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246
HANNAH'S OFFERING.
“But Samuel ministered before the Lord, being a child, girded with a linen ephod. Moreover, his mother made him a little coat, and brought it to him, from year to year.”
—1 Samuel, II. 18, 19.
Ah, happy mother! what a gift is thine,
Brought in thy heart-strings to its Maker's shrine;—
The precious answer to thy prayer, obtained,
Now, as thy pledge thus rendered up, unstained!
Brought in thy heart-strings to its Maker's shrine;—
The precious answer to thy prayer, obtained,
Now, as thy pledge thus rendered up, unstained!
To Shiloh, where thy secret vow was made,
From Ramah dost thou come to have it paid,—
Paid with the strongest hold of human love,
In view of man, to Him who reigns above.
From Ramah dost thou come to have it paid,—
Paid with the strongest hold of human love,
In view of man, to Him who reigns above.
An early offering to the Holy One,
Dost thou resign thy darling, only son,
Pure from thy bosom,—scarce his lip is dried
From the warm fount by nature there supplied!
Dost thou resign thy darling, only son,
Pure from thy bosom,—scarce his lip is dried
From the warm fount by nature there supplied!
Thy priceless brilliant by Jehovah wrought,—
Thy jewel, new, eternal, hast thou brought;—
The dearest treasure of thy heart is given,
To gem the footstool of the throne of Heaven.
Thy jewel, new, eternal, hast thou brought;—
The dearest treasure of thy heart is given,
To gem the footstool of the throne of Heaven.
Yet, happy, honored mother, how will He,
To whom thou pay'st, give richly back to thee!
Thy deed so high shall bring its high reward,
In sweet rejoicings sent thee from thy Lord.
To whom thou pay'st, give richly back to thee!
Thy deed so high shall bring its high reward,
In sweet rejoicings sent thee from thy Lord.
247
He, through all time, will with his Word prolong
Thy notes of praise,—thy clear, prophetic song.
Land unto land shall sound the joyful strain,
Till “His Anointed” comes on earth to reign.
Thy notes of praise,—thy clear, prophetic song.
Land unto land shall sound the joyful strain,
Till “His Anointed” comes on earth to reign.
And thou, mild boy, fair shoot of infancy,
What wondrous power shall germinate from thee!
Judge, Priest, and Prophet, in the bud concealed,
With thine unfoldings are to be revealed!
What wondrous power shall germinate from thee!
Judge, Priest, and Prophet, in the bud concealed,
With thine unfoldings are to be revealed!
Thy parent now her tender charge resigns,
While life's pure morning-dew still on thee shines:
Yet hath she set thee in the chosen place,
For God to water thee with showers of grace.
While life's pure morning-dew still on thee shines:
Yet hath she set thee in the chosen place,
For God to water thee with showers of grace.
His glory and his wing to thee will yield
Sunlight and shade, and be thy strength and shield.
Sweetly thy flower his temple will perfume,
And golden fruit for Heaven succeed thy bloom.
Sunlight and shade, and be thy strength and shield.
Sweetly thy flower his temple will perfume,
And golden fruit for Heaven succeed thy bloom.
Nor will thy mother e'er forget her child,
That helpless on her bosom sobbed or smiled.
Thou 'lt be the lovely burden she will bear
In dreams by night, and on her waking prayer.
That helpless on her bosom sobbed or smiled.
Thou 'lt be the lovely burden she will bear
In dreams by night, and on her waking prayer.
By day, her hand maternal will delight
To weave her son the vesture new and bright;
And when at Shiloh she shall reappear,
To bring “a little coat, from year to year.”
To weave her son the vesture new and bright;
And when at Shiloh she shall reappear,
To bring “a little coat, from year to year.”
Thou mayst not slumber hence beneath her eye,
But still a tender guardian will be nigh;—
God will around thee fold a Father's arm,
And hold thee, form and spirit, safe from harm.
But still a tender guardian will be nigh;—
God will around thee fold a Father's arm,
And hold thee, form and spirit, safe from harm.
248
The sweetest voice from Heaven that ever came
Will, in the deepest midnight, call thy name;
And thou wilt rise and answer, thence to be
Assured that 't is the Lord who calleth thee.
Will, in the deepest midnight, call thy name;
And thou wilt rise and answer, thence to be
Assured that 't is the Lord who calleth thee.
He calleth thee, blest child! to rise, and shine,
A holy light to Israel's darkened line;—
To lead them from the streams of death and strife,
Back to the fount of endless peace and life.
A holy light to Israel's darkened line;—
To lead them from the streams of death and strife,
Back to the fount of endless peace and life.
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