Original Poetry.

Colonist, Issue 26, 19 January 1858, Page 4

Original Poetry.

THE EARTHLY JERUSALEM,

[Part I.] Jerusalem ! Jerusalem! The pilgrim's city blest, Whore all the weary tribes of God Devoutly seek to rest: Where, gathered from oppressive scorn, And wrong, and goading thrall, And servile sin, and grief forlorn, And mis'ry's hourly gall,— Thy longing sons repair to find And foster ev'ry grace,— Away from ills of Gentiles blind, In mercy's hiding place! How jewelled with all loveliness Is all thy tow'ring might! Thy twelve foundations beam with peace,— Thy summits with delight! Thy forted terraces arise With many a sylvan wreath; Choice vines and olives shade thy skies, With richer crops beneath. Dim lights, in lines of types and signs, Mere bones of seers unfold; Men erring trust the worshipped dust Of mouldering records cod : But thine is risen,_ lively truth. Miraculously wise; Fresh, in the Spirit's bloom of youth, Its wondrous graces rise: They rise, adapted to all time, As hearts believing know In renovated love sublime And life's eternal flow! The heathen grope in error's glooms, -j By gods uncheered, untaught! Their .altars and their fanes are tombs! Their self-like idols naught!. But, Salem, beams revealed in thee, Oracularly shine; And, in thy mountain loftiness, All realms extol thy shrine. Unnumbered stars, as lasting hopes, Thy growing fane behold; •And peoples, starred with brightest thoughts, There offer gems and gold. In iron arks, that scour the seas Thund'rous, great cities come; And echoing shores, and waving trees, Welcome the strangers home! But who are these, as clouds of doves Urgent, and high in air ? O'er hills and floods and storms they fly— What science speeds them there ? Launched thus in Omnipresent love, See faith's wise soaring bold! The youth of ancient prophecy And Sion's hope, behold! Ignoble sloth, and trembling vice, Avaunt!— Be shamed away! New enterprise and industry, Speed on, in glorious day! The striving meek shall gain the earth And treasures all divine: Their full contentments grateful health Excels a boundless mine. Conversing thought communes with thought Through tides and deserts wide; What tidings confidence hath sought,— While asking are supplied! The wise and strong, as brave as good, With earnest aim and fair, In Salem cherish martyr-blood, As sacramental care. For thee, O Salem, and for right, Firm hearts have bled their prayer :— Are not their names inscribed in light, For valiant breasts to bear ? Thy kingly sons, in wisdom robed, And virtue's radiant queens, Shall beautify thy great estate, Thy blessed, fruitful scenes. Messiah then, through them, shall reign Wherever heaves the sea; While rocks all charmed in polished walls Resound with jubilee! Salvation shall the globe embrace; Its freedom fort thee round; And, throned in thee and loving hearts, The Saviour shall be found. Thy spacious temple's golden home Shall canopy the world; Nor through its constellated dome "' Shall blasts of war be hurled! Nor zealous pride, nor party prayer, Shall taint its purity: Unmoved the good shall, all things bear, — In firmness ever free! In unity bright city stand, . The refuge of our kind, Where penitence of ev'ry land Shall sanctuary find! I see thy ways diverging strait Through each prolific clime; They vibrate with the human weight Of chariot-trains sublime. How haste the ransomed saints along From ev'ry shore and isle, To fill Jehovah's courts with song, And make creation smile! Ten thousand hosts harmonious sing, In boundless joy so clear, That heav'n, full rapt and listening, Stoops all her skies to hear. Unnumbered flocks of kindred souls, Progressing with the lay, Enjoy the bliss endearingly, And homeward press their way. Hosannah! for the diadem So worthy of our King, They see; —it is Jerusalem! It sparkles as they sing. They pour, in myriad tongue 3of praise, The concord of one love, Till Eloheim in ev'ry face Glows—as in heaits above!