A Specimen of the Bilsdale Dialect or, Two Poems on Isaac Telltruth and Sammy Standfast [by John Castillo] |
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OLD SAMMY;
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 | A Specimen of the Bilsdale Dialect |  |
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OLD SAMMY;
OR, THE EFFECTS OF THE GOSPEL.
Attend all you, who Zions tidings love,
Whose heart and hope are fix'd on things above,
Whose chief delight is centred in the fame,
Of signs and wonders, wrought in Jesus name.
Whose heart and hope are fix'd on things above,
Whose chief delight is centred in the fame,
Of signs and wonders, wrought in Jesus name.
All you, who virtue love and mischief hate,
Attend while I a simple truth relate;
Such noble courage, in so vile a case,
Does prove the mighty power of saving grace.
Attend while I a simple truth relate;
Such noble courage, in so vile a case,
Does prove the mighty power of saving grace.
A preacher being to a village sent,
To warn and woe the people to repent;
As he before had paid the same address,
His pious soul was looking for success.
To warn and woe the people to repent;
As he before had paid the same address,
His pious soul was looking for success.
Believers did for him a place prepare,
And frequently they did assemble there;
And in his little, civil congregation,
He had some earnest seekers of salvation.
And frequently they did assemble there;
And in his little, civil congregation,
He had some earnest seekers of salvation.
Among the rest, a noted bruiser stood,
Whose hand; had oft been stain'd with human blood;
With heart and constitution so robust,
Oft laid the great Goliahs in the dust.
Whose hand; had oft been stain'd with human blood;
With heart and constitution so robust,
Oft laid the great Goliahs in the dust.
He fully on the preacher fixed his eye,
He scarcely could assert the reason why;
The subject and the theme on which he dwelt,
Caught his attention, and their force he felt.
He scarcely could assert the reason why;
The subject and the theme on which he dwelt,
Caught his attention, and their force he felt.
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He thought the preacher all his actions knew;
His words, like arrows, pierced his conscience through;
His spirit felt, his heart was sick and sore,
Such anguish he had never known before.
His words, like arrows, pierced his conscience through;
His spirit felt, his heart was sick and sore,
Such anguish he had never known before.
It seem'd to him as if an angel spoke,
He felt within as if his heart was broke;
He thought he heard Mount Sinai's thunders roll,
Which shook the very centre of his soul.
He felt within as if his heart was broke;
He thought he heard Mount Sinai's thunders roll,
Which shook the very centre of his soul.
On bended knees he did salvation seek,
Big tears roll'd down his long undaunted cheek;
The people prayed,—the sinner wept the more,
Nay, he was never brought so low before.
Big tears roll'd down his long undaunted cheek;
The people prayed,—the sinner wept the more,
Nay, he was never brought so low before.
But by and by his mighty anguish ceas'd,
The Lord of life his captive soul releas'd;
The joy he felt, he scarcely could contain,—
The brethren sung, a sinner born again.
The Lord of life his captive soul releas'd;
The joy he felt, he scarcely could contain,—
The brethren sung, a sinner born again.
Another day, two of his mates were met,
As custom was, and in a tavern set;
Conversing on the strange events that past,
The one the other thus address'd at last:—
As custom was, and in a tavern set;
Conversing on the strange events that past,
The one the other thus address'd at last:—
Heard you not, what occur'd the other day?
Old Sam has got converted people say!
Old Sam! (the other says with great surprise)
What Sam the Boxer?—Yes the other cries.
Old Sam has got converted people say!
Old Sam! (the other says with great surprise)
What Sam the Boxer?—Yes the other cries.
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Depend upon't, though you may think it strange,
But in old Sam there is a mighty change:—
Nay, he converted! pshaw, its all a whim;
They have just as much converted me as him.
But in old Sam there is a mighty change:—
Nay, he converted! pshaw, its all a whim;
They have just as much converted me as him.
I'll pledge myself to find a man, no doubt,
That soon will beat all his religion out;
Perhaps not so,—the other softly said,—
I think old Sam's of better mettle made;
I know that he was always bad to bend,
And I will on his firmness still depend.
That soon will beat all his religion out;
Perhaps not so,—the other softly said,—
I think old Sam's of better mettle made;
I know that he was always bad to bend,
And I will on his firmness still depend.
The other rose and would a wager bet,
Old Sam was not so far converted yet;
But were he pick'd at, he would turn again,
And still he would, the bloody cause maintain.
Old Sam was not so far converted yet;
But were he pick'd at, he would turn again,
And still he would, the bloody cause maintain.
For Sammy's door direct their way they took,—
For he had then the tavern haunts forsook;—
They call a rebel out to lead the van,
To vex and aggravate this good old man.
For he had then the tavern haunts forsook;—
They call a rebel out to lead the van,
To vex and aggravate this good old man.
At length they reach'd and rattled at the door,
And stood around, like lions, to devour
His happy soul;—But he had by his side,
King David's faithful shepherd for his guide.
And stood around, like lions, to devour
His happy soul;—But he had by his side,
King David's faithful shepherd for his guide.
Old Sammy from his Bible reading rose,
And he straight-way to meet the rebel goes;—
Here's one, said they, will fight for what you like,
He stamp'd and rag'd, and dared Sam out to strike.—
And he straight-way to meet the rebel goes;—
Here's one, said they, will fight for what you like,
He stamp'd and rag'd, and dared Sam out to strike.—
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Old Sammy smil'd, as he before them stood,
He shook his head, and thought the cause not good;
At last his flaming passion to control,
He cries,—“the Lord have mercy on thy soul.”
He shook his head, and thought the cause not good;
At last his flaming passion to control,
He cries,—“the Lord have mercy on thy soul.”
Thy case I pity, O! thou man of might,
Although this practice once was my delight;
Call in thy rage, and to old Sam attend,
Before destruction proves thy awful end.
Although this practice once was my delight;
Call in thy rage, and to old Sam attend,
Before destruction proves thy awful end.
I clearly see the spirit thou art in,
For I myself oft in the same have been;
And many a one like thee I've made to bend,
And brought their far spread valour to an end.
For I myself oft in the same have been;
And many a one like thee I've made to bend,
And brought their far spread valour to an end.
'Tis well for thee, that I'm another man,
Or thou should'st rue the day that this began;
I soon would settle all thy boasts and brags,
And make thy bones to rattle on the flags.
Or thou should'st rue the day that this began;
I soon would settle all thy boasts and brags,
And make thy bones to rattle on the flags.
Thou may thank God, whose power and grace divine,
Have changed this subtle, savage heart of mine;
The love I feel for thee, forbids the blow,
Or soon I'd lay all thy ambition low.
Have changed this subtle, savage heart of mine;
The love I feel for thee, forbids the blow,
Or soon I'd lay all thy ambition low.
Chain down thy passion, give old Sam thy hand,
Be thankful that thou may'st before him stand;
Go tell the men, whom I did once adore,
The wager's lost;—old Sam will strike no more.
Be thankful that thou may'st before him stand;
Go tell the men, whom I did once adore,
The wager's lost;—old Sam will strike no more.
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Tell them, to save their money for their wives,
Give up their folly, and reform their lives;
And go and seek salvation while they may,
Before the wrath of God drives them away.
Give up their folly, and reform their lives;
And go and seek salvation while they may,
Before the wrath of God drives them away.
His noble speech so satisfied them all,
That not one there durst him a coward call;
Although the wager's farely lost, they say,
We all must own,—old Sam has won the day.
That not one there durst him a coward call;
Although the wager's farely lost, they say,
We all must own,—old Sam has won the day.
Then Sammy, like a warrior stout and bold,
Seeks new companions and forsakes his old;
While shouts of joy his ravish'd ears surround,
He hears and understands the cheering sound.
Seeks new companions and forsakes his old;
While shouts of joy his ravish'd ears surround,
He hears and understands the cheering sound.
Yes Sammy's got a better master now,
And more substantial friends to deal with too;
Secure he leans on his Redeemer's breast,
And sweetly sings himself away to rest.
And more substantial friends to deal with too;
Secure he leans on his Redeemer's breast,
And sweetly sings himself away to rest.
| A Specimen of the Bilsdale Dialect | |