Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1853-09-16
Tauler.
BY JOHN sassSLsAF WHITTIER.


Taulcr, the preacher, walked one autumn day
Without the walls of S.rasburg, by the Rhine,
Pondering the solemn Miracle of Life;
As one who, wandering in the stariess night,
Feels momently, the jar Of unseen waves,
Anu hears the thunder of an unknown sea,
Breaking along All unima,ined shorc.
And as be walked he prayed Even the same
Old prayer with which for half n Of years,
Morning and noon and Lev, eseninT nj P q and % heart
Thou seest, while teaching others, AIN blind;
Send NE a man that can direct my steps!
Then. as lie muscd, he heard along his path
4 sound of an old mans staff among
The dry, dead linden leaves and, looking ups
lie saw n stranger, weak and poor ana OLD.
"Peaee be unto thee father!' Tauer said;
..God give thee coed day The Old man raised %
Slowly his calm, blue eyes. 81 thank Thee, sonS
But all my days are good, and none are NJ
Wondering thereat, the preacher spake again:
.God give thee happy hfel' The old man smiled;
81 never am unhappy
His hand upon the strangers coarse, grey sleeve:
'.TelI me- D father, what thy strange words mean,
Surely mans days are evil, and his life
Sad us the grave 1t leads to.'
"Nay, my SON,
Our times are in Gods hands, and all our days
Are needs; for shadow as for sun,
For cold as heat, or want as wealth, alike
Our thanks are due, since that is best which is,
Is evil only devoid of good.
And for the happiness of which spake,
find il in submission TO His will,
And calm trust in the holy Trinity
Ui knowledge, Goodness, and Almighty Power"
Silently wondering for little space
stood the great preacher then he spoke as one
Who. sud,ien graphing with a haunting thought
Which lopg has followed, whispering tlr b the dark
Strange terrors, drags it, shrieking, into iisnt;
w hat if Gods viii consign thee hence to hell"
"Theh," said the stranger, checrily, 90 be It
What hell may be, know not; this know
/ cannot lose the presence of the Lord;
Vne one arm hTmliy' tbss ihs oths4 hSI qPSn Ssa,
clasps his Divinity. So, where 20,
H.. goes and letter FIRE walled he'll with him,
Than golden gated Paradise without
Tears sprang in Tauler's eyes. sudden light,
Like the first ray which fell on chaos, Glove
Apart the shadow wherein he had walked
Iarkly at noon. And as the stran2- old man
Went his slow way, until hls silver hair
Set like the white moon where the hills OF vine
Sop. 10 the Rhine, he bowed his head aud said:
"My prayer is ausyered. Goi hath sent the man
Long sought, to teach me, by his simple trust,
Wisdom the weary schoolnen never knew.
So entering with a changed and cheerful step
The city gates. he saw, far down the streets,
A mighty shadow break the light of noon,
" hich tracing backward till its airy lines
Hardened TO stony pinths, he raised his eyes
Der grand facade and lofty pe,iiment,
Ger architraye and frieze and sainted niche,
the stone lace work, chissclled by the wise
Erwiue of Steinbaeh-dizzily up to where,
In the moons brightness, the great ministers tower
Jeweled with sunDeams ON its mural crown,
Rose like visible prayer. Behold" he said,
Tie strangers faith mad. plain before mine eyeSl
As yonder tower outstretches u the Garth
The dark triang lie OF its shade alone
" hen the clear day is shining Oh its top,
30 darkness in the pathway of mans life
Is but the shallow Of Gods providence
BY the great sun of Wisdom cast thereon: