The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1867-07-24

PRAYER 0 FIT HE SOUTH
BY REV. FATHER RYAN.

BY REV. FATHER RYAN. 81
Nv brow is bent beneath heavy rod!
NV face is wan and white with many
woes, ...-4..-lE
But will lift my poor, chained hands to
God, 8 IL
And for my children pray, and for my
Beside the graves where thousands lowly
5 lie, ri rg % G2iaa d
kneel-and, weeping for each slaught-
cred SON.. .E
turn my gaze to my own sunny sky,
And pray, Oh! Father, may thy will be
52n donei .# @ |
My heart is filled with anguish, deep and
yasti l,i |
My hopes are buried with my children's
dust: ]tS s@a ai'ifs.
My joys have fed-my tears are flowing
fast; aa a. 3aR
{ In whom, save Thee, our Father, shall |
"a trust? a.. m aiaa allt aiT
All |, ] forgot Thee. Father, long and oft, 4
When ! was happy, proud, and rich and
But conquered now, and crushed, look
aloft, .,s
And sorrow leads me, Father, back to
Thee. @s
Amid the wrecks that mark the foeman's
path "a. ;.
I kneel-and, wailing Ger my gloriesi
/ still each thought of hate, each throb Of
DIS wrath, u @ y
And whisper-Father! let Thy will be
PITY me, Father of the Des0late. .Us I.{4l
Alas! my burdens are so hard to bear;
Look down in mercy ON my wretched fate,
And keep me, guard mo with Thy 10y.
ing care.
PITY me, Father! for his holy sake, a ,
Whose broken Heart bled at the feet OF
~ y. Grief l5bH'Hdt - 'f
That hearts of earth, wherever they shall
| ....r break. 5siaa a gBog ta eiial
/ Might 20 to His, and find u sure relief.
All, me! how dark! Is this a briefeclipse!
I Or is it Night, without Tomorrow sSun!
| Oh, Father! Father! with my pale sad lips
| And sadder heart, / pray-Thy will be
done! .,s,..3 y.s-Els as3l
My homes are joyless, and q Al million lilo
Where many met inj joys forever flown;
Whose hearts were light are burdeneu
4 . gonow, and lorn; -
4 Where many smiled but one is left to
b. 8 - moIrfl;iH taF .8i}st2iG EYE ttt+St
And all! the widows walls, the orphans
:, cries, ag a88 1t .3g8l iyiis ai.qe
a Arc mourning hymn and vesper cham
to me, 5.,ss eEtu atg iHisf !
, And groans of men and sounds OF women
Y "''H sighs ..ses.5,... a
eommingle, Father, with my prayer t.
Thee.
! Beneath my feet--ten thousand childrer
Il dead. ISL tSI2lee5llJ ssli.t
| oh how loved each known and name
: | "a e. less one! "a ri ,sA sa EpI
! Above their dust / bow my brownies
81 head, .rdt4 - -
! And murmu- Father still Thy will llB b
! re" done ss y, r ..E,e
All, Father! thou didstdeck Thy own love-
2 rs @ land. '@is "t' D
J, With ali bright charms and beautifu
e ls8s L and fair; hiia FAA
! But foeman came, and with a ruthies
r 5s hand a4s 5sns s. So sta @ q
] I. Spread ruin, wreck and desolation there
J, Girdled with gloom-osf all my br rig II
. | Ft.45t chn1'n.
Ana garmented with grief, ! kiss Til
: sae rod; E't -
And turn my face, with tears all wet an
i To catch one smile of pity.fro my Co
Around me blight, where all before W.
bloom
And SO much lost-alas. and nothin
$ won; ;38aa sos
n Save this--that I can lean on wreck an
n tomb, u
9 And weep-and weeping pras-Thy wi
q Yai9-r be done. A,3 80 5e ~
i And oh tits hard to say-but said, Z
= ~ ia, sweet i3;~94ais fitg.#tE !,
The words are bitter, but they hold
II II, balm; .,ssgtF LIT ..t. a.3 &,
: A hahn that heels the wounds Of my q
1 At' ' feat, ~ 1870, A,ai &
And lulls my sorrow into holy calm.
/, lit is the prayer of Prayers how
si brings, 800 ;, :.
, When heard in Heaven pence and no
: 81 & tome; ttlt
l. When Jesus prayed it, did not ange
II Clean mid the darkness Of Gethseman
=, !" Nv children, Father, Thy forgiveness net ne
= Alas their hearts have, only place
- tears;
III Forgive them, Father every wrongful de
And ev'ry sin Of those four bloody yea
And give them strength to bear I'll
Is 9.boundless Loss, 81. Is So,
hp0 And from their hearts take ev'ry thong
4 of bate; s a,s y. sil> 2.
A. And while they climb their Calvary W
80 $50 their Cross, - .+.I,., a.
Oh! help them, Father, to endure
II - weight. .,''s@ IT, "a <,
ct And,for my Dead, my Father, may pra
of All sighs may soothe, but prayers 50
of soothe me more! lfas
~ 1 Keep CCeTlldi Niboh soV'o
y Oh! rest their soals, my !Faatnef'iA
!: plore ia i, :.
e Forgive my foes--thcy know not v =:
he iGf they do - Iii,
sh Forgive them all the tears they nj
toll ,rSme shed l8i383i'i'55 ht2aA
ed Forgive them-though my noblcstl 8
nd asf}y they slew -
IL And bless them-though they curse
> poor Dead! s38i 100 7al I
'T, Oh, NAV nv woes be each a carrier d 40,
SIS With swift, white wings, that, bath 14
p in my tears, :. .....s >.
~ Will bear Thee, Father, all my prayer
e love,
oi And bring ME peace in oil my ao'
w sa and fears. j. ST
the Father! j kneel mid ruin, wreck
I grave, Fl, ,,3t55a u
tu- A desert waste-wherc all was ers