,illustration3 handwritten3 ,yours truly ,lizzie ,doten ,,poems ,,of ,,progress4 ,,by ,,lizzie ,,doten4 8,if an offence come out of the ,truth1 better is it that the offence come1 than the ,truth be concealed40 ,,jerome4 8,stand out of my sunshine40 ,,diogenes ,,of ,,sinope4 ,,boston3 ,,william ,,white ,,and ,,company1 ,,banner ,,of ,,light ,,office1 #aeh ,,washington ,,street4 ,,new ,,york ,,agents--,,the ,,american ,,news ,,company1 #aai ,,nassau ,,street4 #ahga4 ,entered1 according to the ,act of ,congress1 in the year #ahga1 ,,by ,,miss ,,elizabeth ,,doten1 ,in the ,office of the ,librarian of ,congress1 at ,washington4 ,electrotyped at the ,boston ,stereotype ,foundry1 ,no4 #ai ,spring ,lane4 ,,contents4 ,,page ,,declaration ,,of ,,faith 7,,prefatory74 #e ,,the ,,chemistry ,,of ,,character4 #aa ,,let ,,thy ,,kingdom ,,come4 #ad ,,the ,,spirit ,,of ,,nature4 #ag ,,margery ,,miller4 #bj ,,the ,,law ,,of ,,life4 #bf ,a ,,respectable ,,lie4 #cc ,,the ,,rainbow ,,bridge4 #ch ,,rest ,,thou ,,in ,,peace4 #db ,,angel ,,lily4 #dd ,,the ,,all ,,in ,,all4 #dh 8,,ecce ,,homo40 #ej ,,peter ,,mcguire2 ,,or1 ,,nature ,,and ,,grace4 #ef ,,hymn ,,of ,,the ,,angels4 #fb ,,gone ,,home4 #fd ,,the ,,cry ,,of ,,the ,,desolate4 #ff ,,the ,,spirit-,,mother4 #fi ,,face ,,the ,,sunshine4 #gg ,,hester ,,vaughn4 #hc ,,song ,,of ,,the ,,spirit ,,children4 #hg ,,he ,,giveth ,,his ,,beloved ,,sleep4 #ij ,,the ,,famished ,,heart4 #ib ,,the ,,triumph ,,of ,,life4 #ii ,,reformers4 #ajb ,,mr4 ,,de ,,splae4 #aje ,,will ,,it ,,pay8 #aji ,,the ,,living ,,word4 #aad ,,hymn ,,to ,,the ,,sun4 #aai ,,greatheart ,,and ,,giant ,,despair4 #abc 8,,the ,,oracle40 #abh ,,my ,,angel4 #ace ,,the ,,angel ,,of ,,healing4 #aci ,,truth ,,triumphant4 #adc ,,good ,,in ,,all4 #adg ,,john ,,endicott4 #aec ,,the ,,triumph ,,of ,,freedom4 #aeg ,,our ,,soldiers' ,,graves4 #afd ,,outward ,,bound4 #aff ,,the ,,wanderer',s ,,welcome ,,home4 #agj ,,labor ,,and ,,wait4 #agd ,,frae ,,rhyming ,,robin4 #agf ,,an ,,elegy ,,on ,,the ,,devil4 #aha ,,fraternity4 #ahe ,,oweena4 #aij ,,gone ,,is ,,gone1 ,,and ,,dead ,,is ,,dead4 #aie ,,the ,,spirit ,,teacher4 #aih ,,little ,,nell4 #bjc ,,the ,,soul',s ,,destiny4 #bjf ,,guardian ,,angels4 #bjh ,,nearer ,,to ,,thee4 #baa ,,the ,,sacrament4 #bac ,,the ,,good ,,time ,,now4 #bag ,,life',s ,,mysteries4 #bba ,a ,,woodland ,,idyl4 #bbe ,,jubilate4 #bbi ,,the ,,divine ,,idea4 #bca ,,the ,,pyramids4 #bce ,,the ,,inner ,,mystery4 #bcg ,,declaration ,,of ,,faith4 ,doubtless many who take up this book1 and glance carelessly at its pages1 will exclaim1 8,what6 more ,spiritualism60 ,to which remark ,i answer1 yes1 more ,spiritualism1 an unequivocal1 undisguised1 positive ,spiritualism--confirmed by many years of careful observation1 study1 and experience1 and of which this book is the legitimate outgrowth4 ,eight years have elapsed since my first volume--8,poems from the ,inner ,life0--was given to the world 7to the ,preface of which ,i now refer for any explanation concerning my mediumship74 ,during that interval of time1 the ranks of the believers in ,spiritualism have steadily increased in numbers1 its phenomena1 presenting an array of well-established facts1 have challenged the investigation of some of the first scientific minds of the age1 and its philosophy has done more towards liberating the human mind from the thraldom of old superstitions and creeds than any other form of faith which has arisen for centuries4 ,but as yet1 it has not secured that prestige of popularity and respectability which the combined influence of age1 wealth1 and organized action ever afforded4 ,consequently1 those who are 8named by its name0 must be prepared to meet the anathemas of religious bigots--the lofty scorn of those who are wise in their own conceit--the scurrilous attacks of those who would divert attention from their own infamy and the petty irritations of a numerous pack who follow at the heels of every new movement1 and ever distinguish themselves by noise rather than by knowledge4 ,as a participant in this great movement1 ,i have found such attacks to be helps rather than hinderances to my progress1 inasmuch as ,i have been enabled to define my own positive and affirmative position more clearly from the negations of the opposers of ,spiritualism4 ,we are told that 8it is not a ,religion40 ,but after a long and careful study of the past and present1 ,i have yet to find any phase of faith1 which1 in its very inception has commenced so directly at the root of all necessary reform1 viz41 the purification and harmonious development of the human body4 ,this primary and fundamental truth has been taken as a starting-point--it has been enunciated from the spirit world--repeated by the inspirational speakers--has been interwoven with all the spiritualistic literature1 and has found a practical application in the ,children's ,lyceums4 ,the religion that teaches1 8,take care of the soul1 and let the body take care of itself10 will inevitably defeat its own purposes1 and has already been taught long enough for us to know that it is a failure4 ,no other form of faith ever brought the spiritual world so near1 as to banish its supernatural character1 and place it within the province of natural law4 ,no other form of faith has illustrated the fact so clearly1 that just as we go out of this world1 so do we enter upon the next1 thereby presenting a more rational incentive to endeavor1 than the rewards of ,heaven or the punishments of ,hell2 and no other from of faith has so effectually dissipated the idea of an inane and purposeless life in the future1 and given to the angels a more exalted employment than 8loafing around the throne40 ,it also teaches that mediumship1 under proper circumstances1 is a healthy1 harmonious1 and normal development of human nature1 and that communion with the spiritual world is not interdicted1 and no more impossible than any other attainment that lies in the direct line of natural law1 human progress1 and scientific investigation4 ,this to me1 and to those who have accepted ,spiritualism thoughtfully and sincerely1 makes it a religion indeed1 and the positive assertions of any number of intellectual or religious 8authorities0 to the contrary cannot make it otherwise4 ,we have been told again and again1 that 8,spiritualism is ,supernaturalism10 that we believe in miracles1 which are contrary to the 8methods0 of ,god's government4 ,we have denied this repeatedly1 assuming that we ourselves had the best right to say what we did believe2 but our denial has not been accepted1 and the reason is obvious4 ,any number of scholastic discourses1 elaborately written essays1 and eloquent appeals to popular prejudice1 would lose their pith and marrow1 and be found wanting1 if this false predicate1 this fabricated nucleus for their logic should be disallowed4 ,again1 we are told that 8,spiritualism is not ,science20 to which we reply1 that ,spiritualism has presented facts and phenomena which the later discoveries in ,science are tending both to explain and substantiate4 ,it has been demonstrated that it is not the eye that sees1 the ear that hears1 or the nerves that feel1 but each of these avenues of sense serves to convey the vibrations of the surrounding 8ether0 to the central consciousness1 which alone is possessed of the power of perception4 ,since this is so1 who shall dare place a limit to the possibilities of that consciousness1 of which so little is definitely known8 ,or why should any man prescribe1 as a standard for all others1 the limitations of his own feeble consciousness4 ,a modern reasoner tells us that 8if the bodily ear receives vibrations from one atmosphere1 it cannot receive them from another1 and no fiction of an inner ear can give genuineness to voices and whispers of a spiritual tongue40 ,since1 however1 it is not the outer ear1 but the inner consciousness1 that hears1 a quickening of its perceptions will allow it to catch the vibrations from another atmosphere1 and ,spiritualism demonstrates1 by indisputable facts1 that this is so4 ,also1 that this is not an abnormal condition1 but perfectly legitimate to certain states of the inner consciousness4 ,the revelations of the spectroscope1 and the investigations of some of the greatest scientific minds of the present day1 have determined the existence of a higher scale of vibrations than those which fall within the ordinary range of human vision4 ,all the objects and forms of life comprehended in that scale1 although so closely blended and interwoven with the vibrations of our own plane of existence1 are lost to our dull perceptions1 unless1 through some physical or mental condition1 there is a quickening of our inner consciousness4 ,when this comes1 as it has again and again to many1 we have revelations from the 8spirit world10 which is1 after all1 but a finer material world1 as real1 as substantial1 as objective1 and as directly within the province of universal law1 as that which we now inhabit4 ,that we should be made sensibly aware of this higher life1 under certain legitimate conditions1 is perfectly natural4 ,indeed1 it would be strange1 with the uniformity of succession and development which pervades all things1 if we were not4 ,it is not a world that is possible1 but actual1 not one that might be1 but is4 ,in this matter1 intelligent ,spiritualists range themselves side by side with those of whom ,professor ,tyndall has said1 8,you never hear the really philosophical defenders of the doctrine of uniformity speaking of impossibilities in nature4 ,they best know that questions offer themselves to thought1 which ,science1 as now prosecuted1 has not even the tendency to solve4 ,they keep such questions open1 and will not tolerate any unlawful limitations of the horizon of their souls40 ,however weak and imperfect our spiritual vision may be at present1 we shall use each and every opportunity of obtaining all the information that is possible1 either from this world or the next4 ,the report of the committee chosen by the ,london ,dialectical ,society1 to investigate the subject of ,spiritualism1 8bears strong testimony in favor of the reality of the manifestations10 and is a step in the right direction4 ,all we ask of our opponents1 is fair treatment and an unprejudiced consideration of the facts and phenomena which ,spiritualism presents4 ,we do not fear as to the result4 ,but the objection which is most frequently urged against ,spiritualism is1 that 8it is immoral in its tendencies40 ,in my anxiety to prove all things1 ,i have also taken this matter into careful consideration1 and diligently compared the annals of crime in the so-called ,christian church with those of ,spiritualism4 ,for several years ,i have collected the items from the daily newspapers1 that ,i might have them for future reference1 and in due time come to a just and impartial conclusion4 ,as ,i write1 that record of ministerial delinquency1 ecclesiastical abominations1 and human frailty1 lies before me4 ,where ,i have found one spiritual sheep that has gone astray1 ,i have found ninety and nine of the ,shepherds in ,israel in great need of repentance4 ,let the church cleanse her own ,augean stables before she utters one word in relation to the immoralities of ,spiritualism4 ,casting stones and calling hard names will not profit either party4 ,it is neither ,christianity nor ,spiritualism that is responsible for these immoralities1 but poor human nature4 ,the remedy lies not in creeds or forms of faith1 but in the growth of ,truth in the ,understanding1 and ,love in the heart4 ,not as a ,spiritualist1 but as a child of humanity1 do ,i hope that the entire world may yet have a moral standard1 harmonious with the laws of ,god and ,nature1 and consistent with the highest good of the individual and society4 ,having1 from inclination and a sense of duty to my kindred in the faith1 pursued the subject thus far1 the 8,spirit moves me0 to present1 in conclusion1 a few quotations which require neither comment nor explanation4 8,if we are wise we shall sit down upon the brink and content ourselves with saying what the spiritual world is not and cannot be4 99 99 ,the soul must be entirely ignorant of the second body until it has ceased to use the first4 99 99 ,the new organs1 may be1 all correspond in intention and effect to the present ones2 but we say that they do not yet exist4 ,they cannot exist2 the ground is pre-occupied40 ,john ,weiss1 ,unitarian ,monthly ,journal1 ,may1 #ahff4 8,moreover1 the satellites of ,jupiter are invisible to the naked eye1 and therefore can exercise no influence over the ,earth1 and therefore would be useless1 and therefore do not exist40 ,francesco ,sizzi1 ,times of ,galileo4 8,if the ,spiritualists would secure the favor of sensible people they must let them see that they are not at war with good sense4 99 99 ,it were better that very sacred and dear beliefs should go1 than that this enemy of all rational belief should remain4 ,let us prefer to have no other world1 than to have another world full of teasing1 troublesome1 meddlesome beings1 who interfere with the rational order of the world we dwell in40 ,o4 ,b4 ,frothingham1 8,the ,index10 ,july #h1 #ahga4 8,if the new planets were acknowledged1 what a chaos would ensue60 99 99 8,i will never concede his four new planets to that ,italian1 though ,i die for it40 ,martin ,horky1 ,times of ,galileo4 8,o my beloved ,kepler6 ,how ,i wish we could have one good laugh together6 ,here1 at ,padua1 is the principal ,professor of ,philosophy1 whom ,i have repeatedly and urgently requested to look at the moon and planets through my telescope1 which he pertinaciously refuses to do6 ,why1 my dear ,kepler1 are you not here8 ,what shouts of laughter we should have at all this solemn folly60 ,letter from ,galileo to ,john ,kepler4 ,,poems ,,of ,,progress4 ,,the ,,chemistry ,,of ,,character4 ,,john1 and ,peter1 and ,robert1 and ,paul1 ,god in his wisdom created them all4 ,john was a statesman1 and ,peter a slave1 ,robert a preacher1 and ,paul--was a knave4 ,evil or good as the case might be1 ,white1 or colored1 or bond1 or free-- ,john1 and ,peter1 and ,robert1 and ,paul1 ,god in his wisdom created them all4 ,out of earth's elements1 mingled with flame1 ,out of life's compounds of glory and shame1 ,fashioned and shaped by no will of their own1 ,and helplessly into life's history thrown2 ,born by the law that compels men to be1 ,born to conditions they could not foresee1 ,john1 and ,peter1 and ,robert1 and ,paul1 ,god in his wisdom created them all4 ,john was the head and the heart of his ,state1 ,was trusted and honored1 was noble and great4 ,peter was made 'neath life's burdens to groan1 ,and never once dreamed that his soul was his own4 ,robert great glory and honor received1 ,for zealously preaching what no one believed2 ,while ,paul1 of the pleasures of sin took his fill1 ,and gave up his life to the service of ill4 ,it chanced that these men1 in their passing away ,from earth and its conflicts1 all died the same day4 ,john was mourned through the length and the breadth of the land-- ,peter fell 'neath the lash in a merciless hand-- ,robert died with the praise of the ,lord on his tongue-- ,while ,paul was convicted of murder1 and hung4 ,john1 and ,peter1 and ,robert1 and ,paul1 ,the purpose of life was fulfilled in them all4 ,men said of the ,statesman--8,how noble and brave60 ,but of ,peter1 alas6--8he was only a ,slave40 ,of ,robert--8',tis well with his soul--it is well20 ,while ,paul they consigned to the torments of hell4 ,born by one law through all ,nature the same1 ,what made them differ8 and who was to blame8 ,john1 and ,peter1 and ,robert1 and ,paul1 ,god in his wisdom created them all4 ,out in that region of infinite light1 ,where the soul of the black man is pure as the white-- ,out where the spirit1 through sorrow made wise1 ,no longer resorts to deception and lies-- ,out where the flesh can no longer control ,the freedom and faith of the ,god-given soul-- ,who shall determine what change may befall ,john1 and ,peter1 and ,robert1 and ,paul8 ,john may in wisdom and goodness increase-- ,peter rejoice in an infinite peace-- ,robert may learn that the truths of the ,lord ,are more in the spirit1 and less in the word-- ,and ,paul may be blest with a holier birth ,than the passions of man had allowed him on earth4 ,john1 and ,peter1 and ,robert1 and ,paul1 ,god in his wisdom will care for them all4 ,,let ,,thy ,,kingdom ,,come4 ,,the peaceful night1 8the stilly night10 ,came down on wings of purple gloom1 ,and with her eyes of starry light1 ,looked through the darkness of my room2 ,peace was the pillow for my head1 ,while angels watched around my bed4 ,freed from a weight of cumbering care1 ,my earnest spirit seemed to rise1 ,and on the wings of faith and prayer1 ,i sought the gates of ,paradise2 ,like priceless pearls ,i saw them gleam1 ,as in the ,revelator's dream4 ,o1 holy1 holy was the song ,of blessed spirits echoing thence1 ,so soft and clear it swept along1 ,it ravished all my soul and sense2 ,close to those gates of light ,i crept1 ,and like a homeless orphan wept4 ,the white-robed angels went and came-- ,the white-robed angels saw me there-- ,and one1 in our dear ,father's name1 ,came at my spirit's voiceless prayer4 8,dear child10 he said1 8why dost thou wait ,with weeping at the heavenly gate80 8,o1 weary are my feet10 ,i cried1 8,with wandering o'er the earthly way2 ,lo1 all my hopes hang crucified1 ,and all my idols turn to clay2 ,far distant now the ,father seems1 ,and heaven comes only in my dreams40 ,he laid his hand upon my head1 ,and tenderly the angel smiled4 8,thy ,father knows thy need10 he said1 8,and he will aid his suffering child4 ,return unto thine earthly home-- ,his kingdom yet shall surely come40 ,obedient at the word ,i turned1 ,and sought mine earthly home once more1 ,while all my soul within me burned1 ,with joy ,i never knew before2 ,for that blest vision of the night ,had filled me with celestial light4 ,still o'er my life its glories stream1 ,the solace of my lonely hours1 ,fair as the sunset's golden gleam1 ,and lovely as the bloom of flowers2 ,a sweet assurance1 calm and deep1 ,which treasured in my soul ,i keep4 ,henceforth ,i wait with anxious eyes1 ,until the shadows flee away1 ,to see the morning star arise1 ,which ushers in that glorious day4 ,be patient1 ,o my heart6 be still ,till time the promise shall fulfill4 ,,the ,,spirit ,,of ,,nature4 8,the bond which unites the human to the divine is ,love1 and ,love is the longing of the ,soul for ,beauty2 the inextinguishable desire which like feels for like1 which the divinity within us feels for the divinity revealed to us in ,beauty4 ,beauty is ,truth40--,,plato4 ,i ,,have come from the heart of all natural things1 ,whose life from the ,soul of the ,beautiful springs2 ,you shall hear the sweet waving of corn in my voice1 ,and the musical whisper of leaves that rejoice1 ,for my lips have been touched by the spirit of prayer1 ,which lingers unseen in the soft summer air2 ,and the smile of the sunshine that brightens the skies1 ,hath left a glad ray of its light in my eyes4 ,on the sea-beaten shore--'mid the dwellings of men-- ,in the field1 or the forest1 or wild mountain glen2 ,wherever the grass or a daisy could spring1 ,or the musical laughter of childhood could ring2 ,wherever a swallow could build 'neath the eaves1 ,or a squirrel could hide in his covert of leaves1 ,i have felt the sweet presence1 and heard the low call1 ,of the ,spirit of ,nature1 which quickens us all4 ,grown weary and worn with the conflict of creeds1 ,i had sought a new faith for the soul with its needs1 ,when the love of the ,beautiful guided my feet ,through a leafy arcade to a sylvan retreat1 ,where the oriole sung in the branches above1 ,and the wild roses burned with their blushes of love1 ,and the purple-fringed aster1 and bright golden-99rod1 ,like jewels of beauty adorned the green sod4 ,o1 how blessd to feel from the care-laden heart ,all the sorrows and woes that oppressed it depart1 ,and to lay the tired head1 with its achings1 to rest ,on the heart of all others that loves it the best2 ,o1 thus is it ever1 when1 wearied1 we yearn ,to the bosom of ,nature and ,truth to return1 ,and life blossoms forth into beauty anew1 ,as we learn to repose in the ,simple and ,true4 ,no longer with self or with ,nature at strife1 ,the soul feels the presence of ,infinite ,life2 ,and the voice of a child1 or the hum of a bee-- ,the somnolent roll of the deep-heaving sea-- ,the mountains uprising in grandeur and might-- ,the stars that look forth from the depths of the night-- ,all speak in one language1 persuasive and clear1 ,to him who in spirit is waiting to hear4 ,there is something in ,nature beyond our control1 ,that is tenderly winning the love of each soul2 ,we shall linger no longer in darkness and doubt1 ,when the ,beauty within meets the ,beauty without4 ,sweet ,spirit of ,nature6 wherever thou art1 ,o1 fold us like children1 close1 close to thy heart2 ,till we learn that thy bosom is ,truth's hallowed shrine1 ,and the ,soul of the ,beautiful is--the ,divine4 ,,margery ,,miller4 ,,old ,margery ,miller sat alone1 ,one ,christmas eve1 by her poor hearthstone1 ,where dimly the fading firelight shone4 ,her brow was furrowed with signs of care1 ,her lips moved gently1 as if in prayer-- ,for ,o1 life's burden was hard to bear4 ,poor old ,margery ,miller6 ,sitting alone1 ,unsought1 unknown1 ,her friends1 like the birds of summer had flown4 ,full eighty summers had swiftly sped1 ,full eighty winters their snows had shed1 ,with silver-sheen1 on her aged head4 ,one by one had her loved ones died-- ,one by one had they left her side-- ,fading like flowers in their summer pride4 ,poor old ,margery ,miller6 ,sitting alone1 ,unsought1 unknown1 ,had ,god forgotten she was his own8 ,no castle was hers with a spacious lawn2 ,her poor old hut was the proud man's scorn2 ,yet ,margery ,miller was nobly born4 ,a brother she had1 who once wore a crown1 ,whose deeds of greatness and high renown ,from age to age had been handed down4 ,poor old ,margery ,miller6 ,sitting alone1 ,unsought1 unknown1 ,where was her kingdom1 her crown or throne8 ,margery ,miller1 a child of ,god1 ,meekly and bravely life's path had trod1 ,nor deemed affliction a 8chastening rod40 ,her brother1 ,jesus1 who went before1 ,a crown of thorns in his meekness wore1 ,and what1 poor soul6 could she hope for more8 ,poor old ,margery ,miller6 ,sitting alone1 ,unsought1 unknown1 ,strange that her heart had not turned to stone6 ,ay1 there she sat1 on that ,christmas eve1 ,seeking some dream of the past to weave1 ,patiently striving not to grieve4 ,o1 for those long1 long eighty years1 ,how had she struggled with doubts and fears1 ,shedding in secret unnumbered tears6 ,poor old ,margery ,miller6 ,sitting alone1 ,unsought1 unknown1 ,how could she stifle her sad heart's moan8 ,soft on her ear fell the ,christmas chimes1 ,bringing the thought of the dear old times1 ,like birds that sing of far distant climes4 ,then swelled the flood of her pent-up grief-- ,swayed like a reed in the tempest brief1 ,her bowed form shook like an aspen leaf4 ,poor old ,margery ,miller6 ,sitting alone1 ,unsought1 unknown1 ,how heavy the burden of life had grown6 8,o ,god60 she cried1 8,i am lonely here1 ,bereft of all that my heart holds dear2 ,yet ,thou dost never refuse to hear4 8,o1 if the dead were allowed to speak6 ,could ,i only look on their faces meek1 ,how it would strengthen my heart so weak60 ,poor old ,margery ,miller6 ,sitting alone1 ,unsought1 unknown1 ,what was that light which around her shone8 ,dim on the hearth burned the embers red1 ,yet soft and clear1 on her silvered head1 ,a light like the sunset glow was shed4 ,bright blossoms fell on the cottage floor1 8,mother0 was whispered1 as oft before1 ,and long-lost faces gleamed forth once more4 ,poor old ,margery ,miller6 ,no longer alone1 ,unsought1 unknown1 ,how light the burden of life had grown6 ,she lifted her withered hands on high1 ,and uttered the eager1 earnest cry1 8,god of all mercy6 now let me die4 8,beautiful ,angels1 fair and bright1 ,holding the hem of your garments white1 ,let me go forth to the world of light40 ,poor old ,margery ,miller6 ,so earnest grown6 ,was she left alone8 ,his humble child did the ,lord disown8 ,o1 sweet was the sound of the ,christmas bell1 ,as its musical changes rose and fell1 ,with a low refrain or a solemn swell4 ,but sweeter by far was the blessd strain1 ,that soothed old ,margery ,miller's pain1 ,and gave her comfort and peace again4 ,poor old ,margery ,miller6 ,in silence alone1 ,her faith had grown2 ,and now the blossom had brightly blown4 ,out of the glory that burned like flame1 ,calmly a great white angel came-- ,softly he whispered her humble name4 8,child of the highest10 he gently said1 8,thy toils are ended1 thy tears are shed1 ,and life immortal now crowns thy head40 ,poor old ,margery ,miller6 ,no longer alone1 ,unsought1 unknown1 ,god had not forgotten she was his own4 ,a change o'er her pallid features passed2 ,she felt that her feet were nearing fast ,the land of safety and peace1 at last4 ,she faintly murmured1 8,god's name be blest60 ,and folding her hands on her dying breast1 ,she calmly sank to her dreamless rest4 ,poor old ,margery ,miller6 ,sitting alone1 ,without one moan1 ,her patient spirit at length had flown4 ,next morning a stranger found her there1 ,her pale hands folded as if in prayer1 ,sitting so still in her old arm-chair4 ,he spoke--but she answered not again1 ,for1 far away from all earthly pain1 ,her voice was singing a joyful strain4 ,poor old ,margery ,miller6 ,her spirit had flown ,to the world unknown1 ,where true hearts never can be alone4 ,,the ,,law ,,of ,,life4 ,deeply musing ,on the many mysteries of life2 ,half excusing ,all man's seeming failures in the strife2 ,through the city ,did ,i take my lonely way at night2 ,filled with pity ,for the miseries that met my sight1 ,in the faces1 sickly1 sad and sunken1 ,in the faces1 meager1 mean and shrunken1 ,wanton1 leering1 passionate and drunken1 ,which ,i saw that night1 ,passing through the city-- ,saw them by the street-lamps' changing light4 ,burning brightly1 ,looked the watching stars from heaven above2 ,as if lightly ,they beheld these wrecks of human love4 8,o1 how distant10 ,said ,i1 8are they from this earth apart6 ,how resistant ,to the woes that rend the human heart6 ,countless worlds6 your radiant courses rounding1 ,with your light the depth of distance sounding1 ,is there not some fount of love abounding8 ,o1 thou starlit night ,brooding o'er the city6 ,would that truth might as thy stars shine bright40 ,very lightly ,was a woman's hand laid on my arm4 ,pressing slightly-- ,and a voice said--striving to be calm-- 8,i am dying1 ,slowly dying for the want of love2 ,vainly trying ,to believe there is a ,god above4 ,for ,i feel that ,i am sinking slowly1 ,losing daily1 faith and patience lowly1 ,doomed to ways of sin and deeds unholy-- ,all the weary night1 ,through this cruel city ,do ,i wander till the morning light4 8,hear me kindly1 ,for ,i am not what ,i would have been1 ,if most blindly ,i had not been tempted unto sin4 ,i am lonely1 ,and ,i long to shriek in anguish wild1 ,o1 if only ,i could be once more a little child6 ,see6 my eyes are weary-worn with weeping2 ,sorrow's tide across my soul is sweeping2 ,god no longer holds me in his keeping-- ,i have prayed to-night1 ,wandering through the city1 ,that ,i might not see the morning light40 ,breathless1 gazing ,on her pallid and impassioned face1 ,how amazing ,was the likeness that ,i there could trace6 8,sister60 8,brother60 ,from our lips as by one impulse broke4 ,not another ,word1 then1 for an instant brief we spoke4 ,but the sweet and tender recollection ,of our childhood1 with its fond affection1 ,and at last1 the broken1 lost connection1 ,came afresh that night1 ,standing in the city ,underneath the street-lamps' changing light4 ,pale and slender1 ,like a lily did she bow her head4 ,low and tender ,was the earnest tone in which she said-- 8,o1 my brother6 ,tell me of our father40--8,he is dead40 8,and our mother80 8,and she1 also1 rests in peace10 ,i said4 ,only to my grievous words replying1 ,by a long-drawn1 deep and painful sighing1 ,sinking downward1 as if crushed and dying1 ,did she seem that night1 ,standing in the city ,underneath the street-lamps' changing light4 ,wherefore should ,i ,thrust her from my guilty heart away8 ,ah1 how could ,i6 ,whatsoe'er the righteous world might say-- ,she1 my sister1 ,one who shared in mine own life a part-- ,nay1 ,i kissed her1 ,and upraised her to a brother's heart4 ,and ,i said1 8,henceforth we will not sever1 ,but with faith and patience failing never1 ,we will work for truth and right forever4 ,ministers of light1 ,watching o'er the city6 ,guide6 ,o1 guide our erring feet aright60 ,gently o'er us ,came a breath of warm and balmy air1 ,and before us ,stood a man with silvery1 flowing hair4 ,how appearing ,from the murky gloom that round us fell1 ,mild and cheering ,in his presence1 ,i could never tell4 ,but ,i say with solemn asservation1 ,that it was no fanciful creation1 ,bearing to this life no true relation1 ,which we saw that night1 ,standing in the city1 ,underneath the street-lamps' changing light4 8,children60 said he1 8,one of life's great lessons you are taught2 ,be then ready ,to apply the teaching as you ought4 ,all are brothers-- ,all are sisters in this lower life4 ,many others ,make sad failures in the weary strife2 ,but each failure is a grand expression ,of the law which underlies progression1 ,which will raise the soul above transgression4 ,yea1 this very night1 ,all throughout this city1 ,every soul is striving toward the light40 8,bruised and broken1 ,many hearts in patient sorrow wait1 ,to hear spoken ,words of love1 which often come too late4 ,lift their crosses1 ,and their sins--the heaviest load of all-- ,bear their losses1 ,and be patient with them when they fall40 ,then he vanished1 as the shadows parted1 ,leaving us alone1 but hopeful hearted1 ,gazing into space where he departed ,from our wondering sight1 ,in that mazy city-- ,vanished in the shadows of the night4 ,sacred presence6 ,dwelling just beyond our mortal sense1 ,through thine essence1 ,fill our beings with a life intense4 ,by creation ,man fulfills a destiny sublime1 ,and salvation ,comes to each in its appointed time4 ,in that region of celestial splendor1 ,where the angel-faces look so tender1 ,human weakness needeth no defender4 ,in the perfect light ,of the heavenly city1 ,souls can read the law of life aright4 ,a ,,respectable ,,lie4 8,a respectable lie1 sir6 ,pray what do you mean8 ,why the term in itself is a plain contradiction4 ,a lie is a lie1 and deserves no respect1 ,but merciless judgment1 and speedy conviction4 ,it springs from corruption1 is servile and mean1 ,an evil conception1 a coward's invention1 ,and whether direct1 or but simply implied1 ,has naught but deceit for its end and intention40 ,ah1 yes6 very well6 ,so good morals would teach2 ,but facts are the most stubborn things in existence1 ,and they tend to show that great lies win respect1 ,and hold their position with wondrous persistence4 ,the small lies1 the white lies1 the lies feebly told1 ,the world will condemn both in spirit and letter2 ,but the great1 bloated lies will be held in respect1 ,and the larger and older a lie is1 the better4 ,a respectable lie1 from a popular man1 ,on a popular theme1 never taxes endurance2 ,and the pure1 golden coin of unpopular truth1 ,is often refused for the brass of assurance4 ,you may dare all the laws of the land to defy1 ,and bear to the truth the most shameless relation1 ,but never attack a respectable lie1 ,if you value a name1 or a good reputation4 ,a lie well established1 and hoary with age1 ,resists the assaults of the boldest seceder2 ,while he is accounted the greatest of saints1 ,who silences reason and follows the leader4 ,whenever a mortal has dared to be wise1 ,and seize upon ,truth1 as the soul's 8,magna ,charta10 ,he always has won from the lovers of lies1 ,the name of a fool1 or the fate of a martyr4 ,there are popular lies1 and political lies1 ,and 8lies that stick fast between buying and selling10 ,and lies of politeness--conventional lies-- 7,which scarcely are reckoned as such in the telling47 ,there are lies of sheer malice1 and slanderous lies1 ,from those who delight to peck filth like a pigeon2 ,but the oldest and far most respectable lies1 ,are those that are told in the name of ,religion4 ,theology sits like a tyrant enthroned1 ,a system per se with a fixed nomenclature1 ,derived from strange doctrines1 and dogmas1 and creeds1 ,at war with man's reason1 with ,god and with ,nature2 ,and he who subscribes to the popular faith1 ,never questions the fact of divine inspiration1 ,but holds to the ,bible as absolute truth1 ,from ,genesis through to ,st4 ,john's ,revelation4 ,we mock at the ,catholic bigots at ,rome1 ,who strive with their dogmas man's reason to fetter2 ,but we turn to the ,protestant bigots at home1 ,and we find that their dogmas are scarce a whit better4 ,we are called to believe in the wrath of the ,lord-- ,in endless damnation1 and torments infernal2 ,while around and above us1 the ,infinite ,truth1 ,scarce heeded or heard1 speaks sublime and eternal4 ,it is sad--but the day-star is shining on high1 ,and ,science comes in with her conquering legions2 ,and ev'ry respectable1 time-honored lie1 ,will fly from her face to the mythical regions4 ,the soul shall no longer with terror behold ,the red waves of wrath that leap up to engulf her1 ,for ,science ignores the existence of hell1 ,and chemistry finds better uses for sulphur4 ,we may dare to repose in the beautiful faith1 ,that an ,infinite ,life is the source of all being2 ,and though we must strive with delusion and ,death1 ,we can trust to a love and a wisdom all-99seeing2 ,we may dare in the strength of the soul to arise1 ,and walk where our feet shall not stumble or falter2 ,and1 freed from the bondage of time-honored lies1 ,to lay all we have on the ,truth's sacred altar4 ,,the ,,rainbow ,,bridge4 ',twas a faith that was held by the ,northmen bold1 ,in the ages long1 long ago1 ,that the river of death1 so dark and cold1 ,was spanned by a radiant bow2 ,a rainbow bridge to the blest abode ,of the strong ,gods--free from ill1 ,where the beautiful ,urda fountain flowed1 ,near the ash tree ,igdrasill4 ,they held that when1 in life's weary march1 ,they should come to that river wide1 ,they would set their feet on the shining arch1 ,and would pass to the other side4 ,and they said that the ,gods and the ,heroes crossed ,that bridge from the world of light1 ,to strengthen the ,soul when its hope seemed lost1 ,in the conflict for the right4 ,o1 beautiful faith of the grand old past6 ,so simple1 yet so sublime1 ,a light from that rainbow bridge is cast ,far down o'er the tide of time4 ,we raise our eyes1 and we see above1 ,the souls in their homeward march2 ,they wave their hands and they smile in love1 ,from the height of the rainbow arch4 ,we know they will drink from the fountain pure ,that springs by the ,tree of ,life1 ,we know that their spirits will rest secure ,from the tempests of human strife2 ,so we fold our hands1 and we close our eyes1 ,and we strive to forget our pain1 ,lest the weak and the selfish wish should rise1 ,to ask for them back again4 ,the swelling tide of our grief we stay1 ,while our warm hearts fondly yearn1 ,and we ask if over that shining way ,they shall nevermore return4 ,o1 we oft forget that our lonely hours ,are known to the souls we love1 ,and they strew the path of our life with flowers1 ,from that rainbow arch above4 ,we hear them call1 and their voices sweet ,float down from that bridge of light1 ,where the gold and crimson and azure meet1 ,and mingle their glories bright4 ,we hear them call1 and the soul replies1 ,from the depths of the life below1 ,and we strive on the wings of faith to rise ,to the height of that radiant bow4 ,like the crystal ladder that ,jacob saw1 ,is that beautiful vision given1 ,the weary pilgrims of earth to draw ,to the life of their native heaven4 ,for 'tis better that souls should upward tend1 ,and strive for the victor's crown1 ,than to ask the angels their help to lend1 ,and come to man's weakness down4 ,that rainbow bridge in the crystal dome1 ,o'er a swiftly flowing tide1 ,is the shining way to the spirit home1 ,that lies on the other side4 ,to man is the tempest cloud below1 ,and the storm wind's fatal breath1 ,but for those who cross o'er that shining bow1 ,there is no more pain nor death4 ,o1 fair and bright does that archway stand1 ,through the silent lapse of years1 ,fashioned and reared by no human hand1 ,from the sunshine of love and tears4 ,sweet spirits1 our footsteps are nearing fast ,the light of the shining shore2 ,we shall cross that rainbow bridge at last1 ,and greet you in joy once more4 ,,rest ,,thou ,,in ,,peace4 8,and the token that the angel gave her1 that he was a true messenger1 was an arrow1 with a point sharpened with ,love1 let easily into her heart1 which by degrees wrought so effectually with her1 that at the time appointed she must be gone40 ,,pilgrim',s ,,progress4 ,,rest thou in peace6 ,beneath the sheltering sod ,there is a lowly door1 a narrow way1 ,that leadeth to the ,paradise of ,god2 ,there1 weary pilgrim1 let thy wanderings stay4 ,rest thou in peace6 ,we would not call thee back ,to know the grief that comes with riper years1 ,to tread in sorrow all ,life's thorny track1 ,and drain with us the bitter cup of tears4 ,rest thou in peace6 ,with chastened hearts we bow1 ,and pour for thee a low and solemn strain2 ,thy voice shall chant the hymns of ,zion now1 ,but it shall mingle not with ours again4 ,rest thou in peace6 ,not in the silent grave-- ,thy spirit heard the summons from above1 ,and blessed the token that the angel gave-- ,an arrow1 sharpened--but with tenderest love4 ,rest thou in peace6 ,with blessings on thy head1 ,pass to the land where sinless spirits dwell-- ,gone1 but not lost6--,we will not call thee dead-- ,the angels claimed thee6 ,dear one--,fare-thee-well4 ,,angel ,,lily4 ,,of all the flowers that greet the light1 ,or open 'neath the summer's sun1 ,with fragrance sweet1 and beauty bright1 ,the ,lily is the fairest one1 ,and in its incense-cup there lies ,a perfume1 as from ,paradise4 ,o1 once there lived a fair1 sweet child1 ,and ,lily was her gentle name2 ,as beautiful and meekly mild1 ,as if from ,heaven's pure life she came-- ,a breathing psalm1 a living prayer1 ,to make men think of worlds more fair4 ,o1 there was sunshine in her smile1 ,and music in her dancing feet1 ,and every tender1 artless wile1 ,made her dear presence seem more sweet2 ,but ever in her childish play1 ,a strange1 unfathomed mystery lay4 ,her playmates--well1 we could not see ,that which our darling ,lily saw-- ,but often in her childish glee1 ,she filled our loving hearts with awe1 ,when1 pointing to the viewless air1 ,she told us of the ,angels there4 8,o1 very beautiful60 she said1 8,and very gentle are they all2 ,at night they watch around my bed1 ,and always answer to my call4 ,i asked to go with them one day1 ,but a tall angel told me nay40 ,yes--the 8tall ,angel0 told her nay1 ,but it was only for a time2 ,we knew our ,lily could not stay ,long in this uncongenial clime4 ,into their home of love and light ,the ,angels led her from our sight4 ,they led her from the earth away1 ,into the blessd 8summer-land10 ,leaving to us her form of clay1 ,with budding lilies in the hand2 ,an emblem of her life1 to be ,unfolded in ,eternity4 ,o1 though there falls a gloom like night ,from ,sorrow's overshadowing wing1 ,how often does returning light ,a ray of heavenly brightness bring1 ,and problems that were dark before ,can vex the soul with doubt no more4 ,beneath that heavy cloud we stood1 ,through which no ray of gladness stole1 ,but well we knew that ,sorrow's flood ,would cleanse and purify the soul2 ,and when its ministry should cease1 ,our lives would blossom fair with peace4 ,one evening1 when the summer moon ,with silver radiance filled the sky1 ,and through the fragrant flowers of ,june ,the balmy breeze sighed dreamily1 ,with spirits calm and reconciled1 ,we talked of our dear ,angel child4 ,we spoke of her we loved so well1 ,as one who only went before-- ,when lo6 just where the moonlight fell ,with mellow lustre on the floor1 ,we saw our own sweet darling stand1 ,with half-blown lilies in her hand4 ,she seemed more beautiful and fair ,than when a simple child of earth2 ,the golden glory in her hair ,betokened her celestial birth2 ,but as she sweetly looked and smiled1 ,we knew she was our own dear child4 ,o1 strange to say6 we did not start1 ,we did not even wildly weep1 ,for each had schooled the wayward heart ,the law of perfect peace to keep-- ,and deep as ,love's unfathomed sea ,had been our faith that this would be4 ,o1 shall we tell those moments o'er-- ,and all her words of love repeat-- ,and say how1 through ,time's open door ,she glided in with noiseless feet8 ,nay1 rather let us purely hold ,such things too sacred to be told4 ,enough to say we wait our time1 ,with heaven's own sunshine in the heart1 ,rejoicing in the faith sublime1 ,that those who love can never part1 ,and wheresoe'er the soul may dwell1 ,that ,god will order all things well4 ,,the ,,all ,,in ,,all4 ,,how beautiful the roses bloom ,around the portals of the tomb6 ,how fair the meek white lilies grow ,from elements of death below6 ,how tender and serenely bright ,the stars light up the depths of night6 ,thus beauty unto ruin clings1 ,and light from deepest darkness springs2 ,the ,soul its noblest strength must gain ,through ministries of grief and pain2 ,great victories only come through strife1 ,and death is but the gate of life4 ,the ocean waves that darkly flow1 ,sweep over priceless pearls below2 ,the tempest cloud1 when wild winds rest1 ,builds up the rainbow on its breast1 ,and truths1 unseen when all is bright1 ,shine like the stars in sorrow's night4 ,o ,thou1 in whom the vine bears fruit6 ,in whom the violets take their root1 ,for ,thee the summer roses blow2 ,for ,thee the fair white lilies grow2 ,and from ,thine all-sustaining heart ,the ,soul's immortal currents start4 ,o1 when the circle1 made complete1 ,shall in thy boundless being meet1 ,we feel1 we know1 that we shall be ,made perfect in our love to ,thee2 ,that good will triumph in that hour1 ,and weakness be exchanged for power4 8,,ecce ,,homo40 8,when the ,son of ,man cometh1 shall he find faith in the earth80 ,,luke xviii4 #h4 ,the merry ,christmas time1 ,with song and silvery chime1 ,had come at last2 ,and brightly glowed each hearth1 ,while winter1 o'er the earth1 ,its snows had cast4 ,high in the old cathedral tower1 ,the ponderous bell majestic swung1 ,and with its voice of solemn power ,a summons to the people rung4 ,then1 forth from lowly walls1 ,and proud1 ancestral halls1 ,came rich and poor1 ,and faces wreathed with smiles ,thronged the cathedral aisles ,as ne'er before4 ,rich silks trailed o'er the marble pave1 ,and costly jewels glittered bright1 ,for groined arch and spacious nave ,were radiant with excess of light4 ,the deep-toned organ's swell ,like billows rose and fell1 ,in floods of sound2 ,and the 8,te ,deum0 rung1 ,as if by angels sung1 ,in space profound4 ,forth the majestic anthem rolled ,in harmony complete1 and then ,pealed forth the angels' song of old1 ,of 8peace on earth1 good will to men40 ,as the full chorus ceased1 ,up rose the white-robed priest1 ,with solemn air2 ,with hands toward heaven outspread1 ,he bowed his stately head ,in formal prayer4 ,then1 like some breathless1 holy spell1 ,upon the hushed and reverent crowd1 ,a deep1 impressive silence fell1 ,and hands were clasped1 and heads were bowed4 8,saviour of ,all60 he cried1 8,thou who wast crucified ,for sinful man6 ,we worship at thy feet1 ,for thou hast made complete ,salvation's plan4 ,come to thy people1 ,lord1 once more1 ,and let the nations hear again ,the song the angels sung of yore1 ,of #8peace on earth1 good will to men4'0 ,as if his prayer was heard1 ,a sudden trembling stirred ,the walls around4 ,the doors1 wide open flung1 ,on ponderous hinges swung1 ,with solemn sound4 ,and then1 straight up the foot-worn aisle1 ,a strange procession made its way1 ,in garments coarse1 of simplest style1 ,a strange1 incongruous array4 ,the first1 most rudely clad1 ,a leathern girdle had ,about him bound4 ,the next1 in humblest guise1 ,raised not his mournful eyes ,from off the ground4 ,and next to these the dusky browed1 ,and others1 flushed with sin and shame1 ,and women1 with their faces bowed ,in deep contrition1 slowly came4 ,no voice was heard1 or sound1 ,from the vast concourse round1 ,outspreading wide4 ,but onward still they passed1 ,until they gained at last ,the altar side4 ,then said the lowly one1 8,o ye6 ,who celebrate a ,saviour's birth1 ,should he return again1 would he ,find faith among the sons of earth80 ,quick1 with an angry frown1 ,the haughty priest looked down ,upon the crowd4 8,who are ye1 that ye dare ,invade this house of prayer80 ,he cried aloud4 8,this temple1 sacred to the ,lord1 ,not thus shall be profaned by you3 ,your deeds with his do not accord-- ,begone6 ,begone1 ye vagrant crew60 ,the lowly one replied1 8,these1 standing by my side1 ,came at my call2 ,nor need they have one fear1 ,with me to enter here-- ,god loves them all4 ,thou hypocrite6 thou dost reject ,me1 through thy most unchristian creed1 ,and making truth of none effect1 ,thou dost dishonor me indeed40 ,around the stranger's head ,a radiant halo spread ,its glories bright2 ,his meek and tender face ,beamed with transcendent grace1 ,and heavenly light4 ,there1 mighty in his power for good1 ,so gentle and divinely sweet1 ,the 8,christus ,consolator0 stood1 ,with weeping sinners at his feet4 8,we must go hence10 he said1 8,to find the living bread4 ,come1 follow me6 ,my ,father's house above ,is full of light and love1 ,and all is free40 ,high in the old cathedral tower1 ,the brazen bell majestic swung1 ,as if some strange1 mysterious power ,to sudden speech had moved its tongue4 ,o ,christ6 thou friend of men6 ,when thou shalt come again1 ,through ,truth's new birth1 ,may all the fruits of peace ,be found in rich increase ,upon the earth4 ,then shall the song of sweet accord1 ,sung by the heavenly hosts of yore1 ,to hail the coming of their ,lord1 ,sound through the ages evermore4 ,,peter ,mc,g,u,i,r,e2 ,,or1 ,,nature ,,and ,,grace4 ,,it has always been thought a most critical case1 ,when a man was possessed of more ,nature than ,grace2 ,for ,theology teaches that man from the first ,was a sinner by ,nature1 and justly accurst2 ,and 8,salvation by ,grace0 was the wonderful plan1 ,which ,god had invented to save erring man4 ',twas the only atonement he knew how to make1 ,to annul the effects of his own sad mistake4 ,now this was the doctrine of good ,parson ,brown1 ,who preached1 not long since1 in a small country town4 ,he was zealous1 and earnest1 and could so excel ,in describing the tortures of sinners in ,hell1 ,that a famous revival commenced in the place1 ,and hundreds of souls found 8,salvation by ,grace20 ,but he felt that he had not attained his desire1 ,till he had converted one ,peter ,mc,guire4 ,this man was a blacksmith1 frank1 fearless and bold1 ,with great brawny sinews like ,vulcan of old2 ,he had little respect for what ministers preach1 ,and sometimes was very profane in his speech4 ,his opinions were founded in clear common sense1 ,and he spoke as he thought1 though he oft gave offense2 ,but however wanting1 in whole or in part1 ,he was sound1 and all right1 when you came to his heart4 ,one day the good parson1 with pious intent1 ,to the smithy of ,peter most hopefully went2 ,and there1 while the hammer industriously swung1 ,he preached1 and he prayed1 and exhorted1 and sung1 ,and warned1 and entreated poor ,peter to fly ,from the pit of destruction before he should die2 ,and to wash himself clean from the world's sinful strife1 ,in the ,blood of the ,lamb1 and the ,river of ,life4 ,well1 and what would you now be inclined to expect ,was the probable issue and likely effect8 ,why1 he swore 8like a ,pirate10 and what do you think8 ,from a little black bottle took something to drink6 ,and he said1 8,i'll not mention the ,blood of the ,lamb1 ,but as for that ,river it aren't worth a----20 ,then pausing--as if to restrain his rude force-- ,he quietly added1 8a mill-dam1 of course40 ,quick out of the smithy the minister fled1 ,as if a big bomb-shell had burst near his head2 ,and as he continued to haste on his way1 ,he was too much excited to sing or to pray2 ,but he thought how that some were elected by ,grace1 ,as heirs of the kingdom--made sure of their place-- ,while others were doomed to the pains of ,hell-99fire1 ,and if e'er there was one such1 'twas ,peter ,mc,guire4 ,that night1 when the ,storm ,king was riding on high1 ,and the red shafts of lightning gleamed bright through the sky1 ,the church of the village1 8the ,temple of ,god10 ,was struck1 for the want of a good lightning rod1 ,and swiftly descending1 the element dire ,set the minister's house1 close beside it1 on fire1 ,while he peacefully slumbered1 with never a fear ,of the terrible work of destruction so near4 ,there were ,mary1 and ,hannah1 and ,tommy1 and ,joe1 ,all sweetly asleep in the bedroom below1 ,while their father was near1 with their mother at rest1 7,like the wife of ,john ,rogers with 8one at the breast407 ,but ,alice1 the eldest1 a gentle young dove1 ,was asleep all alone1 in the room just above2 ,and when the wild cry of the rescuer came1 ,she only was left to the pitiless flame4 ,the fond mother counted her treasures of love1 ,when lo6 one was missing--8,o ,father above60 ,how madly she shrieked in her agony wild-- 8,my ,alice6 ,my ,alice6 ,o1 save my dear child60 ,then down on his knees fell the ,parson1 and prayed ,that the terrible wrath of the ,lord might be stayed4 ,said ,peter ,mc,guire1 8,prayer is good in its place1 ,but then it don't suit this particular case40 ,he turned down the sleeves of his red flannel shirt1 ,to shield his great arms all besmutted with dirt2 ,then into the billows of smoke and of fire1 ,not pausing an instant1 dashed ,peter ,mc,guire4 ,o1 that terrible moment of anxious suspense6 ,how breathless their watching6 their fear how intense6 ,and then their great joy6 which was freely expressed ,when ,peter appeared with the child on his breast4 ,a shout rent the air when the darling he laid ,in the arms of her mother1 so pale and dismayed2 ,and as ,alice looked up and most gratefully smiled1 ,he bowed down his head and he wept like a child4 ,o1 those tears of brave manhood that rained o'er his face1 ,showed the true ,grace of ,nature1 and the ,nature of ,grace2 ',twas a manifest token1 a visible sign1 ,of the indwelling life of the ,spirit ,divine4 ,consider such natures1 and then1 if you can1 ,preach of 8total depravity0 innate in man4 ,talk of blasphemy6 why1 'tis profanity wild6 ,to say that the ,father thus cursed his own child4 ,go learn of the stars1 and the dew-spangled sod1 ,that all things rejoice in the goodness of ,god-- ,that each thing created is good in its place1 ,and ,nature is but the expression of ,grace4 ,,hymn ,,of ,,the ,,angels4 ,o ,,sacred ,presence6 ,life ,divine6 ,we rear for thee no gilded shrine-- ,unfashioned by the hand of ,art1 ,thy temple is the child-like heart4 ,no tearful eye1 no bended knee1 ,no servile speech we bring to ,thee2 ,for thy great love tunes every voice1 ,and makes each trusting soul rejoice4 ,then strike your lyres1 ,ye angel choirs6 ,the sound prolong1 ,o white-robed throng6 ,till every creature joins the song4 ,we will not mock ,thy holy name ,with titles high1 of empty fame1 ,for ,thou1 with all ,thy works and ways1 ,art far beyond our feeble praise2 ,but freely as the birds that sing1 ,the soul's spontaneous gift we bring1 ,and like the fragrance of the flowers1 ,we consecrate to ,thee our powers4 ,then strike your lyres1 ,ye angel choirs6 ,the sound prolong1 ,o white-robed throng6 ,till every creature joins the song4 ,all souls in circling orbits run1 ,around ,thee as their central sun2 ,and as the planets roll and burn1 ,to ,thee1 ,o ,lord6 for light we turn4 ,nor ,life1 nor ,death1 nor ,time1 nor ,space1 ,shall rob us of our name or place1 ,but we shall love ,thee1 and adore ,through endless ages--,evermore6 ,then strike your lyres1 ,ye angel choirs6 ,the sound prolong1 ,o white-robed throng6 ,till every creature joins the song4 ,,gone ,,home4 ,,they called her1 from the better land1 ,and one bright spirit led the way2 ,she saw the angel's beckoning hand1 ,and felt she could no longer stay4 ,o white-robed ,peace6 thy gentle cross ,gave to her trusting heart no pain1 ,and that which is our earthly loss1 ,is unto her1 eternal gain4 8,god is a ,spirit0--we can trust ,that she has left earth's shadows dim1 ,and laid aside her earthly dust1 ,to grow in likeness unto ,him4 8,god is a ,spirit0--8,god is ,love0-- ,and closely folded to his breast1 ,her spirit1 like a tender dove1 ,shall in ,his love securely rest4 ,o1 it was meet that flower-wreathed ,spring1 ,with forms of living beauty rife1 ,should see the perfect blossoming ,of this bright spirit into life4 ,the flowers will bloom upon her grave1 ,the holy stars look down at night1 ,but where bright palms immortal wave1 ,she will rejoice in cloudless light4 ,o1 sweeter than the breath of flowers1 ,or dews that summer roses weep1 ,deep in these loving hearts of ours ,her blessd memory we will keep4 ,bright spirit1 let thy light be given1 ,with tender and celestial ray1 ,beaming like some pure star from heaven1 ,to guide us in our earthly way4 ,clad in thine immortality1 ,e'en now we hear thee joyful sing-- 8,o ,grave1 where is thy victory6 ,o ,death1 where is thy sting60 ,pass on1 sweet spirit1 to increase ,in every bright1 celestial grace1 ,till in the land of love and peace1 ,we meet thee1 dear one1 face to face4 ,,the ,,cry ,,of ,,the ,,desolate4 8,it is only with ,renunciation1 that life1 properly speaking1 can be said to begin40 8,light dawns upon me6 ,there is in man a ,,higher than love of ,happiness2 he can do without happiness1 and instead thereof find ,blessedness40--,,thos4 ,,carlyle4 ,o ,,god of the ,eagle and ,lion6 ,thy strength to my being impart2 ,not for wings1 nor for sinews of iron1 ,i ask1 but thy life in my heart4 ,i grope in the dark1 and seek blindly ,the hand that shall lead to the light2 ,there is no one to answer me kindly-- ,there is no one to teach me the right4 ,an arrow from ,fate's deadly quiver ,seemed carelessly sped1 at no mark1 ,but with anguish ,i tremble and shiver1 ,for it wounded my soul in the dark4 ,i have suffered in silence unbroken1 ,i have stanched the red wound with my hand2 ,o ,god6 was the arrow ,thy token8 ,did ,fate but obey ,thy command8 ,there is no one on earth that can render ,my heart its full measure of love2 ,there is no one on earth that is tender ,and true as the angels above4 ,take me up to ,thy bosom1 ,o strong ,one6 ,o wise ,one6 ,i am not afraid6 ,for ,i know that ,thou never wilt wrong one ,of those whom ,thy wisdom hath made4 ,these vestments of flesh that oppress us1 ,have stifled the soul's vital breath1 ,like the torturing garment of ,nessus1#a ,we part from them only in death4 ,o ,thou marvelous ,soul of ,existence6 ,are we doomed by the might of ,thy will1 ,unchanged by our feeble resistance1 ,thy fathomless law to fulfill8 ,o ,fashioner6 ,thou who hast guided ,the tempest of atoms at strife1 ,hath not ,thy compassion provided ,a fountain of strength for each life8 ,and doth not ,time's changing phantasma ,still move at ,thy sovereign control1 ,as when in ,earth's cherishing plasma ,was planted the germ of the soul8 ,then lead me1 for ,o1 ,i am lonely6 ,and love me1 for ,i am ,thine own-- ,yes1 ,great ,one and ,true ,one6 ,thine only-- ,and with ,thee am never alone4 ,o ,god of the ,eagle and ,lion6 ,thy strength to my being impart2 ,not for wings1 nor for sinews of iron ,i ask--but ,thy life in my heart4 ,,the ,,spirit-,,mother4 ,,through our lives' mysterious changes1 ,through the sorrow-haunted years1 ,runs a law of ,compensation ,for our sufferings and our tears4 ,and the soul that reasons rightly1 ,all its sad complaining stills1 ,till it learns that meek submission1 ,where it wishes not nor wills4 ,thus1 in ,sorrow's fiery furnace ,was a faithful mother tried1 ,till1 through ,love's divinest uses1 ,all her soul was purified4 ,o ye sorrow-stricken mothers6 ,ye whose weakness feeds your pain6 ,listen to her simple story-- ,listen6 and be strong again4 8,it was sunset--and the day-dream ,of my life was almost o'er2 ,for my spirit-bark was drifting ,slowly1 slowly from the shore4 ,dimly could ,i see the sunlight ,through my vine-wreathed window shine1 ,faintly could ,i feel the pressure ,of a strong hand clasping mine4 8,but anew the life-tide started1 ,at my infant's feeble cry2 ,back my spirit turned in anguish1 ,and ,i felt ,i could not die4 ,deeper1 darker fell the shadows1 ,like the midnight's sable pall1 ,and that infant cry grew fainter-- ,fainter--fainter--that was all6 8,suddenly ,i heard sweet voices ,mingling in a tender strain-- ,all my mortal weakness left me1 ,all my anguish and my pain4 ,on my forehead fell the glory ,of the bright1 celestial morn1 ,i was of the earth no longer1 ,for my spirit was re-born4 8,pure1 sweet faces bent above me1 ,tenderly they gazed and smiled1 ,and my ,angel-,mother whispered1 #8,welcome1 welcome home1 my child6' ,then1 in one melodious chorus1 ,sang the radiant angel band1 #8,welcome6 ,o thou weary pilgrim6 ,welcome to the ,spirit ,land6' 8,but1 o'er all those glad rejoicings1 ,rose again my infant's cry1 ,for my heart had borne the echo ,through the portals of the sky4 ,and ,i murmured1 ,o ye bright ones6 ,still my earthly home is dear2 ,vain are all your songs of welcome1 ,for ,i am not happy here4 8,strike your harps1 ye white-robed ,angels6 ,but your music makes me wild1 ,for my heart is with my treasure1 ,heaven is only with my child6 ,let me go1 and whisper comfort ,to my little mourning dove-- ,life is cold2 ,o1 let me shield him ,with a mother's tenderest love6 8,swift there came a pure1 white angel1 ,through the glory1 shining far1 ,in her hand she bore a lily1 ,on her forehead beamed a star4 ,very beautiful and tender ,was the love-light in her eyes1 ,like the sunny smile of ,summer1 ,beaming in the azure skies4 8,and she said1 #8,o1 mourning sister6 ,lo6 thy prayer of love is heard1 ,for the boundless ,heart of ,being ,by thine earnest cry is stirred4 ,heaven is life's divinest freedom1 ,and no mandate bids thee stay2 ,go1 and as a star of duty1 ,guide thy loved one on his way4 8#8,life is full of holy uses1 ,if but rightly understood1 ,and its evils and abuses ,may be stepping-stones to good4 ,never seek to weakly shield him1 ,or his destiny control1 ,for the wealth that grief shall yield him1 ,is the birthright of his soul4' 8,musing deeply on her meaning1 ,turned ,i from the heavenly shore1 ,and on love's swift wings descending1 ,sought my earthly home once more4 ,there my widowed1 childless sister ,sat with meek and quiet grace1 ,with her heart's great1 wasting sorrow1 ,written on her pale1 sweet face4 8,and she sang in dreamy murmurs1 ,bending o'er my ,willie's head1 #8,hush1 my dear1 lie still and slumber1 ,holy angels guard thy bed4' ,soft ,i whispered1 #8,dearest sister-- ,darling ,willie--,i am here4' ,sweetly smiled the sleeping infant1 ,and the singer dropped a tear4 8,thenceforth was my soul united ,to that life more dear than mine2 ,and ,i prayed for strength to guide me1 ,from the source of ,life ,divine4 ,slowly did ,i see the meaning ,in life's purposes concealed-- ,all the uses of temptation1 ,sin and sorrow1 stood revealed4 8,through my loved one's youth and manhood1 ,in the hour of sinful strife1 ,i could see the nobler issues1 ,and the grand design of life4 ,i could see that he was guided ,by a mightier hand than mine1 ,and a mother's love was weakness1 ,by the side of ,love ,divine4 8,then ,i did not seek to shield him1 ,or his destiny control-- ,life1 with all its varied changes1 ,was the teacher of his soul4 ,nay1 ,i did not strive to alter ,what ,i could not make nor mend1 ,for the love so full of wisdom1 ,could be trusted to the end4 8,i could give him strength and courage1 ,from the treasures of my love-- ,i could lead his aspirations ,to the holy heart above2 ,i could warn him in temptation1 ,that he might not blindly fall2 ,i could wait with faith and patience ,for his triumph--that was all4 8',mid the rush and roar of battle1 ,in the carnival of death1 ,when the air grew hot and heavy1 ,with the cannon's fiery breath1 ,first and foremost with the bravest1 ,who had heard their country's call1 ,with the stars and stripes above him1 ,did my darling ,willie fall4 8,onward--onward rushed his comrades1 ,with a wild1 defiant cry1 ,as they charged upon the foeman1 ,leaving him alone to die4 ,faint he murmured1 #8,o1 my mother6 ,angel mother6 art thou near8' ,and he caught the whispered answer1 #8,darling ,willie1 ,i am here6 8#8,o1 my loved one6 my true-hearted6 ,soon your anguish will be o'er2 ,then1 in heaven's eternal sunshine1 ,we shall dwell for evermore4' ,swiftly o'er his pallid features1 ,gleams of heavenly brightness passed1 ,and my ,willie's noble spirit ,met me face to face at last4 8,in a soldier's grave they laid him1 ,underneath the sheltering pines1 ,where the breezes made sweet music1 ,through the gently swaying vines4 ,now in heaven1 our souls united1 ,all their aspirations blend1 ,and my spirit's holy mission ,thus hath found a joyful end40 ,through our lives' mysterious changes1 ,through the sorrow-haunted years1 ,runs a law of ,compensation ,for our sufferings and our tears2 ,and the soul that reasons rightly1 ,all its sad complaining stills1 ,till it gains that calm condition1 ,where it wishes not1 nor wills4 ,,face ,,the ,,sunshine4 ,o1 a morbid fancy had ,david ,bell1 ,that over his path like a wizard spell1 ,a great1 black shadow forever fell4 ,he turned his back on the sun's clear ray2 ,from a singing bird1 or a child at play1 ,with a nervous shudder he shrank away2 ,and he shook his head1 ,as he gloomily said1 8,this shadow will haunt me till ,i am dead60 ,in the solemn shade of the forest wide1 ,or in the churchyard at eventide1 ,like a gloomy ghost he was seen to glide4 ,there1 nursing his fancies all alone1 ,he would sit him down with a dismal moan1 ,in the dewy grass by some moss-grown stone1 ,and shake his head1 ,as he gloomily said1 8,this shadow will haunt me till ,i am dead60 ,never a nod or a smile would greet ,old ,david ,bell1 in the field or street1 ,from the sturdy yeoman he chanced to meet4 ,the children fled from his path away1 ,and the good wives whispered1 8,alack a day6 ,the ,devil hath led his soul astray60 ,for he ever said1 ,as he shook his head1 8,this shadow will haunt me till ,i am dead60 ,one ,sabbath morn when the air was balm1 ,and the green earth smiled with a heavenly charm1 ,in the peaceful hush1 in the holy calm1 ,old ,david ,bell1 with a new intent1 ,across the bridge o'er the mill-stream went1 ,and his steps towards the village chapel bent4 ,for he said1 8,i will try ,from this fiend to fly1 ,and escape the shadow before ,i die60 ,but all along on the sandy road1 ,his great1 gaunt shadow before him strode1 ,like a fiend escaped from its dark abode4 ,sometimes it crouched in an angle small1 ,then up it leapt1 like a giant tall2 ,and as ,david noticed these changes all1 ,he shook his head1 ,as he gloomily said1 8,this shadow will haunt me till ,i am dead60 ,at length1 he came to the chapel door1 ,but the great1 gaunt shadow went in before1 ,leaping and dancing along the floor4 ,old ,david mournfully turned away-- ,he could not enter to praise and pray1 ,while that impish shadow before him lay4 ,and he shook his head1 ,as he gloomily said1 8,this shadow will haunt me till ,i am dead60 ,he wandered away1 not heeding where1 ,to a lonely grave1 where a willow fair ,whispered sweet words to the summer air4 ,but he saw not the long1 lithe branches wave1 ,for only a weary look he gave ,at his own black shadow1 across the grave4 ,and he shook his head1 ,as he gloomily said1 8,this shadow will haunt me till ,i am dead60 8,nay1 nay1 good ,david60 a voice replied4 ,he turned him quickly1 and close by his side ,stood old ,goody ,gay1 known far and wide4 ,though ,time had stolen her bloom away1 ,and changed the gold of her locks to gray1 ,her face was bright as the summer day4 8,don't shake your head60 ,she cheerfully said1 8,but face the sunshine1 good man1 instead60 ,with a hopeless look1 and a sigh profound1 ,he sat himself down by the grassy mound1 ,where the bright-eyed daisies grew thick around4 8,nay1 leave me10 he said1 in a sullen tone1 8,for ,i and the shadow would be alone2 ,no balm of healing for me is known4 ,it will be as ,i said1 ,this thing that ,i dread1 ,this shadow1 will haunt me till ,i am dead40 ,the good dame answered1 8,o1 ,david ,bell6 ,why will ye be ringing your own heart's knell8 ,for ,i tell ye this1 that ,i know full well-- ,the blessd ,father1 who loves us all1 ,who notices even a sparrow's fall1 ,is never deaf to ,his children's call2 ,his love is our light ,in the darkest night3 ,just turn to that sunshine1 and all is right40 8,in this very grave did ,i lay to rest1 ,with his pale hands folded upon his breast1 ,the one of all others ,i loved the best4 ,and then1 though my heart in its anguish yearned1 ,my face to the sunshine ,i ever turned1 ,and thus a great lesson of life ,i learned2 ,which you1 too1 will find1 ,if you will but mind1 ,that thus1 all life's shadows are cast behind40 ,he gazed in her earnest face as she spoke1 ,and then a light o'er his features broke1 ,as if new life in his soul awoke4 ,there was something so bright in that summer day1 ,and the cheerful language of ,goody ,gay1 ,that his morbid fancies were charmed away2 ,and he said1 8,i will try1 ,for it may be1 that ,i ,shall escape this shadow before ,i die40 ,he turned him around on the grassy knoll1 ,and flush o'er his forehead and into his soul ,the warmth of the gladdening sunshine stole4 ,the good dame lifted a willow bough1 ,and gently laid her hand on his brow-- 8,say1 ,david1 where is your shadow now8 ,the shadow has fled1 ,but ye are not dead4 ,look up to the sunshine1 man6 ,hold up your head60 ,still athwart the grave did the shadow lay1 ,but the face of ,david was turned away1 ,and lifted up to the sun's clear ray4 ,then the light of truth on his spirit fell1 ,breaking forever the magic spell ,that darkened the vision of ,david ,bell4 ,his trial was past2 ,and the shadow1 at last1 ,behind him there1 on the grave was cast4 ,o1 ye6 who toil o'er your earthly way1 ,with your faces turned from the truth's clear ray1 ,consider the counsel of ,goody ,gay4 ,though shadows should haunt you as black as night1 ,be faithful and firm to your highest light1 ,and face the sunshine with all of your might6 ,keep a cheerful mind1 ,and at length you will find ,that the grave1 and life's shadows1 all lie behind4 ,,hester ,,vaughn4 ,hester ,vaughn was tried for the crime of infanticide4 ,she was convicted1 and sentence of death passed upon her4 ,subsequently1 by the efforts of benevolent individuals1 and the pressure of public opinion1 her sentence was commuted to imprisonment for life4 ,susan ,a4 ,smith1 ,m4 ,d41 of ,philadelphia1 who visited her in prison1 and was chiefly instrumental in obtaining her reprieve1 gives the following statement in relation to the circumstances attendant upon her alleged crime3 8,she was deserted by her husband1 who knew she had not a relative in ,america4 ,she rented a third-story room in this city 7,philadelphia71 from a ,german family1 who understood very little ,english4 ,she furnished this room1 found herself in food and fuel for three months on twenty dollars4 ,she was taken sick in this room at midnight1 on the #fth of ,february1 and lingered until ,saturday morning1 the #hth1 when her child was born4 ,she told me she was nearly frozen1 and fainted or went to sleep for a long time4 ,through all this period of agony she was alone1 without nourishment or fire1 with her door unfastened4 ,it has been asserted that she confessed her guilt4 ,i can solemnly say in the presence of ,almighty ,god that she never confessed guilt to me1 and stoutly affirms that no such word ever passed her lips40 ,,now by the common weal and woe1 ,uniting each with all2 ,and by the snares we may not know1 ,until we blindly fall-- ,let every heart by sorrow tried1 ,let every woman born1 ,feel that her cause stands side by side ,with that of ,hester ,vaughn4 ,a woman1 famished for the love ,all hearts so deeply crave1 ,whose only hope was ,heaven above1 ,to succor and to save2 ,with only want1 and woe1 and care1 ,to greet her child unborn2 ,a weary burden1 hard to bear1 ,was life to ,hester ,vaughn4 ,no friend1 no food1 no fire1 no light1 ,and face to face with death1 ,she struggled through the weary night1 ,with anguish in each breath2 ,till that frail life which shared her own1 ,had perished ere the morn1 ,and left her to the hearts of stone1 ,that judged poor ,hester ,vaughn4 ,who was it1 that refused to draw ,a lesson from the time1 ,and in the name of human law1 ,pronounced her grief a crime8 ,was her accuser1 cold and stern1 ,a man of woman born1 ,whose debt to woman could not earn ,some grace for ,hester ,vaughn8 ,the word of judgment is not sure1 ,to wealth and station high1 ,but that she was alone and poor1 ,was she condemned to die4 ,o ,god of justice6 for whose grace ,the servile worldlings fawn1 ,has not thy love a hiding-place ,for such as ,hester ,vaughn8 ,come to the bar of ,judgment1 come1 ,ye favored ones of earth1 ,and let your haughty lips be dumb1 ,so boastful of your worth4 ,what virtues1 or what noble deeds1 ,your faithless lives adorn1 ,that thus by laws1 or lifeless creeds1 ,you sentence ,hester ,vaughn8 ,what countless crimes1 what guilt untold1 ,what depths of sin and shame1 ,are gilded by your lying gold1 ,or hidden by a name6 ,ye pave your social hells with skulls ,of ,infants yet unborn2 ,then virtuous wrath suspicion lulls1 ,and crushes ,hester ,vaughn4 ,ye1 who your secret sins confess1 ,before the ,eternal ,throne-- ,adulterer and ,adulteress6 ,what mercy have ye shown8 ,for place and power1 for gems and gold1 ,ye give your souls in pawn1 ,but ,heaven's fair gates will first unfold ,to such as ,hester ,vaughn4 ,the 8mills of ,god that grind so slow10 ,will 8grind exceeding small20 ,and time1 at length1 will clearly show ,the want or worth of all4 ,distinctions will not always be ,with such precision drawn1 ,between the proud of high degree ,and such as ,hester ,vaughn4 ,through ,moyamensing's prison bars1#b ,she counts each weary day1 ,or 'neath the calmly watching stars1 ,she wakes to weep and pray4 ,thank ,god6 for her in heaven above1 ,a brighter day will dawn1 ,and those who judge all hearts in love1 ,will welcome ,hester ,vaughn4 ,,song ,,of ,,the ,,spirit ,,children4 ,,let us sing the praise of ,love-- ,holy ,spirit6 ,heavenly ,dove6 ,bringing on its blessd wings ,life to all created things4 ,wheresoe'er its light is shed1 ,sorrow lifts its drooping head1 ,and the tears of grief that start ,turn to sunshine in the heart4 ,love divine1 ,all things are thine6 ,every creature seeks thy shrine4 ,and thy boundless blessings fall ,with an equal love on all4 ,let us sing the praise of ,love1 ,everywhere--around1 above2 ,watching with its starry eyes1 ,from the blue of boundless skies1 ,heeding when the lowly call1 ,mindful of a sparrow's fall1 ,writing on the flower-wreathed sod1 8,god is love1 and love is ,god40 ,love divine1 ,all things are thine6 ,every creature seeks thy shrine6 ,and thy boundless blessings fall ,with an equal love on all4 ,let us sing the praise of ,love-- ,fairest of all things above4 ,how its blessd sunshine lies ,in the light of loving eyes6 ,and when words are all too weak1 ,how its deeds of mercy speak6 ,they who learn to love aright1 ,pass from darkness into light4 ,love divine1 ,all things are thine6 ,every creature seeks thy shrine6 ,and thy boundless blessings fall ,with an equal love on all4 ,let us sing the praise of ,love-- ,shepherd of the lambs above1 ,nothing can forbid1 that we ,come in trusting love to ,thee4 ,fold us closely to ,thy heart1 ,make us of ,thyself a part2 ,all the heaven our souls have known1 ,we have found in ,thee alone4 ,love divine1 ,all things are thine6 ,every creature seeks thy shrine6 ,and thy boundless blessings fall ,with an equal love on all4 ,,he ,,giveth ,,his ,,beloved ,,sleep4 ,,night drops her mantle from the skies1 ,and from her home of peace above1 ,she watches with her starry eyes1 ,as with a tender mother's love4 ,the sounds of toil and strife are stilled1 ,and in the silence calm and deep1 ,the word of promise is fulfilled-- 8,he giveth his belovd sleep40 ,the weary soul oppressed with care1 ,the young1 the old1 the strong1 the weak1 ,the rich1 the poor1 the brave1 the fair1 ,alike the common blessing seek4 ,the child sleeps on its mother's breast1 ,the broken-hearted cease to weep1 ,for answering to the prayer for rest1 8,he giveth his belovd sleep40 ,beneath the churchyard's sod there lies ,full many a weary form at rest1 ,with death's calm slumber in the eyes1 ,and pale hands folded on the breast4 ,o ye who bend above the sod1 ,and tears of silent anguish weep1 ,lean with a firmer faith on ,god-- 8,he giveth his belovd sleep10-- ,sleep for the eye whose light has fled1 ,sleep for the weary heart and hand2 ,but not the sleep of those who tread ,the green hills of 8the better land40 ,no restless nights of pain are theirs1 ,no weary watch for morn they keep1 ,but through release from mortal cares1 8,he giveth his belovd sleep40 ,theirs is that sweet1 exceeding peace1 ,where love makes every duty blest1 ,where anxious cares and longings cease1 ,and labor in itself is rest4 ,o1 we will trust the power above ,the treasures of our hearts to keep1 ,safe folded in his arms of love1 8,he giveth our belovd sleep40 ,,the ,,famished ,,heart4 ,the following poem was given at the conclusion of a lecture upon 8,jesus the ,medium1 and ,socrates the ,philosopher40 8,a new commandment ,i give unto you1 that ye love one another40 ,,john xiii4 #cd4 ,o ,,ye6 upon whose favored shrine ,love hath a rich libation poured-- ,who1 even as a thing divine1 ,are fondly worshiped and adored-- ,spare but one kindly thought for those ,who stand in loneliness apart1 ,worn by that weariest of woes1 ,the hopeless hunger of the heart4 ,as deadly as the dagger's thrust1 ,envenomed as a serpent's fangs1 ,it eats like slow1 corroding rust1 ,and lengthens out in lingering pangs4 ,think not with careless jest or smile ,to pass this wasting sorrow by2 ,for countless hearts attest the while1 ,that thus1 alas6 too many die4 ,i once was of the earth like you2 ,i loved1 and hoped1 and feared as well1 ,but on my heart the kindly dew ,of fond affection never fell4 ,an orphan in my early years1 ,mine was a hard and cheerless lot1 ,for ,i was doomed1 with prayers and tears1 ,to seek for love and find it not4 ,a bird upon a stormy sea1 ,a lamb without a sheltering fold1 ,a vine with no supporting tree1 ,a blossom blighted by the cold1-- ,the warmth of kindly atmospheres ,gave to my life no quickened start2 ,love's sunshine melted not to tears ,the drifted sorrows of my heart4 ,fresh from the innocence of youth1 ,i entered on the rude world's strife1 ,but evermore this venomed tooth ,was gnawing at the root of life4 ,o1 ,i was but a thing of dust6 ,and what should save me from my fall8 ,the tempter whispered1 8,lawless lust ,is better than no love at all60 ,then with a flinty face ,i turned1 ,defiant of the social ban1 ,for my poor1 famished nature yearned ,for e'en such sympathy from man4 ,but no6 ,i heard1 as from above1 ,this truth that many learn too late1 ,that man's unhallowed1 selfish love1 ,is far more cruel than his hate4 ,i shrank from ,passion's burning breath1 ,those sensuous lips and eyes of flame1 ,and from that furnace fire of death ,my outraged heart unblemished came4 ,but darker1 deeper grew the night ,that closed around my suffering soul1 ,and ,fate's black billows1 flecked with white1 ,o'er all my being seemed to roll4 ,at length1 within a maniac's cell1 ,i moaned and muttered day by day1 ,till1 like a loathsome thing1 ,i fell ,from human consciousness away4 ,that nightmare dream of life was brief1 ,for horror choked my struggling breath1 ,and my poor heart1 with love and grief1 ,was famished even unto death4 ,unconscious of my spirit's change1 ,long did ,i linger near the earth1 ,until a being1 kind1 though strange1 ,recalled me to my conscious worth4 ,from thence ,i seemed to be transformed1 ,renewed as by redeeming grace1 ,and then my soul the purpose formed-- ,to seek 8the ,saviour of the race40 ,my aspirations served to bear ,my earnest spirit swift away1 ,until a heaven1 serene and fair1 ,my onward progress seemed to stay4 ,i came where two immortals trod1 ,in friendly converse1 side by side2 8,o1 lead me to the ,son of ,god1 ,that ,i may worship him60 ,i cried4 ,one turned--and from his aspect mild ,a benison of love was shed-- 8,o1 say1 whom do you seek1 dear child8 ,we all are sons of ,god10 he said4 8,nay1 nay60 ,i cried1 8not such ,i mean6 ,but him who died on ,calvary-- ,the humble-hearted ,nazarene60 ,he meekly answered1 8,i am he60 8,o1 then1 as sinful ,mary knelt1 ,in tearful sorrow1 at thy feet1 ,so does my icy nature melt1 ,and her sweet reverence ,i repeat4 ,o ,god6 ,o ,christ6 ,o ,living ,all6 #8,thou art the ,life1 the ,truth1 the ,way'2 ,lo6 at thy feet ,i humbly fall-- ,cast not my sinful soul away60 8,poor bleeding heart6 poor wounded dove60 ,in tones of gentleness1 he said3 8,how hast thou famished for that love ,which is indeed #8the living bread4' ,kneel not to me2 the ,power ,divine1 ,than ,i1 is greater1 mightier far2 ,his glories lesser lights outshine1 ,as noonday hides the brightest star40 8,you died for all the world60 ,i cried1 8,and therefore do ,i bend the knee40 8,my friend10#c he answered1 8at my side1 ,long ere ,i suffered1 died for me4 ,he drained for man the poisoned cup1 ,i gave my body to the cross1 ,but when the sum is counted up1 ,great is our gain1 and small our loss4 8,not thus would ,i be deified1 ,or claim the homage that men pay2 ,but he who takes me for his guide1 ,makes me his ,life1 his ,truth1 his ,way4 ,o1 heaven shall not descend to man1 ,nor man ascend to heaven above1 ,till he shall see ,salvation's plan ,is written in the law of love4 8,dear sister6 let your fears depart-- ,i have no power to bid you live1 ,but ,i can feed your famished heart ,upon the love ,i freely give4 ,mine are the hearts that men condemn1 ,or crush in their ambitious strife1 ,and through my love ,i am to them #8,the ,resurrection and the ,life4'0 ,he raised me gently from his feet1 ,and laid my head upon his breast4 ,o ,god6 how calm1 how pure and sweet1 ,how more than peaceful was that rest6 ,i feel that blessd presence yet-- ,it fills me with a joy serene-- ,nor have ,i hungered since ,i met ,the gentle-hearted ,nazarene4 ,,the ,,triumph ,,of ,,life4 ,the following poem1 given under the inspiration of ,mrs4 ,hemans1 is a reversion of the ideas contained in a poem composed by her in earth life1 entitled 8,the ,hour of ,death40 8,leaves have their time to fall1 ,and flowers to wither at the north wind's breath1 ,and stars to set--but all1 ,thou hast all seasons for thine own1 ,o ,death60 ,,leaves have their glad recall1 ,and blossoms open to the ,south wind's breath1 ,and stars that set shall rise again1 for all1 ,all things shall triumph o'er the ,spoiler--,death4 ,day was not made for care-- ,eve brings bright angels to the joyous hearth-- ,night comes with dreams of peace1 and visions fair ,of those whom ,death could conquer not on earth4 ,when1 in the festive hour1 ,death mingles poison with the ruby wine1 ,life also comes with overwhelming power1 ,changing the deadly draught to life divine4 ,youth and the opening rose ,may vanish from the outward sight away1 ,but ,life their inward beauty shall disclose1 ,and rob the haughty ,spoiler of his prey4 ,leaves have their glad recall1 ,and blossoms open to the ,south wind's breath1 ,and stars that set shall rise again1 for all1 ,all things shall triumph o'er the ,spoiler--,death4 ,we know that yet again ,our loved and lost shall cross the ,summer sea1 ,bearing with them the sheaves of golden grain1 ,which they have harvested1 ,o ,life6 with thee4 ,thy breath is in the gale ,whose kiss unseals the violet's azure eye2 ,and though the roses in our path grow pale1 ,we know that all things change1 they do not die4 ,wherever man may roam1 ,thy presence1 viewless as the ,summer air1 ,meets him abroad1 or in his peaceful home1 ,and when ,death calls him forth1 thou1 too1 art there4 ,thou art where soul meets soul1 ,or where earth's noblest fall in battle strife2 ,but ,death1 the ,spoiler1 yields to thy control2 ,forevermore thou art the conqueror1 ,life4 ,leaves have their glad recall1 ,and blossoms open to the ,south wind's breath1 ,and stars that set shall rise again1 for all1 ,all things shall triumph o'er the ,spoiler--,death4 ,,reformers4 ,,where have the world's great heroes gone1 ,the champions of the ,right1 ,who1 with their armor girded on1 ,have passed beyond our sight8 ,are they where palms immortal wave1 ,and laurels crown the brow8 ,or was the victory thine1 ,o ,grave8 ,where are they8 ,answer thou4 ,we shudder at the silence dread1 ,that renders no reply-- ,o1 dust6 from whence the soul hath fled1 ,thou canst not hear our cry4 ,the violet1 o'er their mouldering clay1 ,looks meekly from the sod1 ,but tells not of the hidden way ,their angel feet have trod4 ,where are they1 ,death8 thou mighty one6 ,to some far land unknown1 ,beyond the stars1 beyond the sun1 ,have their bright spirits flown8 ,their hearts were strong through ,truth and ,right1 ,life's stormy tide to stem4 ,o ,death6 thou conqueror of might6 ,what need hadst thou of them8 ,the earth is green with martyrs' graves1 ,on hill1 and plain1 and shore1 ,and the great ocean's sounding waves ,sweep over thousands more4 ,for us they drained life's bitter cup1 ,and dared the battle strife2 ,where are they1 ,death8 ,o1 render up ,the secret of their life6 ,we listen--to our earnest cries ,no answer is made known1 ,save the 8,resurgam0--,i shall rise6 ,carved on the burial stone4 ,o ,grave6 ,o ,death6 thou canst not keep ,the spark of ,life ,divine2 ,they have no need of rest or sleep2 ,nay1 ,death1 they are not thine6 ,where are they8 ,o ,creative ,soul6 ,to whom no name is given1 ,whose presence fills the boundless whole1 ,whose love alone is heaven1 ,through all the long1 eternal hours ,what toils do they pursue8 ,are their great souls still linked with ours1 ,to suffer and to do8 ,lo6 how the viewless air around ,with quickening life is stirred1 ,and from the silences profound ,leaps forth the answering word1 8,we live--not in some distant sphere ,life's mission to fulfill2 ,but1 joined with faithful spirits here1 ,we love and labor still4 ,no laurel wreath1 no waving palm1 ,no royal robes are ours1 ,but evermore1 serene and calm1 ,we use life's noblest powers4 ,toil on in hope1 and bravely bear ,the burdens of your lot2 ,great1 earnest souls your labors share2 ,they will forsake you not40 ,,mr4 ,,de ,,splae4 ,,it may seem a strange question1 good people1 but say1 ,did you never hear tell of one ,mr4 ,de ,splae8 ,a man who made up for the lack of good sense ,by a wondrous amount of mere show and pretense2 ,puffed up with conceit like an airy balloon1 ,he was hard to approach as the 8man in the moon10 ,save when for some purpose it came in his way1 ,and then1 ,o how gracious was ,mr4 ,de ,splae6 ,a sly politician1 a popular man1 ,when all things went smoothly he marshaled the van2 ,but when there was aught like a failure to fear1 ,he quickly deserted or fell to the rear4 ,his speech for the people went 8gayly and glib10 ,while he drew his support from the ,national crib2 ,but when an assessment or tax was to pay1 ,o1 how outraged and angry was ,mr4 ,de ,splae6 ,he smoked1 and he chewed1 and he drank1 and he swore2 ,but then every man whom the ladies adore1 ,is prone to these failings--some more and some less1 ,which are all overlooked in a man of address4 ,it also was whispered that he had betrayed ,the too trusting faith of an innocent maid2 ,but the ladies all blamed her for going astray1 ,while they pardoned and petted--8dear ,mr4 ,de ,splae40 ,there was good ,mr4 ,honest1 who lived but next door1 ,he was true1 and substantial1 and sound to the core2 ,he had made it the rule of his life1 from his youth1 ,to shun all evasions and speak the plain truth2 ,but the ladies--who always are judges1 you know1 ,declared him to be a detestable beau-- ,not worthy of mention within the same day1 ,with that pink of perfection--8dear ,mr4 ,de ,splae40 ,withal he was pious--perhaps you will smile1 ,and ask how he happened the church to beguile2 ,why1 the churches accept men for better or worse1 ,if there's only a plenty of cash in the purse4 ,gold still buys remission as freely and fast1 ,as it did in the ,catholic ,church in the past4 ',tis the same thing right over1 and that was the way1 ,that the church swallowed smoothly 8good ,mr4 ,de ,splae40 ,o1 you ought to have heard him when leading in prayer6 ,how he flattered the ,father of ,all for his care1 ,and confessed he was sinful a thousand times o'er1 ,which 'twas morally certain the ,lord knew before4 ,the ladies responded in sweet little sighs1 ,with their elegant handkerchiefs pressed to their eyes1 ,but the pure1 unseen spirits turned sadly away ,from the loud-mouthed devotions of ,mr4 ,de ,splae4 ,o1 short-sighted mortal6 ,poor ,mr4 ,de ,splae6 ,his mask of deception was molded in clay1 ,and when his external in death was let fall1 ,what he was1 without seeming1 was known unto all4 ,his garment of patches--his flimsy disguise-- ,which had won him distinction in other men's eyes1 ,was 8changed in a twinkling0--ay1 vanished away1 ,leaving nothing to boast of to ,mr4 ,de ,splae4 ,ah1 a great reputation1 a title1 or name1 ,oft brings its possessor to sorrow and shame2 ,but a character1 founded in goodness and worth1 ,outlasts all the perishing glories of earth4 ,o'er the frailties of nature1 and changes of time1 ,it rises majestic1 in beauty sublime1 ,till the weak and faint-hearted are cheered by its ray1 ,far above all mere seeming and empty display4 ,,will ,,it ,,pay8 ,men may say what they will ,of the ,author of ,ill1 ,and the wiles of the ,devil that tempt them astray1 ,but there's something far worse-- ,a more terrible curse-- ,it is selling the ,truth for the sake of the pay4 ,like ,judas of old1 ,for silver or gold1 ,man often has bartered his conscience away1 ,has walked in disguise1 ,and has trafficked in lies1 ,if the prospect was good that the business would pay4 ,if a fortune is made ,by cheating in trade1 ,it is seldom1 if ever1 men question the way2 ,but they make it a rule ,that a man is a fool ,who strives to make justice and honesty pay4 ,an instance more clear ,could never appear1 ,than was seen in the life of old ,nicholas ,gray1 ,who ne'er made a move1 ,in religion or love1 ,unless he was sure that the venture would pay4 ,he built him a house ,that would scarce hold a mouse1 ,where he managed to live in a miserly way1 ,till he said1 8,on my life1 ,i will take me a wife2 ,it is running a risk--but ,i think it will pay40 ,then he opened a store1 ,whose fair1 tempting door1 ,led sure and direct to destruction's broad way4 ,for liquor he sold1 ,to the young and the old1 ,to the poor and the wretched1 and all who could pay4 ,a woman once came1 ,and in ,god's holy name1 ,she prayed him his terrible traffic to stay1 ,that her husband might not ,be a poor drunken sot1 ,and spend all his wages for what would not pay4 ,old ,nicholas laughed1 ,as his whisky he quaffed1 ,and he said1 8,if your husband comes hither to-day1 ,i will sell him his dram1 ,and ,i don't care a--clam ,how you are supported if ,i get my pay40 ,so he prospered in sin1 ,and continued to win ,the wages of death in this terrible way1 ,till a ,constable's raid ,put an end to his trade1 ,and closed up his business as well as the pay4 ,to church he then went1 ,with a pious intent ,of 8getting religion0--as some people say-- ,for he said1 8,it comes cheap1 ,and costs nothing to keep1 ,and from close observation ,i think it will pay40 ,but the tax and the tithe ,made old ,nicholas writhe1 ,and he thought that 8the plate0 came too often his way2 ,so he soon fell from grace1 ,and made vacant his place1 ,for he said1 8,i perceive that religion don't pay40 ,still striving to thrive1 ,and thriving to strive1 ,his attention was turned a political way2 ,but he could not decide ,which party or side ,would be the most likely to prosper or pay4 ,he was puzzled1 and hence ,he sat on the fence1 ,prepared in an instant to jump either way2 ,but it fell to his fate ,to jump just too late1 ,and he said in disgust1 8,this of all things don't pay40 ,year passed after year1 ,and there did not appear ,a spark of improvement in ,nicholas ,gray1 ,for his morals grew worse ,with the weight of his purse1 ,as he managed to make his rascality pay4 ,at length he fell ill2 ,so he drew up his will1 ,just in time to depart from his mansion of clay1 ,and he said to old ,death1 ,with his last gasp of breath1 8,don't hunt for my soul1 for ,i know it won't pay40 ,o1 'tis sad to rehearse1 ,in prose or in verse1 ,the faults and the follies that lead men astray4 ,for gold is but dross1 ,and a terrible loss1 ,when conscience and manhood are given in pay4 ,then be not deceived1 ,though men have believed ,that 'tis lawful to sin in a general way1 ,but stick to the right ,with all of your might1 ,for ,truth is eternal1 and always will pay4 ,,the ,,living ,,word4 8,in the beginning was the ,word1 and the ,word was with ,god1 and the ,word was ,god40 8,and the ,word was made flesh and dwelt in men40 ,,eternal1 ,self-existent ,soul6 ,from whom ,life's issues take their start1 ,thou art the undivided ,whole1 ,of whom each creature forms a part4 ,thy boundless being's distant reach1 ,our finite vision may not see1 ,but this we know1 that each with each1 ,we live and move alone in ,thee4 8,in the beginning was the ,word0-- ,the ,word1 as present now1 as then1 ,which1 in the heart of ,nature1 stirred 8,the ,life which was the light of men40 ,through ,chaos and ,confusion's night ,streamed forth the light of ,love divine1 ,and lit along ,creation's hight1 ,unnumbered fires in glittering line4 ,earth's fiery heart1 with battle shocks1 ,beat fiercely in her granite breast1 ,leaving on scarred and blackened rocks ,the record of her wild unrest4 ,rich ores in molten currents swept-- ,like fire within her veins they ran-- ,while in the womb of ,nature slept ,the embryo prophecy of man4 ,down deep1 the elements1 like gnomes1 ,beside their flaming forges wrought1 ,to fashion shapes1 and future homes ,for the embodiment of ,thought4 ,the wild winds roared--the raging floods ,tossed their defiant waves on high1 ,while from the old1 primeval woods1 ,the chorus thundered to the sky4 ,the broadcast1 wondrous ,encrinites ,opened their breathing lily bells1 ,while ,ammonites and ,trilobites ,paved pathless spaces with their shells4 ,the coral ,polyp1 'neath the wave1 ,wrought in the great progressive plan1 ,by which the lesser creature's grave ,built up the future home of man4 ,the slumbering ,iguanodon#d ,lay reeking in mephitic damp-- ,the ,mylodon and ,mastodon ,startled the forests with their tramp4 ,gigantic ferns1 like feathery palms1 ,nodded in silence to the trees1 ,whose royal crests and stalwart arms ,tossed like the waves of stormy seas4 ,thus on1 still on the current rolled-- ,the light of countless mornings shone2 ,and radiant sunsets robed in gold1 ,swept down the gulfs of years unknown4 ,at length1 with beasts1 and birds1 and flowers1 ,creation seemed a perfect whole2 ,then ,god and ,nature joined their powers1 ,and man became a living soul4 ,o ,mother ,nature6 ,father ,god6 ,how wondrous is the work we trace6 ,man fashioned from the senseless clod1 ,yet filled with life's divinest grace4 ,nor is that form of earthly mold ,the limit of his life to be2 ,forth from the mortal will unfold ,the germ of immortality4 ,for even as through countless throes1 ,and travail pains1 the mighty plan ,of ,god in ,nature slowly rose1 ,to consummate its aims in man1 ,thus onward still the current rolls1 ,the spirit with the flesh at strife1 ,until1 at length1 all living souls ,are quickened from the inmost life4 ,across the broad1 unfathomed sea1 ,that breaks upon the shores of time1 ,the promise of the yet to be ,comes like a prophecy sublime4 ,the purple gloom1 that like a veil ,rests on that ever swelling tide1 ,full oft reveals a friendly sail1 ,with tidings from the further side4 ,o soul of man6 to conscious power ,from elements of death outwrought1 ,the ,living ,word forecast thine hour1 ,and found the dwelling-place it sought4 ,high in the heavens forevermore1 ,the stars of truth eternal shine2 ,sail on1 ,o man1 from shore to shore2 ,the power that guides thee is divine4 ,in the beginning was the ,word-- ,the ,word as present now as then-- ,and by its quickening power is stirred ,new life within the souls of men4 ,thus on1 still on1 the current rolls1 ,through daisies blooming on the sod1 ,through creeping things1 though living souls1 ,through 8quickened spirits0 up to ,god4 ,,hymn ,,to ,,the ,,sun4 ,o ,,fountain of beauty1 of gladness and light1 ,whose pathway is set in the infinite hight1 ,whose light hath no shadow1 whose day hath no night6 ,we know not thy birthplace1 ,o wonderful one6 ,we count not the ages through which thou hast run1 ,but we render thee praises1 ,o life-giving ,sun4 ,all day the glad ,earth in thy loving embrace1 ,arrayed by thy bounty in garments of grace1 ,lifts up to thy glances her beautiful face4 ,and at night1 when her children need silence and rest1 ,with the light of her starry-eyed sisterhood blest1 ,she sleeps like a bride on thy cherishing breast4 ,when the skylark springs up at the coming of morn1 ,when the golden fringed curtains of night are withdrawn1 ,then blushing with beauty the day is new born4 ,and the pulses of ,nature in harmony bound1 ,to the waves of thy glory which move without sound1 ,and sweep unimpeded through spaces profound4 ,ay1 the life-tide that leaps in the bird or the flower-- ,the rainbow that gleams through the drops of the shower-- ,o wonderful artist6 are born of thy power4 ,and the rush of the whirlwind1 the roar of the deep1 ,the cataract's thunder1 the avalanche-sweep1 ,are thy forces majestic1 aroused from their sleep4 ,shall we wonder1 that filled with devotion untold1 ,the awe-stricken ,parsee adored thee of old1 ,nor dreamed that ,one greater thy glory controlled8 ,and ,he1 the ,eternal1 the ,ancient of ,days-- ,whose splendors are veiled by inscrutable ways-- ,did he frown on such blindness1 or envy thee praise8 ,o ,sun6 in the light of whose presence we see1 ,we ask1--canst thou tell us8--what caused us to be8 ,and how are we linked to creation and thee8 ,we must perish--but thou1 by thy wonderful powers1 ,wilt rescue from darkness these bodies of ours1 ,and fashion them over to verdure and flowers4 ,but the jewel of beauty in life's golden bowl-- ,o1 answer us--say--dost thou also control ,that ,infinite ,essence1 the life of the soul8 ,there is doubt1 there is darkness and fear in our cry3 ,dost thou drink up the pearl of our lives when we die8 ,we listen--but silence alone makes reply4 ,it is well--for our spirits may know by the sign1 ,that a might hath evoked thee far greater than thine1 ,and we must seek ,truth at life's innermost shrine4 ,that ,centre of ,being1 transcending all thought1 ,whose might hath perfection of beauty outwrought1 ,returns the great answer of peace which we sought4 ,and we know1 when the race of the planets is run1 ,and the day shall no longer behold thee1 ,o ,sun6 ,our souls shall find light with that ,infinite ,one4 ,o ,source of all ,being6 whose name everywhere ,is sung in hosannas1 or murmured in prayer1 ,we trust1 unreserving1 our souls to thy care4 ,,greatheart ,,and ,,giant ,,despair4 8,then said ,mr4 ,greatheart1 #8,i have a commandment to resist sin1 to overcome evil1 to fight the good fight of faith2 and ,i pray1 with whom should ,i fight this good fight1 if not with ,giant ,despair8' 8,now ,giant ,despair1 because he was a giant1 thought no man could overcome him2 and again thought he1 #8,since heretofore ,i have made a conquest of angels1 shall ,greatheart make me afraid8' ,so he harnessed himself and went out4 ,then they fought for their lives1 and ,giant ,despair was brought to the ground1 but was loth to die4 ,he struggled hard1 and had1 as they say1 as many lives as a cat2 but ,greatheart was his death1 for he left him not till he had severed his head from his shoulders40 ,,bunyan',s ,,pilgrim',s ,,progress4 ,,have you heard of that marvelous story1 ,that wonderful romance of old1 ,the story of ,christian1 the pilgrim1 ,so quaintly and earnestly told8 ',tis a curious dream1 with a beautiful gleam ,of light through its mystery thrown2 ',tis a picture of life1 where the ,soul in its strife ,with the demons of darkness is shown4 ,nor yet have the indolent ages ,its mystical meaning outgrown4 ,dark threads from the loom of old ,error ,are shot through its fabric of light1 ,yet its blendings of ,beauty and ,terror ,are wrought with a masterly might4 ,the gleam and the glare of ,destruction are there1 ,with demons the soul to appall2 ,and the pitfalls of ,death1 with their sulphurous breath1 ,where the weak and unwary must fall4 ,but1 ah6 shall we call these mere fancies8 ,life yet hath a meaning for all4 ,and there in that wonderful region1 ,with battlements blackened and bare1 ,to the sorrow of ,hopeful and ,christian1 ,stood the ,castle of ,giant ,despair2 ,for they ventured to stray in a perilous way1 ,where the ,giant was searching about1 ,who seized on these men1 and into a den1 ',neath his gloomy old ,castle of ,doubt1 ,he thrust the poor sorrowful pilgrims1 ',neath that dismal old ,castle of ,doubt4 ,it was said that he came 8with a cudgel10 ,and he beat them from day to day1 ,till they chanced on 8,the ,key of ,promise10 ,when they fled from his wrath away4 ,then with friendly design they made ready a sign1 ,and they placed it with pious care ,o'er the perilous way where they went astray1 ,that pilgrims might ever beware ,of the dangers of ,doubting ,castle1 ,and the wrath of old ,giant ,despair4 ,thereafter came ,greatheart the valiant1 ,unrivaled in courage and might1 ,the friend of the weak and defenseless1 ,who had pledged his good sword to the ,right4 ,there1 boldly defiant1 he challenged the ,giant ,from his stronghold of ,death to come out2 ,and ,giant ,despair1 with an insolent air1 ,looked down from the ,castle of ,doubt1 ,and cried1 8,i will slay thee1 vile braggart1 ,and put all thy forces to rout40 ,then in haste he came down from his ,castle1 ,with his terrible breastplate of fire1 ,and straight upon ,greatheart the valiant1 ,he rushed with impetuous ire4 ,but nothing dismayed1 with his keen1 trusty blade ,greatheart smote the old ,giant amain1 ,firm1 fearless1 and fast1 until vanquished at last1 ,he struggled and died on the plain4 ,yet 'tis said1 that far down in the ages1 ,he came to existence again4 ,do you deem this an idle old story1 ,dragged out from the dust of the ,past8 ,alas6 though so time-worn and hoary1 ,its truths in the ,present stand fast4 ,high up in the air1 all blackened and bare1 ,still rises the ,castle of ,doubt1 ,and the ,giant1 ,i trow1 should you seek for him now1 ,you would find him still prowling about2 ,and the souls who go in to his ,castle1 ,are more than the souls who come out4 ,with the cudgel of ,old ,tradition1 ,does he beat them from day to day1 ,and he carefully hides from their vision ,the ,light of the ,present away4 ,the angels above1 with compassionate love1 ,a plan for their rescue devise2 ,but the ,giant cries out from his ,castle of ,doubt1 8,beware of delusion and lies60 ,so they shrink back again to their prison1 ,and fear through the ,truth to grow wise4 ,o1 where is our ,greatheart the valiant6 ,a terrible warfare to wage ,on this old ,theological ,giant1 ,the ,doubt and ,despair of this age8 ,let us rise1 one and all1 when our leader shall call1 ,and each for the conflict prepare2 ,we will march round about that old ,castle of ,doubt1 ,with our 8,banner of ,light0 on the air1 ,and raze to its very foundations ,the stronghold of ,giant ,despair4 8,,the ,,oracle40 ,,like the roar of distant cataracts1 ,like the slumbrous roll of waves1 ,like the night-wind in the willows1 ,sighing over lonely graves1 ,like oracular responses1 ,echoing from their secret caves1 ,comes a sound of solemn meaning ,from the spirits gone before2 ,comes a terrible 8awake thou60 ,startling man from sleep once more1 ,like a wild wave beating1 breaking1 ,on this ,life's tempestuous shore4 ,in ,earth's desolated temples ,have the oracles grown dumb1 ,and the priests1 with lifeless rituals1 ,all man's noblest powers benumb2 ,but a solemn voice is speaking-- ,speaking of the yet to come4 ,there will be a chosen priestess1 ,springing from the lap of ,ease1 ,hastening to the soul's ,dodona1 ,where1 amid the sacred trees1 ,she will hear divine responses1 ,whispered in the passing breeze4 ,she will be a meek-faced woman1 ,chastened by ,affliction's rod1 ,who hath worshiped at the altar ,of the spirit's 8unknown ,god20 ,who in want1 and woe1 and weakness1 ,all alone the wine-press trod1 ,till the salt sea-foam of ,sorrow ,whitened on her quivering lips1 ,till her heart's full tide of anguish ,flooded to her finger-tips1 ,and her soul sank down in darkness1 ,smitten by a dread eclipse4 8,pure in heart10 and 8poor in spirit10 ,hers will be that inner life1 ,which ,earth's martyr-souls inherit1 ,who are conquerors in the strife4 ,born of ,god they walk with ,angels1 ,where the air with love is rife4 ,men will call her 8,laureola10#e ,and her pale1 meek brow will crown2 ,but with holiest aspirations1 ,she will shun the world's renown1 ,and before the ,truth's high altar1 ,cast ,earth's votive offerings down4 ,men will sit like little children ,at her feet1 high truths to learn1 ,and for love1 the pure and holy1 ,she will cause their hearts to yearn2 ,then the innocence of ,eden ,to their spirits shall return4 ,very fearless in her freedom1 ,she will scorn to simply please2 ,but the fiercest lion-spirits ,she will lead with quiet ease4 ,calm1 but earnest1 firm and truthful1 ,she will utter words like these3-- 8,wherefore1 ,o ye sons of ,sorrow6 ,do ye idly sit and borrow ,care and trouble for the morrow-- ,filling up your cup with woe8 ,leave1 ,o1 leave your visions dreary6 ,hush your doleful miserre6 ,see the lilies how they grow-- 8,bending down their heads so lowly1 ,as though heaven were far too holy1 ,growing patiently and slowly ,to the end that ,god designed4 ,in their fragrance and their beauty1 ,filling up their sphere of duty-- ,each is perfect in its kind4 8,deeper than all sense of seeing ,lies the secret source of being1 ,and the soul with ,truth agreeing1 ,learns to live in thoughts and deeds4 #8,for the life is more than raiment1' ,and the ,earth is pledged for payment ,unto man1 for all his needs4 8,nature is your common mother1 ,every living man your brother2 ,therefore love and serve each other2 ,not to meet the law's behest1 ,but because through cheerful giving1 ,you will learn the art of living1 ,and to love and serve is best4 8,life is more than what man fancies-- ,not a game of idle chances1 ,but it steadily advances ,up the rugged steeps of ,time1 ,till man's complex web of trouble-- ,every sad hope's broken bubble1 ,hath a meaning most sublime4 8,more of practice1 less profession1 ,more of firmness1 less concession1 ,more of freedom1 less oppression ,in your ,church and in your ,state2 ,more of life1 and less of fashion1 ,more of love1 and less of passion-- ,that will make you good and great4 8,when true hearts1 divinely gifted1 ,from the chaff of ,error sifted1 ,on their crosses are uplifted1 ,shall your souls most clearly see ,that earth's greatest time of trial ,calls for holy self-denial-- ,calls on men to do and be4 8,but1 forever and forever1 ,let it be your soul's endeavor1 ,love from hatred to dissever2 ,and in whatsoe'er ye do-- ,won by ,truth's eternal beauty-- ,to your highest sense of duty ,evermore be firm and true4 8,heavenly messengers descending1 ,with a patience never ending1 ,evermore their strength are lending1 ,and will aid you lest you fall4 ,truth is an eternal mountain-- ,love1 a never-failing fountain1 ,which will cleanse and save you all40 ,list to her1 ye worn and weary-- ,hush your heart-throbs1 hold the breath1 ,lest ye lose one word of wisdom1 ,which the answering spirit saith2 ,hear her1 ,o ye blood-stained nations1 ,in your holocaust of death6 ,lo6 your oracles have failed you1 ,in the dust your idols fall1 ,and a mighty hand is writing ,words of judgment on the wall3 8,ye are weighed within the balance1 ,and found wanting0--one and all4 ,mournful murmurs1 direful discords1 ,greet you from ,destruction's night1 ,for ,life's lower stratum1 heaving1 ,brings long-buried wrongs to light1 ,and your souls shall find no refuge1 ,save with the ,eternal ,right4 ,in one grand1 unbroken phalanx1 ,firm1 united1 bravely stand1 ,faithful in the way of duty1 ,ready at the ,truth's command1 ,and forever let your motto ,be this--8,,god ,,and ,,my ,,right ,,hand60 ,,my ,,angel4 ,,oft from the summer hights of love1 ,along the ways of ,time1 ,the pilgrims of this lower sphere ,catch gleams of light sublime1 ,that stream adown the azure way1 ,from heaven's unshadowed clime4 ,there1 on the balmy1 golden air1 ,celestial music swells1 ,like harps ,eolian1 gently blown1 ,or chime of silver bells-- ,and there my star1 my angel love1 ,my spotless lily dwells4 ,she came to me1 when from my soul ,a demon had been cast2 ,when ,i had rent the servile chain1 ,which long had held me fast1 ,and stood erect1 in conscious power1 ,a strong1 free man at last4 ,the burnt-out fire-crypts of my life ,had lost their crimson gleam1 ,and emptied of their baleful glare1 ,i walked as in a dream1 ,with one great purpose in my heart1 ,to be and not to seem4 ,life's holiest lesson then was mine1 ,for when at peace within1 ,and ,i had cleansed my erring heart ,from its foul taint of sin1 ,that gentle maiden1 pure and sweet1 ,like sunshine entered in4 ,she was my idol--,o my ,god6 ,have angel hearts above1 ,through their long line of endless life1 ,such depth of power to love1 ,as that with which ,i folded close1 ,my tender1 trusting dove8 ,it was not long1 for when the flowers ,upon the green hill-side ,closed their bright eyes to wake no more1 ,my own sweet darling died4 ,the angels oped the shining door1 ,and called her from my side4 ,o1 when they laid her form to rest ,beneath the churchyard sod1 ,i longed to follow in the way ,her angel feet had trod2 ,for1 crushed and bruised1 my spirit yearned ,to hide itself in ,god4 ,love led me to the inner depth1 ,which sorrow had unsealed1 ,and there ,i saw the wealth of power ,within my soul concealed-- ,in that dark1 desolating hour1 ,life's meaning stood revealed4 ,i knew myself1 and knowing this1 ,the power to me was given ,to bridge across the dark abyss ,between my soul and heaven1 ,and gather up the golden link ,which seemed so harshly riven4 ,the angel hand of her ,i loved ,was gently laid in mine2 ,she led me1 by a path of peace1 ,to ,truth's eternal shrine1 ,where my glad soul will never cease ,to worship ,love ,divine4 ,thus have ,i learned how vain are creeds ,man's reason to control2 ,his lesser life supplies its needs ,from ,life's majestic ,whole4 ,love is the guiding star to ,love1 ,and ,soul must speak to ,soul4 ,,the ,,angel ,,of ,,healing4 8,they shall lay hands on the sick1 and they shall recover40 ,,forth from a region of shadowless calm1 ,forth from a garden of spices and balm1 ,came a bright angel1 an angel of love1 ,tenderly bearing a beautiful dove2 ,soft as the dew-drops his feet pressed the sod1 ,so softly no blossom was bruised as he trod4 ,down through the realms of the blue summer air1 ,floated the angel so gentle and fair-- ,down to the grief-stricken bosom of earth1 ,whose children must suffer and sin from their birth-- ,down where the tears of the mourner are shed1 ,and wailings of sorrow are heard for the dead4 ,one moment he listened1 as voices of pain ,came up from the hill-side1 the valley and plain2 ,there were voices that pleaded1 in accents of grief1 ,for comfort and healing1 for hope and relief4 8,god1 help me10 he murmured1 soft breathing and low1 8,to heal all your anguish1 ye children of woe40 ,then he folded a child to his cherishing breast1 ,and tenderly hushed its complainings to rest4 ,he kissed the pale lids of a mourner's sad eyes1 ,till she saw the fair home of her loved in the skies4 ,and sorrow1 and anguish1 and pain1 and distress1 ,fled away where he entered to comfort and bless4 ,at length came a mortal1 who sought to find rest ,from the hopes and the longings that strove in his breast2 ,for all that the world with its wealth could impart1 ,had failed to bring comfort and peace to his heart4 8,o1 grant my petition1 fair angel10 he cried4 8,what wouldst thou1 ,o mortal80 the angel replied4 8,i ask not for wealth1 which would make me a slave2 ,i ask not a name1 to be lost at the grave2 ,i ask not for glory1 for honor1 or power2 ,or freedom from care through my life's little hour-- ,but ,i ask that the gift which hath made thee divine1 ,of comfort1 and healing1 and strength1 may be mine40 ,then the angel uplifted a chalice most fair1 ,which seemed to be filled with a balm-breathing air1 ,and a chrism outpoured on the suppliant's head1 ,whose fragrance like soft wreathing incense out-99spread4 8,go forth10 said the angel1 8thy mission fulfill1 ,with faith in the heart1 which gives strength to the will40 ,then lo6 in an instant the angel had flown1 ,and left the glad mortal in silence1 alone2 ,but a token was given that his mission was blest1 ,when the dove fluttered down and reposed in his breast2 ,as the prophet of old let his mantle of grace ,float downward to him who should stand in his place4 ,o ,helper6 ,o ,healer6 whoever thou art1 ,let love1 like an angel1 abide in thy heart4 ,let mercy plead low for the sinful and wrong1 ,let might1 born of justice and right1 make thee strong2 ,then ,help shall descend at thy call from above1 ,and peace in thy bosom shall rest like a dove4 ,,truth ,,triumphant4 ,o ,,ye who dare not trust the ,soul ,to guide you in your heavenward way-- ,who turn from its divine control1 ,blind ,superstition to obey-- ,know that at length shall come an hour1 ,when darkness shall be changed to light1 ,and ,truth1 majestic in her power1 ,shall vindicate her ancient right4 ,the monstrous blasphemy of creeds ,which represent an angry ,god1 ,who tempts man sorely through his needs1 ,and meets his failings with a rod-- ,eternal wrath1 through blood appeased1 ,the curse of ,god1 salvation's plan1 ,are nightmare visions1 which have seized ,the slumbering consciousness of man4 ,beyond the dim and distant line1 ,which bounds the vision of to-day1 ,great stars of truth shall rise and shine ,with steady and unclouded ray2 ,and calm1 brave souls1 who through the night ,have waited patiently and long1 ,will see these heralds of the light1 ,and feel themselves in truth made strong4 ,blind ,superstition1 cowering1 sits ,amid the ashes of the past2 ,while old ,tradition1 bat-like1 flits ,where ,time its deepest gloom hath cast4 ,the bigot1 prospering through fraud1 ,pays to the church his tithes1 and then1 ,with pious fervor1 thanks the ,lord ,that 8he is not like other men40 ,the church1 by deep dissensions riven1 ,to man's progression shuts the door1 ,and failing thus to enter heaven1 ,the 8poor in spirit0 walk before4 ,the blood of millions on her hands-- ,she pampers pride and winks at sin-- ,a whited sepulchre she stands1 ,hiding but dead men's bones within4 ,we do not ask for forms and creeds1 ,or useless dogmas1 old or new1 ,but we do ask for ,christian deeds1 ,with man's progression full in view4 ,let her be first to aid and bless1 ,and not the first to cast a stone1 ,the while her robes of righteousness ,are over foul corruptions thrown4 ,the pure1 fresh impulse of to-day1 ,which thrills within the human heart1 ,as time-worn errors pass away1 ,fresh life and vigor shall impart4 ,new hopes1 like beauteous strangers1 wait ,an entrance to man's willing breast1 ,and child-like faith unbars the gate1 ,to welcome in each heavenly guest4 ,the new must e'er supplant the old1 ,while ,time's unceasing current flows1 ,only new beauties to unfold1 ,and brighter glories to disclose2 ,for every crumbling altar-stone ,that falls upon the way of time1 ,eternal wisdom hath o'erthrown1 ,to build a temple more sublime4 ,o ye6 who dare not trust the soul ,to guide you in the way to heaven1 ,remember that the lifeless whole ,is quickened by the hidden leaven2 ,and they who1 fearlessly and free1 ,the rugged hights of life ascend1 ,with one united voice agree1 8,it can be trusted to the end40 ,,good ,,in ,,all4 ',tis a beautiful thought1 by ,philosophy taught1 ,that from all things created some good is out-99wrought2 ,that each is for use1 and not one for abuse1 ,which leaves the transgressor no room for excuse4 ,thus the great1 and the small1 and the humblest of all1 ,to action and duty alike have a call2 ,and he does the best1 who excels all the rest1 ,in making the lot of humanity blest4 ,as ,jonathan ,myer sat one night by the fire1 ,watching the flames from the embers expire1 ,o'er his senses there stole1 and into his soul1 ,a spell of enchantment he could not control4 ,the wind shook his door1 and a terrible roar ,in his chimney was heard1 like the waves on the shore4 ,in wonder1 amazed1 old ,jonathan gazed ,at the huge oaken back-log as fiercely it blazed4 ,the flames of his fire leaped higher and higher1 ,and out of its brightness looked images dire2 ,till at length1 a great brand straight on end seemed to stand1 ,and then into human proportions expand4 ,old ,jonathan said1 with a shake of his head1 8,there's nothing in nature ,i've reason to dread1 ,for my conscience is clear1 and ,i'd not have a fear1 ,should ,satan himself at this moment appear40 8,ha6 your words shall be tried10 quick the demon replied1 8,for1 lo6 ,i am ,satan1 here1 close by your side4 ,men should never defy such a being as ,i1 ,for when they least think it1 behold ,i am nigh40 ,said ,jonathan ,myer1 as he stirred up the fire1 8,your face nor your figure ,i do not admire2 ,but if that is your style1 why1 it isn't worth while ,for me to find fault or your ,maker revile4 8,now don't have a fear1 lest it should appear ,that you're an intruder--,i welcome you here6 ,so pray take a seat1 and warm up your feet1 ,for ,i think ,i have heard that you're partial to heat40 8,well1 you are either a fool or remarkably cool10 ,said ,satan--accepting the low wooden stool-- 8,but before ,i depart1 ,i will give you a start ,which will send back the blood with a rush to your heart40 8,well1 and what if you should8 ,it might do me good1 ,for a shock sometimes helps one--so ,i've understood4 ,but just here let me say1 that for many a day ,i've been hoping and wishing you'd happen this way4 8,so give us your hand1 and you'll soon understand1 ,what a work in the future for you ,i have planned40 ,satan's hand he then seized1 which he forcibly squeezed1 ,at which the arch fiend looked more angry than pleased4 ,a puzzled surprise looked out of his eyes1 ,which was really quite strange for the 8,father of ,lies40 8,come10 said he1 8this won't do--,i am ,satan1 not you40 ,said ,jonathan ,myer1 8,very true1 very true4 8,now don't get perplexed1 excited or vexed1 ,at what ,i'm about to present to you next4 ,your attention please lend1 and you'll see in the end1 ,that ,jonathan ,myer1 at least1 is your friend4 8,i've been led to suppose1 in spite of your foes1 ,that you are far better than any one knows4 ,now1 if there is good1 in stock1 stone1 or wood1 ,i'm bound to get at it1 as every one should4 8,so ,i'll not have a fear--though you seem sort o' queer-- ,but what all your goodness will shortly appear4 ,fact--,i know that it will1 though 'tis mingled with ill4 ,so--so--don't get restless--be patient--sit still4 8,now ,i long since agreed1 that there was great need ,of a ,devil and ,hell in the ,orthodox creed4 ,all things are for use1 and none for abuse1 7,and the same law applies to a man or a goose47 8,so they'll keep you in play till the ,great ,judgment ,day1 ,when the ,saviour of sinners will thrust you away4 ,but then1 don't you see1 they and ,i don't agree2 ,so you'll not be obliged to play ,satan to me4 8,even now1 in your eyes1 does there slowly arise ,a look1 which no lover of good can despise4 ,so open your heart and its goodness impart1 ,for now there's no need you should practice your art40 ,o1 strange to relate6 all that visage of hate1 ,which wore such a fearful expression of late1 ,grew gentle and mild as the face of a child1 ,ere the springs of its life have with doubt been defiled4 ,and a voice1 soft and low as a rivulet's flow1 ,said gently1 8,i was but in seeming your foe4 ,man ever will find1 in himself or his kind1 ,either evil or good1 as he makes up his mind4 8,as ,god is in all1 so he answered your call1 ,and the evil appearance to you is let fall4 ,this truth ,i commend to your soul as a friend1 ,that evil will all change to good in the end40 ,then ,jonathan ,myer sat alone by his fire1 ,till he saw the last light from the embers expire1 ,and he thoughtfully said1 as he turned toward his bed1 8,i will banish all hate and put love in its stead40 8,i will do1 and not dream--,i will be1 and not seem1 ,and the triumph of goodness ,i'll take for my theme4 ,great ,spirit above6 ,i have learned through thy love1 ,that the ,serpent has uses as well as the ,dove40 ,,john ,,endicott4 8,if ye love me1 keep my commandments40--,,jesus4 ,,truth hath no need of outward sign1 ,to hold her calm1 resistless sway-- ,no symbol1 howsoe'er divine1 ,can rule the conscience of to-day4 ,and he who1 scorning praise or blame1 ,stays not to kneel before the cross1 ,but serves the ,truth through flood and flame1 ,shall win the crown1 nor suffer loss4 ,back to the old heroic ,past1 ,with reverent hearts1 our gaze we turn-- ,from souls proved faithful to the last1 ,a lesson for to-day we learn4 ,once more1 as from a master's hand1 ,upon life's canvass glows the scene-- ,once more behold that little band ,of valiant men on ,salem green4 ,had they not left the friends of youth1 ,their childhood's home1 their fathers' graves1 ,that they might worship ,god in truth1 ,and be no more a tyrant's slaves8 ,still followed fast the royal wrath2 ,and as they marched with measured tread1 ,casting its shadow o'er their path1 ,the tyrant's flag waved over head4 8,halt60 said the brave ,john ,endicott1 ,with knitted brow and eyes aflame2 8,halt6--,forward6 ,ensign ,davenport6 ,down with that flag6 in ,god's high name60 ,down drooped the flag1 whose folds of blood ,seemed like the ,parc's web of fate1 ,whereon the cross so long had stood ,for tyranny in ,church and ,state4 ,he raised his hand1 and sternly tore ,the red cross from its field of blue2 ,then nerved with fire his arm upbore1 ,and held the fragment full in view4 8,now by the homage that we pay ,to ,god the ,father1 ,god the ,son1 ,may righteous ,heaven approve this day ,the deed that my right hand hath done40 8,to ,him whose law hath all sufficed1 ,be power and glory evermore1 ,but this cursed sign of ,anti-,christ ,shall not profane this hallowed shore40 ,one moment--and a hush like death-- ,then flashed the fire from every eye1 ,and like the tempest's sudden breath1 ,a shout tumultuous rent the sky4 ,those ranks of stern1 heroic men1 ,who asked no favor1 knew no fear1 ,could 8beard the lion in his den10 ,when duty made the pathway clear1 ,there in the howling wilderness1 ,in holy triumph did they sing1 8,christ is our refuge in distress1 ,the ,lord of ,hosts alone is ,king40 ,linked1 by the lengthening years of time1 ,to all that grand heroic past1 ,the mantle of their faith sublime ,is on this generation cast4 ,whene'er the cross no longer stands ,for freedom1 faith1 and love divine1 ,men tear it down with willing hands1 ,and worship ,god without the sign4 ,john ,endicott6 ,john ,endicott6 ,thine earthly victory is won1 ,but valiant still1 and swerving not1 ,thy steadfast soul 8is marching on40 ,like thee we would be brave and true1 ,and fearless in the faith abide1 ,that souls who nobly dare and do1 ,have ,god and ,heaven upon their side4 ,,the ,,triumph ,,of ,,freedom4 ,,rejoice6 ,o blood-stained ,nation1 in darkness wandering long1 ,for ,freedom is triumphant1 and ,right hath conquered ,wrong4 ,to-day1 the glorious birthright the patriot ,fathers gave1 ,makes1 through ,eternal ,justice1 a freeman of the slave4 ,and swift the glorious tidings1 which rolls majestic on1 ,thrills from old ,massachusetts to the shores of ,oregon4 ,the gray old mountain-echoes shout it loudly to the sea1 ,and the wild winds join the chorus in the 8anthem of the free40 ,for this1 the ,god of nations sealed this land as sacred soil1 ,and thenceforth made it holy1 with blood1 and sweat1 and toil4 ,for this1 the lonely ,mayflower spread her white wings to the breeze1 ,and bore the ,pilgrim ,fathers across the stormy seas4 ,for this1 the blood of patriots baptized old ,bunker ,hill1 ,and ,lexington and ,concord made known the people's will4 ,for this1 both ,saratoga and ,yorktown's fields were won1 ,and ,fame's unfading laurels wreathed the brow of ,washington4 ,for this1 your glorious ,channing plead on the 8weaker side10 ,and ,parker1 brave and fearless1 sought to stem ,oppression's tide4 ,for this1 the lips of ,phillips burned with ,athenian fire1 ,till every flaming sentence leapt forth in righteous ire4 ,and ,garrison1 the dauntless1 declared1 8,i will be heard60 ,o thou sturdy1 war-worn veteran6 well hast thou kept thy word6 ,thou hast sent the foul ,hyena howling fiercely to his den1 ,and thy battle-cry was 8,freedom60 till the cannon said1 8,amen60 ,for this1 like royal ,csar1 within the ,senate ,hall1 ,on the noble head of ,sumner did the blows of ,slavery fall2 ,for this1 that band of heroes1 with their ,spartan chief1 ,john ,brown1 ,as a sacrifice to ,freedom1 their precious lives laid down4 ,and for this you bore and suffered1 8till forbearance ceased to be ,a virtue10 and ,high ,heaven called on you to be free4 ,then1 once more1 the blood of heroes leaped like fire within each vein1 ,and the long-slumbering ,lion rose1 and1 wrathful1 shook his mane4 ,o6 the page of future history shall1 with truthful record1 tell ,how you met the fearful issue1 how bravely and how well2 ,how you gave uncounted treasure from out your toil-won hoard1 ,and how1 as free as water1 heroic blood was poured2-- ,how ,grant1 with stern persistence1 smote the foe-99men day by day2 ,how ,sheridan and ,sherman urged their victorious way2 ,how ,farragut and ,porter swept triumphant o'er the sea1 ,and how the gallant ,winslow won his glorious victory2-- ,and alas6 how noble ,ellsworth fell in his youthful pride1 ,and ,winthrop1 ,baker1 ,lyon1 for ,freedom bled and died2 ,and true1 brave hearts unnumbered1 before the cannon's breath1 ,on the wild1 red sea of slaughter1 swept down the tide of death2-- ,and how1 amid the tumult1 in every battle pause1 ,was heard the cry for 8,justice to the bondman and his cause40 ,o6 your fathers' slumbering ashes cried1 8,amen60 from out each grave1 ,when your grand old ,constitution gave freedom to the slave4 ,and1 as the glorious tidings upon the nation fell1 ,satan1 with all his legions1 went howling down to ,hell4 ,of crime and blood no longer could he freely drink his fill1 ,for the cursd demon1 ,slavery1 had best performed his will4 ,let words of deep thanksgiving blend with the tears you shed ,for the hosts of noble martyrs who in ,freedom's cause have bled4 ,though they fell before the sickle which reaps the battle-plain1 ,yet1 to-day1 they know in heaven1 that they perished not in vain4 ,your nation's glorious ,eagle1 with an unfaltering flight1 ,hath perched at length1 in triumph1 on ,freedom's loftiest height2 ,the stars upon your banner burn with a fairer flame1 ,and the radiant stripes no longer are emblems of your shame4 ,the slave1 made like his master1 8in the image of his ,god10 ,shall bare his back no longer to the oppressor's rod2 ,his night of pain and anguish1 of want and woe1 has past1 ,and ,freedom's radiant morning has dawned on him at last4 ,o thou ,recording ,angel6 turn to that page whereon ,is traced1 in undimmed brightness1 the name of ,washington1 ,and1 with thy pen immortal1 in characters of flame1 ,to stand henceforth and ever1 write also ,lincoln's name6 ,the first hurled back the tyrant1 in the country's hour of need1 ,the last1 divinely guided1 hath made her free indeed4 ,let a nation's grateful tribute to each1 alike1 be given1 ,while the kingdom1 power and glory are ascribed alone to ,heaven4 8,ethiopia no longer stretcheth forth her hands0 in vain2 ,on the demon of oppression she hath left her servile chain2 ,then swell the shout of triumph1 till the nations hear afar2 ,three cheers--three cheers for ,freedom6 ,huzz6 ,huzz6 ,huzz6 ,,our ,,soldiers' ,,graves4 ,,sons of the nation to glory restored1 ,strew with fresh laurels the patriot's grave-- ,heed the libation to ,liberty poured-- ,honor the blood of the fearless and brave4 ,when the red bolts of destruction were hurled1 ,bursting in tempests of fury and flame1 ,faithful to ,freedom1 the hope of the world1 ,swift to the rescue each patriot came4 ,breasting the waves of the battle's wild sea1 ,facing1 unflinching1 the cannon's hot breath1 ,hail to the brave6 who marched fearless and free1 ,down to the valley and shadow of ,death4 ,trace it in marble as white as the snows1 ,chisel in granite the record sublime1 ,sacred to ,freedom--and teaching our foes ,lessons of wisdom as lasting as time4 ,bright as the stars in the firmament shine1 ,still may they watch o'er this land from on high1 ,teaching our hearts1 as their names we enshrine1 ,faithful to ,freedom to live and to die4 ,,outward ,,bound4 ,,it was midnight dark1 when ,i launched my bark ,on a wild1 tempestuous sea2 ,the lightnings flashed1 and the white waves dashed ,like steeds from the rein set free4 ',twas a fearful night1 and no beacon-light ,o'er the waste of waters shone2 ,on the wide1 wide sweep of the angry deep1 ,alas6 ,i was all alone4 ,i had left behind the faithful and kind1 ,the gentle and true of heart2 ,o ,god above6 from their clinging love1 ,it was hard1 it was hard to part4 ,o1 why did ,i leave such hearts to grieve1 ,and haste from my home away8 ',twas the chosen hour of a mighty power1 ,whose summons ,i must obey4 ,i had heard the call which must come to all1 ,and ,i felt1 by my quickened breath1 ,i must leave that shore to return no more1 ,for the name of that sea was ,death4 ,thus ,outward ,bound1 with a dizzy sound ,like waves in my troubled brain1 ,i drifted away like a soul astray1 ,for ,i felt that to strive was vain4 ,like the brooding wing of some grewsome thing1 ,the darkness around me spread2 ,the wild winds roared1 and the tempests poured ,their fury upon my head4 ,anon through the night1 like serpents bright1 ,the quivering lightnings came1 ,or an instant coiled where the white waves boiled1 ,to moisten their tongues of flame4 ,in the giddy whirl1 in the greedy swirl1 ,i felt ,i was sinking fast1 ,when an arm1 as white as the opal bright1 ,was firmly around me cast4 ,and a well-known voice made my heart rejoice-- 8,fear not6 for the strife is o'er2 ,to your resting-place in my warm embrace1 ,do ,i welcome you back once more40 ',twas my mother dear spake those words of cheer1 ,whom ,i met with a glad surprise1 ,for ,i thought she slept where the willows wept1 ,till the day when the dead should rise4 ,i had passed away from my form of clay1 ,but not to a distant sphere2 ,like a troubled dream did the struggle seem1 ,for my spirit still lingered here4 ,i had weathered the storm1 but my mortal form ,like a wreck in my presence lay2 ,they said ,i was dead when my spirit fled1 ,and with weeping they turned away4 ,then the dearest came1 and she sobbed my name2 ,but how could those pale lips speak8 ,she bent o'er my form like a reed in the storm1 ,as she kissed my clay-cold cheek4 ,i was with her there1 and with tender care ,i folded her close to my breast1 ,till the heart's wild throb1 and the bursting sob1 ,were silenced and soothed to rest4 ,o human love6 there is nought above1 ,that ever will rudely part ,the sacred tie1 or the union high1 ,of those who are one in heart4 ,a bridge leads o'er from the heavenly shore1 ,where the happy spirits pass1 ,and the angels that stand with the harp in the hand1 ,on the 8sea1 as it were1 of glass10 ,play so soft and clear that the human ear1 ,and the spirits who love the ,lord1 ,can catch the sound through the space profound1 ,and join in the sweet accord4 ,o1 what is death8 ',tis a fleeting breath-- ,a simple but blessd change-- ',tis rending a chain1 that the soul may gain ,a higher and broader range4 ,unbounded space is its dwelling-place1 ,where no human foot hath trod1 ,but everywhere doth it feel the care ,and the changeless love of ,god4 ,o1 then1 though you weep when your loved ones sleep1 ,when the rose on the cheek grows pale1 ,yet their forms of light1 just concealed from sight1 ,are only behind the vail4 ,with their faces fair1 and their shining hair ,with blossoms of beauty crowned1 ,they will also stand1 with a helping hand1 ,when you shall be ,outward ,bound4 ,,the ,,wanderer',s ,,welcome ,,home4 ,a ,,woman1 with weary heart and hand1 ,wasted and worn by the rude world's strife1 ,prayed for the peace of the better land1 ,and the mansions fair of the higher life4 ,she prayed at night in the churchyard lone1 ,resting her brow on a cold1 white stone4 ,all of that day in the public street1 ,she had played on her harp and patiently sung1 ,till the cold wind palsied her weary feet1 ,and chilled the words on her faltering tongue4 ,and but one penny to meet her need ,had the cold world spared from its selfish greed4 ,o1 the mocking words of 8,home1 sweet home10 ,had she sung for that paltry1 pitiful fee1 ,she who thus lonely was doomed to roam1 ,while never a home on earth had she2 ,but often the lips must perform a part ,that is foreign and false to the aching heart4 ,at night1 by her sorrowful longings led1 ,she had turned from the dwellings of men away1 ,and sought the place of the sleeping dead1 ,in silence and darkness alone to pray4 ,while her harp1 as it sighed in the wintry air1 ,seemed to echo the tone of her lone heart's prayer4 ,her face was white as the drifted snows1 ,and her eyes were fixed in a dull despair1 ,as if the chilling tide of her woes ,had swelled from her heart1 and had frozen there4 ,she lifted her hands to the wintry sky1 ,and prayed in her anguish1 8,lord1 let me die60 ,then soft and clear to her quickened sense ,a vision of heavenly beauty came2 ,her spirit thrilled with a joy intense1 ,and her heart grew warm with a heavenly flame4 ,sweet voices were singing1 8,no longer roam1 ,but haste to the joys of thy #8home1 sweet home4'0 ,the stars looked down from the wintry skies ,in solemn beauty1 undimmed and clear1 ,but the vision that greeted her eager eyes ,was unto her spirit both warm and near4 ,again those voices poured forth the lay1 8,to thy #8home1 sweet home1' ,o1 haste away40 ,she seized her harp1 and her white hand swept ,with a full accord o'er its trembling strings1 ,waking the echoes that round her slept1 ,like the swan1 which in dying so sweetly sings1 ,as she answered them back1 8,no more to roam1 ,lo6 ,i come1 ,i come to my #8home1 sweet home4'0 ,the watchman who went on his lonely round ,felt his stout heart thrill with a sense of dread1 ,when he heard that strange and unwonted sound ,come forth from the place of the silent dead4 ,he listened1 and breathed a fervent prayer ,for the rest of the dreamless sleepers there4 ,the watchman who went on his lonely round ,remembered that sound at break of day1 ,and he turned aside to the hallowed ground1 ,where the dead in their quiet slumbers lay4 ,and there he found1 by the cold1 white stone1 ,the lifeless form whence the soul had flown4 ,with white lips parted1 and eyes upraised1 ,and her hands to the harp-strings frozen cold1 ,the warm blood chilled in his veins as he gazed1 ,and he thought of the weight of her woes untold4 8,great ,god60 he said1 8is our faith a lie1 ,that thus1 unheeded1 thy children die60 8,hush1 murmuring spirit60 the ,truth replied2 8,loss ever walks hand in hand with gain2 ,life hath its sunny and shady side1 ,its major1 as well as its minor strain4 ,and she who thus lonely was doomed to roam ,now rests at peace in her #8home1 sweet home4'0 8,the pilgrims of earth1 in their homeward way1 ,full often in danger and doubt must stand2 ,but out of the darkness shall come the day1 ,and strength and healing from ,god's right hand4 ,and the scales of life1 as they rise and fall1 ,full measures of justice shall mete to all40 ,,labor ,,and ,,wait4 ,,all green1 and bitter1 and hard1 and sour1 ,the fruit on the ,tree of ,life is growing2 ,but the genial sunshine1 with quickening power1 ,will sweeten its juices like nectar flowing4 ,for the full1 fair growth of its perfect state ,there is only needed the right condition4 ,then labor and wait1 both early and late1 ,till the ripening future shall bring fruition4 ,far out in the harvest fields of ,time1 ,the grain for the reaper is standing ready1 ,and they who come to the work sublime ,must toil with a patience calm and steady4 ,truth never was subject to ,chance or ,fate-- ,its sickle1 so sharp1 cuts clean and even4 ,then labor and wait1 both early and late1 ,for the seed-field of ,earth yields the harvest of ,heaven4 ,in their quiet graves1 on the green hill-side1 ,the sacred dust of your loved is sleeping2 ,and the homes where the light of their smile has died ,are filled with the sorrowful sounds of weeping4 ,but over the gloomy clouds of ,fate1 ,the light of the better land is shining2 ,then labor and wait1 both early and late1 ,for the cloud of ,death has a silver lining4 ,there are fair1 sweet faces1 and gentle eyes1 ,that look through the shadows and mists above you2 ,and the fond affection that never dies1 ,still speaks from the lips of the blest who love you4 ,they call you up from your low estate1 ,to the boundless bliss of the life supernal4 ,then labor and wait1 both early and late1 ,for ,time is short1 but ,life is ,eternal4 ,,frae ,,rhyming ,,robin4 ,the following poem was given under the inspiration of ,robert ,burns1 at the close of a lecture on 8,the ,immaculate ,conception40 ,,guid ,,friends3 ,i ,,will na' weave my rhymes to-night ,in winsome measure1 ,or strive your fancies to delight ,wi' songs o' pleasure2 ,but gin#f ye hae na' heard too much ,o' solemn preachin'1 ,i'll gie ye just anither touch ,o' useful teachin'4 ,but1 aiblins1#g when ye hear my verse1 ,ye may be thinkin' ,that ,i hae sunk frae bad to warse1 ,and still am sinkin'2 ,but though ,i seem to fa' from grace1 ,in man's opinion1 ,auld ,hornie ne'er will see my face ,in his dominion4 ,an unco#h change will come1 ere lang1 ,o'er all your dreamin'1 ,and ye shall see that right and wrang ,are much in seemin'4 ,man shall na' langer perjure love1 ,nor think it treason ,anent#i the mighty ,king above1 ,to use his reason4 ,ay1 love and nature1 frae the first1 ,hae been perverted1 ,and man1 frae ,adam1 will be cursed1 ,till he's converted3 ,for ,nature will avenge her cause ,on ilka#aj creature1 ,who will na' take her1 wi' her laws1 ,for guide and teacher4 ,auld ,custom is a sleekit#aa saint1 ,and sae is ,fashion1 ,and baith will watch till sinners faint1 ,to lay the lash on2 ,men follow them wi' ane accord1 ,led by their noses1 ,because they cry1 8,thus saith the ,lord1 ,the ,god o' ,moses40 ,the time will come when man will ken ,god's word far better2 ,he'll live mair in the spirit then1 ,less in the letter2 ,and that which man ance called impure1 ,through partial seein'1 ,he'll find for it baith cause and cure1 ,in his ain bein'4 ,man needna' gae to auld lang syne ,for truth to guide him1 ,for if he seeks1 he sure will fin' ,truth close beside him4 ,each gowan#ab is ordained o' grace ,to be his teacher1 ,and ilka toddlin' weanie's#ac face ,is text and preacher4 ,man was na' born a child o' hell ,frae his creation3 ,the love that made him will itsel' ,be his salvation4 ,each child that's born o' perfect love ,can be man's saviour3 ,love is his warrant frae above1 ,for guid behavior4 ,his mither may be high or low1 ,a ,miss or ,madam2 ,the ,god within him will outgrow ,the sin o' ,adam2 ,his only bed may be the earth1 ,his hame a shealin'2#ad ,it will na' change his real worth1 ,or inward feelin'4 ,though born beneath the ,church's ban1 ,or man's displeasure1 ,he will na' be the less a man ,in mind or measure4 ,god's image1 stamped upon his brow1 ,is his defender1 ,and makes him--as ye hae it now-- 8,guid legal tender40 ,but ilka child that's born o' hate-- ,however lawful-- ,will be the victim1 sune or late1 ,o' passions awful2 ,will hirple#ae o'er the ways o' life1 ,wi' friends scarce ony1 ,and in the dour#af warld's angry strife1 ,find faes full mony4 ,the ,power aboon1 sae kind and guid1 ,who ever sees us1 ,will gie to men1 whene'er they need1 ,a ,john or ,jesus4 ,the sin o' ,adam will na' cause ,his love to vary1 ,nor need he change creation's laws#ag ,to form a ,mary4 ,man's sympathies must largely share ,in what is human1 ,and he will love the truth the mair1 ,that's born o' woman4 ,the ,de'il himsel'1 at last1 through love ,will be converted1 ,and1 reckoned wi' the saunts above1 ,leave hell deserted4 ,the ,one who laid ,creation's plan ,knows how to end it1 ,nor need he ever call on man ,to help him mend it4 ,then1 syne#ah this ,being is your friend1 ,and man your brither1 ,gae on rejoicing to the end1 ,wi' ane anither4 ,,an ,,elegy ,,on ,,the ,,devil4 ,given under the inspiration of ,robert ,burns4 ,,men say the ,de'il is dead at last1 ,and that his course is ended1 ,which sure must be an unco loss ,to those whom he befriended4 ,no doubt he managed to evade ,the sinner's awful sentence1 ,by that last trick1 so often played1 ,of a death-bed repentance4 ,alas6 alas6 we dinna ken ,what will be done without him1 ,for all the pious sons of men ,made such a rant about him4 ,whene'er they chanced to gang agley1 ,or did a deed of evil1 ,or winked at sin upon 8the sly10 ',twas all laid to the ,deevel4 ,but henceforth they must bear their sin1 ,and come to the confession1 ,without a single hope to win ,a pardon for transgression2 ,unless1 indeed1 they try the plan ,of wise old ,orthodoxy1 ,invented for puir sinful man1 ,o' saving souls by proxy4 ,but hoolie6 what a grand mistake ,was made at the creation1 ,that ,god should e'er a ,de'il make1 ,to peril men's salvation4 ,he might have made puir man1 nae doubt1 ,to grace a greater debtor1 ,had he but left the ,de'il out1 ,or only made man better4 ,i wad na mock at honest faith1 ,or utter thought profanely1 ,but then 'tis better for us baith1 ,that truth be spoken plainly4 ,the great1 guid ,god1 who loves us a'1 ,is sure misrepresented1 ,whene'er men say he cursed us a' ,in what he could prevented4 ,and as for ,hornie--,nickie-ben-- ,auld cloven-foot or ,deevil1-- ,i dinna think that he has been1 ,the cause o' all man's evil4 ,now that the puir old soul is gone1 ,he does na' seem so hateful1 ,and those who live1 his loss to mourn1 ,should speak na' word ungrateful4 ,the clergy1 sure1 have lost a friend ,who never had a rival-- ,and henceforth all their hopes must end1 ,o' raising a revival4 ,for when a rout and rant they made1 ,to turn puir souls frae error1 ,the ,de'il was half their stock in trade1 ,to fill men's hearts wi' terror4 ,the politicians might as weel ,gie o'er each vain endeavor-- ,what unco sorrow must they feel1 ,now he is gone forever6 ,in all their dealings1 hand in hand1 ,they went with him thegither1 ,they executed what he planned1 ,and each helped on the ither4 ,and then the long-faced1 praying saints1 ,who worshiped ,god on ,sunday1 ,and set aside their pious feints1 ,to serve the ,de'il on ,monday-- ,they evermore1 with empty word1 ,professed their hate of evil2 ,but while they cried 8,guid ,lord6 ,guid ,lord10 ,they said aside1 8,guid ,devil60 ,we dinna ken what caused his death1 ,or ended his probation1 ,whether it was that he lacked breath1 ,or lacked appreciation4 ,perhaps the 8origin o' ,sin0 ,has proved too tough a question2 ,he took it for his meat within1 ,and died o' indigestion4 ,farewell6 farewell6 auld ,nickie-ben2 ,we trust ye are forgiven1 ,for doubtless ye made haste to men'1#ai ,and make your peace wi' heaven4 ,we leave your burial1 guid or bad1 ,to ,truth1 as undertaker1 ,and your puir soul1 such as ye had1 ,commend unto its ,maker4 ,,fraternity4 ,,could ye but ken1 ye sons o' men1 ,how truly ye are brithers1 ,ye'd make guid speed to stand agreed1 ,tho' born o' various mithers4 ,ane common breath1 ane common death1 ,ane hame in ,heaven above ye-- ,ye are the fruit frae one great root ,in the guid ,god who lo'es ye4 ,all high and low1 all empty show1 ,all envious differences1 ,will fade from sight and vanish quite1 ,when men come to their senses4 ,each living man works out the plan ,for which he was intended1 ,and he does best1 who will na' rest ,until his work is ended4 ,your neebors' blame1 or sinful shame1 ,should gie your soul na' pleasure1 ,for while ye judge1 wi' cruel grudge1 ,you fill your ain sad measure4 ,the ,de'il himsel' could scarcely tell ,which o' ye was the better2 ,he wad be laith to leave ye baith1 ,while either was his debtor4 ,here in life's school wi' pain and dool1#bj ,you get your education1 ,while mony a trip and sinful slip ,helps on the soul's salvation4 ,the unco skeigh1#ba wi' heads full high1 ,wha feel themselves maist holy1 ,oft learn through sin how to begin ,true life amang the lowly4 ,baith you and ,i may gang agley1#bb ,for 'tis a common failin'2 ,but hauld away6 we need na' stay ,a weepin' and a wailin'4 ,the ,god aboon cares not how soon ,we leave our sins behind us2 ,he does not hate us in that state1 ,nor set the ,de'il to mind us4 ,and as for ,hell1 o' which men tell1 ,i'm sure o' the opinion1 ,there's na' such place o' 8saving grace0 ,in all the ,lord's dominion4 ,and those who rave1 puir souls to save1 ,wi' long-faced1 pious fleechin'1#bc ,will find far hence1 that common sense ,is better than such preachin'4 ,that which ye ca' the power o' law1 ,is but a puir invention2 ,it counts the deed as evil seed1 ,but winks at the intention4 ,could men but be mair truly free1 ,in some things less restrickd1 ,the world wad find the human kind ,wad na' be half sae wicked4 ,the pent-up steed kept short o' feed ,is wildest in his roamin'2 ,and dammed-up streams1 wi' angry gleams1 ,dash o'er each hindrance foamin'4 ,therefore 7,i pray take what ,i say ,in spirit1 not in letter7 ,mankind should be like rivers1 free-- ,the less they're damned the better4 ,you need na' heed the grousome creed ,which tells ye o' ,god's anger2 ,on ,nature's page frae age to age1 ,his love is written stranger4 ,god's providence1 in ony sense1 ,has never been one-sided1 ,and for the weal o' chick1 or chiel1 ,he amply has provided4 ,the winter's snaw1 the birken shaw1#bd ,the gowans#be brightly springing1 ,the murky night1 the rosy light1 ,the laverocks#bf gayly singing1 ,the spring's return1 the wimplin burn1#bg ,the cushat#bh fondly mated1 ,all join to tell how unco well ,god lo'es all things created4 ,then dinna strive to live and thrive ,sae selfish and unthinkin'1 ,but firmly stand1 and lend a hand ,to keep the weak frae sinkin'4 ',tis love can make1 for love's sweet sake1 ,a trusty fier#bi in sorrow1 ,wha spends his gear#cj wi'out a fear ,o' what may be to-morrow4 ,the preachers say1 there's far awa' ,a land o' milk and honey1 ,where all is free as barley brie1 ,and wi'out price or money2 ,but here the meat o' love is sweet1 ,for souls in sinful blindness1 ,and there's a milk that's guid for ilk#ca-- 8,the milk o' human kindness40 ,the lift aboon#cb will welcome sune ,the wayworn and the weary1 ,and angels fair will greet them there1 ,sae winsome and sae cheery4 ,but while they stay1 make smooth the way1 ,through all life's wintry weather1 ,until ane bield#cc and common shield1 ,shall hauld ye all thegither4 ,,oweena4 ,,once1 when ,death1 the mighty hunter1 ,bent his bow and sent an arrow ,through the shadows of the forest1 ,harming not the ,bear or ,panther1 ,harming not the ,owl or ,raven1 ,in the bosom of ,oweena1 ,fairest of the ,indian maidens1 ,was the fatal arrow hidden4 ,on the lodge of ,massa-wam-sett ,fell a deep and dreadful shadow2 ,he1 the wise and warlike ,sachem1 ,mourned in silence for ,oweena2 ,but the mother1 ,nah-me-o-ka1 ,like a tall pine in the tempest1 ,tossed her arms in wildest anguish1 ,pouring forth her lamentation3 8,neen wo-ma-su6 ,neen wo-ma-su6#cd ,o my darling6 my ,oweena6 ,mat-ta-neen won-ka-met na-men--#ce ,i shall never see thee more6 8,ho-bo-mo-co1 evil ,spirit1 ,hiding darkly in the forest1 ,making shadow in the sunshine1 ,you have stolen her away4 8,she was like the flowers in spring time1 ,she was like the singing waters1 ,she was like the summer sunshine1 ,neen wo-ma-su6 ,she is dead6 8,hear me6 ,hear me1 ,o ,great ,spirit6 ,i will bring thee ,bear and ,bison1 ,i will bring thee ,beads and ,wampum2 ,wilt thou give her back to me8 8,neen wo-ma-su6 ,neen wo-ma-su6 ,o my darling6 ,my ,oweena6 ,mat-ta-neen won-ka-met na-men1 ,i shall never see thee more60 ,ceaseless was her plaintive wailing1 ,even when the fair ,oweena ,slept beneath the pine trees' shadow1 ,in the green and silent forest1 ,where the birds sang in the branches1 ,where the roses of the summer1 ,and the vines1 with slender fingers1 ,clasped their loving hands above her4 ,from the lodge of ,massa-wam-sett1 ,while the brave old chieftain slumbered1 ,in the silence of the midnight1 ,to the grave stole ,nah-me-o-ka1 ,pouring forth her lamentations3 8,neen wo-ma-su6 ,neen wo-ma-su6 ,mat-ta-neen won-ka-met na-men1 ,i shall never see thee more60 ,once1 the tempest1 on its war-path1 ,painted all the sky with blackness1 ,sped the arrows of the lightning1 ,and the war-whoop of the thunder1 ,made the mighty forest tremble4 ,but it moved not ,nah-me-o-ka1 ,only moaning1 8,neen wo-ma-su6 ,i shall never see thee more60 ,all the forest leaves were weeping1 ,and the black wings of the darkness1 ,brooding over ,nah-me-o-ka1 ,filled her with a chilling shudder3 ,and the thunder seemed to mutter ,with a cruel exultation1 8,you shall never see her more40 ,but thereafter came a whisper-- 8,i am with you1 ,o my mother6 ,for ,i cannot turn my footsteps ,to the land of the ,great ,spirit1 ,while ,i hear your mournful wailing1 ,calling1 calling me again4 8,in the hunting-grounds beyond me ,there are sunshine1 peace and plenty1 ,but ,i wander1 sad and lonely1 ,in the land of death and darkness1 ,listening only to your cry4 8,let me go to the ,great ,spirit1 ,to the lodge of peace and plenty1 ,to the land of summer sunshine1 ,that with life and strength and gladness1 ,i may meet you yet again40 ,then the soft hand of ,oweena ,gently lifted ,nah-me-o-ka1 ,who with wondering eyes beheld her1 ,like a light amid the darkness4 ,and ,oweena safely led her ,through the tempest and the midnight1 ,to the lodge of ,massa-wam-sett1 ,kissed her tenderly--and vanished4 ,from that time did ,nah-me-o-ka ,dry her tears1 and cease her moaning1 ,for she said1 8,i will not keep her ,from the land of summer sunshine1 ,from the home of peace and plenty1 ,from the lodge of the ,great ,spirit4 ,neen wo-ma-su6 ,neen wo-ma-su6 ,in the land of the ,hereafter ,i shall meet her yet again40 ,,gone ,,is ,,gone1 ,,and ,,dead ,,is ,,dead4 8,on returning to the inn1 he found there a wandering minstrel--a woman--singing1 and accompanying her voice with the music of a harp4 ,the burden of her song was1 #8,gone is gone1 and dead is dead4' ,the utter hopelessness of these words filled his soul with anguish4 #8,o1' he exclaimed1 #8thou loved and lost one6 patient and long-suffering1 would that ,i could call thee back again1 not to forgive me--,o1 no6--but rather that ,i might have the consolation of showing thee1 by my repentance1 how differently ,i would conduct towards thee now40--,,jean ,,paul ,,richter4 8,gone is gone1 and dead is dead60 ,words to hopeless sorrow wed-- ,words from deepest anguish wrung1 ,which a lonely wand'rer sung1 ,while her harp prolonged the strain1 ,like a spirit's cry of pain ,when all hope with life is fled3 8,gone is gone1 and dead is dead40 ,mournful singer6 hearts unknown ,thrill responsive to that tone2 ,by a common weal and woe1 ,kindred sorrows all must know4 ,lips all tremulous with pain ,oft repeat that sad refrain ,when the fatal shaft is sped-- 8,gone is gone1 and dead is dead40 ,pain and death are everywhere-- ,in the earth1 and sea1 and air2 ,and the sunshine's golden glance1 ,and the heaven's serene expanse1 ,with a silence calm and high1 ,seem to mock that mournful cry ,wrung from hearts by hope unfed-- 8,gone is gone1 and dead is dead40 ,o1 ye sorrowing ones1 arise2 ,wipe the tear-drops from your eyes2 ,lift your faces to the light2 ,read ,death's mystery aright4 ,life unfolds from life within1 ,and with death does life begin4 ,of the soul can ne'er be said1 8,gone is gone1 and dead is dead40 ,as the stars1 which1 one by one1 ,lit their torches at the sun1 ,and across ethereal space ,swept each to its destined place1 ,so the soul's ,promethean fire1 ,kindled never to expire1 ,on its course immortal sped1 ,is not gone1 and is not dead4 ,by a ,power to thought unknown1 ,love shall ever seek its own4 ,sundered not by time or space1 ,with no distant dwelling-place1 ,soul shall answer unto soul1 ,as the needle to the pole4 ,leaving grief's lament unsaid1 8,gone is gone1 and dead is dead40 ,evermore ,love's quickening breath ,calls the living soul from death2 ,and the resurrection's power ,comes to every dying hour4 ,when the soul1 with vision clear1 ,learns that ,heaven is always near1 ,never more shall it be said1 8,gone is gone1 and dead is dead40 ,,the ,,spirit ,,teacher4 ,,far in the land of ,love and ,light1 ,where ,death's cold touch can never blight ,the buds most precious to the sight-- ,the ,power ,divine ,hath given to my fostering care1 ,a youthful band of spirits fair4 ,thus are they mine4 ,sweet blossoms from the earthly spring-- ,weak fledglings with the untried wing-- ,dear lambs--such as the angels bring1 ,with tenderest love1 ,from earthly storms and tempests cold1 ,safe to the warm and sheltering fold1 ,in heaven above4 ,o1 gentle mothers of the earth1 ,who gave these precious spirits birth1 ,your homes have lost their sounds of mirth ,and childish glee2 ,but not in ,death's embrace they sleep-- ,nay1 gentle mothers1 cease to weep-- ,they dwell with me4 ,there1 'mid the amaranthine bowers1 ,through all the long1 bright1 gladsome hours1 ,your loved ones tend their birds and flowers1 ,and often come ,with gifts of love and garlands bright1 ,to gladden1 with their forms of light1 ,your earthly home4 ,their gentle lips to yours are pressed1 ,their heads are pillowed on your breast1 ,and in your loving arms they rest1 ,for they are given ,by ,him whose ways are ever kind1 ,as precious links of love1 to bind ,your souls to heaven4 ,o1 could the sunshine of the heart ,dispel the blinding tears that start1 ,and all your doubts and fears depart-- ,those forms1 concealed ,like blossoms 'neath the shades of night1 ,before your spirit's quickening sight ,would stand revealed4 ,they still are yours1 and yet are mine2 ,i teach them of the ,life ,divine1 ,and lead them to the truth's pure shrine1 ,that evermore1 ,through heavenly wisdom understood1 ,the ,true1 the ,beautiful1 the ,good1 ,they may adore4 ,they know no griefs1 they shed no tears1 ,for perfect love dispels their fears1 ,and through their life's eternal years1 ,they haste to meet ,the humblest duty of the way1 ,and every call of love obey ,with willing feet4 ,o1 ye who tears of anguish shed ,above some empty cradle-bed1 ,where once reposed a precious head-- ,be reconciled4 ,for yet your longing eyes shall see1 ,in heaven's broad sunshine1 glad and free1 ,your spirit child4 ,they are all there--they are all there-- ,the young1 the beautiful1 the fair2 ,they know no want1 they feel no care4 ,they are not dead2 ,but quickened in their spirit's powers1 ,life crowns with her immortal flowers ,each shining head4 ,some are no longer weak and small1 ,but fair1 and beautiful1 and tall2 ,and yet ,i call them children all1 ,for they believe1 ,with child-like faith1 the truths ,i teach1 ,and render back in simple speech ,what they receive4 ,they are more precious in my sight ,than all the radiant gems of light ,that on the royal brow of night ,arise and shine2 ,and through a pure maternal love1 ,known even in the world above1 ,i call them mine4 ,o1 ask them not for earth again1 ,the bitter cup of grief to drain1 ,to tread in sorrow and in pain ,life's thorny track4 ,love's rainbow arch to heaven they crossed2 ,gone1 but not dead--unseen1 not lost-- ,call them not back4 ,o1 gentle mothers1 cease to weep2 ,the faithful shepherd of the sheep ,the tender little lambs will keep4 ',mid shadows dim1 ,lean calmly on the ,father's breast-- 8,he giveth his belovd rest0-- ,trust ye in him4 ,,little ,,nell4 ,a ,,poem ,,for ,,the ,,children ,,of ,,the ,,lyceum4 ,,clear the wintry sky was glowing1 ,sharp and loud the wind was blowing1 ,icy cold the stream was flowing ,in the little woodland dell1 ,when1 with pitcher clasped so tightly1 ,tripping cheerfully and lightly1 ,with her soft eyes smiling brightly1 ,to the spring came little ,nell4 ,late to bed and early rising1 ,with a patience quite surprising1 ,and without the least advising1 ,faithful as a little dove-- ,thus she toiled for her sick mother1 ,for1 poor child6 there was none other1 ,not a sister or a brother1 ,who could share her work of love4 ,as she stooped to dip the water1 ,straight the cruel north wind caught her1 ,down upon the ground it brought her1 ,and the little pitcher fell4 ,but with merry laugh upspringing1 ,and again the pitcher bringing1 ,as she filled it1 gayly singing1 ,homeward hastened little ,nell4 8,ho60 cried ,jack ,frost1 8if ,i catch her1 ,such cold feet and hands ,i'll fetch her1 ,i will make her drop her pitcher-- ,little good-for-nothing thing6 ,let me only once get at her1 ,it will be no trifling matter6 ,i will make her teeth to chatter ,so1 she will not dare to sing40 8,holy angels1 guard us ever1 ,god himself forsakes us never10 ,sung the maiden1 blithe as ever-- 8,we are his forevermore40 ,then the wild wind beating o'er her1 ,rudely on her way it bore her1 ,heaping up the snow before her1 ,till she reached the cottage door4 ,scarcely had her mother missed her4 ,hastening quickly to assist her1 ,tenderly she stooped and kissed her1 ,and the poor1 sick mother smiled4 ,closely to her heart she pressed her1 ,looking up to heaven she blessed her1 ,and before her ,god1 confessed her ,as ,his gift--that precious child4 ,now1 one little word of teaching-- ,though ,i am not fond of preaching-- ,yet most earnestly beseeching1 ,i would say to children small-- ,learn that duties1 howe'er lowly1 ,done in love1 will make life holy1 ,and will bring1 though ofttimes slowly1 ,sure and sweet reward to all4 ,,the ,,soul',s ,,destiny4 ,,up o'er the shining ways of light1 ,that flash across the starry skies1 ,up to ,creation's loftiest hight1 ,the pathway of the spirit lies4 ,where countless constellations gleam1 ,the soul triumphant shall ascend1 ,shall drink of ,life's eternal stream1 ,and with new forms of being blend4 ,no boundless solitude of space ,shall fill man's conscious soul with awe1 ,but everywhere his eye shall trace ,the beauty of eternal law4 ,sweet music from celestial isles ,shall float across the azure seas1 ,and flowers1 where endless summer smiles1 ,shall waft their perfumes on the breeze4 ,no empty void1 no rayless night1 ,no wintry waves by tempests tossed1 ,no treasures ravished from the sight1 ,no blighted hopes1 no blessing lost2 ,but all that was1 or yet shall be1 ,through endless transformations led1 ,shall know1 through ,life's sublime decree1 ,a resurrection from the dead4 ,and he who1 through the lapse of years1 ,with aching heart and weary feet1 ,had sought1 from gloomy doubts and fears1 ,a refuge and a sure retreat-- ,shall find at last an inner shrine1 ,secure from superstition's ban1 ,where he shall learn the truth divine1 ,that ,god dwells evermore with man4 ,throughout the boundless ,all in ,all1 ,life lengthens--an unbroken chain-- ,and ,he in whom we stand or fall1 ,feels all our pleasure and our pain4 ,o ,infinite6 ,o ,holy ,heart6 ,give us but patience to endure1 ,until we know thee as thou art1 ,and feel our lives in thee made sure4 ,,guardian ,,angels4 ,,holy ministers of light6 ,hidden from our mortal sight1 ,but whose presence can impart ,peace and comfort to the heart1 ,when we weep1 or when we pray1 ,when we falter in the way1 ,or our hearts grow faint with fear1 ,let us feel your presence near4 ,wandering over ways untrod1 ,doubting self and doubting ,god1 ,oft we miss the shining mark1 ,oft we stumble in the dark4 ,holy1 holy life above6 ,full of peace and perfect love1 ,some sweet rays of summer shed ,on the wintry ways we tread4 ,blessed angels6 ye who heed ,all our striving1 all our need1 ,when our eyes with weeping ache1 ,when our hearts in silence break1 ,when the cross is hard to bear1 ,when we fail to do and dare1 ,make our wounded spirits feel ,all your power to bless and heal4 ,when we gaze on new-made graves1 ,when the love the spirit craves1 ,pure and saintly1 like a star1 ,shines upon us from afar1 ,lead us upward to that light1 ,till our faith is changed to sight1 ,till we learn to murmur not1 ,and with patience bear our lot4 ,by our human weal and woe1 ,by our life of toil below1 ,by our sorrow and our pain1 ,by our hope of heavenly gain1 ,by these cherished forms of clay1 ,fading from our sight away1 ,do we plead for light1 more light1 ,from that world beyond our sight4 ,never1 till our hearts are dust1 ,till our souls shall cease to trust1 ,till our love becomes a lie1 ,and our aspirations die1 ,shall we cease with hope1 to gaze ,on that veil's mysterious haze1 ,or the presence to implore ,of the loved ones gone before4 ,holy spirit6 quickening all1 ,on thy boundless love we call2 ,send thy messengers of light1 ,to unseal our inward sight2 ,lift us from our low estate1 ,make us truly wise and great1 ,that our lives1 through love1 may be ,full of peace and rest in ,thee4 ,,nearer ,,to ,,thee4 ,the following ,poem was given at the conclusion of a lecture on 8,the ,present ,condition of ,theodore ,parker in ,spirit ,life0 ,,nearer1 my ,god1 to ,thee1 ,nearer to ,thee4#cf ,,yes1 ,i am nearer ,thee6 for flesh and sense ,have been exchanged for an eternal youth2 ,my spirit hath been born anew1 and hence ,i worship ,thee 8in spirit and in truth40 ,yes1 ,i am nearer ,thee6 ,though still unseen1 ,thy presence fills my life's diviner part4 ,now that no earthly shadows intervene1 ,i feel a deeper sense of what ,thou art4 ,yes1 ,i am nearer ,thee6 ,thy boundless love ,fills all my being with a rich increase1 ,and soft descending1 like a heavenly dove1 ,i feel the benediction of ,thy peace4 ,yes1 ,i am nearer ,thee6 ,all that ,i sought ,of ,truth1 or ,wisdom1 or ,eternal ,right1 ,is clearly present to my inmost thought1 ,like the uprising of a glorious light4 ,yes1 ,i am nearer ,thee6 ,o1 calm and still1 ,and beautiful and blest beyond degree1 ,is this surrender of my finite will-- ,is this absorption of my soul in ,thee4 8,o ,thou6 whom men call ,god and know no more60 ,when they shall leave the worship of the ,past1 ,and learn to love ,thee rather than adore1 ,all souls shall draw thus near to ,thee at last4 ,,the ,,sacrament4 ,,the aged pastor broke the bread-- ,with trembling hands he poured the wine-- 8,eat--drink0--in earnest tones he said-- 8,these emblems of a life divine-- ,his body broken for your sins2 ,his blood for your salvation shed2 ,the priceless sacrifice that wins ,life and redemption from the dead4 8,see how with tender love he stands1 ,and calls you to his faithful heart2 ,lo6 from his wounded side and hands ,again the crimson life-drops start4 ,o sinner6 wherefore will you stay1 ,regardless of your lost estate8 ,come at your ,saviour's call to-day1 ,before1 alas6 it is too late40 ,forth from his lonely seat apart1 ,a dark-browed1 ,ethiopian came1 ,as if new life had stirred the heart ,that beat within his manly frame4 8,o1 give to me10 he meekly said1 8,a portion of that heavenly food2 ,i too would eat the living bread1 ,and find salvation through his blood40 ,the ,pastor turned with wondering eyes2 ,but when he saw the dusky brow1 ,he answered1 with a quick surprise1 8,ho6 bold intruder6 ,who art thou8 ,the master's table is not free ,to give the low-born servant place-- ,such privilege can only be ,for his accepted sons of grace40 ,upon the dusky brow there glowed ,a flush that was not wrath nor pride1 ,as forward he majestic strode1 ,and stood close by the altar-side4 ,the broken bread his left hand spurned ,with sudden movement to the floor1 ,while with his right he quickly turned ,the consecrated chalice o'er4 ,one instant1 for the tempest-cloud ,to gather on each pallid face4 ,and then uprose the angry crowd ,to thrust him from the sacred place4 ,with conscious might he raised his hand-- ,a being of resistless will-- ,and uttered the sublime command ,that hushed the tempest--8,peace1 be still60 ,the waves of wrath and human pride ,rolled back1 without the power to harm1 ,the angry murmurs surged and died1 ,and lo6 there was a breathless calm4 ,the dusky brow to dazzling white ,had in one fleeting instant turned1 ,and round his head a halo bright ,of heaven's resplendent glory burned4 8,i do reject10 he calmly said1 8,these outward forms--this bread1 this wine3 ,lo6 at my table all are fed1 ,made welcome by a love divine4 ,the high1 the low1 the rich1 the poor1 ,the black1 the white1 the bond1 the free1 ,the sinful soul1 the heart impure-- ,forbid them not to come to me4 8,too long1 too long have faithless creeds ,shut out the sunshine from above1 ,while human hearts1 with human needs1 ,have perished from the lack of love4 ,o1 break for them truth's living bread2 ,let love1 like wine1 unhindered flow2 ,thus would ,i have the hungry fed1 ,and let these outward emblems go40 ,then from the altar-side there rose ,a cloud with matchless glory bright1 ,as when1 at evening's calm repose1 ,the sun withdraws his radiant light4 ,but though so far removed from all1 ,he seemed in presence to depart1 ,the seed of living truth let fall ,took root in many a thoughtful heart4 ,,the ,,good ,,time ,,now4 ,,the world is strong with a mighty hope ,of a good time yet to be1 ,and carefully casts the horoscope ,of her future destiny2 ,and poet1 and prophet1 and priest1 and sage1 ,are watching1 with anxious eyes1 ,to see the light of that promised age ,on the waiting world arise4 ,o1 weary and long seems that time to some1 ,who under ,life's burdens bow1 ,for while they wait for that time to come1 ,they forget 'tis a good time now4 ,yes1 a good time now--for we cannot say ,what the morrow will bring to view2 ,but we're always sure of the time to-day1 ,and the course we must pursue2 ,and no better time is ever sought1 ,by a brave heart1 under the sun1 ,than the present hour1 with its noblest thought1 ,and the duties to be done4 ',tis enough for the earnest soul to see ,there is work to be done1 and how1 ,for he knows that the good time yet to be1 ,depends on the good time now4 ,there is never a broken link in the chain1 ,and never a careless flaw1 ,for cause and effect1 and loss and gain1 ,are true to a changeless law4 ,now is the time to sow the seed ,for the harvest of future years1 ,now is the time for a noble deed1 ,while the need for the work appears4 ,you must earn the bread of your liberty ,by toil and the sweat of your brow1 ,and hasten the good time yet to be1 ,by improving the good time now4 ',tis as bright a sun that shines to-day ,as will shine in the coming time2 ,and ,truth has as weighty a word to say1 ,through her oracles sublime4 ,there are voices in earth1 and air1 and sky1 ,that tell of the good time here1 ,and visions that come to ,faith's clear eye1 ,the weary in heart to cheer4 ,the glorious fruit on ,life's goodly tree ,is ripening on every bough1 ,and the wise in spirit rejoice to see ,the light of the good time now4 ,the world rests not1 with a careless ease1 ,on the wisdom of the past-- ,from ,moses1 and ,plato1 and ,socrates1 ,it is onward advancing fast2 ,and the words of ,jesus1 and ,john1 and ,paul1 ,stand out from the lettered page1 ,and the living present contains them all1 ,in the spirit that moves the age4 ,great1 earnest souls1 through the ,truth made free1 ,no longer in blindness bow1 ,and the good time coming1 the yet to be1 ,has begun with the good time now4 ,then up6 nor wait for the promised hour1 ,for the good time now is best1 ,and the soul that uses its gift of power ,shall be in the present blest4 ,whatever the future may have in store1 ,with a will there is ever a way2 ,and none need burden the soul with more ,than the duties of to-day4 ,then up6 with a spirit brave and free1 ,and put the hand to the plow1 ,nor wait for the good time yet to be1 ,but work in the good time now4 ,,life',s ,,mysteries4 ,,to the soul that is gifted with seeing ,the secrets and sources of being1 ,a mystical meaning appears ,for the hearts that in silence are broken1 ,for the words of affection unspoken1 ,for sorrow1 bereavement1 and tears4 ,there are souls that with genius are gifted1 ,on crosses of sorrow uplifted1 ,who find their salvation through pain2 ,there are deeds of the brave unrecorded1 ,and the toil of warm hands unrewarded1 ,whose loss is an infinite gain4 ,there are spirits who pray that no morrow ,may dawn on the depths of their sorrow2 ,but the morrow brings patience and peace4 ,and the faithful1 who often with weeping ,have sown the good seed in their keeping1 ,have garnered a blessed increase4 ,there are lives that are matchless in beauty1 ,through the faithful performance of duty1 ,whose labors of love are unknown4 ,there are spirits who languish in prison1 ,whose light on the world has not risen1 ,and yet they are never alone4 ,the poor1 the oppressed1 and the lowly1 ,the selfish1 the weak1 and the holy1 ,have each in life's drama a part4 ,while the wants and the woes that o'ercame them1 ,with the lives of the righteous who blame them1 ,are known to the ,infinite ,heart4 ,o1 where is the angel recorder6 ,and where is the watchman and warder1 ,that is charged with the keeping of souls8 ,and what is the mystical meaning1 ,which the thoughtful in spirit are gleaning ,from the ,force that all ,nature controls8 ,o1 not where the sun-fires are burning1 ,and not where the planets are turning ,their faces to welcome the light1 ,shall we seek for the ,centre of ,being1 ,and learn of the ,wisdom ,all-seeing1 ,or climb to life's infinite hight4 ,but deep as love's fathomless ocean1 ,in a spirit of lowly devotion1 ,should we patiently strive to ascend2 ,not reckless1 unfeeling1 and stoic1 ,but with courage and calmness heroic1 ,unswerving and true to the end4 ,with shoulders that bow to life's crosses1 ,with hearts that faint not at their losses1 ,with spirits that triumph o'er pain1-- ,at length to such souls shall be given ,the peaceful possession of heaven1 ,and the life that is infinite gain4 ,then1 judged by the complex relation ,of each to the ,soul of ,creation1 ,distinctions of merit must fall4 ,there is good for the ,saint and the ,sinner1 ,there is gain for the loser or winner1 ,and a just compensation for all4 ,for the ,infinite ,life is ascending1 ,and all things are with it uptending1 ,away from all evil and strife4 ,to man is the toil of endeavor1 ,but unto that ,being1 forever1 ,the peace and perfection of life4 ,a ,,woodland ,,idyl4 ,,old ,brown ,brier lived in the depths of a wood1 ,close down by a sassafras tree2 ,jealous1 and selfish1 and hostile to all1 ,a surly old fellow was he4 ,he hated his neighbor1 the sassafras-tree1 ,when her leaves grew green in the spring1 ,and he almost perished with envy and spite1 ,when he heard an oriole sing4 ,but one thing saved him1 and only one1 ,from a life of sorrow and woe2 ,he longed for a change in his hermit life1 ,and a power in himself to grow4 ,a fair young child to the green-wood came1 ,with eyes like the gentian blue2 ,her hair was like threads of an amber flame1 ,and her cheek wore the sunset hue4 ,her step was light as the bounding roe1 ,and her voice like a silver bell2 ,she charmed the birds from their green retreats1 ,and the squirrel from his cell4 ,she sang of the love1 of the free1 great love1 ,which the ,father has for all1 ,from the worlds of light1 in the heavens above1 ,to the flowers and the insects small4 8,ah60 sighed the ,brier1 the brown old ,brier1 8,what has he done for me80 ,does he give me leaves in the early spring1 ,or flowers like the locust tree80 8,our ,god is just1 and our ,god is true10 ,still warbled the happy child2 8,he sendeth his sunshine and silver dew ,to the desert and lonely wild2 ,and the secret force in the tempest cloud ,to the smallest flower is given1 ,that all1 by his wisdom and strength endowed1 ,may live for the ,lord of ,heaven40 ,she passed4 ,the old ,brier was lost in thought4 8,and is it1 then1 really so8 ,can this wondrous change by myself be wrought8 ,have ,i power in myself to grow80 ,then up from the gray old mother ,earth ,rich juices he quickly drew1 ,till the sluices and channels small were filled ,with the fresh sap trickling through4 ,he called to the winds1 to the warm spring winds1 ,as they played with the flowers near by1 ,and he prayed the sunshine1 with golden wings1 ,on his cold1 damp roots to lie4 ,the spring winds blew1 and the sunshine came1 ,and the ,brier grew fresh and fair1 ,till his blossoms1 like wreaths of incense cups1 ,with their fragrance filled the air4 ,again the child to the green-wood came2 ,but her step was sad and slow2 ,her eye beamed not with its love-lit flame1 ,and her voice was soft and low4 8,i am changed10 she said2 8,o ye birds and flowers6 ,with a yearning heart ,i weep ,to lay me down in these quiet bowers1 ,in a long1 untroubled sleep4 ,for ,o1 my heart like a flower is crushed1 ,and ,i cling to the world no more2 ,the sacred fount from its urn hath gushed1 ,and the joy of my life is o'er40 ,the summer winds through the green-wood passed1 ,and the sweet ,brier bowed his head2 ,a garland fair at her feet he cast1 ,and in gentle tones he said1-- 8,return to the world1 dear child1 return2 ,no longer receive1 but give6 ,from a humble ,brier this lesson learn3 ,thou hast power in thyself to live4 ,,jubilate4 ,sung at the celebration of the #bjth anniversary of ,modern ,spiritualism1 ,march #ca1 #ahfh4 ,,the world hath felt a quickening breath ,from ,heaven's eternal shore1 ,and souls triumphant over ,death ,return to earth once more4 ,for this we hold our jubilee1 ,for this with joy we sing-- 8,o ,grave1 where is thy victory8 ,o ,death1 where is thy sting80 ,our cypress wreaths are laid aside ,for amaranthine flowers1 ,for ,death's cold wave does not divide ,the souls we love from ours4 ,from pain1 and death1 and sorrow free1 ,they join with us to sing-- 8,o ,grave1 where is thy victory8 ,o ,death1 where is thy sting80 ,immortal eyes look from above ,upon our joys to-night1 ,and souls immortal in their love ,in our glad songs unite4 ,across the waveless crystal sea ,the notes triumphant ring-- 8,o ,grave1 where is thy victory8 ,o ,death1 where is thy sting80 8,sweet spirits1 welcome yet again60 ,with loving hearts we cry2 ,and1 8,peace on earth1 good will to men10 ,the angel hosts reply4 ,from doubt and fear1 through truth made free1 ,with faith triumphant sing-- 8,o ,grave1 where is thy victory8 ,o ,death1 where is thy sting80 ,,the ,,divine ,,idea4 ,,when the morning came with her eyes of flame1 ,and looked on the youthful earth2 ,when man1 at the call of the ,lord of ,all1 ,rose up in his glorious birth2 ,when the stars rang out1 with a tuneful shout ,to the mountains and the sea1 ,and the world's great heart1 with a quickened start1 ,beat time to their melody2-- ,ere the dawning light in the heavens grew bright1 ,ere the march of the hours began1 ,god planted the seed of a mighty need1 ,in the innermost soul of man4 ',twas the yearning wild that a little child ,for the fostering parent feels-- ,a holy thought with his life inwrought1 ,which his simplest act reveals4 ,the lion proud1 like a servant1 bowed ,at the might of his sovereign will2 ,but to man alone was the sense made known ,of a power that was higher still4 ,yet vague and dim was that thought to him2 ,his simple and child-like mind ,could not gaze aright on that matchless light1 ,so boundless and unconfined4 ,gross by birth from his mother ,earth1 ,he needed some outward sign2 ,so the artisan planned1 with a cunning hand1 ,a form of the ,great ,divine4 ,and ,baal1 and ,allah1 and ,juggernaut1 ,and ,brahma1 and ,zeus1 and ,pan1 ,show how deeply wrought was that one great thought1 ,in the worshiping soul of man4 ,then his ,deity came in the morning's flame1 ,in the song of the sun-lit seas1 ,in the stars at night1 in the noontide light1 ,in the woods and the murmuring breeze4 ,to the ,great ,divine at the idol shrine1 ,by each and by every name1 ,through the fiery death or the prayerful breath1 ,the worship was still the same4 ,like a grain in the sod grew the thought of ,god1 ,as ,nature's slow work appears2 ,from the zophyte small1 to the 8,lord of all10 ,through cycles and sums of years4 ,but the dark grew bright1 and the night grew light1 ,when the era of ,truth began1 ,and the soul was taught1 through its primal thought1 ,of the life of ,god in man4 ,then the soul arose from her long repose1 ,at the ,truth's awakening breath1 ,and fearlessly trod as a child of ,god1 ,triumphant o'er ,time and ,death4 ,there came a sound from the wide world round1 ,like the surging of the sea1 ,majestic and deep in its onward sweep-- ',twas the anthem of the free4 ,through the ages dim has that holy hymn ,come down to our listening ears2 ,and still shall it float with a sweeter note ,through the vista of coming years4 ,and a voice makes known from the viewless throne1 8,as it hath been1 shall it be-- ,on6 on from the past6 still on to the last6 ,like a river that seeks the sea40 8,hour by hour1 like an opening flower1 ,shall truth after truth expand2 ,the sun may grow pale1 and the stars may fail1 ,but the purpose of ,god shall stand4 ,dogmas and creeds without kindred deeds1 ,and altar and fane1 shall fall2 ,one bond of love1 and one home above1 ,and one faith shall be to all40 ,,the ,,pyramids4 8,i was weary1 very weary2 but when ,i leaned against the ,pyramids1 they gave me strength40--,,koscielski4 ,a ,,wanderer from his childhood's home1 ,an exile from his father-land1 ,his weary feet were doomed to roam ,far o'er the desert's scorching sand4 ,no mother o'er his pillow smiled1 ,no sister's hand a blessing lent2 ,his only couch the desert wild1 ,his only home an ,arab tent4 ,upon the classic shores of ,greece1 ,and by the imperial towers of ,rome1 ,he vainly sought to find that peace ,denied him in his childhood's home4 ,beneath ,lake ,leman's watery bed1 ,in ,chillon's dungeon damp and low1 ,communing with the mighty dead1 ,his spirit felt a kindred glow4 ,he drank ,circassia's breath of bloom1 ,he climbed the ,alps' eternal snows1 ,he plucked the leaves by ,virgil's tomb1 ,and stood where ancient ,jordan flows4 ,and where ,napoleon's falchion gleamed ,along the borders of the ,nile1 ,the pilgrim exile slept1 and dreamed ,he saw his own loved mother's smile4 ,with weary feet he came1 at last1 ,where1 all untouched by ,time's rude hands1 ,the ,pyramids their shadows cast ,upon the desert's burning sands4 ,still in their works of greatness dwelt ,the spirits of these mighty men2 ,before their majesty he knelt6 ,he rose--and he was strong again4 ,o thou6 whose life is all inwrought ,with cheerful faith and strength sublime1 ,leave thou some monumental thought ,upon the desert waste of ,time4 ,some exile from his native heaven ,may tread the path which thou hast trod1 ,and through thy works may strength be given ,to lift his spirit up to ,god4 ,,the ,,inner ,,mystery4 ,the following inspirational poem was delivered at a festival commemorative of the twentieth anniversary of the advent of ,modern ,spiritualism1 held in ,music ,hall1 ,boston1 ,march #ca1 #ahfh4 ,it is an allegorical description of the progress of a soul from the ,valley of ,superstition and ,traditional ,theology to the highest mountain peaks of ,natural ,philosophy and ,spiritual ,revelation4 ,he is strengthened and encouraged in his progress by the voices 8of the loved ones gone before40 ,at length1 in the higher regions of metaphysical reasoning and abstract philosophy1 he encounters the demon ,doubt--a representative of popular ,theology and traditional authority4 ,this ,doubt endeavors to make him distrust reason1 and render a blind credence to mere authority4 ,in the struggle with the demon the great ,truth flashes with a realizing sense upon the soul1 that by its inherent nature it is older than all forms of ,truth1 and one with ,god himself4 ,in the strength of this conviction he conquers1 and the demon is slain4 ,thus 8,,the ,,inner ,,mystery0 is revealed1 and the unfolding of the spiritual perceptions follows as a legitimate result4 8,according to ,fichte1 there is a ,divine ,idea pervading the visible universe2 which visible universe is indeed but its symbol and sensible manifestation1 having in itself no meaning1 or even true existence1 independent of it4 ,to the mass of men this ,divine ,idea lies hidden2 yet to discern it1 to seize it1 and live wholly in it1 is the condition of all genuine virtue1 knowledge1 freedom1 and the end1 therefore1 of all spiritual effort in every age40--,,carlyle4 ,in the valley1 where the darkness ,dropped its poisonous vapors on my head1 ,where the night winds moaned and murmured1 ,like the voices of the troubled dead1 ,groping1 stumbling1 weary and alone1 ,did ,i make the earth my bed1 ,and my pillow was a stone4 ,o1 that slumber6 ,it was long1 and dark1 and deep1 ,till a voice cried1 8,come up hither60 ,and ,i started from my sleep4 8,whither80 cried ,i2 and it answered1 8,come up hither6 for the day is dawning2 ,through the gates of amethyst and amber ,shines the kindling glory of the morning40 ,gazing upward1 ,i beheld assurance of the day2 ,hopeful-hearted1 ,o'er the mountain-path ,i took my way4 ',mid the pine trees ,did ,i hear life's drowsy pulses start1 ,swinging1 singing1 ,making sweet1 but mournful music1 ,thrilling1 filling1 ,all the lonely places of my heart4 ,then the embers of the morning1 ,smouldering on night's funeral pyre1 ,kindling into sudden brightness1 ,lit the mountain-peaks with fire2 ,and the quickened heart of ,nature ,answered from her ,memnon lyre4 ,eager1 earnest1 still ascending1 ,toward the glories of the day1 ,i could hear that voice my steps attending1 ,with the matin-hymn of ,nature blending1 ,ever crying1 8,come up hither60 ,and ,i followed in the way4 ,bright the sky glowed with celestial splendor1 ,like the light of love from ,god's own eyes2 ,and the lofty mountains seemed to tender ,back their crowns of glory to the skies4 ,far above me1 ,in the hights so terrible and grand1 ,i could see the glaciers gleaming ,in the hollow of the mountain's hand4 ,flashing1 dashing1 ,from the steeps the foaming cataract poured1 ,over pathways ,which the mighty avalanche had scored4 ,dim and ghostly ,rose the silvery clouds of wreathd spray1 ,rainbow-mantled1 ,vanishing in upper air away4 ,elfin shadows ,o'er my lonely pathway leaped and played1 ,as the pine trees ,dreamily their murmuring branches swayed4 ,all the air seemed filled with voices1 ,which ,i ne'er had thought to hear again2 ,and ,i fled1 to leave behind me1 ,sounds of pleasure close allied to pain4 ,upward1 onward1 did ,i speed my way1 ,nearer to the perfect source of day4 ,awed by beauty and by terror1 ,tearful1 prayerful1 did ,i sink1 ,where the tender1 blue-eyed gentian ,bloomed upon the glacier's brink4 8,save me6 ,o thou loving ,lord60 ,i cried1 8,from the unforeseen intrusion ,of this sad1 but sweet delusion1 ,from this strange and cruel semblance ,to the cherished love that long since died4 8,come up hither60 ,cried my unknown guide who went before4 8,come up hither60 ,and ,i followed in the way once more1-- ,upward1 where the tempests gathered1 ,where the lightnings crouched within their lair1 ,where the mighty ,god of thunder ,with his hammer smote the shuddering air1 ,where the tall cliffs1 battle-splintered1 ,reared their lofty summits1 bleak and bare2 ,higher yet1 where all my life-tide1 ,with the breath of ,heaven grew chill2 ,and ,i felt my pulses quickened1 ,with a strange1 electric thrill4 ,not one blossom brightened in my pathway1 ,not one lichen dared that wintry breath2 ,but far up above1 and all around me1 ,brooded awful silence1 as of death4 ,and ,i walked where ragged precipices1 ,overhanging wild and dark abysses1 ,frowned upon the dizzy depths below2 ,where the yawning chasms1 ,rent by earthquake spasms1 ,strove to fill their hungry throats with snow4 ,burdened with a sense of solemn grandeur1 ,with a deeply reverent heart ,i trod ',mid those awful and majestic altars ,of the ,unknown ,god4 ,musing deeply1 ,as ,i turned an angle of the rocky wall1 ,lo6 before me ,stood a figure1 ghostly1 gaunt1 and tall2 ,like the famous1 fabled image1 ,falling from ,dardanian skies1 ,wrapped in white1 marmorial silence1 ,did he greet my wondering eyes4 ,straight upon the narrow pathway1 ,fixed as fate1 he seemed to stand1 ,with a widely yawning chasm1 ,and a wall on either hand4 8,come up hither6 come up hither60 ,cried the voice that went before2 ,and my spirit leaped impatient ,to obey the call once more4 8,let me pass1 ,i pray thee10 ,said ,i in a calm and courteous tone2 ,but he only gazed upon me1 ,with a face as passionless as stone4 8,prithee1 stand aside60 ,i said more firmly1 8,for ,i may not stay2 ,i must reach the mountain-hights above me ,ere the close of day40 ,but he stirred not1 spake not1 breathed not1 ,only turned his stony eyes ,downward--to the yawning chasm1 ,upward--to the distant skies4 8,wherefore10 said ,i1 ,with a slowly kindling wrath1 8,do you seek to stay my progress1 ,do you stand across my path8 ,what am ,i to thee1 or thou to me8 ,stand aside1 or prithee1 sirrah1 ,which is stronger we shall shortly see4 ,like a statue did he stand--the same4 ,then my smothered wrath waxed hotter2 8,demon6 speak thy name and tell thine errand60 ,cried ,i1 with a loudly ringing shout2 ,and his cold lips parted1 as he answered1 8,i am ,,doubt4 8,go no farther1 ,for a phantom lures thee on thy way2 ,upward striving ,will not bring thee nearer to the perfect day4 ,in the valley ,all is warmth1 and rest1 and kindly cheer2 ,go no farther2 ,it is lone and very cold up here4 8,trust not to your erring ,reason ,all your aspirations to control2 ,man grows ripe before the season ,when he heeds the promptings of the soul4 8,come up hither6 come up hither10 ,cried the tuneful voice again2 8,doubt should never counsel duty1 ,when the way of truth is plain4 8,stay60 replied the watchful demon2 8,thou shalt lend an ear to ,doubt1 ,for1 by ,heaven6 thou shalt not pass me ,until thou hast heard me out4 ,thou art deeply cursed from the beginning1 ,all thy nature is corrupt with sinning2 ,god refuses thee his grace to-day2 ,christ alone his righteous wrath can stay4 ,all thy prayerful aspiration ,but retards thy soul's salvation2 ,all the efforts of thy godless will ,make thy deep damnation deeper still4 ,o thou self-deluded dreamer6 ,o thou transcendental schemer6 ,leave thine idle speculations1 ,trances1 visions1 exaltations1 ,and thy toilsome upward progress stay4 ,by thy fallen1 lost condition1 ,by the depths of thy perdition1 ,i have promised1 ,yea1 have sworn1 to turn thee from this way4 8,come up hither6 come up hither60 ,cried the voice persuasive from above4 ,then ,i looked1 and bending o'er me1 ,i beheld my long-lost angel love4 8,back60 ,i shouted to the demon4 8,never60 in a measured tone he said1 8,till the final resurrection1 ,till the earth and sea give up their dead40 ,then ,i smote him-- ,smote him in the forehead and the eyes2 ,and ,i shouted1 8,i will not be cozened by your lies6 ,go to cowards ,with your ,hebrew husks and pious pelf1 ,,for ,,my ,,soul ,,is ,,older ,,than ,,the ,,truth1 ,,one ,,with ,,god ,,himself40 ,then my blows fell fiercer1 harder1 hotter1 ,till he yielded ,like the clay-formed vessel of a potter2 ,and ,i crashed into his brainless skull1 ,smote his stony eyes out1 cold and dull2 ,into shards amorphous dashed his lips profane1 ,and1 as brittle as a bubble1 ,clove his shattered trunk in twain4 ,then1 as if ,god's mill-stones surely ,had been given me in trust1 ,on the rock ,i stood securely1 ,and those fragments ground to dust4 ,but1 ,o1 ,god6 what wondrous transformation ,seized me in its mighty grasp of power6 ,as a bud1 by ,nature's potent magic1 ,bursts at once into a perfect flower6 ,like the record of a wise historian1 ,lay unsealed the wondrous ,book of ,life2 ,swelling grandly1 like a chant ,gregorian1 ,perfect unison arose from strife2 ,and ,i knew then that this grim1 defiant elf1 ,that this clay-born image1 was my weaker self2 ,that this demon1 ,doubt1 with which ,i held such strife1 ,was the sense's logic--the phenomena of life2 ,and as ,perseus slew the fabled ,gorgon1 ,must this mocking fiend be met and slain1 ,that transfixed in cold and stony silence ,faith and ,hope no longer might remain4 ,only when the conscious soul asserted ,what the flesh and sense so long concealed1 ,,god ,,within--,,one ,,with ,,the ,,weak ,,and ,,human1 ,did the ,,inner ,,mystery stand revealed4 ,o1 what glorious consummation to my strife6 ,death of ,death6 and ,life unto ,eternal ,life6 ,all around1 the grand and awful mountains ,hushed in silent reverence seemed to stand1 ,white and shining1 ,like the pearly portals of the better land4 ,then ,i heard the angels singing1 ,soft and clear the sweet notes ringing1 ,dropping gently like a golden rain ,from the treasured wealth of day2 ,and ,i caught these words of blessing1 ,floating down the heavenly way3-- ,,song ,,of ,,the ,,angels4 8,o1 what is the life of the soul1 ,but the life of the ,infinite ,whole8 ,for ,god and his creatures are ,one1 ,as the tide from the ocean of light1 ,which sets through the day and the night1 ,is the same in the star-beam or sun4 8,he hath laid out the sea and the land2 ,he hath balanced the ,heavens in his hand2 ,and the ,earth1 in that order sublime1 ,how greatly and grandly she rolls1 ,and casts off her harvests of souls1 ,in the boundless fruition of ,time6 8,we ask not his face to behold2 ,of his glory we need not be told2 ,for the ,word of his witness is near4 ,his ,life is the ,infinite ,light1 ,which quickens our blindness to sight2 ,and he speaks that his children may hear4 8,he suffers and sins with them all2 ,he stands1 or he falls when they fall2 ,for he is both substance and breath4 ,their strength from his greatness they draw2 ,his wisdom and will are their law2 ,and he is their ,saviour in death4 8,when the depths of all hearts are unsealed ,shall the word of his truth be revealed1 ,that ,,man is by ,,nature ,,divine2 ,and faith in ,god's presence within1 ,shall strengthen the spirit to win ,a peace which no tongue can define40 99 99 99 99 99 ,then the music floated upward1 ,where the light of parting day1 ,with its gold and crimson glory1 ,on the mountain summits lay2 ,and it left me longing1 praying1 ,and with quickened steps essaying ,swift the nearest hights to gain1 ,that my captivated being ,might unto a clearer seeing ,of those fading forms attain4 ,and ere long1 with hands uplifted1 ,kneeling on the mountain high1 ,out into the listening silence ,did ,i send my pleading cry3-- 8,o thou beauteous land of ,beulah1 ,just beyond my longing sight6 ,o ye bright ones1 loved and lovely1 ,dwelling in celestial light6 ,leave1 ,o6 leave me not behind you ,with the darkness and the night60 ,in the sunshine and the shadow1 ,then ,i saw an open door2 ,and a voice cried1 8,come up hither6 ,life is yours forevermore40 ,gales of ,araby around me ,seemed to wave their fragrant wings2 ,strains of music1 low and tender1 ,thrilled along celestial strings4 ,like a spotless lily1 blending ,matchless bloom and breath divine1 ,did my lost one1 long lamented1 ,lay her soft white hand in mine2 ,and uplifted1 ,strangely gifted1 ,with a power unknown before1 ,did my love and ,i together ,enter at the open door4 99 99 99 99 99 ,lo6 again those bright immortals1 ,as their fadeless flowers they wreathe1 ,words of greeting oft repeating1 ,celebrate this festive eve4 ,listen to their tuneful message ,for the hearts that joy or grieve3-- ,,song ,,of ,,the ,,ministering ,,spirits4 8,truth's heralds bright1 ,with feet of light1 ,upon ,life's mountains stand1 ,sent to proclaim1 ,in ,god's high name1 ,glad tidings to the land4 ,with smiles of love ,they wait above1 ,and1 #8,come up hither6' cry4 ,when souls shall climb ,life's hights sublime1 ,then ,death itself shall die4 8,the little child1 ,whose bright eyes smiled1 ,whom angel-hands upbore1 ,the good1 the kind1 ,the pure in mind1 ,glide through ,life's open door4 ,with voices sweet1 ,their lips repeat ,the chorus of the sky3-- #8,all souls shall be ,from doubt made free1 ,and ,death itself shall die4' 8,joy crowns with flowers ,life's summer-hours1 ,when storms of sorrow cease2 ,and wintry snows1 ,and calm repose1 ,bring thoughts of holy peace4 ,thus pales or burns ,life's star by turns1 ,as swift the moments fly2 ,but winter's blight1 ,and sorrow's night1 ,and ,death itself1 shall die4 8,from ,death's abyss ,to hights of bliss ,must souls immortal strive2 ,while loss and gain1 ,and peace and pain1 ,shall keep their faith alive4 ,but higher still1 ,with tireless will1 ,their course shall upward lie1 ,till palms shall wave ,above the grave1 ,and ,death itself shall die40 ,,footnotes3 #a ,the garment which caused the death of ,hercules4 #b ,since the above poem was given1 through the pressure of public opinion1 she has been pardoned1 and sent back to ,england4 #c ,socrates4 #d ,pronounced ,ig-war-no-don4 #e ,the name signifies a small laurel-wreath4 #f ,if4 #g ,perhaps4 #h ,very great4 #i ,against4 #aj ,every4 #aa ,cunning4 #ab ,daisy4 #ac ,each tottering child4 #ad ,humble cot4 #ae ,walk crazily4 #af ,contrary4 #ag ,referring to the dogma of the ,immaculate ,conception4 #ah ,since4 #ai ,mend4 #bj ,sorrow4 #ba ,very proud4 #bb ,go astray4 #bc ,praying4 #bd ,birchen grove4 #be ,flowers4 #bf ,larks4 #bg ,running brooks4 #bh ,dove4 #bi ,friend4 #cj ,money4 #ca ,each4 #cb ,heaven above4 #cc ,shelter4 #cd ,my darling4 #ce ,i shall never see thee more4 #cf ,the favorite hymn of ,theodore ,parker4