Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1878-05-16

THE DYING HEBREWS PRAYER

THE DYING HEBREWS PRAYER
Every lover of beautiful poetry wi
appreciate the following. 1t was first
it is said, found in political satir
entitled esThe DEVILS Progress,
published nearly a half a century ago
in London Ed. LEDGER.
A Hebrew knelt in the dying light
His eye was dim and cold,
The hairs Oh his brow were silver
white,
And his blood was thin and old!
He lifted his look to his latest sun,
For he knew that his pilgrimage wa
done!
And as he saw Gods shadow there
His spirit poured itself in prayer:
81 come unto deaths second birth,
Beneath a stranger air,
A pilgrim on dull, cold earth,
AS all my fathers werel
And men have stamped me with {
curse,
[ feel it Is not Thine.
Thv mercy-like yon sun-was made
ON meas them-tO shine;
And, therefore, dare lift nine eve,
Through that, to Thee-b..fure | die,
In this temple built by Thee,
Whose affairs are divine,
Beneath yon lamp that, ceaselessly,
Lights up Thine own true slime,
Oh! take my latest sacrifice,
Look down and make this sod
Hol. as that where, long ago,
The Hebrew met his God!
| have not caused the widows tears,
Nor dimmed the orphans eye,
have not stained the virgins years,
Nor Knocked the mourner's cry;
The songs of Zion in mine car
Have ever been most sweet,
And always when | felt Thee near
My "shoes,' were "off my feet!'
I have known Thee in the whirlwind
| have known Thee ON the hill,
| have loved Thee in the voice OF
Birds,
Or the music of the rill!
/ dreampt Thee in the shadow,
| saw Thee in the light,
he'd Thee in b thunder peal,
And worshippeo in the night!
All beauty while it spoke of Thee,
Still made my soul rejoice,
And my spirit bowed within itself,
To hear Thy still-small voice!'-
| have not felt myself thing
Far from Thy presence driven,
BY flaming sword or warning wing,
Shut out from Thee and Heaven!
Must the whirlwind reap, because
Ny fathers sowed the storm,
Or shrink-because another sinned;
Beneath Thy red right arm?
Oh! much of this we dimly sean;
And much is all unknown b
But will not take my curse from
man,
[ turn to Thee alone!
Oh! bid my fainting spirit live,
And what is dark reveal,
And what is evil, oh! forgive,
And what is broken heal,
And cleanse my nature from above,
In the deep Jordan of Thy love!
| know not if the Christians heaven
Shall be the same as mine;
only ask to be forgiven,
And taken home to, Thine!
[ weary on a far, dim strand,
Whose mansion are as tombs,
Aud long to find the father-iand,
Where there are many homes!
Oh! grant, of all yod starry thrones,
Fome dim and distant star,
Where Judah's lost and scattered
sons
Nav love Thee from afar!
When all earth's myriad harps shall
meet
In choral praise and prayer,
Shall Zion's harp-of old 50 sweet;
Alone be- wanting there?
Yet place me in Thy lowest seat,
Though las nuw-be there,
The Christians scorn, the Christians
jest;
But let me see and hear
From dim mansions in the sky
The bright ones, and their melody"
The sun goes down with Sudden
CLEAN,
And beautiful as lovely dream,
And silently as air,
The vision of a Aark-eyed girl,
With long and raven hair,
Glides in-as guardian spirits glide;
And, 10! is kneelinx by his side,
As if her sudden presence there
We're sent in answer to his prayer!
Oh! say they not that angels tread
Around the good mans dying bed!
His chiid!-his sweet and sinless
child
And as he gazed on her
He knew his God was re :oncilcd,
And this the messenger
AS sure as God had hung on high
The promise-bow before his eye!
Earth's purest hope thus o'er him
flung
To point his heavenward faith,
And life's most holy feeling strung
To sing him into death!
And OH his daughters stain esi
breast
The uying Hebrew sought his rest
HE DIDN'T WANT A COFFIN
He came into the cfiice Of Wes
End undertaken yesterday with
-o,a ~, his, h0naaf face