Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1829-11-20
Thou hast swo,n 5y thu God, Ny Jeanne

OF an old MAJ, with whom have persisted many
beautiful songs, remnants Of the times which
we're. He was . Gissenter from the Church OF
Scotland, and had all that stern severity of de-
meanor, aad rigidness Of mind, which belonged
10 those trained in the old school OF divinity,
under the iron discipline OF Scottish Presby'e-
rianism. Yet when kept aloof from religious
dispute, when his native goodness was not
touched with the sour heaven of bigotry, he
was nah {" after Gods own heart" There IL
charac, eristic trait of him which will tighten
the darkness Of superstition which gave II
birth In tina, yiolen persecution in the reigns
OF James VII. and Charles II one OF the per-
secuted preachers took refuge among the wild
hills 10 the County Of Dumfiies. On beau
,iful green topped hill, called the Wardlaw,
was raised pulpit OF sods. where he preached
10 his congregation. General Dalzell has'ened
on with his dragons, and dispersed the asse m
6!y,-this consecrated the spot. Our old pa
,riarch, in the fine Sabbath evenings, would 60
with his wife and children TO the Wardlaw,
through some miles Of rough road distant,
seat himself in the preachers place, and "fdke
tie Beuk." with his family around him. lie
would kneel down, aud, with all the How OF re-
ligious eioquence, hold converse with his God.
This song was his favori,e, and he usually sang
il a, Hahoweens, at Kirk-Suppers, and other
Trystes:
Thou hast sworn BY thy God, my Jeanne,
BY that pretty white hand o. thine,
And BY a. the lowering stars in Heaven,
That thou wad ny be mine
And hae sworn by my God. my Jeanne,
And b, that kind heart o. thine.
And by a the stars sown thick owre heaven,
That thou shalt ave be mine
Then foul "a the hand that wad loose sic bands,
An the heare that wad part sic love,
but there's nae had loose my band,
Blu, the finger O. God above.
Tho the wee, wee cot msun be my bield.
An my clAithing DER sac mean,
wal lap me up rich i the faulds o. luve
Heavens armfu' o. my Jean!
Her white arm wad be pillow for me,
Flu safter than the down
An love winnow his kind, kind wings,
An sweetly I'D sleep an SCUM
Come here to me thou lass o. my luve,
Come here and kaeel wi me,
The morn is fu' o. the presence of God,
An Gamma pray but without thee.
The morn wind is sweet 'msng the beds o now Aow.
The wee birds sing kindle an HE. (er,
Our GUIDE msnlesns owre his kale.yard dyke,
An n b,he auId botlie ishe,
The BEUK msun be ta'en when the earle comes hame,
WI The hole psslmodi-.
an thou msun speak o. me to my God,
And will speak O. thee!
This exquisite mixture Of love, and reverence
10 God. is hardly 2aralleled in the annals Of
song. I, is warmly touched with The holy
breath OF love, and yet nigh, well beseem the
devotional lips Of the old man who sang it,
fl seems to have been writen in those hnc'u
atng times. when the hands which were taking
tho Beuk would have been reeking with blood;
when III, Geld Of deadly strife b-cam- In lie"
minutes the cons. Grated ground Of religious
devotion. In those lines love was tempered
with religion. and this song is foe example
of devotion Christening the passion OF love, SD
as not to exiinguish, but 10 refine it to purer
fame When the turbulence Of war had sub.
sided, there was time for approaching :he
blessings Of reposr, and Cor composing songs
glowing With rural ,magery, and ripe with rp,
raj sentiments. 10 such times this song evil.
IDENTIFY belongs.