The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-04-21

onored standards of the good old Confession"
came from Westminster "two hundred yes
CO." the sentiments of this article should be t
carer to Southern PresbyteriAns, as they stand f
here their fathers stood, and are ready to say
n such mOngrel combinations-''0 o my soul, COL
OF thou into their secret; unto their assemb
line honor, be not thou united for in tn,
slfwill they down wall. 1-ED. CES. PREs.]
AN ODE.
Two hundred years, two hundred ears,
Cur bark Ger bilIowy seas,
Has onward kept her steady course,
Through hurricane and breeze;
Her Captain was the mighty One,
She braved the stormy foe,
And still He guides, who guided her,
Two hundred years agol
Her chart was Gods unerring word,
By which her course to steer
Her Helmsman was the risen Lord,
A helper ever near
Though many beauteous boat has sunk,
The treaehous waves below,
Yet ours is sound as she was built,
Two hundred years agOl
TheSFind that filed her swelling sheet,
From many point has blown,
Still urging her unchsnging course,
Through shoals and breakers, on
Her auttering pennant still the same,
Whatever breeze might blow,
1t pOinteth, as it did to heaven,
Two hundred years ago.
When FIRST our gallant ship was laun ehed,
Although her hands were few,
Yet danntless was each bosom found,
And every heart was truel
And still, though in her mighty hull,
Unnumbered bOsoms glow,
Her crew is faithful as it was
Two hundred years agOl
True some have left this noble craft
To sail the seas alone;
And made them, in their hour Of pride,
A vessel of their own;
All me, when clouds portentous rise,
When threatening tempests blow,
They'll wish for that old vessel built
Two hundred years ago.
For onward rides our gallant bark,
With all her canvass set,
In many a nation still unknown,
To plant her standard yet;--
Her Gag shall Aoat, where'er the breeze
Of freedoms breath shall blow,
And millions bless the boat that sailed
Two hundred years ago!
On Scotia's coast, in days Of yore,
She lay almost wreck,
Her mainmast gone, her rigging torn,
The boarders on the deck
There Cameron, Cargill, Cochran fell;
There Renwick's blood did flow,
Defending our good vessel built
Two hundred years ago.
All many martyrs blood was shed,
We may not name them all;
They tore the peasant from his hut
The noble from his hall
Then, brave Argyle, thy fathers blood,
For faith did freely flow;
And pure the stream as was the fount,
Two hundred years ago!
Yet onward still our vessel pressed,
And weathered out the gale;
She cleared the wreck, and spGced the mast,
And mended every sail,
And swifter, stauneher, mightier far,
Upon her cruise did go;-
Strong hands and gallant hearts had she,
Two hundred years ago!
And see her now-on beam ends cast,
Beneath q northwest storm,
Heaye overheard the very bread,
To save the ship from HARM
She rights she ridesl-hark, how they cheer
All's well, above, below!
She's tight, as when she left the stocks,
Two hundred years ago!
True to that guiding star which led
To Israeps Graded hope,
Her steady needle pOinteth yet
To Calvary's bloody top
Yes, there she floats, that good old ship,
From mast to keel below,
Sea-worthy still, as erst she was
Two hundred years ago
Not unto US, not unto US,
Be praise or glory given,
But unto Him, who watch and ward,
Hath kept for her in heaven;
Who quelled the whirlwind in its wrath,
Bade tempest cease to blow,
That God, who launched our vessel foSth,
Two hundred years ago
Then onward, speed thee, brave old bark,
Speed onward in thy pride.
Der sunny seas and pillows dark,
Jehovah still thy guide;
And sacred be each plank and spar,
Unchanged by friend or foe,
Just as she left Old Westminster,
Two hundred years ago.