The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1876-05-20
VOLUME XII.
PHIEE.lS.

| Phineas, ma, who preached the Word of God
Acceptably; whose feet seemed planted well
| And running swiftly on the heavenward road,
Once, in a moment of blind passion fell
lis true temptation like a whirlwnd came,
And pleasing voices whispered, "Lo, it is nc
| cTime!"
| But when the deed was done his beacon flame
Was gone-His feet were deep in slime!
Yet still Gods Gospel, ling ring on his lips,
| Came TO his people in the usual voice;
Bound by his secret, had no right OF choice
| And Phineas groaned beneath the lie he lived,
| Through many q sckened day and burnin night
| Until his tortured soul, chafed sore and over
Gatsered a wall and cried to God for light.
And God, to whom none ever called in vain
From the sincerity Of anguish, sent,
Through visions born of sleep and mental pain,
stern, just Angel, with His covenant.
Poor Phineas, tossing in troubled sleep,
6eheid, impressed as answer to his prayer,
The words: Repent Contest in livid letters Greer
Along nights wall Of darkness, everywhere.
And, rising at his bedside like fame
The Angel stood, with stern, upbraiding eye;
Bless God l-o'er lambert depths of charity.
And thug a voice: /" Oh, Phineas. much beloved;
Thy sin is great, and deep huniiities
Even the edse Of Hell, with ali its niiseriesl
Think not that other voice than that of prayer,
And free confession, e'er can set thee right:
For sins like thine work outward to the air,
And load with poison whispers Of the night.
" Thou mayst not preach the cursed thing away
Zen nom the human sense Of eye and ear.
Buried, however deep, in gossamer.
But, to the helping hands of God and men,
Thyself must give thy sin for burial.
With grief, and tears, and prayer; and then
Humbly condemn myself in sight of ALL
4" How couldst thou haunt the pure. white robe Of
Day uttering speech 70 Day through thee,
While Of thee Night to Night, 'mong maids and
Taught scandal and such vile impurity,
d" Il is not brave to hold with brazen face,
10 10 EYES s, shining be Light sI in sight,
Skulks from the soul laid open to the light
Confess thy sin And, all hereafter, words
OF thine, with double meaning, right and wise,
Shall slay the Wronglike two-edged swords.
" Thy dark environments are tests to show
The strength Of truth in thee. However, dire
The ordeal, speak the truth and men win know
Thou hast a soul well tried in hottest fire!
|" The passions of weak flesh Ny Grace forgives,
But not the willfui sins of souls that lie:
What the soul does, forever, like it, lives
For peace or torment! Flesh was made to die.
{ Repenti Confess! Confession from thee now
Would be sermon which who never fell
How Truth redeemeth from the edge of Hellr
This said, the Angel vanished Suffering Phineas |
saw,
With inner vision, by the trailing light
lie left, Old Sinai, Scriptural Mount of Law
Groaning with wrathful thuEders-black as /
night.
ike poised fate the rocking mountain seemed
Bending above him, threat ming horrors dire;
Whilst, topmost mid its browning lghtnings,
The broken Law in words of blood-red fire.
'ut. far above It, vending peaceful skies,
Instant the Angel, on the heavenly road
low far returned, flashed wings, and Phlneas'
eyes
Beheid the City of the Living God;
md all its battlemented reach Of goIdt
Was thronged with faces bathed in prayerful
awe :.
Thile Phineas heard "IeIp him the truth e unfold, |
For Truth alone can match hisa from the Laic ~
hen, d. 1ed with glory, Phiseas walked. The sun,
arisen,
FLOODED his room with young and vigorous day;
efore that day grew old, his secret, out OF prison.
Was drowned in seas of grief-but he was free!
"a = r. H. Campbell. |