Shall one single link remove

From the golden chain of love!

ANTISTROPHE I.

Therefore let our praise arise!

Therefore let our souls despise

Disgrace and pain!

Our foes their deadly aim have missed! They know not how to live is Christ,40

To die is gain!

ANTISTROPHE II.

Yet, Lord, whene'er our race is run,
Our battle fought, our victory won,-
Whene'er, in yonder realms of light,
We wear the martyr's robes of white,-
Oh, still thy gracious smile bestow
Upon thy struggling church below!
Thy future heralds deign to bless
With larger powers and more success,

Till Truth and Peace with mighty span

Embrace the family of man!

VI.

Was it Echo's mimic tone

Answered in that sullen groan ?

Tremulous at first and low,—

Hark! it louder seems to grow

With continuous rolling sound,

Like thunder muttered from the ground
It comes !41-it comes!-the dungeon reels
Beneath the earthquake's fiery wheels!
Back recoils with grating jar
Massy bolt and serried bar!

Free each wondering prisoner stands,
Lifting to heaven his chainless hands:
Free!-they reck not how or why,

Though death should come with liberty.

VII.

But one-the man of ruthless brow,

Grim tyrant of those realms of woe,
Had heard the fierce invader burst

The portals of his den accurst:

42

A moment and his desperate hand

Hath grasped the suicidal brand!

Was it his guardian angel spoke,

And midway stayed the deadly stroke? "Forbear," it cried, "rash man, forbear!

Behold, thy prisoners all are here!"'

Then trembling sprang he in; for well

He knew the solitary cell,

Whence issued forth that warning call,

He knew the deep-toned voice of Paul.

VIII.

You might have deemed that iron man

For refuge to his victims ran;

For pale and anxious," Sirs," cried he.

For pardon and for safety flee?"

Flee?" answered Paul, a radiant smile

Lighting his toil-worn cheek the while, "Flee to the God who burst our chain,

Flee to the Man for sinners slain;

His power, His love can safety give
To thee-to all.-Believe and live."

IX.

Spirit! who from primæval night
Didst call forth beauty into light;

Not with a burst of awful splendor,

But smile of sunshine warm and tender;

Hushing the waters wildly hurled

Above the rude chaotic world,

And beaming happiness and grace

On waking Nature's infant face,—

Spirit! e'en thus the waves that roll

O'er the dark chaos of the soul

Shrink from thy radiant glance away;

And, shining into perfect day,

l'inted with Heaven's ambrosial dyes,

Behold a new-born world arise!

X.

Can that be he that scowled of late,
The Cerberus of the dungeon gate?
Whose heart, from human pity shielded,
Was harsher than the chains he wielded?

How changed the savage now!-his eye

Is softened into sympathy:

He raised those sufferers from the ground,

And washed and soothed each festering wound;

Then, as he meekly bent to hear

His guests of heavenly mercy tell,

Down his rough cheek the unbidden tear,

Large, warm, and bright, as childhood's, fell.

XI.

The morn is up!—her peaceful eyes

Peep coyly through the latticed skies: