Изображения страниц
PDF
EPUB

HYMN 624. P. M..

CHILDREN of the glorious dead,
Who for freedom fought and bled,
With her banner o'er you spread,
On to victory.

2 Not for stern ambition s prize,
Do our hopes and wishes rise;
Lo, our Leader from the skies,
Bids us do or die.

3 Ours is not the tented field-
We no earthly weapons wield-
Light and Love, our sword and shield,
Truth our Panoply.

4 This is proud oppression's hour;
Storms are round us: shall we cower?
While beneath a despot's power
Groans the suffering slave?

5 While on every southern gale
Comes the helpless captive's tale,
And the voice of woman's wail,
And of man's despair?

6 While our homes and rights are dear,
Guarded still with watchful fear,
Shall we coldly turn our ear

From the suppliant's prayer?

7 Never! by our country's shame-
Never! by a Saviour's claim
To the men of every name,
Whom he died to save.

8 Onward, then, ye fearless band-
Heart to heart, and hand to hand;
Yours shall be the patriot's stand-
Or the martyr's grave.

HYMN 625. L. P. M.

Warning to magistrates.-Psalm 58.

JUDGES, who rule the world by laws!
Will ye despise the righteous cause,
When vile oppression wastes the land?
Dare ye condemn the righteous poor,
And let rich despots live secure,

While gold and greatness bribe your hand?
2 Have you forgot or never knew,
That God will judge the judges too?
High in the heav'ns his justice reigns:
Yet you invade the rights of God,
And send your bold decrees abroad,
To bind the conscience in your chains.
3 A poison'd arrow is your tongue,
The arrow sharp, the poison strong,
And death attends where'er it wounds;
You hear no counsels, cries nor tears;
So the deaf adder stops her ears

Against the pow'r of charming sound.
4 Th' Almighty thunders from the sky!
Your grandeur melts, your titles die,
As hills of snow dissolve and run ;
Or snails that perish in their slime,
Or births that come before their time-
Vain births that never see the sun.

5 Thus shall the vengeance of the Lord
Safety to all th' oppress'd afford;

And they who hear shall join and say,
"Sure there's a God that rules on high,
A God that hears the bondmen cry,
And will their sufferings well repay."

HYMN 626. 7s.

Rulers are but men.-Psalm 82.

GOD sits sov'reign on the throne,
He is KING of KINGS alone;

Ye that sway an iron rod!
Hear a message from your God;-
2" Heed the helpless orphan's cry,
Hear the friendless widow's sigh,
Plead the poor and needy's cause,
Save th' oppress'd from cruel laws."
3 Lo! they heed not,-on they go,
Dealing scourges, chains and woe
Justice weeps-her pillars shake-
All the old foundations quake!

4 What though call'd vicegerents now-
Gods on earth!-ye all must bow;
Haughty tyrants! ye must die;
Low your princely heads must lie.

5 Rise, O God! to save th' oppress'd,
Give the land of bondage rest;
God of nations! hear and save,
Oh! redeem the wretched slave!

HYMN 627. 6s & 4s.

YE spirits of the free!
Can ye for ever see

Your brother—man,

A yok'd and tortur'd slave,
Scourg'd to an early grave,-
And raise no hand to save,
E'en when you can?

2 Shall tyrants from the soul,
That they in pomp may roll,
God's image tear,

And call the wreck their own;-
While, from th' eternal throne,
They shut the stifled groan,
And bitter pray'r?

3 Shall he a slave be bound,
Whom God hath doubly crown'd

395

Creation's lord?

Shall men of christian name,
Without a blush of shame,
Profess their tyrant-claim

From God's own word?

4 No! At the battle-cry,
A host prepar'd to die,
Shall arm for fight:

But not with martial steel,
Grasp'd with a murd'rous zeal;
Their foes no arms shall feel
But LOVE and LIGHT.

5 Bas'd on Jehovah's laws,
Strong in their righteous cause,
They march to save;

Vain is th' oppressor's mail,
Against their battle-hail,

Till cease the woe and wail.
O ev'ry slave.

HYMN 628. C. M.

STRIKE off my galling fetters-strike!
My shackles rend in twain,
Unloose the yoke from off my neck,
And break my heavy chain;

Oh! let the breath of liberty
My burning temples fan;
For has not God created me,
A brother and a man?

2 And let the Sun of Righteousness,
Whence ev'ry blessing springs,
Arise upon my darkened mind,
With healing in his wings:
Oh! ask me not if liberty
Would youthful fires renew;
Or if I'd feel one single pang,
To bid my chains adieu:

[ocr errors]

3 Go ask the lion, fierce and wild.
With iron bars confin'd,

If he would like to roam at large,
And leave his den behind:
Or, ask the eagle, proud and bold,
Who'd cut the liquid air,

If he would like to leave his cage,
And freedom's blessings share?

4 Ask them and as the gleams of fire
Flash from each blazing eye,
Read in their lightning-glance,
And eloquent reply.

their stern

Then, Christian! why the fetter bind
Upon a brother's frame,

When nature from her inmost soul,
Doth freedom's law proclaim?

5 Tear off my bonds, release my limbs, And set my spirit free;

And let me revel in the sweets
Of new-born liberty:

Then shall thy righteousness shine forth,
Bright as the dawn of day;
God's glory thy reward shall be,
If thou wilt thus obey.

HYMN 629. S. M.

GOD gave to Afric's sons
A brow of sable dye,

And spread the country of their birth,
Beneath a burning sky.

2 To me he gave a form

Of fairer, whiter clay,-
But am I, therefore, in his sight,
Respected more than they?

3 The hue of deeds and thoughts,
He traces in his book;

"Tis the complexion of the heart, On which he deigns to look.

« ПредыдущаяПродолжить »