Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-02-10
THE STREAM OF TIME.
By Albert G.. Greene, Is


The cease!e,s stream Of Tine rolls on
r Another ofhis years is gone,
To join the deep aud bountlcss sca---
The ocean OF Eternity
Hour after hour, sun after sun
fear after year, the stream rolls OH,
tnnuinbercd myriads, in tie vast,
Uncertain track of ages past
Have lived, the creatures of iay:
The stream rolled o.. and where are they.
Down TO the dust, i'll silence gone
IND NH tie stream cfIjwe rolls on.
Millions to Rome, oncc bowed the knee,
Rome ruled the world: and where is she
A name, an empty name alone
mn aAH TIE stream IF Tame rolls on.
Those conqueriug nations, whose array
Once made earth tremble where are thew
Kings, satraps, monarchs-thcy are cone:
IND sttHttc stream 0fIime rolls on.
Look DER the page which History hath traced;
What is it all a dark aud cheerless waste;
w mere man hath lived throughout this little span.
ihe slave or tyrant of his fellow man.
rom arc to ace, in her abhorrcd control
ir'ho Superstition held the human soul
In her long course of vengeance and ct guilt,
Tier hands still rcahing with the blood she split,
While History trcubled. as she pcnned the i q,
Dared for her uninteigiblc crccds:
As on the altar which her hands had raised
ne victim suffered, and the i,g.ot blazcd:
w ME halt the nations of the peoplcd earth
roufeo at her nod, thciG blood and treasure forth
But, not for nought borne her victims pain;
ne martyrs blood hath not been shed in vain;
glorious light is beaming from. their urn,
lnqucnched AID it hath never ceased to burn
Ana, like Il watch-ire blazing, it will warn
The countless millions who are vet unborn;
Ana tell the price which, once in Reasons van,
was pad to guard and sheid tie rights of Man
Sill may 1t burn! for, while one spark remains,
1t speaks, to Man, redemption from his chains
''lory to God! The night hath passed away,
ENpectint nations hail the coming day.
Bright visions crowd before the Christians eve;
The Patriots heart, with hope, is beating high.
triumphant Reason, with giants might,
Is now advancing in her path of light;
And, in the glorious course which she hath run,
With Joy hath led exulting freedom on.
And, guided by her still increasing ray,
In her great cause, our country leads the way.
Who could have dreamed, when first from Europe
shore,
Their wandering bark our pilgrim fathers bore,
That, here, so soon, nation to rise,
Born 10 such high and noble dc stinics;
To bear the cause Of Truth so bravey through.
and teach the world what frcc-born Man can do
How should our hearts, with gratitude, expand,
To Him vino placed our lot in such n land
Where EACH unclaimed by Tyranny's caprice,
JnaweG by man, may worship God in peace
May we, obedicnt to the will of Heaven.
SO the blessings which 10 us are given
That, when the varied scenes OF earth are DER.
And when the stream of Time shall roll no more:
When the bright planets shall no more rcvolve,
And, wrapt i'll flame, the elements dissolve
When burning stars shall leave their spheres on hiCl
And wheel to ruin through the fading sky;
We then may rise, with an unshaken trust,
With the perfected Spirits of the just
And join the bands that form the radiant zone,
Of holy Serapiin around the throne;
With robes made white in the Rcdccmer's blood.
To hymn the praises of the living GOD