My Mind and its Thoughts, in Sketches, Fragments, and Essays

And yet that house of prayer is dear
To those who have no portion here,
Dear in contrition's thoughtful sigh,
And dear in praise, the adoring eye,
Most dear the absolving word divine,
Which falls on faults and griefs like mine!
Ah! may those pleading griefs atone,
For every fault that life has known!

The organ's choral peal to hear,
Or the slow fall, soft-warbling clear,
Till the soul feels her God is near;
And, with the Diapason's note,
The songs of angels seem to float,
Or the rich voice—ne'er pour'd in vain,
If heaven sublime the mortal strain.

These would I claim on bended knee,
And in the Christian's worship see
The Christian's hope extend to me.
Nor while the holy Pastor's prayer
Proclaims the peace of God is there,
May the disturbing world betray
That hope—nor fright that peace away.

Confession,

Absolution,

and Pastoral blessing of the protestant Episcopal Church.

University of Virginia Library

THE SABBATH.

AT A DISTANCE FROM MY HOME, AND MY CHURCH. These lines were ocasioned by the sarcastic question of a fellow traveller, “Can you worship out of the pale of your own church?”

AT A DISTANCE FROM MY HOME, AND MY CHURCH.

These lines were ocasioned by the sarcastic question of a fellow traveller, “Can you worship out of the pale of your own church?”