AWAKE, ARISE, THY LIGHT IS COME. AWAKE, arise, thy light is come; Now at thy feet lie dark and dumb- And kings and princes haste to pay Their homage to thy rising lustre. Lift up thine eyes around, and see, O'er foreign fields, o'er farthest waters, Thy exiled sons return to thee, To thee return thy homesick And camels rich, from Midian's tents, thee; And Saba bring her gold and scents, See who are these that, like a cloud, Are gathering from all earth's dominions, Like doves, long absent, when allowed Homeward to shoot their trembling pinions. | Surely the isles shall wait for me, To bring thy sons across the sea, And waft their gold and silver over. And make the ground I tread on No more shall discord haunt thy ways, The sun no more shall make thee bright, But GOD Himself shall be thy Light, Shall light thy everlasting crown- Thy days of mourning all are ended. Which I have planted with this hand- THERE IS A BLEAK DESERT. AIR-Crescentini. THERE is a bleak Desert, where daylight grows weary What may that desert be? 'Tis Life, cheerless Life, where the few joys that come There is a lone Pilgrim, before whose faint eyes 'Tis Man, hapless Man, through this life tempted on There is a bright Fountain, through that Desert stealing, To pure lips alone its refreshment revealing What may that fountain be? "Tis Truth, holy Truth, that, like springs under ground, By the gifted of Heaven alone can be found. There is a fair Spirit, whose wand hath the spell "Tis Faith, humble Faith, who hath learned that, where'er Her wand stoops to worship, the Truth must be there. SINCE FIRST THY WORD. AIR-Nicholas Freeman. SINCE first Thy word awaked my heart, Like him, whose fetters dropped away And shall a soul Thou bid'st be free HARK! "TIS THE BREEZE. AIR-Rousseau. HARK!-'tis the breeze of twilight calling Guard us, oh Thou, who never sleepest, Grant that, beneath Thine eye securely Like 'sealed fountains,' rest till dawn. WHERE IS YOUR DWELLING, YE SAINTED? WHERE is your dwelling, ye sainted! Or hope to dwell with you there? Sages who, even in exploring And veiled your eyes in the blaze- Truths you had sown in your blood- Maidens who, like the young Crescent, From earth, and the light of the Present, Bright souls, to dwell with you there. HOW LIGHTLY MOUNTS THE MUSE'S WING. AIR-Anonymous. How lightly mounts the Muse's wing, Whose theme is in the skies- Though Love his wreathed lyre may tune, Yet ah! the flowers he round it wreathes Round which Devotion ties Sweet flowers that turn to heavenly fruit, Though War's high-sounding harp may be Are bathed all o'er with tears. How far more sweet their numbers rur Who hymn, like saints above, No victor but the Eternal One, No trophies but of Love! GO FORTH TO THE MOUNT. AIR-Stevenson. Go forth to the Mount-bring the olive-branch home, Bring myrtle and palm-bring the boughs of each tree With a light not their own, through the Jordan's deep tide, Go forth to the Mount-bring the olive-branch home, IS IT NOT SWEET TO THINK, HEREAFTER Is it not sweet to think, hereafter, When wearily we wander, asking Of earth and heaven, where are they, Upon whose portal yet they linger, Alas! alas! doth Hope deceive us? Shall friendship-love-shall all those ties To keep our hearts from wrong and stain, WAR AGAINST BABYLON. 'WAR against Babylon !' shout we around, War against Babylon!' shout through the world! Oh thou, that dwellest on many waters, Thy day of pride is ended now; And the dark curse of Israel's daughters Breaks, like a thunder-cloud, over thy brow! Make bright the arrows, and gather the shields, Swarm we, like locusts, o'er all her fields, 'Zion,' our watchword, and vengeance' our cry! Woe! woe!-the time of thy visitation Is come, proud Land, thy doom is cast And the bleak wave of desolation Sweeps o'er thy guilty head at last! War, war, war against Babylon! |