How little yet they knew, how much was learned in vain. For human guilt and mortal wo, Their sympathising sorrows flow; Their hallowed prayers ascend in incense pure; They mourned the narrow bounds assigned Or reached the lowest step of that immortal throne. And oft the starry cope of heaven beneath, When day's tumultuous sounds had ceased to breathe, Through the long night they drew the chilly air; In solemn silence dread, The ethereal orbs their shining course pursued, In holy trance enwrapt the sages stood, With folded arms laid on their reverend breast, And to that Heaven they knew, their orisons addrest. A Star appears they marked its kindling beam In wondering silence softly gliding by, At the fair stranger seemed to gaze, Or veiled their trembling fires, and half withdrew their rays. The blameless men the wonder saw, And hailed the joyful sign with pious awe; They knew 'twas none of all the train With which in shadowy forms and shapes uncouth, Remote from nature as from truth, Their learned pens the sky had figured o'er: The heavenly impulse they obey, The new-born light directs their way; Through deserts never marked by human tread, O'er many an unknown hill and foreign strand And peopled towns they pass, and glittering spires; No cloud could veil its light, no sun could quench its fires. Thus passed the venerable pilgrims on, Till Salem's stately towers before them shone, And soon their feet her hallowed pavements prest; From pomp and royal state aloof, Their shining guide its beams withdrew; While other stars arose and set; For there, within its humble thatch, Weakness and power, and heaven and earth were met. Now, sages, now your search give o'er, Believe, fall prostrate, and adore! Here spread your spicy gifts, your golden offerings here; Of human guilt and mortal wo, Of knowledge check'd by doubt, and hope with fear : What angels wished to learn, ye know ; Peace is proclaimed to man, and heaven begun below. CAMPBELL. When Jordan hushed his waters still, See, Mercy from her golden urn Pours a rich stream to them that mourn! He comes! to cheer the trembling heart, Watch'd o'er their flocks by starry-light: Bids Satan and his host depart; Hark! from the midnight hills around, Then swift to every startled eye, On wheels of light, on wings of flame, O Zion! lift thy raptur'd eye, The Prince of Salem comes to reign. Again the Day-star gilds the gloom, O Zion! lift thy raptur'd eye, HEBER. BRIGHTEST and best of the sons of the morning! Dawn on our darkness and lend us thine aid! Cold on his cradle the dew-drops are shining, stall, Angels adore him in slumber reclining, Say, shall we yield him in costly devotion, ocean, THE STAR OF THE MORNING. ANON. STAR of the morn, whose placid ray Myrrh of the forest, or gold from the mine? Hail, harbinger of gospel light! Vainly we offer each ample oblation; BRIGHTEST and best of the sons of the Dawn on our darkness and lend us thine aid! THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM. WHEN marshall'd on the nightly plain, Can fix the sinner's wandering eye. Hark! hark! to God the chorus breaks, Once on the raging seas I rode, The storm was loud,-the night was dark, The ocean yawn'd-and rudely blow'd The wind that tossed my foundering bark. Deep horror then my vitals froze, Death-struck, I ceas'd the tide to stem; When suddenly a star arose; It was the Star of Bethlehem. It was my guide, my light, my all, Now safely moor'd-my perils o'er, The Star-the Star of Bethlehem! Dispel the shades of nature's night! I saw thee rise on Salem's tow'rs, Shine, lovely star! on ev'ry clime, UPON THE CIRCUMCISION. MILTON. YE flaming powers, and winged warriors That erst with music, and triumphant song, ear, So sweetly sung your joy the clouds along Your fiery essence can distil no tear, Sore doth begin His infancy to seize ! O more exceeding love, or law more just ? And that great covenant which we still transgress Entirely satisfied; And the full wrath beside Of vengeful justice bore for our excess; And seals obedience first, with wounding smart, This day; but, O! ere long, Will pierce more near his heart. CHRIST IN THE TEMPLE. HEBER. ABASH'D be all the boast of Age! Be hoary Learning dumb! Expounder of the mystic page, Behold an Infant come! Oh Wisdom, whose unfading power Beside th' Eternal stood, To frame, in nature's earliest hour, The land, the sky, the flood;-- Yet didst not Thou disdain awhile An infant form to wear; To bless thy mother with a smile, And lisp thy falter'd prayer. But, in thy father's own abode, With Israel's elders round, Conversing high with Israel's God, Thy chiefest joy was found. So may our youth adore Thy name! CHRIST IN THE WILDERNESS. Our Saviour meek, and with untroubled mind, After his airy jaunt, tho' hurried sore, Hungry and cold betook him to his rest, Wherever, under some concourse of shades Whose branching arms thick intertwin'd might shield, From dews and damps of night, his shelter'd head, But shelter'd slept in vain; for at his head, The tempter watch'd, and soon with ugly dreams Disturb'd his sleep; and either tropic now 'Gan thunder, and both ends of heaven the clouds From many a horrid rift abortive pour'd Fierce rain with lightning mixt, water with fire In ruin reconcil'd: Nor slept the winds Within their stony caves, but rush'd abroad From the four hinges of the world, and fell On the vexed wilderness, whose tallest pines, Tho' rooted deep as high, and sturdiest oaks Bow'd their stiff necks, loaden with stormy blasts, Or torn up sheer: Ill wast thou shrouded then O patient son of God, yet only stood'st Unshaken; nor yet staid the terror there, Infernal ghosts, and hellish furies, round Environ'd thee, some howl'd, some yell'd, some shriek'd, Some bent at thee their fiery darts; while thou Sat'st unappall'd in calm and sinless peace. Thus pass'd the night so foul, till morning fair Came forth with pilgrim steps in amice gray; Who with her radiant fingers still'd the roar Of thunder, chas'd the clouds, and laid the winds, And grisly spectres, which the fiend had rais'd To tempt the son of God with terrors dire. MILTON. DARKNESS now rose As day-light sunk, and brought in low'ring night Her shadowy offspring, unsubstantial both, Privation mere of light, and absent day. JESUS TEACHING THE PEOPLE. BOWRING. How sweetly flow'd the gospel's sound From lips of gentleness and grace, When listening thousands gather'd round, From heaven he came-of heaven he spoke, "Come wanderers, to my Father's home, "Come, all ye weary ones and rest!" Yes! sacred Teacher,-we will comeObey thee,- love thee, and be blest! Decay then, tenements of dust! Pillars of earthly pride, decay! A nobler mansion waits the just, And Jesus has prepared the way. BEHOLD MY MOTHER AND MY GRAHAME. WHO is my Mother or my Brethren? With a meek smile of pity blent with love, To strangers' hands: the innocents alarmed The countenance of JESUS, beaming love MIRACLES OF CHRIST. BISHOP TAYLOR. FULL of mercy, full of love, Thou who taught'st the blind man's night Thine and the day's, (and that thine too :) The dumb amazed was to hear His unchain'd tongue to strike his ear: As when a sunbeam, through a summer Thy goodness may hereafter rear |