CHILDREN OF THE LORD'S SUPPER. 213

Be what it may your condition, and walk before God in uprightness?

Will ye promise me this before God and man?'-With a clear voice

Answered the young men Yes! and Yes! with lips softly-breathing

Answered the maidens eke. Then dissolved from the brow of the Teacher

Clouds with the thunders therein, and he

spake on in accents more gentle,

Soft as the evening's breath, as harps by Babylon's rivers.

“ Hail, then, hail to you all! To the heirdom of heaven be ye welcome!

Children no more from this day, but by cove nant brothers and sisters!

Yet, for what reason not children? Of such is the kingdom of heaven.

Here

upon earth an assemblage of children, in heaven one father,

Ruling them as his own household, forgiving in turn and chastising,

That is of human life a picture, as Scripture has taught us.

Blessed are the pure before God! Upon purity and upon virtue

Resteth the Christian Faith; she herself from on high is descended.

Strong as a man and pure as a child, is the sum of the doctrine,

Which the Godlike delivered, and on the

cross suffered and died for.

O! as ye wander this day from childhood's sacred asylum

Downward and ever downward, and deeper in Age's chill valley,

O! how soon will ye come,-too soon!—and long to turn backward

Up to its hill-tops again, to the sun-illumined, where Judgment

CHILDREN OF THE LORD'S SUPPER. 215

Stood like a father before you, and Pardon, clad like a mother,

Gave you her hand to kiss, and the loving heart was forgiven,

Life was a play and your hands grasped after the roses of heaven! [eternal

Seventy years have I lived already; the father Gave to me gladness and care; but the loveliest hours of existence,

When I have steadfastly gazed in their eyes, I have instantly known them,

Known them all, all again;—they were my childhood's acquaintance.

Therefore take from henceforth, as guides in the paths of existence,

Prayer, with her eyes raised to heaven, and Innocence, bride of man's childhood.

Innocence, child beloved, is a guest from the world of the blessed,

Beautiful, and in her hand a lily; on life's

roaring billows

215

BALLADS AND OTHER POEMS.

Swings she in safety, she heeded them not, in the ship she is sleeping.

Calmly she gazes around in the turmoil of men; in the desert

Angels descend and minister unto her; she herself knoweth

Naught of her glorious attendance; but follows faithful and humble,

Follows so long as she may her friend; O do not reject her,

For she cometh from God and she holdeth the

keys of the heavens.—

Prayer is Innocence' friend; and willingly flieth incessant

'Twixt the earth and the sky, the carrier pigeon of heaven.

Son of Eternity, fettered in Time, and an exile,

the Spirit

Tugs at his chains evermore, and struggles like flames ever upward.

O

CHILDREN OF THE LORD'S SUPPER. 217

Still he recalls with emotion his father's mani. fold mansions,

Thinks of the land of his fathers, where blossomed more freshly the flowers,

Shone a more beautiful sun, and he played with the winged angels.

Then grows the earth too narrow, too close; and homesick for heaven

Longs the wanderer again; and the Spirit's longings are worship;

Worship is called his most beautiful hour, and its tongue is entreaty

Ah! when the infinite burden of life descend

eth upon us,

Crushes to earth our hope, and, under the earth, in the grave-yard,—

Then it is good to pray unto God; for his sor. rowing children

Turns he ne'er from his door, but he heals

and helps and consoles them.