The Somerset reporter., 1886-01-27


f | have living tablet stand.
j t.nblazoned by the Masters hand
Telling our country's need.
A nd could sing a. angels do,
Id wake each trembling cord anew.
And with eternity in view,
Id sing words that would burn
Into the dormant souls Of those
Sitting at ease, in soft repose,
Unmindful Of the sins and woes
OF dying fellow-men.
+ The cause is one of vast import,
hat claims Our toll: and more,
/ lis one for which our diving Lord
\ weight Of anguish bore
\ cause DER which the angels weep
In sorrow benliug low,
As down the ragged steps of death
The dark PROFESSIONS 90.
Procession, long. see them come,
The veteran SCARED. the old. the young,
vi every name aud every tongue,
All madly pressing on
An, who can tell the bitter woe,
The hot remorse. the singing throe,
The anguish only they can know.
Who form the rank and file
of that vast gloomy throng?
60 ask that wrctched man to tell
How from his high estate he fell,
When offered Heaven why chose he Hell'
Alas alas twas rum
That fair-haired boy, his mothers pride.
Her JOY when other hopes had died
Go ask him why he turned aside
From mother, love and home?
In wailings low the answer hear,
lille gentle pity drops tear,
ore blighted hopes. and life so dear
Wrecked by the demon rum.
Fair Mercy reaches out her hand,
And pleads as only woman can.
For God, and home aud native land,
And cries, "Oh Lord how long?'
How long shall justice be deferred,
And vengeance be an idle word
And Mercys prayer remain unheard
Against tn giant wrongI
How long sha hearts ,e torn and riven,
And manhood into madness driven,
And souls immortal robbed Of Heaven.
oh righteous God how long:
How long allow the host, of hell,
With new recruits thei- ranks to fill.
And our dear land be rayaged still,
By Heavens deadly foe:
How long our Lord His wrath restrain,
While suffering thousands cry in vain,
For human help to stop this train
Bound for eternal woe:
This march of death shall we not stay,
Which bears along its CORY way
A hecatomb twice told each day,
Our nations price for rumr
The price of blood, ah, who can tell
This traffic dire. conceived in hell?
Who number sll the diving groans.
The widows tears and orphans means,
The fatal darts at virtue aimed,
The hopeless prayer OF madden, d brain,
That curse our land for rum?
And while we work and watch and wait,
License holds forth in wild debate
To ruin home and church and state,
While hell throws open wide the gate,
And cries. We'll done, Well done :"
The victor's wreath shall crown thy brow,
For License thou art tut march now,
And thou shalt tesch the nations how
The small and great to thee shall bow;
For sin and death are legal now,
Our triumph is begun.
And mothers plead. alas, in vain,
For sons and fathers worse than slain;
And ask for laws that shall restrain
This sll relentless foe.
But man. in Gods own image made,
ON whom the government is laid
Stiles the children's cry for bread
And bids the mother. Go"
Ie pitying angels stoop to hear
The mothers cry. and catch the tear
That falls upon a drunkards bier;
And let some ray of heavenly light
Enter the home shrouded in night,
And bid them see an army bright,
Au army vast, arrayed in white,
Fighting for God and home and right
Aye, noble men are battling too;
And holy women, brave end true,
To this great cause baptized anew
Arc praying for the morn.
Already DER the mountain height
The little cloud" appears in sight,
Foreshadawing the dawn.
From distant lands across the sea
We hear the notes of jubilee;
Ten thousand children catch the strain
And echo back o er sea and main,
! The children shall be free
For our white-ribboned hosts now stand
A mighty fortress in the land,
! 4 beacon-lght upon the strand
Where souls are wrecked for aye.
And We must keep our alters bright,
Burning with pure, unclouded light.
| 10 guide the Sin-wrecked soul Alright
Upon its stormy way.
IL We but undivided stand,
Shoulder to shoulder, hand TO hand,
Working with will and heart and brain,
Forgetting self the cause to gain,
Our conquest is begun;
And we shall see our banners wave
On every shore the oceans lave
Its folds around the cross entwined,
In union close our hearts shall bind
And never shall we say defeat,
Nor hear our bugles sound retreat
Till every foe lies at our feet,
And victory is won.
/
1t is said that none of our beer mann.