Poems and Poetical Fragments :: :: University of Virginia Library

SACRED PIECES.

ON THE SIGN OF THE CROSS IN BAPTISM.

In token that thou shalt not fear
Christ crucified to own,
We print the Cross upon thee here,
And stamp thee his alone.

In token that thou shalt not blush
To glory in his name,
We blazon here upon thy front
His glory and his shame.

In token that thou shalt not flinch
Christ's quarrel to maintain,
But 'neath his banner manfully
Firm at thy post remain:

In token that thou too shalt tread
The path he travelled by,
Endure the cross, despise the shame,
And sit thee down on high:

Thus outwardly and visibly
We seal thee for his own:
And may the brow that wears his Cross,
Hereafter share his crown.

PSALM XLVI.

God is our refuge and our strength
When trouble's hour is near:
A very present help is he,
Therefore we will not fear:

Although the pillars of the earth
Shall clean removèd be:
The very mountains carried forth
And cast into the sea:

Although the waters rage and swell
So that the earth shall shake;
Yea, and the solid mountain roots
Shall with the tempest quake:

There is a river which makes glad
The city of our God;
The tabernacle's holy place
Of the Most High's abode.

The Lord is in the midst of her,
Removed she shall not be,
Because the Lord our God himself
Shall help her speedily.

The heathen lands make much ado,
The kingdoms join the fray;
But God hath shewèd forth his voice,
And the earth shall melt away.

The Lord of hosts our refuge is
When trouble's hour is near;
The God of Jacob is with us,
Therefore we will not fear.

PSALM CXXXVII.

By Babylon streams we sat us down and wept,
When we remembered Zion mournfully;
As for our harps, we hanged them up
Upon the willow trees that grew thereby.

Then they that led us captive asked of us
A song, and melody in our dreary day;
Come sing us one of Zion's songs—
How can we sing the Lord's song far away?

If I forget thee, O Jerusalem,
Let my right hand forget her best employ;
Let my tongue cleave unto my mouth,
If I prefer not thee to all my joy.

Remember, Lord, remember Edom's sons,
How they stood round and shouted in their mirth,
At the dark day of Jerusalem—
Down with it, down with it, even to the earth.

Daughter of Babylon, thy doom is sealed—
Yea, happy he who deals thee recompense;
And dasheth down upon the stones
With ruthless hands thy helpless innocents.

AN ANSWER TO A QUESTION.

When the thing thou lovest is not one
That thou canst beg a blessing on;
When the thing thou lovest puts a screen
Thy heart and thy heart's Christ between;
When the love thou lovest makes thee spare
To open all thine heart in prayer;
When the thing thou lovest draws thy love
To earth beneath from heaven above,
Love not the world.

When what thou fearest while abroad,
Thou didst not fear alone with God;
When the fear thou fearest doth not seem
A portion of thy fear for Him;
When what thou fearest makes thee shame
To glory in thy Saviour's name;
When the fear thou fearest makes thee slow
Sin to rebuke in friend or foe,
Fear not the world.

When the love thou lovest doth but make
Part of thy debt for Jesus' sake;
When the thing thou lovest helpeth thee
The glory of thy God to see;
When what thou lovest feedeth thee
With holy sweet society;
When what thou lovest here below
Shall with thee to thy Saviour go,
Then thou mayest love.

When what thou fearest audibly
God's spirit urges thee to flee;
When the fear thou fearest doth appear
Courage to be rather than fear;
When, while thou fearest, thou canst say,
‘My weakness on God's strength I stay;’
When though thou fearest thou canst be
God's soldier at God's victory,
Then thou mayest fear.