Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1860-08-11
MISCELLANEOUS READING.
A SUNDAY IN THE COUNTRY

Many readers or the Gazette nave enjoyed
the privilege of Witnessing 3 Sunday scene,
like that SO truthfully described in the fol
lowing lines from the "Hireling and Slaye:"
THE NEGRO AND THE SABBATH.
BY W. }. GRAYsos.
His, too, the Christian privilege to share.
The weekly festival of praise and prayer;
For him the Sabbath shines with holier light,
The air glows balmier, and the sky more bright;
Winters brief suns with warmer radiance glow,
With softer breath the gales ofAutumn blow,
Spring with new flowers more richly streus the
ground,
And Summer spreads fresher verdure round;
The early shower is past; the joyous breeze
Shakes patt'rng rain drops from the rustling
trees,
And with the sum- the fragrant offerings rise
From Natures censers to the bounteous skies;
With cheerful aspect, in his best array,
To the far forest church he takes his way;
With kind salute the passing neighbor meets,
With awkward grace the morning traveller greets,
And joined by crowds, that gather as be goes,
Seeks the calm JOY the Sabbath morn bestows.
There no proud temples to devotion rise,
With marble domes that emulate the skies,
But bosomcd deep in ancient trees that spread
Their limbs Ger moulderng mansions Of the
dead,
Moss -cinctured oaks and solemn pines between,
Of modest wood, the house of God il seen.
By shaded springs, that from the soping land ;.
Bubble and sparkle through the silver sand,
Where high o'er-arching laurel blossoms blow,
Where fragrant bays breathe kindred sweets
below,
And elm and ash their blended arms entwine
With the bright foliage of the mantling vine;
In quiet chat, before the hour of prayer,
Masters and slaves in scattered groups appear;
Loosed from the carriage in the shades around,
Impatient horses neigh and paw the ground;
No city discords break the silence here,
No sounds unmeet offend the listeners ear;
But rural melodies of focks and BIRDS
The lowing, far and faint of distant herds,
The mockng- bird, with minstrel pride elatc,
The partridge whistng for its absent mate,
The thrush's solitary notes prolOng,
Bold, merry blackbirds swell the general song,
The crested cardinal, of scarlet hue,
The Jay, with restless wing of softer blue,
The cawing crow--upon the loftest pine
Cautious and safe-their various voices join.
When now the pastor lifts his earnest eyes,
And hands oustretched, q supplant to the skies,
No rites of pomp or pride beguile the soul,
No organs peal, clouds of incense roll,
But, line by line, untutored voices raise,
Like the wild birds, their simple notes Of praise,
And hearts OF love, with true devotion, bring
Incense more pure to Heavens eternal King;
On glorious themes their humble thoughts employ,
And rise transported with no earthly joy;
The Blessing said the service DER, again
Their sacred voices raise the sacred strain;
Lingering, they love to sing Of Jordan's shore,S
Where sorrows cease and toll is known no more.
AIn these country churc,", where sometimes three or
hundred slaves assemble with dozen whites the de-
light the negroes in their spiritual songs and hymns.
The vorte subjects Jorans banks and the happy land
to which the singers travelling Their voices good
and they ofsingng The Sunday service
Is OF infinite enjoyment To theui and they conduct
themselves with perfect dccOrun anu attention.