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201
CREATION.
“Let there be light!” and Chaos fled
Back to his midnight cell,
And light, the earliest gift of Heaven,
On cradled nature fell.
Back to his midnight cell,
And light, the earliest gift of Heaven,
On cradled nature fell.
Earth from the encroaching waters rose,
Strong Ocean knew his place,
Bold rivers forced their unknown way,
Young streams began their race.
Strong Ocean knew his place,
Bold rivers forced their unknown way,
Young streams began their race.
Forth came the Snn, that monarch-proud,
And at his genial rays,
The springing groves, and pencilled flowers
Put on new robes of praise.
And at his genial rays,
The springing groves, and pencilled flowers
Put on new robes of praise.
But when his weary couch he sought,
Behold the regent-Queen,
Enthroned on silver car, pursued
Her nightly course serene.
Behold the regent-Queen,
Enthroned on silver car, pursued
Her nightly course serene.
And glorious shone the arch of Heaven
With stars serenely bright,
That bowed to every passing cloud
Their coronets of light.
With stars serenely bright,
That bowed to every passing cloud
Their coronets of light.
Life roamed along the verdant mead,
Life glided through the flood,
And tuneful 'mid the woven boughs
Watched o'er the nesting brood.
Life glided through the flood,
And tuneful 'mid the woven boughs
Watched o'er the nesting brood.
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But then, with undisputed might,
That Architect Divine,
His own immortal essence breathed
Into a clay-built shrine;
That Architect Divine,
His own immortal essence breathed
Into a clay-built shrine;
And stamped his image on the man,
And gave him kingly power,
And brought him to a home of love
In sinless Eden's bower.
And gave him kingly power,
And brought him to a home of love
In sinless Eden's bower.
Then music from undying harps
The young creation blest,
And forth the first-born Sabbath spread
Its dove-like wing of rest.
The young creation blest,
And forth the first-born Sabbath spread
Its dove-like wing of rest.
It came with holy gladness fraught,
With pure benignant ray,
And God himself the lesson taught—
To keep the Sabbath-day
With pure benignant ray,
And God himself the lesson taught—
To keep the Sabbath-day
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