If freed at death where does it go?
Methinks that—to Heaven—you say,
And then I ask, how do you know?
Does any person know the way?
Have any come back that went there?
Can any one describe the place?
Is it upon some planet fair,
Or the realm of unbounded space?
Living bodies have souls, we know,
We hope they live on forever,
So long as man can come and go,
His soul forsakes him never;
But there’s a question to explain,
Does the soul live without the man?
When man goes does the soul remain?
Let any one answer who can.
THE HONEST MAN.
I love the man who speaks the truth,
And never tells a lie,
Whose honesty bloomed in his youth,
And was not born to die.
I love to see him take his place,
In busy ranks of men,
And love to see his honest face,
Glowing with manhood then.
In office, or in place of trust,
Watching the people’s vault,
His ev’ry act is right and just,
And no one fears default.
With soul upright and conscience clear,
And heart in virtue strong,
There is no force can make him steer
In any course that’s wrong.
He pays his debts whene’er he can
And never should be prest,
No need pursue the honest man,
He always does his best.
His conscience is his beacon light,
It always guides his way,
His path is blazed with glory bright,
He does not go astray.