Juniata sentinel. [volume] (Mifflintown, Pa.) 1846-1873, 1867-07-10

BY the side OF darkly flowing stream.
4 nd "Churchman" down the river came:
When heard strange voice call his name
"Gcod father, stop: when you cross the tide
You must leave your robes on the other side ;
But the aged father did not mind,
And his long gown hoatcd gu; behind,
As down to the stream his way he took,
His pale hands clasping gilt-edged book.
.I'm bound for Heaven, and when I'm there
| shall want my book of Common Prayer +;
Aud though put on starry crown,
! | 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 in vain
A single step in the food to gain.
saw him again on the other side,
! Eut lilo elk gown fo.tod the lido;
And no one asked in that blssful spot,
! Whether he belonged TO '.Ms Church or no..
! "Nh HoN IL VIC iINtE u t.Ii1AtI atId vi,
! lis dres1 Of a sober hue was made;
MY Goa, and hat must be all Of gray.
| i cannot 60 any other way"
I Then lie buttoned his coat straight up to his
And staidly, solemnly waiei in. [chn,
tight
Over his fore head, so cold and white.
But n strong wind carried away his hat;
moment he silently sighed over that.
And ihcn as he garcd on the farthef shore,
The coat slipped off and was seen no more.
As he entered Heaven his sui. of gray
Went quietly sailing away, away,
and lone Of the angels questioned him
A5,at the width OF his beavers b.im.
Next came Or. 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 he heavci an anxious sigh,
As he saw that the river, broad and high.
And looked rather surprised as, one by one,
The Psalms and Hymns in the wave went
down.
And after him, with his MSS,
Came Wesley, the pattern of godliness;
Eu. cried Dear me, what shall do
The water has soaked them through and
through"
And there on the river, far and wide,
Away they went down the swollen tide,
And the saint astonishcd passed through alene,
Without the manuscripts, up to the throne.
Then gravely walking two saints By name,
Down to the stream together came;
But as they stopped a. the rivers brink,
| saw one saint from the other shrink.
"Sprink!ed or plunged, may ask you, friend,
How you attained 10 life's great end -
"THus with few drops on my brow"
But have been dipped, as you'll see ME
now
"And I really think it will hardly do,
As in close communion to cross with you.
You're bound, know, to realms of bliss;
But you must 60 that way, and III go this.
Then straightway plunging with all his might
Away TO the left his friend 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,
Presbyterian Church went down;
Of women there seemed an innumcrabe throng
But the men could coun, as they passed
along.
And concerning the road they could never
agree.
The old or the new way. which 1t should be,
Nor ever moment paused to think
That both would lead TO the rivers brink.
And sound Of murmuring long and loud
Came ever up from the moving crowd,
You're in the old way and I'm in the new, |
Ihls IS the lalse, ana thlS is Inc true,
Or" m in the old way, you're in the new,
That is the false, and this is the true
But The brethren only seemed to speak,
Modest the sisters walked, and meek
AM If ever one Of them Glanced to say,
What trouble sic met with on her way,
How she longed TO pass on the other side,
Nor fear to cross over the swelling tide,
voice arose from the brethren then:
''Let no one speak but the holy men;
For have ye not heard the words of Paul,
% let the women keep silence all?'"
watched them all in my curious dream
Till they stood by the borders of the stream,
Then, just as thought, the two ways met,
B1: all the brethren we're talking yet,