The Nineteenth Century.

Thames Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 9830, 31 December 1900, Page 3

The Nineteenth Century.

EPITOMIZED SERMON BY REV. A. DEWDNEY, December 30, 1900. "The century is calling to us now With signs of dissolution on its brow, And its achievements, issues, progeny, The world, its debtor, may with rever. ence see. At its advent how casual was the care For human life. Four score offences share The gallows high. Where at its. blessed end Our clemency the murdered scarce will send. Yet ever in the vanguard England stood, And judged by others, then, her laws were good. Rude license of the tongue it has denied, Tho oatE, the <iuip, the brutal jest have died. Outlawed, false hospitality has slunk, TLat rolled the guest beneath the table drunk. Its dawn revealed a very bestial brand On fifty thousand convicts of our land ; Five thousand now beneath the hand of law Aro held in decency and outward awe. It snatched the children from the dork. some hole, It washed from woman's form the stains of coal. Ifc biule the infant from the brickfield flee It set the English slaves of England free. It bade the widow's heart to sing for joy. And arched, a roof above the orphan boy. Then taxed philofcopher, and sage, and seer To guide through earth, to Heaven's gate to steer. When Ethiopia lifted up her hands, t struck from oft her wrists the iron_ bands. rt set the seed of Israel in power, And gave the sons of Rome a legal dower. Swept off the stigma that a darker day Upon tho non-conformist loved to*lay. And multiplied the missionary band From scores to thousands in a foreign land,

To speed their work, ten thousand coins of gold Three millions grown, the worker's hands uphold. Yea, all these, worthy wonders have been done

Tn the high name of God's beloved son. Aye, in this lowly island of the sea Whera by the grace of God the builders be Of empire under auspices most fair, A virgin country, and beyond compare, \Vo reap what others sowed in toil and tears. We sow for those who reap in later years. In strength or weakness, as we fall, or ' stand" We mould the future of our sea-girt strand Thus, as we glance upon the closing page, Thus, on the threshold of the golden age We say,—Whate'er the future, bright or .sad — The Lord hath done great things, and we are glad." ROSLYN. Thames.