And now descending 'tween the sheltering waves, JESUS WALKS ON THE SEA AND LOUD blew the storm of night; the thwarting surge Dashed, boiling, on the labouring bark: dismay, E With transient look severe: the tempest, awed, Sinks to a sudden calm; the clouds disperse; The moonbeam trembles on the face divine, Reflected mildly in the unruffled deep. THE DUMB CURED. His eyes uplifted, and his hands close clasped, THE DEATH OF JESUS. 'Tis finished he spake the words, and bowed Shake in his grasp; the planted standard falls Upon the heaving ground; the sun is dimmed, And darkness shrouds the body of the Lord. THE RESURRECTION. THE setting orb of night her level ray Shed o'er the land, and on the dewy sward The lengthened shadows of the triple cross Were laid far stretched,-when in the east arose, Last of the stars, day's harbinger: no sound Was heard, save of the watching soldier's foot: Within the rock-barred sepulchre, the gloom Of deepest midnight brooded o'er the dead, The Holy One: but, lo! a radiance faint Began to dawn around his sacred brow: The linen vesture seemed a snowy wreath, Drifted by storms into a mountain cave: Bright and more bright the circling halo beamed Upon that face, clothed in a smile benign, Though yet exanimate. Nor long the reign Of death; the eyes that wept for human griefs Unclose, and look around with conscious joy. Yes; with returning life, the first emotion That glowed in JESUS' breast of love, was joy At man's redemption, now complete; at death Disarmed; the grave transformed into the couch Of faith; the resurrection and the life. Majestical he rose: trembled the earth; The ponderous gate of stone was rolled away; The keepers fell; the angel, awe-struck, sunk Into invisibility, while forth The Saviour of the world walked, and stood JESUS APPEARS TO THE DISCIPLES. THE evening of that day, which saw the Lord Rise from the chambers of the dead, was come. His faithful followers, assembled, sang A hymn, low-breathed; a hymn of sorrow, blent With hope; when, in the midst, sudden he stood. The awe-struck circle backward shrink; he looks Around with a benignant smile of love, And says, Peace be unto you: faith and joy Spread o'er each face, amazed, as when the moon, Pavilioned in dark clouds, mildly comes forth, Silvering a circlet in the fleecy ranks. PAUL ACCUSED BEFORE THE TRIBUNAL OF THE AREOPAGUS. LISTEN that voice! upon the hill of Mars, Rolling in bolder thunders than e'er pealed From lips that shook the Macedonian throne; Behold his dauntless outstretched arm, his face Illumed of heaven: he knoweth not the fear Of man, of principalities, of powers. The Stoic's moveless frown; the vacant stare Of Epicurus' herd; the scowl and gnash malign Of Superstition, stopping both her ears; The Areopagite tribunal dread, From whence the doom of SOCRATES was utter ed; This hostile throng dismays him not; he seems As if no worldly object could inspire A terror in his soul; as if the vision, Which, when he journeyed to Damascus, shone PAUL ACCUSED BEFORE THE ROMAN THE Judge ascended to the judgment-seat; |