Fifty of the Protestant Ballads and " The Anti-Ritualistic Directorium, " of Martin F. Tupper ... New; and reprinted |
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THE DESK AND THE PULPIT. |
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| X. |
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| XIII. |
| XIV. |
| XV. |
| XVI. |
| XVII. |
| XVIII. |
| XIX. |
| XX. |
| XXI. |
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 | Fifty of the Protestant Ballads |  |
42
THE DESK AND THE PULPIT.
How truly should a priest rejoice
When call'd to lead with heart and voice
A willing people's pray'r!
How blest the privilege would seem
Of winning Grace's brightest beam
On Christian worship there!
When call'd to lead with heart and voice
A willing people's pray'r!
How blest the privilege would seem
Of winning Grace's brightest beam
On Christian worship there!
Yet, in the desk, how undevout
Your average parson blunders out
The service dully droned;
Those living liturgies fall dead
On heart and ear, when idly read,
Or stupidly intoned!
Your average parson blunders out
The service dully droned;
Those living liturgies fall dead
On heart and ear, when idly read,
Or stupidly intoned!
O Desk! what eloquence were thine,
In beauteous pray'r, and psalm divine,
And Scripture's sterling sense!
O Desk! what cold and common lips
Too often act as an eclipse
Of all that eloquence!
In beauteous pray'r, and psalm divine,
And Scripture's sterling sense!
O Desk! what cold and common lips
Too often act as an eclipse
Of all that eloquence!
Then, as to sermons: what a chance
For Christian knighthood's gospel-lance
To drive the devil back!
With waiting penitents all round
To rally at your trumpet-sound
And follow in your track!
For Christian knighthood's gospel-lance
To drive the devil back!
With waiting penitents all round
To rally at your trumpet-sound
And follow in your track!
43
And yet, what have we?—first, the text,
By various readings well perplext;
Then, talk about the Jews;
Then, stale didactics dull and dry;
Then, something Romish, pretty high;
Then, some “peculiar views;”
By various readings well perplext;
Then, talk about the Jews;
Then, stale didactics dull and dry;
Then, something Romish, pretty high;
Then, some “peculiar views;”
Then on the rock he strikes his rod,
Morally weak,—and “now to God”—
Wakes up his flock unfed:
Ah! but it wrings the heart to see
How many souls should quickened be
Whom sermons leave stone-dead!
Morally weak,—and “now to God”—
Wakes up his flock unfed:
Ah! but it wrings the heart to see
How many souls should quickened be
Whom sermons leave stone-dead!
O Pulpit! what a golden hour
Fullfledged with grace's hallowing power
From you my soul should cheer!
O Pulpit! something very wrong
Makes twenty minutes much too long
Whene'er I go to hear!
Fullfledged with grace's hallowing power
From you my soul should cheer!
O Pulpit! something very wrong
Makes twenty minutes much too long
Whene'er I go to hear!
| Fifty of the Protestant Ballads | |