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436 POEMS.
To flattery, and the idle lust of praise.
Ah, fatal lust! full oft in fond illusion
We deem that we have quenched it, — mounted far
Above it on the wings of lofty thought,
Of feelings glowing for a world’s redemption, —
Deem that we’ve drown’d it in a higher love,
In prayer and streaming tears at Jesus’ feet,
When lo! ’tis crawling still as: crawled the serpent
Amid th’ ambrosial groves of Paradise,
Luring the soul with false, degrading pleasures,
_ And tainting life with venomed shafts of discord.
But the great Lord of life, who sees our weakness,
Sends us an angel messenger — pale Time;
And lo! Time’s angel, grave, yet merciful,
Compassionate even in sternest mood, right gently
Prints on our brow his stamp indelible,
Closes the temple of our former pleasures,
And posts Scorn’s grinning demon at its portals.
And all beyond it is a howling desert,
Of uncouth monsters full, that eat men’s hearts ;
But there are fair and sheltered paths as well,
That lead to blissful homes, long sought, long dreamt of;
And there a voice is heard, all men inviting
To realms of peace, to those blest tabernacles
Where dwells the good, the beautiful forever.
Oh, to those heights I lift my folded hands,
For there He dwells, who shall make all things clear
Through the effulgence of His might and mercy ;
And in His presence it is good to be:
This do I know, if I know naught besides !
Oh then, my soul, be youthful evermore,
Be strong in faith, be strong in charity,
And follow Him to everlasting mansions,
Undaunted, though this house of clay be shattered,
And through a thousand deaths thy paths should lead
thee ;
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