Sidor som bilder
PDF
ePub

THE CHRISTIAN.

VER the emblem of Thy body broken, Over the symbol of Thy blood once shed, I pledge allegiance, and renew the token Of love to Thee, my ever-living Head; But, ah! how cold and feeble that of mine, Compared, O Saviour, with that love of Thine!

A love divine, eternal, overflowing

A love impartial, free, and unconfined, Unmerited, and no mutation knowing, Longing to bless the whole of human kind; In these memorials, with the eye of faith, Seen are its triumphs even unto death.

But, O my soul, in humble exultation,
Rejoice in all it hath achieved for thee:
In it behold the seal of thy salvation,
Pardon, and power, o'er all hostility:
Peace, immortality, are now thy own—
A golden harp, an all-enduring crown.

Thrice blessed boon, all estimate transcending-
Gratuitous, but to the Donor dear.
Worthy, O is He, praises never ending;

All glory, homage, gratitude sincere:
Such condescension who can fully scan?
Wonder, O angels, and adore, O`man.

Hence having in Thy tabernacle holy

Again avouched Thee as my all in all, Let me abjure a world of sin and folly,

That ne'er it may again my soul enthral: Teach me, O Lord, and guide where'er I roam, Till safe in joy I reach my promised home.

TO MY DOG NAILER.

AN this heart forget thee? never!
Is not there thy name enshrined ?
Yes: I love thee, and will ever,
Favourite of the canine kind.

Dear to me thy freaks and rambles-
Dear as light and life to me;
Through the woodland's furze and brambles
Winding, bounding ever free.

Ever faithful and devoted-
Bribeless ever night and day;

The trust which once to thee allotted,
Who by wiles could filch away?

Who in violence dares to venture
E'er thy master to assail;

Thy growling interdict to enter
Who once ever saw thee fail?

Compared with thine, alas, how shaded

All our loves and social ties, How fragile, easily invaded,

Even by the breath that flies.

Would thy example could we follow,
Happy even here our lot;

What faithless vows, or friendships hollow,
E'er the human name would blot?

Can this heart forget thee? never!
Is not there thy name enshrined?

Yes: I love thee, and will ever,
Favourite of the canine kind.

THE FREE KIRK.

"He is the freeman whom the Truth makes free."

Cowper.

HROUGH Caledonia's wide domain

A holy war's begun again, Then let ilk honest son maintain

His father's cause,

And Knox's banner never stain

While breath he draws;

But wield the Gospel sword on high,
And swear to conquer or to die
For Zion's sake-but, by-the-bye,
I mean the Free,

Whase zeal and worth nane can deny,
And purity.

Though earth and hell may her assail,
Nae power against her shall prevail;
For och that blasting mortal hail,
What can withstand,

Shot by her Gospel guns, the wail
O' Scotia's land?

In spite o' a' opposing clamours,

There Bishop Ch and Pope C-mers, Whase zeal, and wit, and classic grammars, And schemes, and quirks,

And heavy pithy logic hammers,

Can douce the Kirks.

But hear what T- -e has to say,
And legal Ch―m, I pray;
What eloquence can theirs gainsay
In ony plea?

They're ever sure to win the day,
As a' may see.

That spirit-stirring son o' thunder,

How zealous Ge gaurs us wonder,

Whase red-hot bolts waud rive asunder,
E'en wa's o' brass;

He mines ilk legal Zion under

Fient ane he'll pass.

Till down they tumble a' in heaps,
And out ilk holy humbug creeps;
Wi' conscience' besom a' he sweeps,

Stock, lock, and barrel,
Down headlong to the deepest deeps,
To end the quarrel.

Thus deals he, in his rev'rend pleasure,
Wi' a' his woe-doomed shrines o' Cæsar,
And shows the Court o' Session's plea, sir,
To claim them a'

Was proved, and hence she made a seizure
O' ane and a'.

And thus invaded Christ's dominion-
His right to reign in his opinion—
Yea, brak that hallowed mystic union
"Tween Him and them,

Sa that His throne nae mair He's

O fie! O shame!

On sic revolting usurpation

He heaps his blasting imprecation,
And damns sic acts o' legislation,

Which a' can tell,

And shows, in learned disputation,

seen

They sprang frae hell.

in

« FöregåendeFortsätt »