DICTIONARY OF POETICAL ILLUSTRATIONS. 1. AARON : and Christ. SEE Aaron, God's anointed priest, In robes of mystic meaning dress'd, Through him the eye of faith descries He bears the names of all the saints, In Him a holiness complete, Light and perfection shine; The blood which, as a priest, He bears, The incense of His prayers and tears Perfumes the holy throne. In Him my weary soul has rest, I read my name upon His breast, 2. AARON: his death. WITH trembling hand He hasted to unclasp the priestly robe, Jehovah had so oft His will reveal'd, His head upon the mountain's turfy breast, 3. ABEL: entering heaven. TEN thousand times ten thousand sung Loud anthems round the throne, When lo! a solitary tongue Took up a song unknown; A song unknown to angel ears, Could those high notes attain, United in the strain, Till he who first began the song, The angels ever bear Some newly ransom'd soul on high, To swell the chorus there; Oh grant me, Lord, a golden harp, CALL now to mind what high capacious powers Lie folded up in man; how far beyond The praise of mortals may the eternal growth Each half-form'd purpose and dark thought of sin; Expand the blooming soul! What pity, then, Quench, e'er it rise, each selfish, low desire, And keep my soul as Thine, calm and divine. 5. ABIDING IN CHRIST: our only safety. O LAMB of God! still keep me 'Tis only then in safety And peace I can abide. What foes and snares surround me! 'Tis only in Thee hiding, I feel my life secure,- The conflict can endure: O'er every hateful foe; Soon shall my eyes behold Thee Should sloth's unkindly fogs depress to earth Of all familiar prospects, though beheld Those sacred stores that wait the ripening soul, 7. ABILITIES. Difference of ALAS! what differs more than man from man? And whence this difference?-whence but from himself? For, see the universal race endow'd With the same upright form! The sun is fix'd, Into all hearts. Throughout the world of sense, Is salutary, or its influence sweet, Are each and all enabled to perceive That power, that influence, by impartial law. Gifts nobler are vouchsafed alike to all ;Reason, and, with that reason, smiles and tears; Imagination, freedom of the will, Conscience to guide and check; and death To be foretasted-immortality presumed. Strange then, nor less than monstrous, might be deem'd The failure, if the Almighty, to this point From common understanding; leaving truth Strange, should He deal herein with nice respects, The charities, that soothe, and heal, and bless, For high and not for low-for proudly graced 8. ABRAHAM. A Legend of AT night, upon the silent plain, 'This is the Lord! This light shall shine Sank down and left its darken'd place. Then rose the moon, full orb'd and clear, Then came, unheralded, the dawn, And worship now the God who rules 9. ABRAHAM. The Sacrifice of IT was noon And Abraham on Moriah bow'd himself And buried up his face and pray'd for strength. He could not look his upon and son, pray; But with his hand upon the clustering curls Of the fair, kneeling boy he pray'd that God Would nerve him for that hour. He rose up and laid The wood upon the altar. All was done. He stood a moment-and a deep, quick flash Pass'd o'er his countenance; and then he nerved His spirit with a bitter strength and spoke : 'Isaac ! my only son!'-The boy look'd up: 'Where is the lamb, my father?' Oh the tones, The sweet, familiar voice of a loved child!What would its music seem at such an hour! It was the last deep struggle. Abraham held His loved, his beautiful, his only son, And lifted up his arms and call'd on GodAnd lo! God's angel stay'd him-and he fell Upon his face and wept. Nathaniel Parker Willis. 10. ABSENCE. Effects of ALL flowers will droop in absence of the sun Love reckons hours for months, and days for years; 11. ABSENCE. Improvement of WHAT shall I do with all the days and hours Between this time and that sweet time of grace? Shall I in slumber steep each weary sense, Weary with longing? Shall I flee away Into past days, and with some fond pretence Cheat myself to forget the present day? Shall love for thee lay on my soul the sin Of casting from me God's great gift of time? Shall I, these mists of memory lock'd within, Leave and forget life's purposes sublime? Oh, how or by what means may I contrive To bring the hour that brings thee back more near? How may I teach my drooping hope to live Until that blessed time, and thou art here? |