ON THE DEATH OF EDWARD PAYSON, D. D.

A servant of the living God is dead!

His errand hath been well and early done,

And early hath he gone to his reward.

He shall come no more forth, but to his sleep

Hath silently lain down, and so shall rest.

Would ye bewail our brother? He hath gone

To Abraham's bosom. He shall no more thirst,

Nor hunger, but forever in the eye,

Holy and meek, of Jesus, he may look,

Unchided, and untempted, and unstained.

Would ye bewail our brother? He hath gone

To sit down with the prophets by the clear

And crystal waters; he hath gone to list

Isaiah's harp and David's, and to walk

With Enoch, and Elijah, and the host

Of the just men made perfect. He shall bow

At Gabriel's Hallelujah, and unfold

The scroll of the Apocalypse with John,

And talk of Christ with Mary, and go back

To the last supper, and the garden prayer

With the belov'd disciple. He shall hear

The story of the Incarnation told

By Simeon, and the Triune mystery

Burning upon the fervent lips of Paul.

He shall have wings of glory, and shall soar

To the remoter firmaments, and read

The order and the harmony of stars;

And, in the might of knowledge, he shall bow

In the deep pauses of Archangel harps,

And humble as the Seraphim, shall cry —

Who by his searching, finds thee out, Oh God!

There shall he meet his children who have gone

Before him, and as other years roll on,

And his loved flock go up to him, his hand

Again shall lead them gently to the Lamb,

And bring them to the living waters there.

Is it so good to die! and shall we mourn

That he is taken early to his rest?

Tell me! Oh mourner for the man of God!

Shall we bewail our brother that he died?