The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1862-07-15

Talking Of sects till late one eve. -
OF the various doctrines the saints believe,
That night stood in altroubled dream, a.
BY the side Of darkly flowing stream.
And "Churchmap'' down to the river came;
When heard strange voice call his name.
Good father. stop: when you:eross this tide,
You must leave your robes on the other side"
But the aged father did not mind,
And his long gown fioated out behind,
As down to the stream his way he took,
His pale Aands clasping giltedged book.
"Im bound for Heaven. and when I'm there
/ shall want my book Of common prayer;
And though put on starry crown
I should feel quite lost without my gown"
Then he fixed his eyes on the shining track,
But his gown was heavy, and held him back,
! And the poor old father tried iu vain,
A single step in the food TO gain.
saw him again on the other side,
But his silk gown foated on the tide:
And no one asked in that blissful SPOT,
Whether he belonged to "the Church" or not
Then down to the river Quaker strayed,
4 His dress Of sombre hue was made;
my coat and hat must be all OF grey,
I cannot go any other way
Then he buttoned his coat straight up 70 his chin.
And stadly, solemnly waded in.
Oer his forehead, so cold and white
But strong wind carried away his hat;
A moment he silently sighed over that,
And then, as he gazed on the farther shore,
The coat slipped off and was seen no more.
As he entered Heaven his suit Of grey
Went quietly sailng-away-away.
And none of the angels questioned him
About the width of his beavers brim.
Next came Dr. Watts with bundle of psalms
Tied nicely up in his aged arms.
And hymns as many, a very wise thing.
That the people in Heaven ''all round" might sing
But thought that he heaved an anxious sigh,
As he saw that the river ran broad and high
And looked rather surprised, as, one by one,
The psalms and hymns in the waves went down.
And after him. with his M. s. s.,
Came Wesley, the pattern Of Godhness,
But he cried, "Dear me, what shall do?
The water has soaked me through and through"
And there on the river far and wide.
Away they went down the swollen tide
And the saint, astonished, passed through alone.
Without his manuscripts, up to the throne.
Then gravely walking two saints by name,
Down to the stream together came,
But they stopped at the rivers brink,
saw one saint from the other shrink.
Il
How you attain TO life's great end?"
"Thus with few drops my brow,
But have been dipped, US you'll see me now.
And really think it will hardly do,
As Pm "close communion" to cross with you;
Your Bound. know, to the realms Of bliss,
But you must go hat way, and I'll go this"
Then straighiway plunging with oil his might.
Away to the eft-his friea to the right
Apart they went from this world of sin,
But at last together they entered in
And now, when the river was rolling on,
A Presbyterian Church came down.
Of women there seemed an innumerable throng,
But the men could count as they passed along.
The Old or the Ne,o way. which it could be,
Nor u moment paused - think
That 10Th would lead to the rivers brink.
And a sound of murmuring long and loud
Came up from the moving crowd.
you're in the old way and I'm in the new,
That is the false, and thi. is the true
Or, "Im in the old way and your IN The new
That is the false, and this is the true
But the brethren only seemed to sreak,
Modest the sisters walked and meek,
And if ever one of them chanced to say
What troubles she met with on the way,
How she longed to pass to the her side,
Nor feared to cross over the swelling tide,
voice arose from the brethren then;
Let no one speak but the holy men,
For have you not heard the wor,isof Paul,
oh! let the women keep silence all ,"
watched them long in nv curious dream,
Till they stood by the borler Of the stream,
Then, Just rs thought the two ways met,
But all the brethren We're talking yet,
And would talk on. till the heaving tide
Carried them over. si.ie by side;
Side by side. for the way was one.
The toilsone journeying of life was done,
And all who in Christ the Saviour died,
Came out alike on the other side;
No forms, or crosses, or books had they.
No gowns OF silk or suits OF grey.
No creeds to guide them, or manuscripts,
For all had put on Chrst's righteousness.