Canadian Wild Flowers Part 26

Before me death and judgment rise,-- I turn my head and close mine eyes, There's naught for me to fear or do, I _know_ that he will bear me through!

Alone with Jesus! earth grows dim,-- I even see my friends through him; Time, s.p.a.ce, all things below, above, Reveal to me one Life, one Love,-- That One in whom all glories s.h.i.+ne, All beauties meet--that One is mine!

THE LOST BABE.

There was a bower that love had reared And beautified with care; One day a messenger appeared And asked admission there.

He was not welcome to the bower, For something in his face, Where'er he went, had always power To cloud the brightest place.

Love barred the door, and cried, "Forbear, Thou art no bidden guest"; Then gathered up her jewels rare And hid them in her breast.

Still louder knocked he than before, And still he was denied; Then, laughing at the well-barred door, He threw it open wide.

"I come from Paradise above,"

The messenger began: "Oh, not in anger but in love G.o.d worketh out his plan.

"Sent from the King's eternal throne My mission to fulfill, I ask one jewel of thine own,-- It is the Master's will:

"One birdling from the parent nest, One lamb from out thy fold, To nestle in the Saviour's breast As did the babes of old.

"How safe! Her resting-place how sweet!

But thou wilt sadly miss The busy hands, the dancing feet, The prattle and the kiss.

"There comes an hour, so long foretold That many deem it vain, When in his arms thou shalt behold That precious lamb again.

"When earth and sea at G.o.d's command Their treasures shall restore Then thou shalt clasp this little hand, Nor dread a parting more."

Love wept--her very bosom bled For that lost little one; But Faith supported her and said, "The Master's will be done."

THE DAY OF WRATH.

"The great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?"

--Rev. 6:17.

The nations tremble, and the isles are moved; All cheeks are gathering paleness; lips are dumb That smiled in scorn but yesterday, or proved The day of wrath would not for ages come; Each eye is fixed--there seems nor life nor breath In that vast human sea,--but ah! it is not death.

The morning broke in splendor, as it rose Upon the fated Cities of the Plain; And men went forth refreshed from their repose, Where duty called them, or the love of gain; When sudden as the lightning's vivid glare Like heated furnace glowed the earth, the sea, the air.

From the Equator to the frozen Pole, All nations saw, and understood "the sign"; The seventh angel sounded! like a scroll The heavens departed, and a Form divine And awful in its grandeur was revealed,-- The sun and moon grew pale, and earth astounded reeled.

Then rose a wail of anguish and despair-- By men, by angels, never heard before; The tones of earth and h.e.l.l were mingled there, Henceforth to be thus mingled evermore Beyond the reach of Mercy's loving ear, Who wept and pleaded once--but will no longer hear.

But hark! in contrast what a shout of joy Goes up to heaven; it tells of victory won O'er sin and death, o'er all that can destroy,-- It tells of life eternal just begun,-- Of bliss coeval with the endless years,-- Of love that waited long for Him who now appears.

My soul consider--'t is no idle flight Of fancy, when she pictures thus the day When sun and planets shall withdraw their light, And heaven and earth like smoke shall pa.s.s away; G.o.d hath declared it; and our Saviour hath, And lo, it hastens fast--that dreadful day of wrath.

Where wilt thou find a shelter from the storm?

Not wealth, nor power, nor friends can succor then; How wilt thou gaze upon that glorious Form That seals the doom of angels and of men?

How wilt thou stand before the judgment seat And every idle word, and thought, and action meet?

O Lamb of G.o.d whose blood was shed for me,-- Redeemer, Saviour, Lover of mankind,-- Spread over me thy robes that I in Thee A shelter from that dreadful storm may find,-- And calm amid the tumult and despair Look at the great white throne, and see my Surety there!

THE BELIEVER'S SAFETY.

Ah, Christian, why is thy heart sad and thy brow clouded? Hast thou been gazing down into the depths of thine own soul, and--art thou startled at what thou hast there seen? Hast thou met with evil thoughts which thou wouldst gladly never have harbored, and art thou despairing because of thy short-comings and unworthiness? Art thou looking to the future with dread, and trembling lest in the hour of trial and temptation thou wilt fall?

Turn away thine eyes from the pollution of thine own sinful heart, and gaze upon One who has become a perfect sin-offering for thee. True, thou art frail and unworthy, but the Lamb that was slain _is worthy_, and his perfection is enough for thee; his righteousness alone recommends thee to the Father. Dost thou trust in him with all thy heart? Dost thou hope for eternal life because he died? Then thou art safe. "The eternal G.o.d is thy refuge, and underneath thee are the everlasting arms." The storms may howl, and tempests may gather around thee; the billows may rage, but they only lash the Rock upon which thou standest. "Though the earth be removed, and the mountains be cast into the midst of the sea;" yet thou art safe, for he who made the heavens and the earth is thy Father. He who commandeth the sun, and it riseth not, and sealeth up the stars; "who alone spreadeth out the heavens and treadeth upon the waves of the sea," is thy nearest and dearest friend. The same voice which said, "Let there be light, and there was light;" which commanded the raging waters, "Hitherto shalt thou come, but no farther: and here shall thy proud waves be stayed,"

is still whispering in thine ear, "Fear thee not, for I am with thee; be not dismayed, for I am thy G.o.d." Yes, thou art safe! thou art trusting in the mighty One of Israel, and thou shalt never be confounded.

Thou hast been looking away into the regions of the blessed; thou hast beheld with an eye of faith the things which G.o.d has prepared for those that love him, and amid the ineffable glory of that beautiful world thou hast heard the voices of the redeemed from the earth, saying: "Salvation to our G.o.d which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb," until thou hast longed to join with them in the song of redemption, singing praises forever and ever to him who has ransomed thee with his own precious blood. Then a cloud has gathered over thee, thy sinfulness has risen like a mountain, and thou hast sighed in thy spirit, "Oh, that I were sure of a part with them; oh, that I was safe as they!" and thou art as safe this moment with thy feet upon the Rock of Ages, as if thou didst walk the golden streets of the New Jerusalem, or bow with the angelic hosts around the dazzling throne of thy Creator. Thou art safe, for thy "life is hid with Christ in G.o.d"; and could'st thou ask for a surer hiding-place! Thou hast entered into an everlasting covenant with the King of kings, and while thou dost cling to his side shall it ever be broken? Thou hast entrusted thy soul into his hands, and is he not able to "keep that which thou hast committed unto him?" Thine enemies are many and powerful, but what are they compared to the living G.o.d? In the hour of temptation "he will never leave thee nor forsake thee"; when thy foes surround thee on every side, and the darkness of midnight gathers over thy soul, the Almighty arm shall lift up a standard, and thou shalt safely repose "under the shadow of his wings." "The Lord is thy rock, and thy fortress, and thy deliverer." "The Lord is thy light and thy salvation; whom shalt thou fear? The Lord is the strength of thy life, of whom shalt thou be afraid?"

Then look up, Christian! 'tis no time for desponding. The glittering spires of the Eternal City are already heaving in sight; perchance another storm, another beating against the fragile bark, and thou art there! Already the music of that glorious land steals softly over the roaring billows, and reminds thee thou art nearing the peaceful sh.o.r.e.

Already the dark cloud which gathers above thy head is tinged with the beams of immortal glory, and away in the distance thou canst behold the first faint glimmerings of the Morning Star. Joy for thee, O wanderer! the shadows of the night are pa.s.sing away, and the unclouded morning comes on apace!

Yes, thou art safe! lift up thine eyes, And calm thy anxious fears; The Sun of glory gilds the skies, And Christ thy life appears.