The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1858-02-27
From the Bloomington Pantagraph
ODE TO LIGHT.
BY CHARLTON 7, LEWIS,

Being in whom God still displays
| His first creative word, which sealed
In silence all the past, and filled
| The future with eternal praise
Older than time, yet always gay.
Stronger than storm, yet always mild
We watch thy gambols free and wild,
And still we love to see thee play
Around US; but we yearn to trace
That loftier path, which leaves behind
The soaring of mortal mind,
Where, leapiDg Ger the bounds Of space,
Thou wsrrest with eternal Night,
With Darkness ever falling back,
Aud all his children. draped in biaek,
And hidden from the angels sight;
To range the wide tracts thou dost claim
Each hour for HIn, and see thee write
On every step thou gain'st from Night
The glories of Jehovah's name.
For with such lustrous blossoming
Thy advent doth those depths renew,
Bright consultations burst to view
Like Howcrx beneath the STOPS OF Spring.
But who hath vision to command
That distant conflict. He alone
To whom beneath His chariot-throne,
The skies are banks Of golden sand.
Thy rays are swifter than dream;
Across the viewless deep they fly,
And picture to the wondering eve
All glorious things that are or seem.
The dazzling beauties Of the day,
The gentler lovelineSs of night,
The lily's garb of spotless white,
The blush upoIdhe rose of May;
The night-lamp of yon church yard mist
That dances with it, Pickering glare
About the grave-stone of despair
And frigh.s the CHASTITY exorcist;
That brightest pledge our God has given
OF watchful care for Earth dehied.
The bow ia when seven aDgc's smiled,
The ring that weds our world with Heaven;
The radiapce of the inner shrine
That gilds the holy cherubi.n,
And shines on those that worship Him
Between them shadow - all are thine.
Are ihine forever; day by day
The records of all earthly things
Are BONE on thy unwearied wings
Sill onward, with no change or stay.
\ nd may not purer spirits climb
To vision from loilier height,
Aud read. in fving folds of Light,
The persisted histories of Time.
Z 'f4s from childhood. one BIZ one,
h. parts that make the woudrous whole
Enter ald form within The soul;
But IHDr art s,ill unseen, unknown
Yet everywhere. on flower ard tree,
On tirid, and lake, ami mountain side,
Eartn- lOyeilne-s stands glorined,
When all the AIR IS Eliec with thee.
on thee. q perfect mirror, thrown.
The world cf iIie - given tO sight;
But oh, to gaze upon she LIGHrl
To see thee IL thv>eif alone
Bat patience DER ihe cropping mole
Thou hast no power bnt pain TO drlye,
bar migh.icr seu-eS than the hve
A.e sleeping ia the embodied soul:
And when we cannot feel nor hear
b. gross world closed sTCund our powers,
Theg move, in these most sacred hours,
And whisper Of ,Ay Essence near.
Ard these shall burs, their cell. and soar
Al length aDOye - fallen walls,
Aud r4Eze ths cyerl4s lnc halls,
And -ee ths secret place Of pO"er
Till then thy lsii-reveeliog veil
Must shade the face OF Deity,
Lest darkne>s-loring nam shouid see
E,sentlsI Light, and manhood fail
We !hus in weakness. iO-rsud blind.
Move onward ard the Infinite,
And seek that Unapnroached Light
Ics fear It, calling still ~ mind
Toe mount WHERE man and nature stood,
Both fallen and beneath the shock
Like great bells tOllcd within the rock
That hefaIGed their Judging God,
l.embied till He Ia sorTow born,
Came forth from death joyful birth.
And rose and sIGued throIgh all the earth,
The Star Of resurrection morn.
He moves throughout creations frame,
But IN thee ciO,elIc-t meets the mind.
Which IN thy threcioid beam may lind
The irlune emblem Of His name.
What gloriou, truth carth's gloom conceals,
Ouce placed within our spirits reach,
" here day TO day !s uiiei ing speech,
And night 10 night our lore reveals!
Bui uow each busy bias. of -in -
We meet, poisonous breath will dart
Across the threshold OF the heart,
And SIR The dust of doubt within;
Which. darkening all. no power can lay
Till lie. whose garment II the Light,
Shall told the trailing robes of night,
And shine in everlasting day.