ODE TO PEACE

Come, dove-eyed peace-offspring of heaven, descend;

Thy calm, sweet influence do thou me lend;

Dispel the gloom that broods upon my mind;

Bid melancholy flee; make me resigned

To bear with patience and submission due

The will of God; and still my mind imbue

With reverential awe and just regard

For all his ways, as taught in his blest word.

Yes, thou sweet Peace, whom, when the Savior great

Had nearly closed sojourn in earthly state,

He gave as his last legacy to those

His dearest friends, who from mankind he chose,

In those dear words, “Peace now I leave with you,

My peace I give; you soon shall prove it true.

Not as the world its boasted treasure gives,

‘ Tis of my grace to each one who believes.

Let not your hearts be troubled, then, nor fear,

The Comforter — the Holy Ghost — is near.

And, when I shall to yonder heaven ascend,

Him, with His vast, rich blessings, I will send.”

Not only these this gracious boon enjoyed,

But Saints before that time, pure, unalloyed,

And blissful peace within their breasts possessed,

Both in dread dangers and when much oppressed.

Adam, our great progenitor, received

With Eve, his wife, this gift, which much relieved

Their guilty minds. It was the promise great

Made to them while in their most abject state,

“That their illustrious Seed should bruise the head

Of the Arch Tempter, in their room and stead,”

Which wrought the change produced in their sad minds,

And soon bid flee that slavish fear which blinds

The eyes of mortals; gave them soon to see,

“Though the offense was great the gift was free,”

And would extend unto their progeny.

O blissful change! from dark foreboding fear,

A wounded conscience, and Hell's prospects drear,

To joy unspeakable and purest peace,

Which once received were never more to cease.

A prophet said — the prophet was a man

Who did enjoy that peace which only can

Flow from one source — God's own redemption plan —

“Mark well the perfect man; behold the upright,

Whose death so precious is in Jesus’ sight;

His end is peace.” He goes down to the shade

Of death's dark valley, and is not afraid

To come within the precincts of the grave,

Well knowing Christ is ever near to save.

Deluded Balaam also sweetly sung,

In words of solemn grandeur, bold and strong,

The happiness which Israel through his tribes

Enjoyed beneath God's care. Not Balak's bribes

Nor vain enchantments, with their altars reared,

Nor bleeding victims sacrificed, appeared

To move their God from blessing them to curse

His chosen people, oft to God averse.

Well Balaam knew that if he were to die

“Their God was not a man that he should lie.”

He bated Truth, but was constrained to sing

Of their blest state beneath God's fostering wing.

And when he sang the latter end of such

His harp gave tones as though from Seraph's touch

He sang aloud their bliss, not did he cease

Till all the hills re-echoed sweetly “Peace.”

Nor could refrain from envy when he viewed

Jehovah's covenant of Peace renewed;

But breaking forth in rapture loud did cry

“O let me die the death the Righteous die!

Let my last end be only like to his

Whom God dost bless with thee, delightful Peace!”

Even I, who write this simple Ode to thee,

Have felt thy thrice bless'd influence on me;

And feeling fresh the vigor thou dost give,

Would gladly trace thy merits while I live;

Would fain enumerate the mighty host

Of those who've had pure peace of mind to boast;

But ah, how great the sum! even time would fail

Or if to gain its aid I could prevail,

My powers of mind would fail to set them forth

As they appear in Scripture; yet‘ tis worth

The little time which I can freely spare

To choose a few from many that are there.

The pleasure it affords would well repay

The labor needed, if I spent the day.

Behold that holy man who, strong in faith,

Lends an obedient ear to what God saith.

See, when the Lord his strength of faith would test,

How quickly he obeys the high behest.

The task indeed was great, but he, possessed

Of peace of mind, was always quite at rest.

Yes, though his Isaac dear was doomed to die,

No murmuring escaped his lips, and why?

He knew that God had promised him to bless

With numerous progeny, and nothing less.

He felt assured that from this very seed —

His darling son — ere long was to proceed

So vast a host that if the stars but could

By man be numbered, then his offspring would.

And forth from them was Christ the Lord to come,

The Refuge of his Saints, to lead them home.

And Abraham knowing this ne'er sought release

From God's sweet service, and his end was peace.

Now mark his son. He in the shining track

His father trode, sincerely walked; no lack

Had he of the great blessings which from thee

Flow in such rich profusion, but did see

By eye of Inspiration what God said

Was soon to be fulfilled. Then he was laid

Beside his father, and his end was peace.

Jacob, his youngest son, Supplanter named,

Parent of Patriarchs so greatly famed,

Found too that peace of mind was always sweet

When he sojourned with Laban in retreat.

What was it, I would ask, which made him bear

The heat by day and midnight's frosty air?

The loss of cattle stolen from his hands?

Such churlish conduct, and such harsh commands?

With loss of sleep, and wages changed ten times,

And twenty rigorous years in wasting climes?

What was it then, I ask, but peace of mind

Arising from the thought that God was kind

And ever faithful, and would soon fulfill

His promise made, to be his Guardian still!

He had sore trials, yet with great avail

He wrestled with his God and did prevail.

Joseph, his son, beloved above the rest,

Felt soothing peace within his youthful breast.

His is an history that as a child

I loved to ponder, and to mark how mild

And affable his conduct, yet how great.

The bitterest envy joined, with fiercest hate,

The brethren hare toward the godly youth

Who trode the path of rectitude and truth,

That they in spite of his prophetic dreams,

Disposed of him, and, as they thought, the themes

His soul dwelt much upon, by banishment.

Straitway to distant Egypt he was sent,

While they, with strange feigned tale, now homeward came,

And vainly thought to clear themselves from blame

By falsehood foul and black hypocricy

Before their unsuspecting father. He

Their lies believed and mourned his much-loved son

In tears of anguish, whom he though undone.

Meanwhile the youth, directed by his God,

In journey with the Ishmaelites did plod

His weary way to Egypt. He arrived

Possessed of peace of mind, nor could be bribed

To part with this, his only treasure left

Save sweet reflection, when he was bereft

By his hard brethren of the sweets of home,

And banished forth a wanderer to roam.

Say now, O Muse, what was the cause why he

Enjoyed a state of mind completely free

From all the sad effects which freely flow

In tasting long accumulated woe?

‘ Twas having peace, that best of all reward

To those — and none beside — who Truth regard.

And long as Joseph did in Egypt live,

The record of his life this truth did give.

Behold him when in his first master's house,

Who placed beneath his care all but his spouse,

How nobly he withstood temptation great,

How suitable his conduct to his state.

Behold him when his mistress tried so hard

To tempt him into sin. Did he regard

Her strong entreaties or her flowing tears?

Those fell like emptiness upon his ears,

And these but more impressed his tender mind

With wish to better serve his master kind.

He gave this answer: “Oh, how can I do

This wickedness so great and sin with you

Against that God who hath my feet preserved

In holy paths from which I never swerved?”

But oh, what poor return did he receive!

A dungeon followed next, nor did he grieve,

But cheerfully endured the heavy cross,

And found his gain where others saw but loss.

And he who was his trust did not forsake

His much loved child when Truth seemed all at stake,

But brought him through these trials manifold,

And, still preserved that peace of mind which gold

Could ne'er have purchased, and much less secured;

But having which, he patiently endured.

Now mark the steps by which he did ascend

To that high pitch of honor, when did bend

The knees of Egypt's sons at King's command

As he went forth in state to view the land.

It was not flatt'ry, nor vain compromise

With Egypt's many gods no, he was wise

With wisdom from above, and well he knew

That the predictions he had given were true,

And that ere long both heaven and earth would see

His youthful dreams fulfilled were sure to be.

Even so they were. His brethren did bow down

Their faces to the earth‘ fore him unknown,

When they were sent by Jacob to obtain

For him and his the necessary grain.

It was a time of famine, and the dearth

Had then extended over all the earth

But Joseph was raised up by gracious heaven,

And unto him for this was wisdom given.

Now when his feelings he could not restrain,

He formed a scheme by which he might detain

The brethren, who a second time had come

To purchase food, for those they left at home.

The scheme was tried and it succeeded well;

But O, how Joseph burned to break the spell

Which hitherto had bound them! He made known

That he was Joseph to whom they had shown

Such cruel usage, but their deed forgave,

And told how God had raised him up to save

Them with their offspring and great Pharoah's land.

The news now reached the King, who gave command,

“Joseph, let all thy relatives appear

Before my face; they nothing have to fear.

Lade all their beasts and bid them haste away;

Take wagons from my hand, make no delay.

Inform your father and let him come down;

The best of my dominions is his own.

Bring all your progeny, not once regard

Your household goods, if they your speed retard.”

I'll now take leave of all that passed between,

And come at once to that affecting scene —

The meeting of the father with the son.

Poor Jacob saw what glory he had won

By perseverance in the “narrow path,”

And having seen it, wished to meet his death.

Mark now the truth of what I wish to sing,

This interview to Jacob peace did bring.

He said: “In bitterness I will descend

Into my grave and meet my latter end.”

But God in mercy and rich love decreed

That he should see both Joseph and his seed.

Ere long the time arrived when Jacob's age

Gave proof he too must soon leave this world's stage.

Therefore he gathered round him, near his bed,

His twelve dear children, unto whom he said,

“List now, ye sons of Jacob, hearken well

To Israel your father. I foretell

What shall befall you in your latter days.

O then, my sons, take heed unto your ways.”

He ended not till all received the share

Which God allotted them, when with due care

The Prophet drew his feet into the bed,

And in sweet Peace his spirit softly fled.

Now, when the last sad rites had been performed

O'er Israel's corse, the brethren, now reformed

By God's just dealings, soon began to fear

That Joseph would their enemy appear;

So sent a message, fell before his face,

Confessed their sin, and wished he would erase

Out from his mind remembrance of their deed.

He gave soft answers, hence they all were freed

From ills expected, and were now agreed.

A few short years saw each of them removed

By peaceful death, and so my point is proved.