
While buffeting misfortune's storm,
A wreck, his earthly treasure lies—
But ah! a voice in mercy cries,
“'T is my beloved Son: hear him.”
Wrapt in her sorrowing sable veil,
Sits the young widow, sad and pale;
Dense is the cloud, that round her dwells.—
But hark! the heavenly chorus swells,
“'T is my beloved Son; hear him.”
Sits the young widow, sad and pale;
Dense is the cloud, that round her dwells.—
But hark! the heavenly chorus swells,
“'T is my beloved Son; hear him.”
183
A cloud is on the sinner's soul,
Deep, deep, the murky volumes roll;
He gropes, unaided and alone,
Until he hears the welcome tone,
“'T is my beloved Son: hear him.”
Deep, deep, the murky volumes roll;
He gropes, unaided and alone,
Until he hears the welcome tone,
“'T is my beloved Son: hear him.”
Above the grave-yard's grassy breast,
Funereal shadows love to rest,
But to the heart well taught of Heaven,
A light from these rich words is given,
“'T is my beloved Son: hear him.”
Funereal shadows love to rest,
But to the heart well taught of Heaven,
A light from these rich words is given,
“'T is my beloved Son: hear him.”
In Heaven those clouds will roll away—
Unbroken light, unshadowed day,
Shall burst upon the gazing eye,
And seraph voices raise the cry,
“'T is God's beloved Son: hear him.”
Unbroken light, unshadowed day,
Shall burst upon the gazing eye,
And seraph voices raise the cry,
“'T is God's beloved Son: hear him.”
Charleston, S. C. 1826.
184
GOD OUR FATHER.
Is there a lone and dreary hour
When wordly pleasures lost their power?—
My Father! let me turn to thee,
And set each thought of darkness free.
When wordly pleasures lost their power?—
My Father! let me turn to thee,
And set each thought of darkness free.
Is there a time of racking grief,
Which scorns the prospect of relief?—
My Father! break the cheerless gloom
And bid my heart its calm resume.
Which scorns the prospect of relief?—
My Father! break the cheerless gloom
And bid my heart its calm resume.
Is there an hour of perce and joy,
When hope is all my soul's employ?—
My Father! still my hopes will roam,
Until they rest with Thee their home.
When hope is all my soul's employ?—
My Father! still my hopes will roam,
Until they rest with Thee their home.
The noon-tide blaze, the midnight scene,
The dawn or twilight's sweet serene,
The glow of life, the dying hour,
Shall own my Father's grace and power.
The dawn or twilight's sweet serene,
The glow of life, the dying hour,
Shall own my Father's grace and power.
Charleston, S. C. 1821.
| Verses of a life time | |