THE Young-ones gathered in from hill and dale, With holiday delight on every brow:
'Tis past away; far other thoughts prevail; For they are taking the baptismal Vow
Upon their conscious selves; their own lips speak The solemn promise. Strongest sinews fail, And many a blooming, many a lovely cheek, Under the holy fear of God turns pale; While on each head his lawn-robed servant lays An apostolic hand, and with prayer seals The Covenant. The Omnipotent will raise Their feeble Souls; and bear with his regrets, Who, looking round the fair assemblage, feels That ere the Sun goes down their childhood sets.
I saw a Mother's eye intensely bent Upon a Maiden trembling as she knelt; In and for whom the pious Mother felt Things that we judge of by a light too faint: Tell, if ye may, some star-crowned Muse, or Saint! Tell what rushed in, from what she was relieved, Then, when her Child the hallowing touch received, And such vibration through the Mother went That tears burst forth amain. Did gleams appear?
Opened a vision of that blissful place
Where dwells a Sister-child? And was power given Part of her lost One's glory back to trace Even to this Rite? For thus she knelt, and, ere The summer-leaf had faded, passed to Heaven.
By chain yet stronger must the Soul be tied: One duty more, last stage of this ascent, Brings to thy food, mysterious Sacrament! The Offspring, haply at the Parent's side; But not till they, with all that do abide
In Heaven, have lifted up their hearts to laud And magnify the glorious name of God, Fountain of Grace, whose Son for sinners died. Ye, who have duly weighed the summons, pause No longer; ye, whom to the saving rite The Altar calls; come early under laws That can secure for you a path of light Through gloomiest shade; put on (nor dread its weight)
Armor divine, and conquer in your cause!
THE MARRIAGE CEREMONY.
THE Vested Priest before the Altar stands; Approach, come gladly, ye prepared, in sight
Of God and chosen friends, your troth to plight With the symbolic ring, and willing hands Solemnly joined. Now sanctify the bands, O Father!— to the Espoused thy blessing give, That mutually assisted they may live
Obedient, as here taught, to thy commands. So prays the Church, to consecrate a Vow The which would endless matrimony make"; Union that shadows forth and doth partake A mystery potent human love to endow
With heavenly, each more prized for the other's sake;
Weep not, meek Bride! uplift thy timid brow.
THANKSGIVING AFTER CHILDBIRTH.
WOMAN! the Power who left his throne on high And deigned to wear the robe of flesh we wear, The Power that through the straits of Infancy Did pass dependent on maternal care,
His own humanity with thee will share,
Pleased with the thanks that in his People's eye Thou offerest up for safe Delivery
From Childbirth's perilous throes. And should the Heir
Of thy fond hopes hereafter walk inclined
To courses fit to make a mother rue
That ever he was born, a glance of mind
Cast upon this observance may renew A better will; and, in the imagined view Of thee thus kneeling, safety he may find
THE Sabbath bells renew the inviting peal; Glad music! yet there be that, worn with pain And sickness, listen where they long have lain, In sadness listen. With maternal zeal Inspired, the Church sends ministers to kneel Beside the afflicted; to sustain with prayer, And soothe the heart confession hath laid bare,- That pardon, from God's throne, may set its seal On a true Penitent. When breath departs From one disburdened so, so comforted, His Spirit Angels greet; and ours be hope That, if the Sufferer rise from his sick-bed, Hence he will gain a firmer mind, to cope With a bad world, and foil the Tempter's arts
SHUN not this rite, neglected, yea, abhorred,
By some of unreflecting mind, as calling
Man to curse man (thought monstrous and ap palling).
Go thou and hear the threatenings of the Lord; Listening within his Temple, see his sword Unsheathed in wrath to strike the offender's head,
Thy own, if sorrow for thy sin be dead, Guilt unrepented, pardon unimplored.
Two aspects bears Truth needful for salvation; Who knows not that?—yet would this delicate age Look only on the Gospel's brighter page: Let light and dark duly our thoughts employ; So shall the fearful words of Commination Yield timely fruit of peace and love and joy.
To kneeling Worshippers no earthly floor Gives holier invitation than the deck
Of a storm-shattered Vessel saved from Wreck (When all that Man could do availed no more) By Him who raised the Tempest and restrains: Happy the crew who this have felt, and pour Forth for His mercy, as the Church ordains, Solemn thanksgiving. Nor will they implore In vain, who, for a rightful cause, give breath, Tc words the Church prescribes, aiding the lip For the heart's sake, ere ship with hostile ship Encounters, armed for work of pain and death. Suppliants! the God to whom your cause ye trust Will listen, and ye know that He is just.
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