Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-03-23

single step in the flood to gain.
saw him again on the other side,
But his silk gown hoatcd on tho tide;
And no one asked in that blissiul spot,
Whether he belonged to 'Me Church. or not.
Then down to tho river Quaker strayed,
His dress Of sober hue was made;
my coat and hat must be all OF gray,
cannot 80 any other way.
Then he buttoncd his coat straight up to tho
chin,
Aud staidly, aoemnly, waded 10,
And his broad brimmcd hat be pulled doWl
tight
Over his forehead 80 cold and white.
But strong wiud carried away his hat;
A moment he sighed over that,
And then as be gaZed to tho further shore
The coat slipped of, and was seen nc more
As he entered Heaven his suit Of gray
Went quietly ailing-away-away,
Aud mono of tho angels question him
About the width OF his beavers brim.
Next came DR.. Watts with buudlc of Psalms
Tied nicely up in his aged arms;
And hymns as many, very Wise thing. ;,
That the people in Heaven, "all around,
might sing
But thought he hcavcd an anxious sigh,
As be saw that tho river ran broad and high,
And looked rather surprised as, ono by ono,
The Psalms and Hymns in tho waves went
down.
And after him with bis MSS,
Came Wesley. the pattern OF godlness,
But be cried, dear me, what shall 90!
The water has soaked them through and
through.
And thero on tho river, far and wide,
Awav thew went down the swollen tide;
And the saint, astonishcd, passed. through
alone,
Without his manuscripts, up to tho throne.
Then gravely walking, two saints, by name.
Down to tho stream together came,
But as they stopped at the rivers brink
saw one saint from the other shrink.
"Sprinkled or plunged, may ask you. friend,
How you attained to life's great end -
"THus, with few drops on my brow
"But have been dipped, as you'll 500 me
now
"Aud really think it will hardly do,
As I'm close communion, to cross with you;
You're bound, know, to the realms OF bliss.
But you must 60 that way and LII 90 this.
Then straightway plunging with all his might,
Away to the left-his friend at the right
Apart they went from this world OF sln,
But at last together they entered ln.
And DOW when the river was rolling on.
A Presbyterian church went down;
OF women there seemed an lnnumorabIe
throng,
But tho men l could count as they passed
along.
And concerning the road, thoy could not agree,
The old or the nelU way, which 1t could be;
Nor ever moment paused to think
That both would lead to the rivers brink.
And sound of murmurng. long aud loud,
Came ever from the moving crowd,
"You're in the old way, and I'm iu the now,
That is the false, and this is tho true, -
"Oh, I'm in tho old way, and you in tho now,
That is the false, and this is tho true.
But tho brethren only seemed to speak,
Modest the sisters walked, and mock.
And if ever ono of them CHANGED to say
What troubles she mot with on tho way;
How she longed to pass to tho other side.
Nor feared to cross over the swelling tide,
A voico arose from the brethren then :,
let no one speak but the holy men :"
For hayo ye not heard the words Of Pau,
"Oh. let the women keep silence all u
watched them long in my curious dream,
It'll they stood by the waters OF tho stream,
Then, Just as thought the two ways met,
But all tho brethren were talking yet,
And would talk on, ill tho hcaving tide
Carried thom over, side by side;
Side by side, for the way was one,
The tosome Journey OF life was done.
And all who 10 Christ the Saviour died,
Came out alike on the other side.
No forms, or crosses. or books had they,
No gowns Of silk, or suits of gray,
No orccds to guido them, or MSS,
For all had put on Christ's righteousness.