Of all thy glorious gifts to man,

The noblest, and the best!

When I am idling in the way,

And danger stalks abroad,

It thunders in my startled ear—

“Prepare to meet thy God!”

Whene’er I stray, its beacon light

Shines through the gloom afar;

And when I turn the other way,

’Tis there—my polar star!