The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1872-06-12
A Sunday Mornings Dream.

version is from the SOuHe|N ElolScOpet
Han.
From weeks of sickness and the opel
grave
Saved by His hand whose hand alon
can save,
With health returning, in my easy chat
sat and breathed the balmy summe
air
Through open windows, laden with per
fume
OF garden roses in their choicest bloom
with hope and joy renewed, gaze'
around,
Felt a new charm in every sight ant
And blest the power that gave for bed
of pain
June's fragrant breezes and sweet flow
ers again.
The Sunday sky was bright, and ia
and near
From spire to spire pealed out the call tt
prayer.
With anxious wish to share its joys once
I closed my eyes and thought the service
In fancy saw while listening to it
chimes
The ancient tower, the avenuesof lines
The graves adorned with flowers, the
cheerful throng,
Organ and choir and books. of sacred
song,
And parish girls and boys arranged in
pairs,
The galleries seeking by the spacious
stairs.
strove to join the throng, the portal
gain,
Some influence stopped me and I strove
in vain;
When stood in wonder fixed, and fear
A voice of solemn sweetness reached my
ear, ...
"A1ortal, just saved from death, beware" /"
it said
Tempt not the second death that waits
the dead, *.
Irreverent long and careless still deplore,
Your heartless worship and Offend no
more 'e~ r.....
Pause, ere in seeming praise you dare
again -
To mock Gods mercy and his house pro-
fame.
Pause, ere you dcsccrate His house of
prayer
And for blessing meet his vengeance
there"
stood with guilty blush and down.
eyes,
The angel saw and pitied-"AIine the
task"
He said, "to aid what suppliant mortals
ask,
To watt theirtears, their penitent sighs,
Their grateful prayers, like incense, to
the skies;
But ah! how poor the gift the purest
give, ..- a- ..-. ...
How cold the life to God that man can
live;
Come, thou shalt see the mockeries OF
prayer .-.. ...
And learn in time for others to beware
Learn that no call by careless lips pre-
For mercy's aid or grace is ever heard !;
That when the thoughtless tritier kneels
to pray
His words inaudib!c are swept away;
That even the pious prayer with tervor
fraught
TO osilcnce sinks, if narred by worldly
thought.
Mark, as we enter now, the notes how
rare,
How dull, how hushed the sounds Of
public prayer,
Suppressed the false, irreverent, careless
word,
How few, how low, how faint, the voices
heard!"
Placed by the altar now, I looked
around,
] saw lips moving but without sound,
I listened for the organs solemn strain,
The player toiled, but all his toll was
vain,
He presst the yielding keys with use
less skill,
No sounds sonorous answered at his will
From the full choir, though straining
every throat,
NY watchful ear could catch no answer
ing note,
And for the voice of worship long and
loud z. ...,..-
A dreary silence settled on the crowd.
One voice at last heard, distinct nd
clear,
The voice of childhood stole upon my
ear;
A voice of prayer like those that cherubs
The voice that God has made perfected
praise:
A broken, broken hearted cry
For mercy, simply uttered, reached the
Humbly from publican and sinner given.
The angel heard and sped its way to
Heaven:
And as he marked the voice, the cry, a
smile
Radiant as sunlight flashed along the
aisle,
Seraphic rapture shining from his face
Touched every breast and filled the sa-
place.
"Search now their hearts and see, ;"
the angel said,
"From what foul spings devotion's
stream is fed,
The natures see, how tainted and impure,
That Mercy saves and grace aud Love
endure;
Judge from their hearts their homage to
the skies
Judge what the gift to Gods all-seeing
eyes,"
Atonce to higher powers my spirit
awoke,
My sight grew keener as the angel spoke
Clear through all hearts | looked and
saw within :
The serpent forms of every cherished
sin,
Envy, hissingsnake, aud by its side
Slander noisome breath, and sneering
pride,
Ambition, vanity's fantastic train,
Profusion, and the greedy love of gain
Deep in the soul concealed the reptiles
nest,
Its s,sliny trail, glance, q frown, confes,
A scornful smile, supercilious stare.
An anxious, .clouded brow, of worldly
care, .
litter, and leer, and smirk demure ant
sly FL
Even in the pulpit lurked hypocrisy.
Gods house O lair Of unclean creatures
made
Half plying, half indignant, survey
ed,
A cloud of sorrow DER my spirit hung
And sharp rebukes stood trembling OF
my tongue.
Tho oDpal caW-tYOIf mourn an(