Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1899-04-13
Retrospect.
Read by Miss Mary Mckee, at the Re
union of the L. p. Congregation
March 24.l


Read bv Miss Mary Mckee, at the Re
union of the L =. Congregation
March 24)
In distant country, was temple
primeval fair to see,
OF living green the arches, the aisles OF
matchless symmetry.
Here. mid the fragrance of the heather
God was worshipped day by day;
By a people, peculiar people, taught
to labor and to pray.
Listen To the voices ringing high and
clear. Ger field and fell;
Hunted now. like driven cattle, far
from homes in which they dwell.
Fire and sword in the name of the cross,
spared not age, nor youth nor
creeds;
Mid storm and tempest, the ground
cried out, at scenes of horror and
bloody deeds.
Mid the caves and mountain fastness,
hides by day this chosen band;
Far down the glen, shining cohort
moves here and there across the
land
The prayer ascends: BE not far off;
for trouble nears; none to help
appears.
Gods curtain falls. a silken sheen. DER
the landscape, bringing smiles
from tears.
In the glory of the morning, liberty was
born, far across the sea.
Did you hear it? Can You believe it,
Free to worship God, you and
me?
out upon the trackless ocean, with
hearts uplifted, sailed away these
Scotchmen brave;
To the realm of promise given, in the
distant golden setting, just be-
yond the wave.
In the chill and gloom of winter, they
built new kirk. on a hilltop
bare and brown;
In the valley laid out city, fair and
quaint, and they called 1t Butler
town.
How the welkin rang with music. Scot
lands friends, the auld Psalms OF
David.
No greater power TO convert. No
greater claim, in lives of Plutarch
or tales of ovid.
In their veins the blood of martyrs ran.
No sterner stuff than this, to
make men brave;
Facing for conscience sake, perils of
sea and land, even the grave.
OF precepts and doctrines of bygone
davs, the truth was set forth
in lives of God fearing men;
From fashion and pride turned their
faces away, which the ruin OF
nations poetend.
Summers sun and winters snow swift
ly come and go, in Butler town;
In the valley lies the city, close to
waters edge, the same as years
agone.
On the hilltop, in the sunlight, the
kirk still stands: not the kirk of
other times;
But a lofty, noble building, granite
hewn, like a poem-vast and
rich sublime.
Mong the arches high are ringing,
Psalms of David-not the old but
ever new,
The session looks cross, for they re at a
loss, to know what next they will
do.
In yonder corner by pillar, an organ
stands, another Innovation.
From out the shadow of the pulpit,
the organ swells, its the de lis
own invention.
Surely the ministers will see, the thin
edge entering of the wedge;
That we are departing nay far away
be, from the faith of Scotlands
pledge.
But Scotlands gwan ill concert-a
tn tnyUn
And strange to say, as though bewltch-
ed, the ministers do not even
frown.
Men are prone to ere, and seek for
giveness; now they call it ''ex-
perlence.
Truly the word from which our fathers
taught, seems to be at variance.
In meeting, women will not silence
keep, in spite of Paul's injunction;
In the reading of the Scriptures, things
are rendered strange by new
revised translation.
The long grass waves, in the gentle
breeze, DER Scotlands heroes, IN
the city of the dead.
In the JOY and peace of living, no need
to fear the perils from which they
fed
More costly far, than hidden gems in
mines of ophir, or jewels rare and
old.
precious than fine gold.
TIE stately kirk of granite hewn, will
crumble into dust; forgotten the
singer aud the song;
But down the ages a message rings to
sons and daughters yet unborn.
Our sons and daughters! Like prince s
palaces, more fair than Sheba's
glory.
Monuments more lasting, none than
these, to proclaim the grand old
story.
From Cubas fair and palm Drowned
isle, in oceans coral strand,
A wall came from bleeding hearts,
which thrilled mems souls
throughout the land.
Men say the heroes all are dead. Gone
forever deeds of glory.
A thousand thousand stripped for
action, 'Ayel Aye! Sir, tells the
story,
In the distant East, Is an open door,
the Philippines and old Kartoum;
Out of Pharaohs land, the cry is com
ing from the darkness of the
tomb.
As our fathers died to make men hap
py, so wen live, nay die, to make
men free;
And herald the good news of Christ the
Saviour, afar across the sea.
Flick Items.
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