Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1866-07-25

give no help. For the Archduke evidently
pressed his advantage to the utmost, and so
pressing it ruined the italian right wing.
The COVenanters' Night-Hymn.
BIZ DELTA
Making all allowances for the many over
colored pictures, nay, often one sided state
ments of suchapOlogetic chroniclers as Knox,
! MELVILLE, CalderwOOd and Row, it is vet
| difficult to divest the mind of a strong lean
ing towards the old Presbyterians and
champions of the covenant-probably be-
cause we believe them TO have been sincere,
and know them to have been prosecuted and
oppressed. Nevertheless, the liking is as
often allied to sympathy as appreciation; for
sitting Of motives exhibits in but too
many instances, q sad commixture of the
chaff of selishness with the grain of princl-
ple-an exhibition of the over and over
again played game, by which the gullible
many are made the tools of the crafty and
/ designing few Be it allowed that, both in
their teachings from the pulpit and their
teachings by example, the convention
proceeded more in the spirit of fanasicism
than of sober religious feelings, and that, in
their antagonistic ardor, they did not hesi-
tate to carry their prosecutions of which
| they themselves so justly complained into
the camp of the adversary-Sacrlfcing in
their mistaken zeal even the ennobling arts
of architecture, sculpture, and painting, as
adiuncts of idol worship-still it is to be re-
membered that the aggression emanated not
from them; and that the rights they con-
| tended for were the most sacred and inval-
liable that man possesses-the freedom of
worshipping God according to the dictates of
conscience. They sincerely believed that
the principles which they maintained were
right, and their adherence to these with un-
utterable constancy through good report and
through bad report; in the hour of priva-
ton and suffering, of danger and death; in
the silence of the prison cell; not less than
in the excitement of the battle field; by the
bloodstained hearth, on the scafold, and at
the stake-froms q noble chapter in the
history of the human mind-of man as an
accountable creature.
Be 1t remembered, also, that these relig-
ious prosecutions were not mere things Of
day, but were continued through at least
three entire generations. They extended
from the accession of james VI. to the Eng
lish throne (testibus the rhymes of Sir
David Lindsday, and the classic prose of
Buchanan,) down to the Revolution of
1858, almost q century, during which many
thousands tyrannically perish0d, without, in
the least degree loosening that tenacity of
purpose, or subduing that peTferridltnl IN
qeni1tn, which, according to Thuanus, have
been national characteristics.
As in almost all similar cases, the cause of
the Covenanters, so ostrenuously and unfinch-
ing maintained, ultimately resulted in the
victory of Protestantism-that victory, the
fruits of which we have seen of late years so
readily inclined to throw away; and in its
rural districts more especially of nothing are
the people more justly proud than
Of persecution and the Covenant.
Whose echo sings through Scotland to this
hour"
So saws Wordsworth. These traditions
have been emblazoued by the pens of Scott,
McCrie. Gait, Hogg, Wilson, Grahame, and
Pollock, and by the pencils of Wilkie, Har-
vey and Duncan, each regarding them with
the eve of his peculiar genius.
In reference to the following stanzas, it
should be remembered that during the hold
ing of their convepticles, which frequently,
in the more troublesome times took place
amid mountain solitudes, and during the
nights a sentinel was stationed on some COM
manding height in the neighborhood, to
give warning of the approach of danger
L.
Hol lpIaided watcher of tho hill.
What of the night ?-What OF the night!
The winds are low, the woods are still,
The countless stars are sparkling bright,
From out this heathery moorland glen.
By the sly wild fowl only trod.
We raise our hymn unheard Of men.
To Thee-an Omnipresent Tod.
II.
Jehovah though no sign appear.
Through earth our aimless path to lead.
THAI
A present help in time of need
Near as when pointing out the way.
For even in our peoples sight,
A pillared wreath of smoke by day,
Which turned to fiery flame at night.
III.
Whence came the summons forth to go2
From Thee aWoke the warning sOundl
"Out 10 your tents, o. Israel 10!
The heathen's warfare girds thee round.
Sons of the faithful! up away
The lamb must of the wolf beware
The falcon seeks the dove for prey;
The fowler spreads his cunning snare
".
Day set in gold; twas peace around.
Twas seeming peace by field and food;
We woke, and on our hntels f9und;
The cross Of wrath-the mark OF blood.
Lordl In Thy cause we mocked at fears,
We scorned the ungodly's threatning word.
Beat out our pruning hooks 70 & spears.
And turned our plOWshares into swords!
V.
Degenerate Scotland! days have been
Thy soil when only freemen trod-
When mountain craig and valley green,
Poured forth the loud acclaim to God
The fire which liberty imparts,
Refulgent in each patriots eye
And craven on nations hearts,
The World-for which We stand or die
VI.
Unholy change! The scorner's chair
Ts now the seat of those who rule;
Tortures and bonds, and death the share
of all except the tyrants tool:
m g. in which fat hers braatlad
And had their life, for which they died
That priceless heirloom they bequeathed
Their sons-our impious foes deride?
VII.
So We have left our homes behind.
And we have belted on the sword,
And We in solemn league have Joined.
Veal covenanted with the Lord.
Never to seek those homes again,
Never to give the sword its sheath.
Until our rights of faith remain
Unfettered as the air we breathel
VIII.
O. Thou, who rulest above the sky,
Begirt about with starry thrones,
Cast from the heaven of heavens Thine eye
Down on our wives and little ones
From hallelujahs surging round,
Oh I for a moment turn thine ear,
The widow PROSTATE on the ground,
The famished orphans cry to hearl
TX.
And Thou wilt hearl it cannot be,
That Thou wilt list the ravens brood,
When from their nest they cry to Thee.
And in due season send them food;
II cannot be that Thou wilt weave
The lily such superb array,
And vet unfed, unsheltered leave
Thy ehildren-as if less than they
x.
We have no hearth-the ashes lie
In blackness where they brightly shOne;
We have no homes-the desert shy
Our covering earth, our couch alone;
We have no heritage-depriven
of these we ask not much on earth;
Our hearts are sealed; we seek in heaven,
For heritage, and home and hearth
XII.
O. Salem city of the saint,
And holy men made perfect! We
Pant for thy gates our spirits faint
Thy glorious golden streets to see:-
To mark the rapture that inspires
The ran somed. and redeemed by grace;
To listen to the seraphs lyress
And meet the angels face TO face.
XII.
Father in heaven we turn not back,
Though briers and thOrns choke up the path
Rather the torture of the rack,
Than tread the wine-press OF Thy wrath.
Let thunders crash, let torrents shower,
Let WhirlWiuds ehurn the bowling sea,
What is the turmoil of an hour,
To an eternal calm with Thee?