THE TORCH-BEARER OF THE EAST.
And well might lips like his, and tuneful voice,
Well might they make Messiah's theme their choice;
Well might he bathe where freshening dews distil,
His classic lays in Siloa's sacred rill;
Whilst prophet's theme and poet's liquid lyre
With strains of heavenly praise to Zion's hill aspire.
"And again Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust."-ROM. xv. 12.
THE TORCH-BEARER OF THE EAST.
GENTLE spirit! gentle spirit
Wafted on the wings of prayer!
All mistrustful of thy merit,
Safe in Jesu's guardian care.
Thou to distant lands wast bidden,
On the Saviour's message sent;
Satan's wiles by thee were chidden,
Darkness like a veil, was rent.
See the light of Heaven is beaming,
Clouds in thunderous volume, fly;
Light and love around are streaming,
Gladness cheers the mourner's eye.
Christ and all His great salvation,
Lips like thine, were tuned to sing;
And let each far-distant nation
Hail the world's expected king.
Learning's lamp by thee was lighted,
Oil of hallowing grace, was thine;
See! in realms by sin benighted,
See the gospel radiance shine !
What though desert sands were round thee,
With their palm trees faint and few ;
There the voice of Duty found thee-
To her gentle whispers true.
What though suns might smite upon thee,
Fervid in their noontide ray ;
He whose love and power had won thee
Tempered all the blaze of day.
Way-worn pilgrim, softly treading!
Zion's towers beamed bright for thee;
And whilst heaven its light was shedding
Say! could grief thy vestment be?
Welcomed to thy home in glory!
Now, thy earthly mission done,
Thou canst tell Redemption's story,
Whilst these circling orbs shall run;
Whilst eternal days shall gather
Round that radiant throne on high;
Praises be to God the Father,
For His love's deep mystery.
"And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken it."-ISAIAH xxv. 7, 8.
"ORDER is heaven's first law, and this confest,
Some are and must be, greater than the rest;"
Order is heaven's first law-her transcript fair
Engraven shines on each high portal there,
Where glittering legions in fixt service, wait
And render homage due to that high state.
Law is the voice of God! it speaks to man
Of Wisdom's rule, and points salvation's plan;
Law is the voice of God, its seat is found
Within His bosom, where all joys abound;
Its voice is Nature's harmony-the soul
That moves and guides and ministers the whole.
With gentle dignity, with mental grace
'Twas thine the lengthening track of time to trace;
In meekness self-possest, thy mind pursued
Truth's high decrees and man's eternal good:
Thus in thy purpose stedfast, thou didst run
The race of thought, in life's young day begun.
But not for thee, with an untempered ray,
Did bright prosperity illume thy way,-
The bliss of fellowship, the light of love
Shone not on thee, enkindled from above;
Domestic bliss fled far-thy hearth the while,
Methinks I see, unlighted by a smile :
Within this vale a chequered sun-light glows,
And thorns encircle nature's loveliest rose.
Thou who didst here on eagle pinion, rise
And mingle in the transports of the skies;
Or delving, search the depths of Wisdom's spring,
And thence her treasured wealth like trophies, bring-
Faith, hope and charity, and love and truth,
The christian's pearls of joy in age and youth;
Thou who in man's redemption, well couldst see
A final bliss, not finite in degree;
"Twas thine when passing from this house away,
To regions of delight and perfect day;
'Twas thine in converse high, to entertain
Angelic visions, a celestial train;
To number their bright squadrons—and descry
What order dwells in heaven's blest company.
Thus on the bed of death, thy view sublime
Passed onward from the shadowy bounds of time ;-
At peace in thy own bosom and with Him
Who rules the hosts of shining Seraphim,
Through the Redeemer's merit, thou couldst well
On themes of holy love, with sainted rapture dwell.
'Bright beings of light That gleam on my sight, My spirit salutes you in bliss;
All fair as ye move
In that orbit of love
Which our God has appointed for His.
"The hope were in vain
Your ranks to detain,
Appointed to service on high;
Yet breathe on my soul
With your hallowed control,
And aid me to enter the sky!
"I see you in white,
On your errands of light,
I greet you-and long to be there;
From that glistening throng
'Tis Redemption's full song,
Then on earth, for its notes I prepare."
"And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all
men, apt to teach, patient."-2 Tг. ii. 24.
AN artist and a lady fair,
My pencil would pourtray,
A hand whose execution rare,
Brings imaged forms to day.
Thus with a limner's witting skill,
An artist I would paint.
Who with her crayon and her quill,
Aspires to draw the saint.
She was an artist trained to thought,
And trained to lofty things,
And thus ideal hues she caught,
Upborne on Fancy's wings.
She tuned to measures wild and high,
Her own delighted theme,
And sang with woman's ecstacy,
The poet's fabled dream.
|