Musa Burschicosa A Book of Songs for Students and University Men. By John Stuart Blackie |
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CONFESSION OF FAITH. |
 | Musa Burschicosa |  |
114
CONFESSION OF FAITH.
Many churches damn full fiercely,
Peopling vasty hell;
I too have my creed, and tersely
Now to thee will tell.
Jerome, Luther, Calvin, Knox,
Were doctors grave and orthodox;
But who dares deny my creed
Is damned by right divine indeed,
Without help from the Devil!
Peopling vasty hell;
I too have my creed, and tersely
Now to thee will tell.
Jerome, Luther, Calvin, Knox,
Were doctors grave and orthodox;
But who dares deny my creed
Is damned by right divine indeed,
Without help from the Devil!
Everything that stands securely,
Stands on stable soil,
Nothing on no bottom surely
Builders' art may pile;
So from God, the fount supreme,
Flows life's many-branching stream;
And who dares deny this creed
Is damned by Folly's curse indeed,
Without help from the Devil!
Stands on stable soil,
Nothing on no bottom surely
Builders' art may pile;
So from God, the fount supreme,
Flows life's many-branching stream;
And who dares deny this creed
Is damned by Folly's curse indeed,
Without help from the Devil!
115
All the starry preparation
Of the reasoned whole
Comes by fiery inspiration
From the primal soul,
All the marvel of the plan,
From moth to mammoth and to man;
And who dares deny this creed
Is damned by reason's law indeed,
Without help from the Devil!
Of the reasoned whole
Comes by fiery inspiration
From the primal soul,
All the marvel of the plan,
From moth to mammoth and to man;
And who dares deny this creed
Is damned by reason's law indeed,
Without help from the Devil!
All that lives above, around thee,
Even things and odd,
Though their mazy reel confound thee,
Know their law in God.
All that spurs the struggling will
To gain the good and shun the ill
Is God; and who denies this creed,
Is damned by pious doom indeed,
Without help from the Devil!
Even things and odd,
Though their mazy reel confound thee,
Know their law in God.
All that spurs the struggling will
To gain the good and shun the ill
Is God; and who denies this creed,
Is damned by pious doom indeed,
Without help from the Devil!
What thy senses bring thee, hold it
As a part of thee,
Mark its virtue well, and mould it
As thy need may be.
When white mists are floating by,
Deem not that a ghost is nigh;
And who dares deny this creed
Is damned by naked fact indeed,
Without help from the Devil!
As a part of thee,
Mark its virtue well, and mould it
As thy need may be.
When white mists are floating by,
Deem not that a ghost is nigh;
116
Is damned by naked fact indeed,
Without help from the Devil!
Where by right of man thou standest,
Let man's work be done;
What thou knowest thou commandest,
What thou know'st not, shun.
Let not errant Fancy dwell
High in heaven or deep in hell;
Earth is the workshop of thy need,
And dreamers here are damned indeed,
Without help from the Devil!
Let man's work be done;
What thou knowest thou commandest,
What thou know'st not, shun.
Let not errant Fancy dwell
High in heaven or deep in hell;
Earth is the workshop of thy need,
And dreamers here are damned indeed,
Without help from the Devil!
Life's a game of many chances,
But, when humoured well,
How each stroke the next advances,
He who wins can tell.
Watch for what the hour may bring,
Of the moment thou art king;
And who dares deny this creed
Is damned by bungler's curse indeed,
Without help from the Devil!
But, when humoured well,
How each stroke the next advances,
He who wins can tell.
Watch for what the hour may bring,
Of the moment thou art king;
And who dares deny this creed
Is damned by bungler's curse indeed,
Without help from the Devil!
He whose life a lie besmirches
For some golden dole,
All the creeds of all the churches
Shall not save his soul;
Let him live and let him rot
With in his heart a cankered spot!
And who dares deny this creed
Is damned by law of truth indeed,
Without help from the Devil!
For some golden dole,
117
Shall not save his soul;
Let him live and let him rot
With in his heart a cankered spot!
And who dares deny this creed
Is damned by law of truth indeed,
Without help from the Devil!
In the change of gusty weather,
When a squall comes down,
All true men must pull together,
Or together drown.
In the rear or in the van
Each man serves the battle's plan;
And who dares deny this creed
Is damned by curse of self indeed,
Without help from the Devil!
When a squall comes down,
All true men must pull together,
Or together drown.
In the rear or in the van
Each man serves the battle's plan;
And who dares deny this creed
Is damned by curse of self indeed,
Without help from the Devil!
Wouldst thou reap sweet life's true riches,
Know, by law divine,
Love's the charm that all bewitches,
Wedding mine to thine.
To all lovely things that be,
Fling thy heart's gates open free,
And on the bloom of kindness feed;
Else frosted, starved, and damned indeed,
Without help from the Devil!
Know, by law divine,
Love's the charm that all bewitches,
Wedding mine to thine.
To all lovely things that be,
Fling thy heart's gates open free,
And on the bloom of kindness feed;
Else frosted, starved, and damned indeed,
Without help from the Devil!
118
You have heard my creed, brave brothers;
If it please you ill,
Find a fairer faith from others,
Forged with finer skill.
But while ye wander far from home,
To learnèd Oxford or to Rome,
From God direct my simpler creed
I take, to save my soul indeed
Without or priest or Devil!
If it please you ill,
Find a fairer faith from others,
Forged with finer skill.
But while ye wander far from home,
To learnèd Oxford or to Rome,
From God direct my simpler creed
I take, to save my soul indeed
Without or priest or Devil!
| Musa Burschicosa | |