Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1872-12-06
190ehU
GOD.
TRANSLATED FROM THE RUSSIAN.

O thou Eternal Onel whose presence bright
All space doth occupy-all motion guide;
Unchanged through times all devastating flight,
Thou only God there is no God beside.
Being above all beings, mighty One
Whom none can comprehend and none explore!
Who fll'st existence with Thyself alone,
Embracing all, supporting, ruling DER!
Being whom we call God and know no more
In its sublime research, philosophy
May measure out the ocean deep-may count
The sands, or the SUMS rays-but God for Thee
There is no weight nor measure. None can
mount
Up to Thy mysteries. Reasons bright spark,
Though kihdled by the light, in vain would
try II
To trace Thy counsels, infinite and dark;
And thought is lost ere thought can soar SO
high,
Even like past moments in eternity.
Thou from primeval nothingness didst call
First chaos, then existence-Lord, on Thee
Eternity had its foundation; all
Spring forth from Thee-oflight, Joy harmony,
Sole original life, all beauty there;
Thy word created all, and doth create;
Thy splendor fills all space with day divine;
Thou art, and vast, and shall be, glorious,
-,as2 greatl
Life living, life sustaining potentate.
Thy chains the unmeasured universe surround
Upheld by Thee-by Thee einspired with breath
Thou the beginning with the end hast bound,
And beautifully mingled life and death
As sparks mount upward from the fiery blaze,
So sons are born, so worlds spring forth from
Thee;
And as the spangfes in the sunny rays
Shine around the silver snow, the pageantry
10f; heaven bright army glitters in Thy praise
Almillion torches lighted by Thy hand,
Wander unwearied, through the blue abyss
They own Thy power, accomplish Thy command
All gay with life, all eloquent with bliss,
Whatshall we call them? Piles of chrystallighti
A glorious company of golden streams2
Lamps of celestial ether burning bright?
Suns lighting systems with their joyous beamsi
But Thou to them art as the moon tonight.
Yes, as the drop of water in the sea,
All this magnifcence in Thee is lost;
What are ten thousand worlds compared with
~. Thee? a
And what ana /, thenl Heavens unnumber-
ed host,
Though nzustafgsed BY nlyriads, and array d
In all the glory Of sublinest thought,
Is but an atom in the balance weighed
Against Thy greatness-is a cypher brought
Against infnity. What am l, then? Naught.
Naughtl But the efHuence of Thy light divine,
Pervading worlds, hath reached my bosom,
too;
Yes; in my spirit doth Thy Spirit shine,
AS shines the sunbeam in a drop of dew =
Naughtl But live, and on Hopes pinions fly,
Eager toward Thy presence; for in Thee
live, and breathe, and dwell, aspiring high
E'en to the throne of Thy divinity.
l am, o, God, and surely Thou must bel
Thou artl directing, guiding all Thou art!
Direct my understanding, then to Thee;
Control my spirit, guide my wondering heart;
Though but an atom midst immensity,
Still am something, fashioned by Thy hand
l hold middle rank, 'twixt heaven and earth,
On the last verge of mortal being stand,
Close to the realm where angels have their
birth,
Just off the boundaries of the spirit land.
2sF = Weekly Press.