А РОЕМ.

BY JOHN M. BROWN, M.D.

Read before the Ohio State Medical Society, on the occasion of its Twenty-fifth Anniversary, Cleveland. June 14th, 1870.

Another year has passed away,
And round her burning central sun-
The shining source of life and day—
The earth again her course has run.

Through constellations fair and bright,
Speeding forever, ever on,

Through summer, winter, day and night,
She on her Zodiac way has gone.

June;-first-born child of summer skies,
Whose voice bids countless flowers arise,
While all the leafy forests ring

With notes ten thousand warblers sing;-
June calls-and we, too, hear her voice;

And at its summons do rejoice

To gather annually here,

To tell the trials and the cheer

Which we have met, as on we trod
Our paths of duty marked of God.

Years five and twenty are now told
Since our Society enrolled,
With inexperienced hand, its name
Among the candidates for fame :-
Fame which its sons should nobly win
Unstained with blood-unsoiled with sin;

Not that which war is wont to yield

The victor on the gory field.

Not laurels such as thence are brought

Has our association sought

To have its members win or wear,
Though bright and proud such laurels are.

Nor would she come with shout and song
From noble lips, or motley throng,

To deck our brows with civic bays;
Or glad our ears with voice of praise,
Such as e'erwhile was loudly given
To child of genius-child of heaven-
Such honors NOBLEST minds have sought,
And yet we ask them-seek them not.

Nor do we strive to win the meed
Nations and ages have decreed
To gifted minds, whose wisdom rare
Has raised the fabric proud and fair,
Of PUBLIC LAW, both wise and just,
Which ever has, and ever must,
A nation's strength and glory be,
And make its people SAFE and free.

Who frames SUCH LAW-builds such a STATE,
Is nobly wise, and wisely great.
His fame an angel pure might crave,
It knows no death, it finds no grave.

What, then! are all the aims we know
Ignobly humble? meanly low?
Are all the paths our feet have trod,
Although assigned us by that God
Whose providence rules over all,
Whose eye beholds the sparrow's fall:
Who guides the angel as he flies
On wings of light across the skies;
Has he-the God who governs thus-

In all the sphere appointed us

Naught but INGLORIOUS TASKS assigned,
To which inglorious motives bind?
Far otherwise has gracious heaven

Our sphere of life-and life-work given.

Then may we not, in triumph, ask
WHO IS IT calls us to our task?
Is it the giddy thoughtless crowd?
Whose lusts and passions clamor loud

And whose low appetites alone
Are all the Trinity they own;

Whose hunger, thirst, and carnal lust

Sink them to brutes, bow them to dust.
Is it from these that the Physician
Receives his call, and his commission?

Or is it fashion's souless throng?
Who float in thoughtlessness along,
Like insects on the summer streams
Or those that dance in summer beams?
Or like the bubbles "on the river

A moment bright, then gone forever?"
Is it from human insects thus,
That our commission comes to us?
Is it the buzzing of their wings

From which our proud profession springs?
Is it the glitter wealth can fling
Around the meanest human thing?

Oh, is it these, or one, or all,

That we mistake for Heaven's call
Binding us, intellect and heart,
To our profession? Science? Art?

Only as these our pity crave,

To hold them back from folly's grave-
As these the votaries of fashion
Bespeak, and wake, in deep compassion;
'Tis thus their cry, and only thus,
Becomes the call of God to us.

I will not ask if lust or gain—
Mere love of gold-may not remain.
Look at our work! look at our pay!
Look at our walks from day to day
'Mid scenes of sorrow and distress-
Of pains-and woes-and wretchedness.

Oh, look at these! oh, look, and say,
If the Physician "works for pay !"
For what he does, and feels each hour
Mere gold were recompense but poor.

Still, it is asked, whence is the call?
That wakes, controls and moves us all?
What noble ends-what motives-bind

Our spirits to the task assigned?

God calls us-by the piteous moan

Of pain-the tear, the cry, the groan,
Of childhood's anguish, manhood's fear;
In these the voice of God we hear;
It bids us see the sufferer's grief;
It bids us go to his relief.

When childhood weeps beside the bed,
Where lies a mother's aching head,
While anguish burns through every vein,
While quivers every nerve with pain,
Yet heeding not her own distress

She sees her poor child's wretchedness,
And groans-while tears stand in her eye--
"Oh, must I leave my child and die?"
Ah! in that groan, and in that tear,
Again the call of God we hear,
A call that moves our soul to try
And save that mother ere she die.

"Tis thus she cries

Of pains that rise

From earth and pierce the very skies,

Call us to feel ;

Call us to heal:

The woes that grieve our ears-our eyes.

In these we hear,

In accents clear,

Forever something far and near.

God's holy call,

That bids us all

To toil, to pray; nor faint, nor fear!
How can we faint?

What can we fear?

For God commands us-God is near.

CONSTITUTION.

OF THE

OHIO STATE MEDICAL SOCIETY.

ARTICLE I.

SEC. 1. This association shall be called the "OHIO STATE MEDICAL SOCIETY," and shall be composed of resident and honorary members.

ARTICLE II.

SEC. 1. The Society shall constantly have in view: First-The association of the profession, for the purposes of mutual recognition and fellowship;

Second-The maintenance of union, harmony and good government among its members, thereby promoting the character, interests, honor and usefulness of the profession;

Third―The cultivation and advancement of medical science and literature, and the elevation of the standard of professional education.

ARTICLE III.

SEC. 1. The resident members shall be regular practitioners of medicine and surgery in the State of Ohio, who shall be elected by vote of a majority at any regular meeting, their eligibility having been previously reported upon by the Committee on Admissions.

ARTICLE IV.

SEC. 1. Honorary members shall only be admitted by a vote of two-thirds of the members present, at a regular meeting, having first been recommended by the Committee on