 | Morning Glories : |  |
TO BISHOP ALLEN'S MEMORY.
Shall we forget with each returning year
To turn aside from life's exacting claims,
Beside thy sacred mound to stop and shed a tear,
And reverently speak thy sacred name?
To turn aside from life's exacting claims,
Beside thy sacred mound to stop and shed a tear,
And reverently speak thy sacred name?
Thou wert among the soldiers, strong and brave,
With ardent heart of love for liberty;
Thou fillest well a sainted hero's grave,
And leavest us a hero's legacy.
With ardent heart of love for liberty;
Thou fillest well a sainted hero's grave,
And leavest us a hero's legacy.
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The freedom thou didst purchase with thy prayer,
“To worship God untrammelled on thy knees,
The slave's petition rent the hallowed air,
And floated heavenward on the Sabbath breeze.”
“To worship God untrammelled on thy knees,
The slave's petition rent the hallowed air,
And floated heavenward on the Sabbath breeze.”
And heaven itself was stirred by thy sad plea,
And God looked pitying down on thee and smiled,
Ask what thou wilt, and I will grant it thee,
Abundant grace is toward the undefiled.
And God looked pitying down on thee and smiled,
Ask what thou wilt, and I will grant it thee,
Abundant grace is toward the undefiled.
Whoever doth my little ones offend,
Had best a millstone tied about his neck;
The raging sea shall be their sudden end,
And heaven shall pass, ere yet my word shall break.
Had best a millstone tied about his neck;
The raging sea shall be their sudden end,
And heaven shall pass, ere yet my word shall break.
Thou askedst, “We might serve him where we wilt,
From the oppressor's ruthless hand be free;
Our peans to raise for him who bore our guilt,
On dark Golgotha's height on Calvary's rugged tree.”
From the oppressor's ruthless hand be free;
Our peans to raise for him who bore our guilt,
On dark Golgotha's height on Calvary's rugged tree.”
The answer came, that thenceforth thee and thine
Should unmolested bow, beneath thine own tree's shade,
Should eat the fruit borne by thy fig tree's vine,
No voice to startle, none make thee afraid.
Should unmolested bow, beneath thine own tree's shade,
Should eat the fruit borne by thy fig tree's vine,
No voice to startle, none make thee afraid.
A century past, and millions chant God's praise,
Who through the ages doth his promise keep;
The echoing isles, and mountains silence break,
The breezes heavenward waft our grateful lays.
Who through the ages doth his promise keep;
The echoing isles, and mountains silence break,
The breezes heavenward waft our grateful lays.
Rest, sainted sire; peace guard thy well-won sleep—
We, too, shall enter soon the shadowy vale;
As years roll on in their majestic sweep,
Our gratitude to thee shall never fail.
We, too, shall enter soon the shadowy vale;
As years roll on in their majestic sweep,
Our gratitude to thee shall never fail.
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