A Book of Christian Sonnets. william Allen
Christians to such idol bow the knee?
The idol War is such; thus cloth'd, thus shod,
Inwreath'd with skulls, hissing with malice fell!
34. GOD OUR SAFETY. Psalm 91.
Who in the Most High's secret place doth dwell,
Beneath th' Almighty's shadow shall abide.
God is my refuge, where I safe may hide—
My fortress strong and inaccessible.
From thee the noisome plague he will repel,
And safe from fowler's snare, with skill applied;
Although a thousand fall down at thy side,
No evil shall approach thy house or cell.
His kind, protecting wings o'er thee shall spread;
His truth shall be to thee a brazen shield,
His promise stronger than a tow'r on high;
Of nightly terror be not then afraid,
Nor of the day's swift arrow: 'tis reveal'd,
Thy God, thy trust, shall lift thee to the sky!
35. THE BELIEVER ENCOURAGED. (notes)
Pilgrim! do thickest clouds of grief and woe
Shut from thine eye that sweet and heav'nly light,
So lately spread upon thy pathway bright?
Is a dark wing outstretch'd o'er all below?
Fear not: more glorious beams shall surely flow
From fount perennial on thy gladden'd sight.
Thy God is faithful. In his love and might
Thou'rt safe; and naught thy bliss can overthrow.
Gaze now upon the wondrous cross. There hung—
Victim for sins, which claim'd avenging hell—
God's own beloved Son in agony:
Then hear the strains in heav'nly arches sung.
Can He, who gave the gift unspeakable,
Deny thee strength, and hope, and light, and joy?
36. ON REV. DR. JOHN CODMAN. (notes)
Codman, in early paths of life my friend,
When we together walk'd the flow'ry way
Of science, nor from virtue went astray,
Where Charles's stream by Harvard's walls doth wend;
Then woven were the ties, no force can rend—
The ties of Christian love; from day to day
Our constant aim, our constant, firm essay,
God's Truth first known, its dictates to attend.—
Through many a year and many a changing scene
Our early bond unbroken, when at last,
As all thy earthly prospects were o'ercast,
I bid farewell to thee with anguish keen,
Then did'st thou say—"We meet again above—
This faith I have—where sits Eternal Love!"
37. NORTHAMPTON GRAVE-YARD. (notes)
Thick are the branches of o'ershad'wing trees,
Of deep, unfading green: does this proclaim,
That many a sleeper here hath deathless name,
Immortal glory by God's just decrees?
These monumental stones no eye that sees—
Of whitest marble as for purest fame,
Recording deeds of high and holy aim—
But must their forms approve. Each passing breeze
Bears richest odors from these graves, where rest
The fathers and their children; men of prayer,
Of faith, and love, and ev'ry virtue blest.—
For the great rising day be it our care
To be ourselves companions of the wise;
With them to meet our Savior in the skies.
38. THE LORD'S PRAYER.
Our heav'nly Father, whom we fear and love,
Hallow'd by all thy children be thy name;
Thy kingdom come—an empire without blame;
Let men obey thee, like the blest above.
Give us this day our daily bread; remove
Our guilt, as we forgive a brother's shame;
Let not temptation urge its mighty claim,
Nor web of evil be around us wove;
For thine the kingdom is, and thine the praise;
And thine the pow'r, which no resistance knows:
To thee, O God, be endless glory given.—
Thus will I pray, while heart within me plays,
Or tongue is free my feelings to disclose,
Till I shall join the choral song in heaven.
39. PRAISE TO GOD. Psalm 148. (notes)
Praise ye the Lord. Ye Angels, give him praise
And all his hosts throughout the heav'ns on high;
Both sun and moon, and stars that fill the sky,
For his command made all your lights to blaze.
Let all earth's hosts their voices loud upraise;
Ye mountains proud that human feet defy,
And dragons which in ocean-deeps do lie;
Fire, hail, and vapors, tempests that amaze
The seaman in his barque; the drifting snow;
All lofty cedars and each fruitful tree;
The fowl that fly, and beasts that creep below;
All kings and people, old and young, come ye,
And praise God's name, all glorious, good, and great—
God's name, in majesty o'er all elate!
40. ON MY FATHER, REV. T. ALLEN. (notes)
I give thee thanks and praise, Great God above!
That though one half a hundred years be fled
Since my dear earthly father join'd the dead,
He lives within my heart. His faith, his love,
His zeal for right, the thoughts that him did move
The foes of truth t' encounter without dread—
All foes of Him who on the cross once bled—
Such things for him a web of honor wove.
My years are more than his: O, could I say,
My virtues are but equal; and that, when
I reach the closing hour of my life's day,
My God would give me his strong faith; for then,
As told he could not live, he made reply—
"I'm going to live forever in the sky!"
41. TIME'S