4525 A A = A^ CO - =^ cz = ^ == :c ' 3 = 6 m 9 = ^^^ 1 — ^== CD = ^^ ID 5 = (n 6 = ^^^ 1 — — ■■ — < -< if. Daniel The Mis sionary THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES The Miflionary. BY GEORGE DANIEL. " Blejfed are they that mourn : for they Jhall be comfortedJ" S. Matth. chap. 5, vcr. 4. ■^ B-a-*'' London : WILLIAM PICKERING 1847. To r)(: yp yp RE upon thy pillozv thou Shalt to night compofe thy brow ; And to guardian Jaints commend Parent, brother, ftjier, friend ; Let, once more, a lyre be heard That of old thy bojom Jiirr'd. Greet the minjirel while thou maffl. For he pajfes on in hajie : Soon a higher, happier Jphere Will hisjolemn harpings hear. KY>-y f- M L" y? I AN, alas ! was only born To tread a path of brier and thorn ! To the flattering dreams of youth Manhood tells this blighting truth ; And to manhood wither'd ag-e Opens a ftill darker page Of Life's weary pilgrimage !" Thus moody Melancholy cry'd ; And thus a gentle voice replied ; Making the embowering wood A melodious folitude. " Helplefs man is not his own ; From his firft to his laft figh He, unfeen, but not unknown, Hath a guardian ever nigh — • The MiJJionary. One who doth benignly fhed Boundlefs bleffings on his head ; Blefllngs that fhould all his days Turn his humble prayers to praife ! Grandeur ; in the fkies that glow — Beauty j in the flowers that blow — Brightnefs ; in the morning beams — Mufic •■, in the woods and ftreams— Plenty ; in the golden ear — And, throughout the varied year, Hearing, motion, fenfe, and fight ; Air, to breathe ; and day and night For labour, paftime, fweet repofe ; And friendfhip, balm for many woes ! Are his — and (richer than the ore That fparkles on Golconda's fhore, More precious than the pricelefs gem That decks earth's proudeft diadem !) Eternal Truth, to foar away To regions of ccleftial day ; The Mijponary. j And mufe on that myfterious fea (Dark, fathomlefs futurity !) Whofe fecrets fhall in filence fleep Till that dread audit ! when the deep, Upheaving from its coral caves The (hipman's bones ; and when the graves, Their duft refigning, mortals fhew Worlds of undying weal and woe ! As thofe on Alpine heights who dwell (Regardlefs of their folemn fpell) Know not their altitude, nor fee Their grandeur, beauty, majefty ; Man, to whom the heavens unroll Their bright, prophetic, wondrous fcroll ; And with a paradife in view That feers foretold, but never knew ; Still blindly creeps, when he might climb Yon Crofs-crown'd mountain's brow fublime ! Say not in this tranfient fcene Rays of light and fpots of green Do not fometimes intervene — 8 The Mijjionary. When evening drops her dufky veil, Svi^eeteft fings the nightingale ; And when darkeft is the night, The ftars fhine more intenfely bright ; And when forrow deepens round. Inward light doth moft abound. Liften ! " — and the voice once more Did its folemn mufic pour. The MiJ/ionary, T was a funny Sabbath morn ; the fpring-tlme of the year ; The earth was green and beautiful; the fkywasbrightandclear; And foftly blew the balmy breeze, and fweetly rofe the lay Of feather'd woodland chorifters blythe as the new-born day ! The village bells for matins rang ; the foothing, folemn found In every heart a glad refponfe, a joyful echo found ; Their mufic in the olden time had fummon'd fire and fon While here they ran their earthly race — and when that race was run ! B lO T!he Mijjionary. It was a pleafant fight to fee how met, with one accord, The old and young ; the rich and poor to magnify the Lord ; And how content and cheerfulnefs and ferious thought did feem In every grateful heart to glow, in every eye to beam ! Among the Chriftlan Worlhippers who pray'd to be forgiven ; And do their Father's will on earth, and fee his face in heaven ; Was one, a lonely wayfarer from fome far-diftant land, Whom time had touch'd, ftern monitor ! but with a tender hand. Deep thought, in mournful majefty, fat on his noble brow ; And if his cheek had once been fair, 'twas dark and funburnt now; His ftately form had borne the weight of fomething more than years; And who ftiall fay his eyes had not been brighter ; but for tears ? Apart, he humbly bow'd his head, and bent his knees in pray'r ; And, for this holy day, caft off the coil of withering care ; And when on wings of harmony hofannas rofe fublime, He feem'd into eternity to have efcap'd from time ! The Mijjionary, 1 1 Nor woke he from his facred trance when ceafed the organ's fwell ; For Truth divine from lucid lips fo eloquently fell ; That not until the porch was pafs'd (the parting blefllng given) His fpirit took to earth again its downward flight from heaven. And now along the hallow'd ground where their forefathers fleep, The home-returning villagers their penfive pathway keep : Soon, feated at the frugal board, they'll blefs the hand that gives The bread, in peace and plenteoufnefs, to every one that lives. The knell of death ftruck heavily upon the ftartled ear ; Another Iheep had left the fold, another ftar his fphere ! " To afties afties ! duft to duft ! " the reverend preacher faid ; And flowly, with a hollow found, the grave receiv'd its dead. Ere on the poor inhabitant they heap'd his kindred clay, The mourners took a lingering look ; then forrowing went their way : The fetting fun his (heeny light upon the coiEn threw; And loud the lark a carol fang as up to heaven he flew ! 12 The Mijjionary. But who is he whofe eyes are bent upon the facred ground, As they with turf fo frelh and green build up the rifing mound ? And who is he that gazes too ; and fees, with anxious care, A few of Spring's pale primrofes are duly planted there ? The Stranger from a diftant land ! and one, whofe blooming cheek, And calm clear eye, and placid brow did early youth befpeak ; That halcyon morning of the mind ! ferenely bright and pure ; But unprophetic of the day — when darknefs fhall endure ! A fecret fympathy in fouls, of high myfterious powV ! That waits not for the coming flow of introduction's hour, Impell'd the Stranger, with a figh, the mournful youth to afk For whofe lamented fake he fped his grateful heavenly tafk. " For one whom grief," he foftly faid, " alas ! too late we know. Nor refpite gave him nor relief, until it laid him low — Thou lookeft like a comforter ! " — the folemn way he led ; And left to its dark lonclinefs, and deep rcpofe the dead ! The Mijjionary. 1 3 /T~^HE Mourner fat in folitude, in filence and in gloom, And gazed upon the vacant chair, whofe tenant's in the tomb- When, with a ftill and noifelefs ftep, the vifion met her view Of one who many, many years had been a mourner too ! In her faft-fading trembling form, in her time-ftricken face There fhone a meekly-beautiful and melancholy grace ; And in her dark and luftrous eyes, now dimly feen thro' tears, There flafhed the intelledlual fire of long-departed years ! With faltering tongue and broken voice, how tremuloufly low ! Shefpake; and clafp'dherhands in prayer, and bow'd her head inwoe- " The bitter cup, like Marah's fount, my Father gave may I, With patience and humility, devoutly drink— and die ! 14 The MiJJionary. The grave my early, only love hath hidden from my fight — O, could I but as foundly fleep as he fhall fleep to-night ! Then rife v/ith him, as he fhall rife, on wrings angelic borne. Never, never more to part ; and never more to mourn ! The forrov^r that confum'd his foul, that forrow too I fhare — We had a Son, and he is loft ! — or lives he ? and, ah ! where ? What friendly roof-tree flickers him ? ftill doth he to the flave Exalt the name and fmg the praife of Him who walk'd the wave ? For early in the Book of Life on Sinai's fteep he faw The trembling prophet from his Sire receive his holy law j And turn'd afide, enrapt, entranc'd, from that celeftial, bright Salvation-crowning miracle on Tabor's facred height ! And while the Temple's veil Was rent, and darknefs hid the Iky, He faw upon Mount Calvary the Man of Sorrows die ! And heard the deep-ton'd thunders roll, and earth, and heaven and hell Of that incarnate myftcry the awful tidings tell ! 'The MiJ/ioiiary . And he commun'd with holy men, and told them his defire To bear the Crofs to heathen Ihores — they fann'd his youthful fire — * Obey,' they cry'd, ' the monitor ; its inward whifperings are Refponfes earneft to a voice above the morning ftar ! Go forth, a foldier of the Lord ! in God's whole armour bright ; Gird on the fpiritual fword, and fight the heavenly fight ! And when thou flialt (the battle won) in death, thy arms lay down, Upon the Chriftian warrior's head will fliine the Conqueror's crown ! Go forth, while life is in its fpring, the mefTenger of Truth, Which never falls with fuch fv/eet force as from the lips of youth ! No perils fliall impede thy path ; fon He who calm'd the deep Shall hufli the winds, allay the ftorm, and rock the waves to fleep ! ' — We faw from his fair features fade health's blooming rofeate hue ; We mark'd what tremors (hook his frame ; what fecret fighs he drew ! — Ah ! when will its ferenity that lofty brow refume ? Their wonted life and joyoufncfs thofe lambent eyes illume ? 1 6 The Mijjionary. Now foon muft boundlefs ocean bear to fome wild favage fhore Our early hope ! — perhaps ingulf !— I heard the torrent roar ! Death, in a thoufand ghaftly fhapes, rulh'd madly on my mind ! In vain I ftrove againft defpair — I could not be refign'd ! His father heard the ftern-refolve with calm unruffled bread ; It promis'd hbn a fhorter, if not happier, path to reft ; A quicker manumiffion from this prifon-houfe of clay ; A warrant to his fpirit to take wings and bear away ! ' Regard me not — forego thy love — forget that I am here' — (And, as he fpake with quivering lip, would have fupprefs'd the tear) But let thy filial piety a tender mother fave ; Thy duty ftand, for {omo. few years, between her and the grave ! ' Are there not finful fouls enough in Britain's wide domain ? The infidel, the hypocrite, the openly profane ! That thou fhould'ft give thy fympathies to heathen men alone ; And bear the lamp to other lands that ought to light thy own ? ' — 'The MifjioJiary. ij ^~l~^HE ftlent day of parting came — for none could bid farewell ! And fad forebodings, like a cloud, upon our fpirits fell — • My fon went forth — and never bark a nobler champion bore To plant the Holy Crofs of Chrift on Afric's burning fliore ! Could prayers have ftay'd the thunderbolt, and calm'd the troubled fea, Andchain'd the winds and waterfpouts ; our prayers, my Sire ! to Thee, Had fped that vefTel o'er the deep as fmoothly, for his fake. As glides the fkifF at fummer-time along the rippling lake I But moonlefs nights of grim repofe fucceeded ftorms by day ; And lightnings, for the flars were not I illum'd her watery way — Now trembling on the mountain-wave, by furious whirlwinds driven ; Now buried in the billowy gulf ; behold her rock'd and riven ! c 1 8 The Mijjionary. But ftorm-lafh'd furges, hurricanes that head fhall never harm On whom the Lord Omnipotent hath fpread his heavenly charm ! — They heard his voice—' Whom / appoint to preach my holy will Shall thro' the tempeft pafs in peace— Ye winds ! Ye waves ! Be ftill.' On one fair noon the land appear'd — the orient orb of day Made luftrous with meridian light the mountains and the bay ; Parch'd nature panted for the breeze ; man fcarcely could refpire ; The glafly waters roll'd along in floods of liquid fire ! The arid hills and yellow fands their fwarthy tribes difplay'd ; Whofe favage Ihouts and glittering fpears diftruft, alarm betray'd j But foon they met, in fellowfhip, the miffion o'er the wave — It never came to conquer worlds on thU dark fide the grave ! The liftening heathen heard with awe the gracious mefl'age fent ; And on its young expofitor his eye, in wonder, bent ; He faw, by faith, to fallen man his paradife reftor'd ; He bound the Gofpel to his heart ; and trembled and ador'd ! 'The Mijjionary. 19 Dethron'd and trodden in the duft v/cre all his idols grim ; And for the cry of war arofe the morn and evening hymn ; He drank of the Redeemer's Cup, and brake His bread divine ; And fhar'd in the immortal hope that w^arms your hearts and mine. Fierce fever laid the preacher low upon a bed of pain ; It rag'd in every proftrate limb, it burn'd in every vein ! His weeping brethren pray'd for him — how anfwer'd was the pray'r A joyful hoft of the redeem'd fhall one bright day declare ! The folitary bark that rolls along the pathlefs deep. With her freight of human fouls may guardian angels keep ! And fpeed the heavenly meflenger, ye fpirits bleft ! benign ! Who, by the light of Bethlehem's Star, purfues his courfe divine. 20 The MiJJionary. ** I ^EN winters fince have pafs'd away — again 'tis lovely Spring ! No tidings of the Wanderer its vernal breezes bring ! Delufive hope ! too long haft thou fuftain'd my fickening heart ; Adieu ! adieu ! enchantrefs fair ! from this fad hour we part. For I fhall never fee him more ; for all, beneath the fun, The Mafter bade his fervant do hath he right nobly done ! And now, with full-voic'd Cherubim, he fits enthron'd on high ; Or, gentle tafk ! to comfort me his fpirit hovers nigh. Then would I from the realms of blifs his happy foul recall ? And bind it, from mere felfifhnefs, again in mortal thrall ? My Father ! be the finful thought forgotten and forgiven — O, let him not dcfcend to earth, but let me rife to heaven ! " The Mijjionary. 2 r The Mourner felt upon her fall a grief-fubduing calm ; The Peace of God fhed in her heart its healins: heavenly balm ; And with a look of tendernefs, and with an accent fweet, She rais'd and kifs'd, with tears of joy, the ftripling at her feet. *' Thy father to my foftering care thy infancy confign'd ; And he on whom the grave hath clos'd inform'd thy opening mind ; And every lefTon that he taught, tho' highly prized before ; And every pure ennobling thought thou'lt learn to prize flill more ! Whate'er was good and beautiful, and generous, juft and true He picSlur'd for thy young delight and emulation too ; And led thee, with endearing art, thro' learning's claflic bowers ; And wifdom's paths of pleafantnefs he gaily ftrew'd with flowers ! But when of Zion was his Song, to wondering eye and ear, Th' Apocalyptic angel feem'd to have defcended here, Cloth'd with the rainbow of the throne ! the theme fublimc, auguft, Did fo entirely glorify, transfigure mortal dufl ! 22 T^he Mijjionary. The laft of all thy honour'd race, if thou, to ferve thy God, Should'ft tread the rugged pilgrim-path, the path thy father trod ; No mother will be doom'd to mourn, to bring repentance deep ; No happy home made defolate, o'er which to fondly weep. But when (the harveft having reap'd) thou, after years of toil, To mingle with thy kindred duft, fhalt feek thy native foil ; Tho' this lov'd roof ; yon village fpire may fad remembrance wake No pang will rife for blighted hearts once left behind to break ! A little while I would delay, kind heaven ! my parting hour. To fee this beauteous bud unfold into a lovely flow'r ! And then to know it one day will, when I am in repofe, Adorn the Garden of the Lord, and blofTom like the rofe ! " She paus'd ; (a deep convulfive fob was all the youth's reply) And then upon the Stranger fix'd her dark inquiring eye ; Their glances met — o'er memory pafs'd a dim myfterious light — A fhadowy dream— again it pafs'd acrofs her aching figlit — The Mijjionary. 23 " Speak ! fpeak ! " — She cry'd— but ere he fpake, behold the bright- ening beam Flafh'd into full realit)' ! no longer 'twas a dream ! — " Rejoice ! rejoice ! — our prayer is heard — my loft ! my only one ! — Sing to the Lord Omnipotent ! — Great God ! My Son ! My Son ! A S fweetly died the voice away, On my vifion broke the day ; But the well-remember'd theme Died not with the heavenly dream ! PRINTED BY C. WHITTINGHAM, CHISWICK. UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY Los Angeles This book is DUE on the last date stamped below. GAYLORD BROS. Inc SyracuM, H.Y. Stockton, Calif. ir^R Daniel - k^2S The missionary Dl67m PR Dl67m