No voice was heard, or sound,
From the vast concourse round,
Outspreading wide.
But onward still they passed,
Until they gained at last
The altar side.
Then said the lowly one, “O ye!
Who celebrate a Saviour’s birth,
Should he return again, would he
Find faith among the sons of earth?”
Quick, with an angry frown,
The haughty priest looked down
Upon the crowd.
“Who are ye, that ye dare
Invade this house of prayer?”
He cried aloud.
“This temple, sacred to the Lord,
Not thus shall be profaned by you:
Your deeds with his do not accord—
Begone! Begone, ye vagrant crew!”
The lowly one replied,
“These, standing by my side,
Came at my call;
Nor need they have one fear,
With me to enter here—
God loves them all.
Thou hypocrite! thou dost reject
Me, through thy most unchristian creed,
And making truth of none effect,
Thou dost dishonor me indeed.”
Around the stranger’s head
A radiant halo spread
Its glories bright;
His meek and tender face
Beamed with transcendent grace,
And heavenly light.
There, mighty in his power for good,
So gentle and divinely sweet,
The “Christus Consolator” stood,
With weeping sinners at his feet.
“We must go hence,” he said,
“To find the living bread.
Come, follow me!
My Father’s house above
Is full of light and love,
And all is free.”
High in the old cathedral tower,
The brazen bell majestic swung,
As if some strange, mysterious power
To sudden speech had moved its tongue.
O Christ! thou friend of men!
When thou shalt come again,
Through Truth’s new birth,
May all the fruits of peace
Be found in rich increase
Upon the earth.
Then shall the song of sweet accord,
Sung by the heavenly hosts of yore,
To hail the coming of their Lord,
Sound through the ages evermore.
PETER McGUIRE; OR, NATURE AND GRACE.
It has always been thought a most critical case,
When a man was possessed of more Nature than Grace;
For Theology teaches that man from the first
Was a sinner by Nature, and justly accurst;
And “Salvation by Grace” was the wonderful plan,
Which God had invented to save erring man.
’Twas the only atonement he knew how to make,
To annul the effects of his own sad mistake.
Now this was the doctrine of good Parson Brown,
Who preached, not long since, in a small country town.
He was zealous, and earnest, and could so excel
In describing the tortures of sinners in Hell,
That a famous revival commenced in the place,
And hundreds of souls found “Salvation by Grace;”
But he felt that he had not attained his desire,
Till he had converted one Peter McGuire.