HAIL! beauteous meteor of the thousand dyes,
Emblazoned, like a trophy, on the skies.
Heaven's richest hues inlay thy lightsome span,
Kindled to glory; for a sign to man.
Those vivid tints that through the welkin shine,
Proclaim thy matchless architect divine
Gemmed by the rain-drops, was the tissue spun
With golden threads irradiate of the sun,
Like stars enwreathed; whose myriad spangles throw
The prism's gay lustre to the world below.
Weft of mute music thou, whose pictured tones
Blend in accord, and melt in kindred zones.
Sweet solace ours, when lurid tempests frown,
To mark thy gradual braid th' horizon crown!
First, faint brief segments spring on either hand,
Whence lost abrupt, soon longer curves expand;
More massive, high upreared, the glowing form
In bolder contrast now bestrides the storm
Fain its bright column would our arms embrace,
Yet at each step a fleeting beam we chase;
And whilst we fear lest ere the whole be viewed,
The subtle vision may our sight elude,
Mercy, fleet herald from the realms above,
Buoyed in the ambient air of heavenly love,
With stedfast key-link binds the quivering arch,
Then speeds thereon to earth her volant march.
See! through the dark depths of th' unfathomed main
The mirrored brilliance softly gleams again;
Warning the surges that their ruthless might
No more shall revel on the mountain height,
Nor through the fertile fields and valleys rave,
Engulfing nature in the whirling wave.
No! for when 'neath Armenia's summits hoar
The shrunken waters lashed their slimy shore,
And found whene'er they strove beyond to roam,
The rising cliffs rebuke their baffled foam ;-
When the glad fathers of man's rescued race,
Exulting on the lone ark's resting-place,
Had bent the knee, invoked the Almighty name,
Drawn votive blood, and fanned the sacred flame;—
When o'er fair nature burst that sunny smile,
More lovely for her glistening tears the while ;—
Then from the heavens was heard an awful voice
That bade the favoured patriarch rejoice:
Well pleased the Deity had seen arise
Prayer mingling with the smoke of sacrifice!
And now the solemn covenant He swore,
That He would flood the new-born land no more;
Then rays from heaven with tears from earth He blent,
And wrote his promise on the firmament.
View it, vain man, whose dull unheeding soul
No cheering hopes, no startling fears control,
Nor the pale splendour of the moon absorbs,
Nor the deep rapture of the hymning orbs;
Whose sordid thought ne'er searched creation's laws,
For the vast goodness of th' Omniscient Cause,
Ne'er felt ecstatic joy when laughing May
Wreaths with young flowers the verdant brow of day,
Nor owned with transport chastened, awed, refined,
Might on the mountain, wonder in the wind:
Behold! and though thou deignest nought to bless,
Yet inly scan thy very nothingness.
Such thou hast shone, bright Rainbow! when the sky
Has clothed in clouds its blue serenity;
And such shalt shine; while grateful for the vow,
All nations of the earth to heaven shall bow,
Curbing the tempest on its thunder-path,
Chaining the boisterous billows in their wrath;
Majestic symbol of thy Maker's might!
Girdle of beauty! coronal of light!
God's own blest hand-mark, mystic, sure, sublime,
Graven in glory to the end of time!
Nor dost thou live for earth and time alone:
In Paradise, around th' eternal throne
Thine emerald lightnings play; thine every gem
Is treasured for the Conqueror's diadem.
When, with a shout that will earth's centre rend,
Christ with his saints and angels shall descend,
Careering kingly over sun and star,
The winds his coursers and a cloud his car:-
No watery deluge then earth's funeral pall,
But sulphurous flames enwrap the reeling ball.
Thus thy triumphal banner floats unfurled
Above the wrecks of this self-ruined world;
From cloud, from throne, from crown, betokening mild Jehovah to lost sinners reconciled!
THERE is a Calm the poor in spirit know,
That softens sorrow, and that sweetens woe;
There is a Peace that dwells within the breast
When all without is stormy and distrest;
There is a Light that gilds the darkest hour,
When dangers thicken, and when tempests lour.
That calm to faith, and hope, and love is given,
That peace remains when all beside is riven,
That light shines down to man direct from Heaven!
E'EN as the dew-drops and the genial rain
Enrich and fertilize the sterile plain;
Cause it the kindly fruits of earth to yield,
And with a plenteous harvest crown the field;
So does the Gospel pour into each heart
Its truths Divine, its influence impart :
Softens the stony hearts to hearts of flesh,
Meet to produce the fruits of righteousness.
Promote we then the knowledge of the Lord
And promulgate the Gospel truths abroad,
Till from the north to south, from east to west,
Jehovah's praise is sung, his name for ever blest.
THE PASSAGE OF THE RED SEA.
IN doubt, in weariness, in woe,
The host of Israel flee; Behind them rode the raging foe, Before them was the sea.
The angry waters at their feet,
All dark and dread rolled on, And where the sky and desert meet, Spears flashed against the sun.
But still along the eastern sky
The fiery pillar shone,
And o'er the waves that rolled so high,
It bade them still come on.
Then Moses turned the sea toward,
And raised his hand on high;
The angry waters know their lord,
They know him, and they fly.
Where never gleamed the red sun-light,
Where foot of man ne'er trod;
Down, down they go, and left and right
The wall of waters stood.
Full soon along that vale of fear,
With cymbals, horns, and drums,
With many a steed and many a spear,
The maddening monarch comes.
A moment-far as eye could sweep,
The thronging myriads tread;
The next the waste and silent deep,
Was rolling o'er their head!
HYMN FOR SATURDAY EVENING.
ANOTHER week has past away,
Another Sabbath now draws near;
Lord, with thy blessing crown the day
Which all thy children hold so dear!
Delivered from its weekly load,
How light the happy spirit springs,
And soars to thy divine abode,
With peace and freedom on its wings.
Now 'tis our privilege to find
A short release from all our care;
To leave the world's pursuits behind,
And breathe a more celestial air.
O Lord, those earthly thoughts destroy,
Which cling too fondly to our breast;
Through grace prepare us to enjoy
The coming hours of hallowed rest.
And when thy word shall set us free
From every burden that we bear,
Oh! may we rise to rest with Thee,
And hail a brighter Sabbath there.
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