The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1864-01-05
When the world sprang out Of chaos,

And this earth awoke in beauty,
Darkness hung her sable sesltle
Clothed in mourning all earth's beauties,
fingered in the whispering treetops, 5
{ Sunk to rest meath forest branches, ~,
Haunted every nook and corner,
Then the Maker spake, commanded,
Light came forth in dancing sunshine, tis{
Making Joyous all earth's beauties,
Woke to life all sleeping Nature, s.
Sparkled in the surging ocean,
Laughed upon the ripping river,
Kissed the little shining dew drop, gas
Travelled on. till meeting darkness,
Bade her leave the earth forever.
Darkness left not, moved not, stirred not,
But she claimed the oldest birth-right.
Then the Ruler came and gently
Bade them bear their crosses meekly,
Told the light to rule the daytime,
And the darkness rule the evening, Est
Bade them each to each be friendly;
In the sunshine crept the shadow,
In the darkness rode the moonlight.
In the peaceful Eden garden, NJ.
Beauty stamped her perfect finger,
Andt graeefal swaying branches
Waved and nodded to each other,
And the little ripping river
Murmured music tn the Willows,
And the flowers glcsed with beauty,
Il iilfu TIC nlT Will iINgFHui HcclWT,
Dropped their modest heads low downward.
Blooned, and sent their breathings upward.
In this garden filled with beauty
Satan wandered, clothed in darkness,
On its beauties frowpea her,lark.y,3 ~Uc.
Frowned on all its trees and flowers,
Hated, in his heart, the flowers,
Deeply hated murinuring music, 80
Hated birds and hated gardens.
Hated earth and cursed its Maker!
Various ferns he took, and many
Plans devised to mar cnrth's beauties,
Charms he wore, and fascinatioas
To allure and tempt the woman
When our parents, Eve and Adam,
Plucked and ate the fruit forbidden.
Darkness filled their minds with evil,
Ruled their heapts and ruled supremely:
Light breke In upon the darkness,
God came forth in oil his glory,
Though he banished them from Eden,
Though he bade them toll and labor,
Working hard thro' all life's Journey.
Still he pointed to by.path
Which. if followed close would lead them
To the peany gate celestial.
Thus our parents, Eve and Adam,
Struggled ON amid life's duties,
tainted not because of trials,
Murmured not because of sorrows,
Trying 20 avoid the darkness
That would lead them downward. dow inward,
Struggling to keep the pathway
That would lead them TO the sunlight.
Years passed on, and their descendants
Followed in their very footsteps,
Often wandering mid the darkness,
Often weary Of the darkness,
For the darkness leading downward
Seemed oil bright--yet gave no comfort
Seemed all cheerful-yet was dreary,
Seemed all bean,y--yet not pleasing,
Seemed oil promising--but gave not.
Ever seeming, seeming, seeming.
Till the craving heart so weary
tainted by the wayside dreary.
Then they sought the pathway higher
That would lead them TO the sunlight;
Then the light would beam npon them,
Then Gods smile would rest upon them,
For the narrow way was cheerful,
Giving jov, and peace, and comfort.
Giving light, and hope, and wisdom,
Giving love, and life and Heaven,
Let US, then, avoid the dark path,
II is drcary, il is dismal
II is lonely and forsaken--
tis gloomy, dark and cherries,
And leadc downward, downward, downward
Erer down to utter ruin,
Satan is himself the darkness,
Wickedness itself, the dark path.
And the little narrow pathway
Steep an d rugged where it opens,
Grows more level and more cheerful, !.
Passes little springs Of water
Bubbling up from life's great fountain.
And the traveller, spirit.weary,
Drinks, and thirsts no more forever.
And the sunbeams ever linger-
Lingers cen amid the shadow,
Growing brighter, brighter, brighter,
As we near the gate celestial.
Jesus is himself the day-spring,
Giving joy. and peace, and comfort
Giving light, and hope, and wisdom
Giving love, and life. and Heaven,
He's the sunlight Of his people.
MAGGIE.