True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1855-01-18
ODE TO THE DEITY.
BY pERzuAvIN-EUssIAN POET.

Oncnangeu through lllhc 'ui-"S '"'0"S
flight;
Thou only God There is no God beside! !
Being above all beings! Mighty One!
Whom none can comprehend and none
explore
Who fllst existence with Thyself alone;
Embracing all-supporting- ruling DER
Being whom we call God, and know no more!
In its sublime research, philosophy
May measure out the ocean deep; may count
The sands or the sun rays-but God for
Thee mount
There is no weight nor measure:-none can
Up to Thy Systeries; Reasons brightest
spark, [try
Tho kindled by Thy light, in vain would
To trace Thy councils, infinite and dark:
And thought is lest, ere thought can soar
on high,
Even like past moments in eternity.
Thou from primoval nothingness didst call
First chaos, then existence; Lord, on Thee
Eternity had its foundattion--all
Sprung forth from Thec-of light, joy,
harmony,
Sole original life, all beauty Thine.
Thy word created all, and doth create;
Thy splcndor fills all space with rays divine.
Thou art, and vert, and shalt be ! Glorious!
Great
Light-giving, lifc-sustaing Potentate!
Thy chains the unmeasured universe sur
round; breath
Upheld by Thee, by Thee inspired with
Thou the beginning with the end hast bound
And beautifully mingled life with death.
As sparks mount upwards from the fiery
blaze, Thee
So suns are born, so suns spring forth from
And as the spangles in the sunny rays
Shine round the silver snow, the pageantr,
Of heavens bright army glittcrs in Th.
praise.
A million torches, lighted by Thy hand,
t Wonder unwcaried thro' the blue abyss:
' They own thy power, accomplish thy CON
S mand,
All gay with life, all eloquent with bliss.
s What shall we call them? Piles of cryst'
e light
y A glorious company Of golden streams
y Lamps of celestial ether burning bright
|. Suns lighting systems with their joyor
beams?
/ But Thou to these art as the noon to nigh
n Yes! as drop of water in the sea,
It All this magnifcencc in Thee is lost
!. What are ten thousand worlds compare
C to Thee? ber'd hos
% And what am I then? Heavens unnur
l. Tho multiplied by myraids, and arrayed
/ In all the glory Of sublmcst thought,
Il Is but an atom in the balance weighed,
is Against Thy greatness is cypher brought
J. Againstinfnity! What am I then? nough
-. Nought! But the cfluence of Thy lig1
:, divine, Ttoc
= Prevailing worlds, hath reached my boso
; Yes! in my spirit doth Thy spirit shine
g As shines the sunbeam in drop of de-
!, Nought! but I live and on hopes pinions
"a Eager towards Thy presence; for in TIL
y I live, and breathe, and dwell; aspiring hig
Even to the throne of Thy divinity.
! I am, O God! and surely Thou must b
j. Thou art directing, guiding all, Thou al
TX Direct my understanding, then, to The
u Control my spirit, guide my wand'ring he'
u Though but an atom amidst immensity,
ID Still am something fashion dby Thy han
le I hold a middle rank 'twixt heaven al
lo earth,
j. On the last verge of mortal being stand,
O. Close to the realms where angels have tht
~ birth,
Ol Just on the boundaries of the spirit Ian
IL The chain of being is complete in me ;
r In me is matters last gradation lost,
is And the next step is spirit-Deity!
is can command the lightning, and am du
n, A monarch and slave; a worm, God
n, Whence came I here, and how? so mi
is, vellously Tcl
- Constructed and conceived? unknown Il
It, Lives surely through some higher enerl
'r, For from itself it could not be
he Creator yes! Thy wisdom and thy wor
n Created me! Thou source of life and 90,
Thou spirit of my spirit, and my Lord
Thy light, thy love, in heir bright pier
IL tude
m Fil'd me with an immortal soul, to spri
al, Over the abyss of death, and bade it W
no n The garments of eternal day, and wing
for 1ts boororlr A;oh+ bovond tb;s l;tt,o snb,