Pearls without price! and do ye lie Not wholly so-across the night That else had wrapt us in its shade; The finger, dipt in lovely light Of holy hope and heaven, is laid: And in its shining beams is seen The christian army's onward march; Whose spears are of immortal sheen, Whose banner is the rainbow's arch Of promise, to a fallen world, That sin's advancing, whelming wave, While Mercy's symbol is unfurled,Shall not be a redeemless grave. Onward, they go; of various hue, But kindred is the hope in view, The warriors of the Cross are one. And mid their closing ranks, behold Onward! the battle is the Lord's, Years may pass on, and all that earth And Time, that marked her empires' birth, Yet onward, o'er the mighty wreck, To Him whose is the heathen land. Till o'er a world by love subdued, High Heaven takes up the conqueror's strain; And voices of earth's multitude, Repeat the joyful song again. O God! while moments mark their round, And o'er us, in thy battles found, WHEN THOU CALMLY SLEEPEST. WHEN thou calmly sleepest in the dust, love! When thou gladly seekest thy native bowers, Wilt thou not, as thou weavest yon world's flowers, Lend a thought to the few Love gave in this? When mortality's tie is loosed, and never Shall delights that have charmed thee, charm thee more, When the cloud of grief has gone, and forever, Say, wilt thou not, sometimes, love! Awhile, leave the shrines that ceaseless burn; And warmed with the glow of remembrance, love! To the scenes of affection, fondly return? O, surely, thy spirit will meet in heaven, Some dear reminiscence of days that have flown; And the thought that to the past is given, Will be pure as the holiest before the throne! O COME FROM A World. COME from a world were sorrow and gloom A pathway bedimmed, with no rays to illume, Where the thoughtless have revelled when mirth had no charm, Where the wounded have wept, but still needed the balm. O come from a world where the landscape is chill, Or deceitfully blossoming fair, The garden gives promise of bright flowers, still The night-shade luxuriates there: That sky now serene blushing lovely and clear, O heed not its beauty, the storm cloud is near. O come from a world where the cup of delight For the laurels that wreath it reflection shall blight, The lips that convivial have pledged thee the bowl, Shall blanch with confusion when fear rives the soul. O come from a world where they that beguile For the heart that confiding has welcomed its smile, Come then, there's a path by the reckless untrod, O come, weary wanderer! it leads to thy God. I DREAMED of loveliness. The gay romance Built by the hand of Pleasure for her own, With speed that mocked the dolphin. Her white sail, As now it caught the sun's reflected ray, Coursing along the waters, to the eye, Seemed like a fleecy cloud, with burnished skirts, Disclosed the shattered rib, or broken spar, And some with apathy-some mourned. I dreamed |