The broad arrow of the Great King, carved on all the stores of his arsenal. But beware, O worshipper of God, thou forget not him in his dealings, Thy bark will miss her port, and run upon the sand-bar of folly: And if, enamoured of the means, thou considerest not the scope to which they tend, Wherein art thou wiser than the child, that is pleased with toys and bau bles? Verily, a trifling scholar, thou heedest but the letter of instruction: For as motive is spirit unto action, as memory endeareth place, MAN hath found out inventions, to cheat him of the weariness of life, Yet a man speaketh to his brother, in the voice of glad congratulation, And hand joineth hand to help in the toil of amusement, While the secret aching heart is vacant of all but disappointment. The cheapest pleasures are the best; and nothing is more costly than sin; Yet we mortgage futurity, counting it but little loss: Neither can a man delight in that which breedeth sorrow, Yet do we hunt for joy even in the fires that consume it. Whoso would find gladness may meet her in the hovel of poverty, Where benevolence hath scattered around the gleanings of the horn of plenty; Whoso would sun himself in peace, may be seen of her in deeds of mercy, When the pale lean cheek of the destitute is wet with grateful tears If the mind is wearied by study, or the body worn with sickness, THE TRAIN OF RELIGION. STAY awhile, thou blessed band, be entreated, daughters of heaven! Who among the glorious art thou, that walkest a Goddess and a Queen, Who among flowers of loveliness is she, thy seeming herald, Yet she boasteth not thee nor herself, and her garments are plain in their neatness? Wherefore is there one among the train, whose eyes are red with weeping, Yet is her open forehead beaming with the sun of ecstacy? And who is that blood-stained warrior, with glory sitting on his crest? And who, that solemn sage, calm in majestic dignity? Also, in the lengthening troop see I some clad in robes of triumph, Welcome, for verily I knew, ye could not but be children of the light, That rejoicedst in tracking wisdom where the eye was too dull to note its: Who quickenest with light and beauty the leaden face of matter, stars, That hast been to me for oil and for wine, to cheer and uphold my soul, SON, happy art thou that Wisdom hath led thee hitherward: he For otherwise never hadst thou known the joy-giving name of our Queen Behold her, the life of men, the anchor of their shipwrecked hopes : Behold her, the shepherdess of souls, who bringeth back the wanderers to God. And for that modest herald, she is named on earth, Humility: And hast thou not known, my son, the tearful face of Repentance? Ligeance we sware to our God, and ligeance well have we kept; It is only the band of the redeemed who can tell thee the fulness of that name: (18) Yet will I comfort thee, my son, for the love wherewith thou hast loved me, And thou shalt touch for thyself the golden sceptre of Religion. So that blessed train passed by me; but the vision was sealed upon my soul; And its memory is shrined in fragrance, for the promise of the Spirit was true: I learn from the silent poem of all creation round me, How beautiful their feet, who follow in that train DESPISE not, shrewd reckoner, the God of a good man's worship, But when all is clear, what place is left for faith? Tell me the sum of thy knowledge,—is it yet assured of any thing? And the matter thou art baffled in unmaking, is to thy mind an element. And truly should account it for a marvel, a coin without the image of its MAN talketh of himself as ignorant, but judgeth by himself as wise: thine own, And suffer the passing speculation suggested by analogies to faith |