^ :,}. '■:'!' ■i,*-,- , ' -. -* ■ J' '■Tii^.^V ■>;''•; •< -i-' ■7^^ '^U— THPJ IMMACULATE MARY ASD OTHEK POEMS BY J. J. GAHAN I I— m— r- QUEBEC JOHN BARROW, BOOKSELLEK 36, 8T. JOHN STREET. PRINTE.D BY P. 0. DELISLE »**!,, ." \ ,..♦•»■ , ' ' T ' t t : •' '. 4 ■■ t . I > ' I • • • • • • » ■* • t ' ' . t • .' » I ' > TO THE REV. M. S. BDRKE, C.SS.R., SUPERIOR, ST. PATRICK'S CHURCH, QUEBEC, My we] l-bcUn'€d father^ fyieud, and guide ^ the follo^ving pa^cs are offcciifltiately dedicated by JAMES J. GAHAN. Queliw, Feast of St. Francis Xavier, 187G. 34954 Imprimatur ^ E.-A. Archpus Quebeceic. GENTLE mm. Gentle Jesuw 1 How 1 love Tliec, In Thy helpless Infancy ! Gazing with Your tender glances, While I bend at Mary's knee. Gentle Jesus ! How 1 loyo Thee Word nor thought i an ne'er express ; Fill my soul, oh, gentle Jesus, With Thy graces to excess ! Gentle Jesus ! How I love Thee, In Thy holy Boyhood, fair ; Ah, how sweet to wait upon Thee, In Thy pureness richly rare ! Gentle Jesus I How I love Thee, AH the world can never tell. For my soul is raptured with Thee ; And my heart in Thine doth dwell 1 Gentle Jesus 3 How I love Thee, In Thy Apostolic life j When You battled with the tempter In Thy sacred Father's strife J Gentle Jesus 1 Ah, I lov« Thee, To my soul Thy name is dear ; For you loved me, gentle Jesus, Sparing neither Blood nor Tearl fJeiillo Jesus ! How I love Th©t>, Toiliiii; up llic btony liei;Li;ht, With the hurdiMi of my i'ailiii^s, ♦Mstiii^ o'er Thy Heart u blight I KeiUlc Jesus \ IJatlie my t-pirii^ 111 the rich, i-edeomiiig flood, JBver })i'e('ioiis — ever plenteous — ^)t■Th^• saviiux, sacred Blood ? -^^om^i^i^ IMMAOlILA'l'K MAHY. Oh, Spirit, hwuotcst of the spirit throng — Bright Muse, who wakes the jji'imal harp oT Ih-awii ; Who floods Elysium with angolic yong. And tunes the numbers of the lyric Sovcn ' Oil, lustrous Ksscncc of immortal lii;ht — Intelligence, refined, and purely keen ; Come, fill my soul with extasios most bright, To chant a hymn of praise to Heaven's (^ueen ! In the bosom of the Father, ere created things had been — When the inward God exulted in His majest}- unseen ; When the Son looked on the Father with unutterable love. And the loves of Each proceeding, thrilled within the mystic Dove. In the dizzy, wondrous cycles of the great eternal span — In the unconceiv'od stillness of the vears unreckoned, lone — There dwelt the fair ideal of his favored creature — man — Of him whose mind should grasp the vast ; and froip his loft\' throne* Give laws to future kingdoms in a bright, immortal day — With one planet for his footstool — with another, vasty grand, To flood the hours with glories from his piercing, brilliant ra}-; And fill with gorgeous beauty all the spaces of the land ! AVith skies, where treasured graces shone throughout the quiet night. Filling all the chinks of ages with their soft and witching light. Then He Lade them into being; and He clothed the earth most fair, With a hundred thousand beauties, each, the rarest of the rare ; — 8 — Atnl [>r(H>rduine(l tliu ^4llll uixi inooii to rule ullonuitc Ikmiix, And ili'ckcd (lio val»i and inouiituiii with u l(»voli!ioss <»1' tlowoi'H ; Anil htule tlie ini^^lity oceivus to rojoico in tliiindor tono, And ilie rivors broad, and rippling Mtrouins IIJH nmjesty to own ; And tilled with wpirit meuiiin^^s, the (Htnuigo voices of the breeze, And bade them nyinn their hymningM sweet, Ibrever 'inon^ the tr«>('K; \iid all ol't'arlh, and all or.sky, while swill the a,i^eH ran, 'in ukiuister unto tin* I'ule of proud, iin])erioi^s man t llarU [ fiark f dost thou hear Iron) alar a voice, It sin<^oth — " Oh, brother, rejoice ! rejoiee ! " Look uj)ward, and see why these thinirit I With ji^laddest acclaim, •• Wc hail thee, oh, Mary, wo hail thy name I " Kor her, ever hymn our angelic choirs, *• To the dulcet sounds of our harps and lyres — '• Vov her the sweet voices of Cherubs ring " And the perfumed cer sers of Seraphs swing ; " Before her the Thrones and the Powers tall, •' And, reverent, worship the Queen of all — " For tlio all-seeing Eye looks tender on, " Sweet Mary, who bore the incarnate Son ! 11. In the B4>boin of the Pci>on, second, of the sacred One — The Word from the beginning, God I The holiest, holy Son, — When had fallen from hi« high estate, the princely lord of earth. And pain, and death and woes untold in monster Sin had birth — In the dread hour when the anger of the direful Father flashed. And the master of the world became a fugitive, a slave— — n — Wlioii llielxdlsof'iri'UvtMrMUfsoso'i'r (he \v<)ii(loriiit;' I'ldeii craNhed Ami the (ireiiirnl doom of toil waHs|)olve to end hut in thei^i'uve — There ai'oso a mi^htv pilv t'ov his chijdi'en doomed to die, Tlie sons ot'aii inheritance itnmortiil ir\ its pain; And there vented from its sacred depths a heaven-cloavln<;' si^li ; When the heir of I'ai'atliso was chained with Lticiferian ciiain ! l"'or He saw tlie vision, fairest fair, His Mye had yet looked on, More pure than purest orl> of ni;;ht, aiui l»i-i^hter than the sun ; A guileless maiden, lo\"ly, tiiou^h of David's royal race — Williin whoso spotless bosom every virtue loved to trace, Its sweetness rnd its ij;oodnoss, until Satan Hod afar Kndazzled hy her |)ui'ity which p;icametl u wondrous Star Across the nii;hl of a<;-es ; and where'er its lights illumine 1 Iniplori'd mercy for tlic lost ones, nnd fori;iveness for the doomed ! Jle saw her lowly kneelini;; at the feet of Bles.sed Anno, And wondered - if u Clod can woiulei'— how She came of sinful man : JIo saw her in the humhlo cell, and in the temple ;:j^rand, And her beimj was a heinson upon the thi-ico-cursed land F()r It turned llim to the Father snyini.'. — " Father, Father, i^reat, '' Avert Thine eyes of an«;er— lift from fallen man the weight '' Of all that sin hath pun hased him, for 1 will bear hit- pain, " Regenerated and redeemed a King he yet shall reign. " The haughty prince of spirits dark, no moi-o shall jiroudly boast, " That the human millions We have made, shall swell his darkling host — " I will hurl proud Satan downward, and his throne will hac k ward to.NS — '' My Blood will be the shield of man — his salvation bo My ('ross " Look, look, oh. Father, look upon that stainless creature fair — '• Behold her pleading jjardon : Wo will send Our angel there, — ! " He shall tell her I am coming to wrest mankind from the tomb " And will hide M}- greatne.-s for a sj)ace within her spotless Womb ! '• Jler heart will give the shovrers that in a bright, redeeming flood, " Shall lave a sinning j»eople with My Sanctifying Blood ! — 10 — Thus tliu Word unto the Father:— blos.scil be the sacred Xume Of the Christ who was, is, and will bo, our Josus e'er the saiue ! Avo Maria ! Maid of roval race ! Gratia Plena ! Thou art full of grace ! J)ominus Tecum ! The Lord is with thee Ora, pro nobis ! Pvtiy, Maiy for me 1 Mater Purlsslma ! Oh, keep us* pui'e f Viring, 'neath her Son's triumphant gaze — Immaculate in beaut}-, 'neath the Pentecostal rays! Immaculate, sing the nations ! Immaculate, hymn the Climes ! Immaculate ! Immaculate ! Peal the Cycles of the Times ! Immaculate ! Immaculate ! Chant the bright Angelic throng ! Immaculate ! Immaculate ! Loud swells tlio Prophet's song : Immaculate I Tis the burden of the Apostolic choir ! Immaculate ! Cry tho Martyi-s while for Jesus tlun- ex])ire ! Immaculate ! Immaculate ! 'Tis the Confessoi-s' refrain I Imn.'Milate I Sing the Vii'gins as they follow in her train ! Oh, Beauty of Creation ! Gorgeous Mistress of the Skies ! Il3'mn and anthem ever soujid tliy praise in rhythmic melodies I Oh, Marvel of Redemption ! Thou art the pure, spotless, fount, Whel'e, sparkle, in tlie light of God, the. graces of the Mount ! Wondrous Yii-gin ! AVondrous Mother ! none who call thee ever 'to' fail To feel til}' presence cheering, in this sinful, tearful vnle ! You behold us. Star of Heaven, on life's ocean tempest tossed, Guide us to tlie port of refuge, guide us, else our bark is lost ; Mediatrix with the Trinity ! Oh, teach our souls to love, The most gracious Fathei- ! bounteous Son, and sanctifying Dove ! ST. ALrHOXSUS DE LIGUORI. Jn the glowing lig-ht ofliistoric fame There dwell for a Bcasoii and then no more, The deeds and the prowcHH and knightly name, Of him who led armies in times of yore. And (he thrilling shock in the battle throng — And the val'rous effort reriown to win — And the strife of the Right 'gainst despot Wrong- And the ring of laiu-o, bow, and culverin ! They live for a time in the minds of men — But, ileeting. alas, are the memories; Of Freedom's bright heroes, whose voice and pen, Bade slaves to man's dignity proudly rise ! The fashion of earth e'er passes away — And a dream of fan^e is a mental trance, 1 he hero— the sword — and the pen decay The glory tlie}^ seek is but wuld romance ! But immortal truth is the primal thing — Her votary sits on a loft}' throne, And e'eii amid angels he stands a king, Though garbed not in purple, nor precious stone- To wage for our God is the noblest strife, And Mary's true knight forevei-more gains Most undying fame in the Book of Life — Most undying honor where Jesus reigns I — 13 — Two miglitiest hosts thro' the ages long In a eonilict awful and grand, sublime — The Eternal Jliglit and Immortal Wrong — Have striven to win in the spcedii.g time ; For time though sliort is t).e measure most surc- A wreath or a sword like the Prophet's rod, Impartial aliko for the great and poor, Impartial and just in the eye of (fod ! " Who is like to Him " cry the sainted Iiost That wieldoth the Mass and the Beads and Psalm ; And erf^lly proud is the direful boast, Of tlie chani[)ion of Wrong—" iion serviom.'' " Who is like to Him " said the Spirit fair. To whom for his truth Wiis the tirst place giv'n, " None, none," responded Siiint Alphonsus, dear, Whilst lifting his humblest of looks to Heav'n ! " Who is like to Him, Whom my soul hath tilled, " With a grace and joj- that know not measure ; " Who is like to Him, Whose bright beauty thrilled, " My heart with a new and mystic pleasure ! '' None, none " cried he loud, with his soul's full might, " Thou'rt ever and ever my God and King — '* I^eign, let me dwell in the magical light, *' Your love and your peaca to the saints doth bi'ing." Alphonsus, then girded his armor strong, And, rushed to the hosts of Eternal Eight ; And his falchion flashed o'er embattled Wron< With lustre immortal and purely bright ! And soon by his side the valiant ones rode, With the Sign of the Mount, their oriflamme - And their victor cry as they onward strode Proclaimed their devotion to Notre Dame / — 14 — in troops tlit'i) they c:imo, mid still trooping come, Thoiiijjh tlieir Kniglit Commander, now richly blest, His guerdon hath gained in a heav'niy home — .Beneath JIary's Mantle, his pure soul's rest ! Hath found the peace this poor earth doth not g\\c, And joys which nor time noi* change can banish ; But, garnered by those who, as did l\e live, In the liuht of lovo that shall ne'er vanish t Now, holy Alphonstis, guide mo your child, Away fit)m the broad and the flow'rj' patli, Whore the passions strong and impulses wild Lead to the dark chasm of dread Heaven's wrath ; With you would I buidcle my armor briglit — With " G(xl and our Lady " my battle-cry. Be the humblest one in the ranks of Right, In the knightly throng that shall never die '. OH ! MY JKSUS ! Oh, my Jesus I Sweetest Jesus, In Th}' Sacrament of Love, May my soul celestial sweetness, And pui"e joys forever prove ! Pierce my soul, oh, sweetest Jesus, With love's burning, flaming dart ; Come my Jesus ! Sweetest Jesus i Be the monr.rch of my heart ! Oh, my Jesus ! swcHjtest Jesus, 1 would languish with delight In Thy Eucharistic Presence, Lord of beauty ever bright ! Pill my being with the ardour, That the saints can only know, To reta"n Thy grace, sweet Jesus, Stainless as the virgin snow ! Oh, my Jesus ! sweetest Jesus, 1 would know but only Thee ; I would my theme were ever all The gifts Thou liast given me. For ui)on me, wretched ingrate, Thou hast poured in plenteous tide, A sti'eam of grace, my sinning soul, Too long, my sweet Lord, defied ! 16 Oil, niy JesuH ! Swcetost Jo^us, Touch my soul the Hyniphony, Of love's oxttitic, iniresl Htniin, Until in a ntolody Of'swoet pmisos, dearest Jesus, All Thy gifts my soul shall tell — Mingling with angelic t-ong>tors In a peniteutiiil swell ! "!3«t=> THE IMMACULATE GEM. Up ! up, from the valos of llie nations ascending, Anthem and hymn all Thy glories proclaim ; The 8ong.s of the angels forever arc hlending- The harmonic sweets of Thy glorious Name 1 Mary ! The Churches sing ! Mary ! The glad Choirs ring ! Brighter than stars is Thy pure diadem ! Keep us from ev'ry wile — On us, dear Mother, smile — Mary, the lustrous, the Immaculate Gem ! Oh, Queen of the worlds ! in pure extasies SAvelling — Oh, Maiden spotless, conceived without stain, The hearts of Thy children, Thy mercies are telling; The heavens exult in Thj- beauteous reign ! Mary ! The Father cries Beam brightly in the skies, While Jesus crowns Thee with love's diadem ! Lowly the angel host Wait as the Holy Ghost, Hails Thee, His lustrous, His Immaculate Gem — 18 — Triumphant— the Church Thy victory i.s poaliiiif- Militant— the Church is rapt in Tliy tamo - SuiVering-tho Church all Tliy bounty is foclini^, i*'aiy, doaro.lL, Thy protection wo claim. Pius I Our PontitV-King, Unvoils the jovvolling, Luminous, gloaming in Thy diadem I Mary I Thy Holy Face Mirrors our Saviour's grace — Mary, our livstrous, our Immaculate (lem ' V 1 BETHLEHEM. Soil o'er llie mountains, the ovo is declining, Coldly', tlio Wintry day fleeth afar; lluslied is tlio voice of the fountains swiftspi-ingin^, l*alo Ih tho beam of the sad Winter star, While through tho streets of tho city She liurr!es With burden nioro precious tlian earth over bore — Ah, do they thinic, who refuse her a shelter, She carries the Loid, Whom the angels adore ! Lowly He came, in the gloom of the ages. To win for His creatures the birthright of Ciod — Lowly ile came — tho Desired of the sagos. And sorrow's vinepross unflinchingl}' trod ! rTothsemane's woe — alvary's tragedy — Tears from tho ej'os of the penitent wring ; Jiut, to the saints, the abyss of abasement Is reached, when they smite Him, the unborn King On to tho Stable, She cai-ries sweet Josiis, The Lord of the Heavens is lowliest now — Him, Whose bright glories illumined the spaces, When, Michael repeated fidelity's vow 1 On to the Stable, with Josepli Slie hastens While angelic voices are cleaving the skies ; Oh, mystic prodigy I wondrous mystery ! The Man-God is born — in a manger He lies ! — 20-> Poor isliophcrcls tliore, hoar cliori.storH carolling- frloria 1 Gloria 1 wakow the utill night ; Kings of tho GentiloH o'or forent and desert Are led to His foot by mirauulou.s light I Bethlehem ! Bethlehem ! pure is thy story- Great city of Prophets, far i^prcad is thy fame , Joyous, Philosophy, whispers thy glory ; Exultant, Theology, leaps at thy name I kr-5?=*%Jp^ MARY ! No other nume, beiioiitli tlio stars, Save Josus ih so nweot, As Mary, Mother of tlie Lord, Whose name wo fondly greet. It is a Mweetness calling e'er The wearied ones to rest ; And find a refuge with tlio Babo Upon her holy breast I Its music soft, its melody, Its very sound is love; It leadeth ever to the realms Of peace with God above. 'Tis dearest to the stricken heart, And yet, and yet again, It calms the tempests of our woes, And soothes our ov'ry pain I When all is false and foul, we turn, To Mary, ever good, And learn with her beneath the Cross To love the Saving Blood I When ev'ry tie of earth is rent. And from the loved we part, Our succour ever open is Within Her Sacred Heart ! lIoi'V is tlio Imiid which Hifoly giiiiloH Us to our heav'iily homo ; llcr'rt in the voice which «ii1Ik mm luicU, Wlion tar tVoiu (iod wo roiini. lIcr'M irt (ho care which wins lor ns Our crown hoyond I ho >!vy ; ller's is the jmiy'r whicli piiim lor »h Furi^iverieHs I'roju on Ili^h ! Then [leiil her prsiise, tlironj^duMit the hmd In ;;r:indest of'ae(diiin) ; Kiiiij, i-ino- the l>ells, and cimnt the sweet>* Of her most hjessed Name ! Oh, Mary ! Miisie of the Spheres ! Oil, Mary ! Mother miUI, Keep watch and waril ui>on your triu\ Hut motit un worth V child 1 i^iiifi^^ IN-MEMOIilAM. (Addressfdto Rfv. Father Wynn, C. .V.V. /V. .////// diui/A of f'lis ,\htlur.) Miseremini mei I In iv wuillull nwoll Tho Houl ol'ono wo lovcnl for niorcy crios ;. O'or mutiy u lou^uo that cry liutli travolloil horo Whilst picrciiii^ upvvunl to tlio vory hIcIos I Haltem vos aniici mri, pniys tlio voico, Ami shall that pray'r fall (»u iiiihociliii^ oarn - Tho cry of oiio who ^avo hor son to (iod, Ah, orst ditl M(jiiica, with mutci'iuil (oars I Oh, no! for though Wo novor loolcod upon The form now craped in mighty Doath's embrace ; Nor lingered near while Heaven's light fell o'or. In streams of beauty on her matron face — Still dear to us, for that she gave us one Whose lips in boyhood oft she chastely kissed — Our Father now, our dear, our well loved friend, Her son — our guide— her child— our holy priest I Of Christian merits and of years most full, She h^*tV?i^^^'i ^. »vhwe th'tf w.ea''y, tjweetly rest ; And rn 'oiw iihniJi)'«i- hpalls ;\yo, fct-diy hope Her'SOuKha,'} j«ia«d ikft faithful over blest. May 4l,livy:(jriU5i> hbl-.'fQ ill'fy tsac'»'oi( I'l^rt, And Joseph's welcome ring'fr'om'zonfe to zone; While angels bear her spirit pure and free, To swell the choirs that wait near Jesus' Throne 1 21 Have mercy, Lord, have mercy, loiul we cry — Thy mercy reaches, sweet, from end to end ; Oil, pour from out Thy Heart a hiving flood. Upon the soul of our departed friend. Sweet Jesus ! Mercy ! heed our humble sighs — Sweet Jesus ! Mercy ! hear our heartfelt pray'r- Sweot Jesus ! Mercy ! lift her to the skies — Sweet Jesus, crown her with Thy mercies fair ! — ^7' nisris. yt