 | [To Mrs. Eliza Conrad, in] Devotional poems |  |
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TO MRS. ELIZA CONRAD.
From thee, pure source of Conrad's birth,
Arose his virtues; through thee ran
Whatever heavenly gleams of worth
Above us dignified the man.
Arose his virtues; through thee ran
Whatever heavenly gleams of worth
Above us dignified the man.
By thee his childish soul was taught,
His nobler instincts brought in play,
That, while with darkened days he fought,
Flashed outward through his mortal clay.
His nobler instincts brought in play,
That, while with darkened days he fought,
Flashed outward through his mortal clay.
What if they cry, who pry and probe,
“Lo! here a speck, or there a flaw!”
He scorned the dust upon his robe
Far more than any one who saw.
“Lo! here a speck, or there a flaw!”
He scorned the dust upon his robe
Far more than any one who saw.
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The dust he gathered on his path
Was common dust,—what skirt is clear?—
He shook it off, in holy wrath,
Ere to God's presence he drew near.
Was common dust,—what skirt is clear?—
He shook it off, in holy wrath,
Ere to God's presence he drew near.
O merciful and patient God,
We trust these songs of faith and love,
Pleading for him beneath the sod,
Have moved as only song can move!
We trust these songs of faith and love,
Pleading for him beneath the sod,
Have moved as only song can move!
And that the soul Thy bounteous hands
Gave to his mother, free from stain,
Before Thy face transfigured stands,
From tainting earth washed pure again;
Gave to his mother, free from stain,
Before Thy face transfigured stands,
From tainting earth washed pure again;
So that she too may come before
Thy mercy-seat quite reconciled,
And to her bosom take once more
The early memory of her child!
Thy mercy-seat quite reconciled,
And to her bosom take once more
The early memory of her child!
I, as he wished, and in his name,
To thee, whose love o'erruled his fate,
This last, best chaplet of his fame
Thus solemnly do dedicate.
To thee, whose love o'erruled his fate,
This last, best chaplet of his fame
Thus solemnly do dedicate.
G. H. B.
Philadelphia, July 1, 1862.
| [To Mrs. Eliza Conrad, in] Devotional poems | |