Her bowers are mute, her fountains dry, And ever Fancy's wing Speeds from beneath her cloudless sky To autumn or to spring. Sweet is the infant's waking smile, But middle age by no fond wile, Still in the world's hot restless gleam While vainly for some pleasant dream O shame upon thee, listless heart, As if thy SAVIOUR had no part In thoughts, that make thee grieve. As if along His lonesome way He had not borne for thee Sad languors through the summer day, Storms on the wintry sea. Youth's lightning flash of joy secure Pass'd seldom o'er His spright,A well of serious thought and pure, Too deep for earthly light. No spring was His-no fairy gleam— How cold and bare what mortals dream, Then grudge not thou the anguish keen Thy treasur'd hopes and raptures highUnmurmuring let them go, Nor grieve the bliss should quickly fly Which CHRIST disdain'd to know. Thou shalt have joy in sadness soon; The pure, calm hope be thine, Which brightens, like the eastern moon, As days wild lights decline. Thus souls, by nature pitch'd too high, Meet in the Church's middle sky, Half way 'twixt joy and woe, To practise there the soothing lay Thankful for all God takes away, ST. BARNABAS. The Son of consolation, a Levite. Acts iv. 36. THE world's a room of sickness, where each heart The truest wisdom there, and noblest art, Whom by the softest step and gentlest tone Enfeebled spirits own, And love to raise the languid eye, When, like an angel's wing, they feel him fleeting by Feel only-for in silence gently gliding Fain would he shun both ear and sight, "Twixt Prayer and watchful Love his heart dividing, A nursing father day and night. Such were the tender arms, where cradled lay, The Church of JESUS; such the love He to his chosen taught for His dear widow'd Dove. Warm'd underneath the Comforter's safe wing Here are soft hands that cannot bless in vain, Here loving hearts, that daily know The heavenly consolations they on you bestow. Sweet thoughts are theirs, that breathe serenest calms, Of holy offerings timely paid', Of fire from Heaven to bless thy votive alms And passions on GOD's altar laid. a Acts iv. 37. Having land, he sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the Apostles' feet. The world to them is clos'd and now they shine With rays of love divine, Through darkest nooks of this dull earth Pouring, in showery times, their glow of "mirth." New hearts before their Saviour's feet to lay, This is their first their dearest joy: 66 quiet Their next, from heart to heart to clear the way a For mutual love without alloy : Never so blest, as when in JESUS' roll They write some hero-soul, More pleas'd upon his brightening road To wait, than if their own with all his radiance glow'd. O happy spirits, mark'd by God and man Their messages of love to bear", What though long since in Heaven your brows began The genial amarant wreath to wear, And in th' eternal leisure of calm love Ye banquet there above, a Acts ix. 27. Barnabas took him, and brought him (Saul) to the Apostles. b Acts xi. 22. xiii. 2. |