The Boy Out Of Church
As Jesus and his followers
Upon a Sabbath morn
Were walking by a wheat field
They plucked the ears of corn.
They plucked it, they rubbed it,
They blew the husks away,
Which grieved the pious pharisees
Upon the Sabbath day.
And Jesus said, 'A riddle
Answer if you can,
Was man made for the Sabbath
Or Sabbath made for man?'
I do not love the Sabbath,
The soapsuds and the starch,
The troops of solemn people
Who to Salvation march.
I take my book, I take my stick
On the Sabbath day,
In woody nooks and valleys
I hide myself away.
To ponder there in quiet
God's Universal Plan,
Resolved that church and Sabbath
Were never made for man.
poem by Robert Graves
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Related quotes
The man with the deformed hand
On the Sabbath with my shrivelled deformed hand
in front of all the people I took my stand.
Everyone was watching expectantly
I know it's the Sabbath but will He heal me?
The Pharisees and the teachers of the law
were very unhappy with the things they saw.
They looked for reasons to accuse Him of sin
and if He healed me then they thought they would win.
He said, 'On the Sabbath should we do evil? '
'Should we save a person's life or should we kill? '
Jesus spoke these words to the Pharisees there
they were quiet showing no compassion or care.
Then, 'Stretch out your hand, ' Jesus commanded me
and restored my withered hand for all to see.
So when I placed both of my hands together
the bad hand was made as good as the other.
I cannot understand and did not know
why all of the Pharisees acted so.
But I am so glad that Jesus healed me
from my handicap and deformity.
Written after reading Luke 6: 6-10
The Holy Sabbath Day
God created the things He thought
Over the six days of the week,
And being pleased with His own work,
The Sabbath Day of rest, He sought!
God made the Sabbath Day for man
So that his body, heart and mind,
From week-days’ drudgery, rest find,
And thereby increase his life’s span!
God made the Sabbath Day holy
So that man could be nearer God,
And keep his soul afilled with grace,
And keep the heaven’s road always!
The Sabbath Day is crucial
For man to keep off diseases
Those afflict him these modern days,
And add more years to life on earth.
The Sabbath is the answer to
The affluent illnesses that
Affect most men including stress,
Avoiding all things of excess!
Man, keep the Sabbath Day holy;
Give rest to body, mind and heart;
Cleanse soul from sins by divine art,
And do your duty for your part.
On this day, think of God much more,
And thank Him for His blessings shown;
Pray fervently from your heart’s core,
And keep off evils known, unknown!
For, holy, holy is the Lord
Of heavens, earth – the most high God;
Whatever He says may look odd;
All will be fine, heeding His Word!
Copyright by Dr John Celes 3-23-2009
poem by John Celes
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I was so frustrated in Sabbath after the last few albums. I just didn't like the musical direction Sabbath was going in.
quote by Geezer Butler
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Sabbath, My Love
greet my love with wine and gladsome lay;
Welcome, thrice welcome, joyous Seventh Day!
Six slaves the weekdays are; I share
With them a round of toil and care,
Yet light the burdens seem, I bear
For your sweet sake, Sabbath, my love!
On the First-day to the accustomed task
I go content, nor reward ask,
Save in your smile, at length, to bask --
Day blessed of God, Sabbath, my love!
Is the Second-day dull, the Third-day unbright?
Hide sun and stars from the Fourth-day's sight?
What need I care, who have your light,
Orb of my life, Sabbath, my love!
The Fifth-day, joyful tidings ring:
"The morrow shall your freedom bring!"
At dawn a slave, at eve a king --
God's table waits, Sabbath, my love!
On the Sixth-day does my cup overflow,
What blissful rest the night shall know,
When, in your arms, my toil and woe
Are all forgotten, Sabbath, my love!
Now it's dusk. With sudden light distilled
From one sweet face, the world is filled;
The tumult of my heart is stilled --
For you have arrived, Sabbath, my love!
Bring fruits and wine, and sing a cheerful lay,
Chant: "Come in peace, O blissful Seventh Day!"
poem by Yehudah HaLevi
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Some Keep the Sabbath Going to Church
Some keep the Sabbath going to Church --
I keep it, staying at Home --
With a Bobolink for a Chorister --
And an Orchard, for a Dome --
Some keep the Sabbath in Surplice --
I just wear my Wings --
And instead of tolling the Bell, for Church,
Our little Sexton -- sings.
God preaches, a noted Clergyman --
And the sermon is never long,
So instead of getting to Heaven, at least --
I'm going, all along.
poem by Emily Dickinson
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I believe the Sabbath; I keep the Sabbath.
quote by John Harvey Kellogg
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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More than the jewish people preserved the sabbath, the sabbath preserved them.
The Shepherd's Sabbath Song
Schäfers Sonntagslied
Ich bin so hold den sanften Tagen,
Das ist der Tag des Herrn!
Ich bin allein auf weiter Flur;
Noch eine Morgenglocke nur,
Nun Stille nah und fern.
Anbetend knie ich hier.
O süßes Graun! geheimes Wehn!
Als knieten viele ungesehn
Und beteten mit mir.
Der Himmel nah und fern,
Er ist so klar und feierlich,
So ganz, als wollt’ er öffnen sich.
Das ist der Tag des Herrn!
This is the Sabbath day!
The Shepherd's Sabbath Song
In the wide field I am alone.
Hark! now one morning bell's sweet tone--
Now it has died away.
Kneeling, I worship Thee:
Sweet dread doth o'er my spirit steal,
From whispering sounds of those who kneel,
Unseen, to pray with me.
Around and far away
So clear and solemn is the sky,
It seems all opening to my eye:
This is the Sabbath day!
poem by Johann Ludwig Uhland
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If ever a man could have felt the church to be unnecessary, he was Jesus. Yet he did not stay away form the church of his day. It was his custom to go to the synagogue on the Sabbath, and he made many trips to the temple.
quote by R. Brokhoff
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Sonnet: Keep The Sabbath-day Holy
'Remember Man, to keep Sabbath holy',
The Third commandment of God clearly says;
And if you can't, 'twill be your own folly;
Your life gets spent wholly in worldly ways.
Oh, what a pleasure hearing Sunday Mass,
And taking part in God's great sacrifice!
God made the six days, for man's sake; Alas!
The Sabbath day is God's just asking price!
What guilty feelings fill my heart when I,
Don't go for Sunday's Liturgical rites?
A good habit for soul's sake should not die;
God's candle in our heart, it serves to light.
Can I not spend just one day for God's sake?
'Tis worth the swim in Elysium- God's Lake!
poem by John Celes
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Bible in Poetry: Gospel of St. John (Chapter 5)
There was a feast for Jews just then;
Went Jesus to Jerusalem;
There was a pool called Bethesda;
In which there lay the ill, blind, lame.
There was a man who had been ill
For years thirty-eight, lying there;
As Jesus knew his long illness,
He asked, ‘Do you want to be well? ’
The sick man answered Him, ‘Oh, Sir,
I haven’t someone to put me there,
In pool of water that’s near-by;
Someone else gets there before me.’
Then Jesus told the man who’s ill,
‘Arise, take up your mat and walk.’
And instantly, the man turned well;
It happened on a Sabbath-day.
Jews told the man who had been cured,
‘On Sabbath, you shouldn’t carry mat.’
He said, ‘The man who made me well
Told me to walk and take my mat.’
They queried him, ‘Who told you so? ’
There was a crowd around the place;
By then, Jesus had slipped away;
The man didn’t know, that Sabbath day.
Next, Jesus found the man again,
And said to him, near the temple,
‘Now well you’re, don’t sin anymore,
So that worse things do not happen.’
The man then left and told the Jews
That Jesus only made him well;
Because on Sabbath, Jesus healed,
To persecute Him, Jews began.
So, Jesus told, ‘My father works
Until now; So, I also work.’
The Jews therefore tried all the more
To kill Jesus who Sabbath broke,
And made himself to God, equal.
So, Jesus answered them and said,
‘Amen, amen, I say to you,
A son can’t do a thing by self;
He sees his father and so does.’
‘The loving father shows his son
All things, He himself tries to do;
And He will show him greater works,
That astonishes all on earth.’
‘Just as the father raises dead,
The son gives life to anyone.
The father will not judge someone,
But allows son to give judgment.’
‘So that all may honor the son,
Just as the father, they honor.
Whoever doesn’t honor the son,
Does not the father too, who’d sent.’
‘Amen, I say, ’ said Jesus then,
‘Whoever hears my word, believes
The one who sent me to this world,
And later gets eternal life;
And will not be condemned at all,
For, he has passed from death to life.’
‘Amen, amen, I say to you,
The hour has come for dead to hear,
The voice of God’s son, right now, here,
And live forev’r will those, who hear.’
‘Like father has life within him,
The son has also life in him.
Don’t be amazed, the hour will come,
And all in tombs will hear his voice.
‘All who’ve done good will resurrect,
To eternal life, in heaven,
And wicked too will resurrect,
To be condemned in hell’s fire.’
‘I cannot do a thing on own;
My judgment will be just and fair,
Because I seek not, my own will
But will of one, who sent me here.’
‘If on my own, I testify,
No one can then, it verify.’
But there is one who testifies
On my behalf and truly, wise.’
‘John testified the truth to you;
I don’t accept what earthlings say;
I yet, say this, be saved you may.’
‘John was a burning, shining lamp
And for awhile, you loved his light; .
I testify ev’n more than John;
My father’s works, I here perform
To show my father has me sent.’
‘My father who has sent me here,
Has testified on my behalf;
His form remains unseen by you;
His voice, no one has ever heard.’
‘His word in you does not remain,
As you do not believe his son;
The scriptures testify for me
You search it for eternal life.’
‘Yet, you don’t come to me for life;
I do not accept human praise;
You do not have God’s love in you;
I came in my father’s dear name.’
‘Yet, you do not accept my words;
If someone comes in his own name,
You’ll accept him and give him fame.’
You can’t believe when you accept
The praises from one another;
And yet, not seek the praise that comes
From only God, my dear father.’
‘I won’t accuse you ’fore father;
But Moses will, in whom you hope;
For, if you believed Moses then,
You would have believed me, Amen.
Though Moses wrote about me, still
Believe my words, you all, how will?
Copyright by Dr John Celes 5-22-2007
poem by John Celes
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Bible in Poetry: Gospel of St. John (Chapter 9)
Jesus saw a man, blind since birth;
His disciples asked Him, ‘Rabbi,
By whose sins was the man born blind-
His own sins or that of parents’? ’
So, Jesus answered them, ‘Neither.
It is so that the works of God
Be manifested through the man.
The day is meant for all to work;
The night is for slumber and rest.’
‘While in this world, I am the light.’
Then Jesus spat on ground near-by
And mixed the clay with saliva;
He smeared the clay over man’s eyes
And said, ’ Go wash in Siloam Pool! ’
The man did so and got vision.
The beggar was able to see!
The neighbors saw and then remarked,
‘Isn’t this the beggar who was blind? ’
The beggar replied, ‘Yes, I am! ’
They asked, ‘How were your eyes opened? ’
The man described the whole story.
They asked him, ‘Where is Jesus now?
The beggar said, ‘I do not know.’
They brought the man to Pharisees;
Now Jesus did the miracle,
On Sabbath day and all knew that.
The Pharisees queried the man;
They said, ‘This man is not from God!
He does not keep the Sabbath-day.
How can a sinful man do signs?
They asked the beggar’s opinion;
He told them, ‘He is a prophet! ’
The Jews summoned his parents then
And enquired about their son;
His parents said, ‘He was born blind.’
But they didn’t know how he saw then.
They neither knew the healer’s name;
They told them to ask the beggar.
His parents were afraid of Jews;
If anyone believed Jesus,
And acknowledged Him, Messiah,
They were expelled from synagogue.
They called the beggar once again,
And asked him to give praise to God,
For, Jesus was a sinner great!
The man replied, ‘I do not know
If Jesus is a sinner great;
One thing was true that I was blind
And Jesus helped to make me see, ’
They asked him for more details then;
The beggar lost his cool and said,
‘Do you wish to be disciples? ’
They ridiculed the beggar-man
And said, ‘We are Moses’ disciples!
We don’t know where Jesus is from? ’
The man answered them quite bravely,
‘Isn’t it amazing that although,
You do not know who Jesus is,
Yet, He had made me to see then? ’
‘God does not listen to sinners;
If one’s devout, God listens then.
So far no one had given sight
To man who was blind, since his birth.’
‘If Jesus did not come from God,
He wouldn’t do miracles like this.’
They told the man, ‘You’re born in sin;
So, do not try to preach to us.
They drove the beggar-man away!
Then Jesus heard of incident;
He found the beggar-man and asked,
‘Do you believe in Son of Man? ’
He queried, ‘Who is he, tell me
So that, I may believe in Him.’
Then Jesus said, ‘You have seen Him;
The one speaking to you is He! ’
The man believed and worshipped Him.
Then Jesus said, ‘I came in here,
Into this world for judgment just,
And make ones who couldn’t see, to see,
And those who see become so blind.’
Some Pharisees who heard him said,
‘Surely we’re blind, are we not then? ’
Jesus told them, ‘If you were blind,
You wouldn’t have sins, but as you see,
Your sin remains and you are blind! ’
Copyright by Dr John Celes 5-23-2007
poem by John Celes
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Ebenezer
The Lord, our salvation and light,
The guide of our strength and our days,
Has brought us together to-night,
A new Ebenezer to raise:
The year we have now passed through,
His goodness with blessings has crown'd,
Each morning his mercies were new;
Then let our thanksgivings abound.
Encompass'd with dangers and snares,
Temptations, and fears, and complaints,
His ear he inclin'd to our pray'rs,
His hand open'd wide to our wants.
We never besought him in vain;
When burden'd with sorrow or sin,
He help'd us again and again,
Or where before now had we been?
His Gospel, throughout the long year,
From Sabbath to Sabbath he gave;
How oft has he met with us here,
And shown himself mighty to save?
His candlestick has been remov'd
From churches once privileg'd thus;
But though we unworthy have prov'd,
It still is continu'd to us.
For so many mercies receiv'd,
Alas! what returns have we made?
His Spirit we often have griev'd,
And evil for good have repaid,
How well it becomes us to cry,
"Oh! who is a God like to thee?
Who passest iniquities by,
And plungest them deep in the sea!"
To Jesus., who sits on the throne,
Our best hallelujahs we bring;
To thee it is owing alone
That we are permitted to sing:
Assist us, we pray, to lament
The sins of the year that is past
And grant that the next may be spent
Far more to thy praise than the last.
poem by John Newton
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Yolande
Natural talents and abilities,
And like villages without walls;
For my name is Yolande and,
I am alone on the narrow path of love.
Time after time and,
Sabbath after Sabbath;
And of the old harvest to share with you!
Because, drought and barrenness have overshadowed me.
Oh my lover,
I am now in the Wilderness of Sinai looking for you;
For i will always share my finest olive oil with you,
And you have to stay tongiht with me.
The sack of the old harvest is with me and,
Let me tell the wind to seek for you;
For the wind blows to where it wants to and,
We are like the female-goat and the male-goat.
Get twelve staffs from the wilderness and come to me,
Come and lead me on to be able to walk through the bush;
For i have a spear in my hand and,
I will guide you on into the chambers of my love.
poem by Edward Kofi Louis
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Bible in Poetry: Gospel of St. Matthew (Chapter 12)
It was the Sabbath day, when Jesus walked,
Through a field of grain with His disciples,
Who being hungry, picked some heads of grain,
And ate them while the Pharisees had watched.
They then remarked to Jesus about them.
On Sabbath day, his disciples had done
An act, unlawful, according to them.
Then Jesus asked them, ‘Haven’t you read
How David and his friends had fed,
When hungry they became one day,
And ate the offered bread that lay,
Inside the House of God which he
Ought not to eat but ones priestly! ’
‘Have you not read the Sabbath Law?
That priests that serve in temples are
Violating, though innocent? ’
‘There’s something more than temple here.
If you had known what was meant by
‘Not sacrifice, I desire mercy,
You would not condemn such things done.
The Son of Man’s, Lord of Sabbath! ’
Then, Jesus went into the synagogue.
There was a man with withered hand;
Is it right curing on Sabbath?
They asked to accuse Him therefore.
Then Jesus asked, ‘If your sheep fell
On Sabbath day, into a pit,
Would you not lift it out at once? ’
‘Is not man’s life more valuable?
’Tis lawful doing good on Sabbath day.’
He told the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’
The man did so and was restored.
The Pharisees then decided
To wait and then, put Him to death.
As Jesus knew their evil plan,
He left that place to another.
And many followed Him with faith
And Jesus cured their illnesses.
He warned them not to publicize.
This was to fulfill what was said
By prophet Isaiah before:
‘Behold my servant I’ve chosen
My beloved, in whom I delight
I’ll place my Spirit upon Him;
He’ll bestow justice to Gentiles.’
‘He’ll not contend or cry out and
His voice will not echo in streets;
A bruised reed, He will not break;
A burning wick, He’ll not put out,
Until He turns victorious,
And in His name, Gentiles will hope.’
They brought to Him, a demoniac,
Who was blind too and also mute.
He cured the person immediately;
He started speaking and could see.
The crowd was astounded and asked,
‘Could this be perhaps, David’s Son? ’
But Pharisees remarked, ‘This man
Drives out the demons by the pow’r
Of Beelzebul, prince of demons! ’
As Jesus knew what they had thought,
He said to them, ‘A kingdom that’s
Divided will be laid to waste;
A house divided cannot stand;
If Satan can drive out one more,
How can his kingdom ever stand?
And if I drive the demons out
Through Beelzebul, by whom do you?
I drive out demons with God’s help,
The Holy Spirit assists me!
God’s kingdom shall be upon you.’
‘How can one steal a strong man’s house unless,
He ties the man up before he plunders?
Whoev’r is not with me is against me;
Whoev’r that does not gather, then scatters.
Every sin will be forgiven people,
But sin against the spirit will not be.
Whoever speaks against the Son of Man
Will also be forgiven without fuss;
Who speaks against the Holy Spirit won’t
Be forgiven now or in age to come.’
‘The tree is known by fruits, it shall put forth;
Either the tree is good and so is fruit
Or rotten tree producing just bad fruits.’
‘You brood of vipers, how can you talk good
Things when your heart is filled with evil-hood?
For, speaks the mouth from fullness of the heart.’
‘The good from good person comes from like store.
An evil person delivers evil;
On Judgment Day, each one renders account
For every careless word, he spoke in life;
By your words, you’ll be acquitted, condemned.’
Some of the scribes and Pharisees then said,
‘Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.’
Then Jesus told, ‘A sign, an unfaithful
And evil generation seeks but then,
They will be given none except the one:
The sign of Jonah, prophet that all know;
Just as how Jonah stayed in fish’s belly,
For three days and three nights, so will the Son
Of man, be inside the heart of the earth.’
‘On Judgment day, Nineveh’s men will rise,
Because they heard Jonah and repented;
The queen of south will likewise then arise,
Because she heard King Solomon’s wisdom.’
‘When unclean spirit leaves a person, then
It roams through regions but cannot find rest,
And so returns to home that it had left;
It finds it empty, clean and in order;
It goes to bring back seven worse spirits,
And thus the person’s condition worsens;
Thus will this evil generation be.’
While speaking thus, his mother, brothers came,
And wished to speak to Him most urgently;
But Jesus asked, ‘Who’s my mother, brothers? ’
‘He showed His hand at His own disciples
And said, ‘Here are my brothers and mother!
Whoever does the will of my Father,
Is my mother, my sister and brother! ’
Copyright by Dr John Celes 6-1-2007
poem by John Celes
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Sabbath - a weekly festival having its origin in the fact that God made the world in six days and was arrested on the seventh.
quote by Ambrose Bierce
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Tay Bridge Disaster
Beautiful Railway Bridge of the Silv'ry Tay!
Alas! I am very sorry to say
That ninety lives have been taken away
On the last Sabbath day of 1879,
Which will be remember'd for a very long time.
'Twas about seven o'clock at night,
And the wind it blew with all its might,
And the rain came pouring down,
And the dark clouds seemed to frown,
And the Demon of the air seem'd to say --
"I'll blow down the Bridge of Tay."
When the train left Edinburgh
The passengers' hearts were light and felt no sorrow,
But Boreas blew a terrific gale,
Which made their hearts for to quail,
And many of the passengers with fear did say --
"I hope God will send us safe across the Bridge of Tay."
But when the train came near to Wormit Bay,
Boreas he did loud and angry bray,
And shook the central girders of the Bridge of Tay
On the last Sabbath day of 1879,
Which will be remember'd for a very long time.
So the train sped on with all its might,
And Bonnie Dundee soon hove in sight,
And the passengers' hearts felt light,
Thinking they would enjoy themselves on the New Year,
With their friends at home they lov'd most dear,
And wish them all a happy New Year.
So the train mov'd slowly along the Bridge of Tay,
Until it was about midway,
Then the central girders with a crash gave way,
And down went the train and passengers into the Tay!
The Storm Fiend did loudly bray,
Because ninety lives had been taken away,
On the last Sabbath day of 1879,
Which will be remember'd for a very long time.
As soon as the catastrophe came to be known
The alarm from mouth to mouth was blown,
And the cry rang out all o'er the town,
Good heavens! the Tay Bridge is blown down,
And a passenger train from Edinburgh,
Which fill'd all the people's hearts with sorrow,
And made them all for to turn pale,
Because none of the passengers were sav'd to tell the tale
How the disaster happen'd on the last Sabbath day of 1879,
Which will be remember'd for a very long time.
It must have been an awful sight,
To witness in the dusky moonlight,
While the Storm Fiend did laugh, and angry did bray,
Along the Railway Bridge of the Silv'ry Tay.
Oh! ill-fated Bridge of the Silv'ry Tay,
I must now conclude my lay
By telling the world fearlessly without least dismay,
That your central girders would not have given way,
At least many sensible men do say,
Had they been supported on each side with buttresses,
At least many sensible men confesses,
For the stronger we our houses do build,
The less chance we have of being killed.
poem by William Topaz McGonagall
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Mourning and Longing
The Saviour hides His face;
My spirit thirsts to prove
Renew'd supplies of pardoning grace,
And never-fading love.
The favor'd souls who know
What glories shine in Him,
Pant for His presence as the roe
Pants for the living stream.
What trifles tease me now!
They swarm like summer flies!
They cleave to everything I do,
And swim before my eyes.
How dull the Sabbath day,
Without the Sabbath's Lord!
How toilsome then to sing and pray,
And wait upon the Word!
Of all the truths I hear,
How few delight my taste!
I glean a berry here and there,
But mourn the vintage past.
Yet let me (as I ought)
Still hope to be supplied;
No pleasure else is worth a thought,
Nor shall I be denied.
Though I am but a worm,
Unworthy of His care,
The Lord will my desire perform,
And grant me all my prayer.
poem by William Cowper
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Olney Hymn 41: Mourning And Longing
The Saviour hides His face;
My spirit thirsts to prove
Renew'd supplies of pardoning grace,
And never-fading love.
The favor'd souls who know
What glories shine in Him,
Pant for His presence as the roe
Pants for the living stream.
What trifles tease me now!
They swarm like summer flies!
They cleave to everything I do,
And swim before my eyes.
How dull the Sabbath day,
Without the Sabbath's Lord!
How toilsome then to sing and pray,
And wait upon the Word!
Of all the truths I hear,
How few delight my taste!
I glean a berry here and there,
But mourn the vintage past.
Yet let me (as I ought)
Still hope to be supplied;
No pleasure else is worth a thought,
Nor shall I be denied.
Though I am but a worm,
Unworthy of His care,
The Lord will my desire perform,
And grant me all my prayer.
poem by William Cowper
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New England Sabbath Bells
Methinks I hear those tuneful chimes,
Borne on the breath of morn,
Proclaiming to the silent world
Another Sabbath born.
With solemn sound they echo through
The stilly summer air,
Winning the heart of wayward man
Unto the house of prayer!
New England's sweet church-going bells,
Their memory's very dear;
And oft in dreams we seem to hear
Them ringing loud and clear.
Again we see the village-spire
Pointing toward the skies;
And hear our reverend pastor tell
Of life that never dies!
We see him moving down the aisle,
In light subdued and dim;
The while the organ's swelling notes
Chant forth the grateful hymn.
The forms of those our childhood knew,
By meadow, grove and hill,
Are gathering round with kindly looks,
As if they loved us still!
In careless hours of gladsome youth,
'Twas our thrice-blessed lot,
To dwell upon New England's shores,
Where God is not forgot.
Where temples to his name are raised,
And where, on bended knee,
The Christian sends to heavenly courts
The worship of the free!
New England's Sabbath chimes!--we love
Upon those words to dwell;
They fall upon our spirits with
A sweetly-soothing spell,
Bringing to mind those brighter days
When hope beamed on our way,
And life seemed to our souls but one
Pure and unclouded day!
New England's Sabbath bells!--when last
We heard their merry chime,
The air was rife with pleasant sounds;
For 'twas the glad spring-time!
The robin to those tuneful peals
Poured forth a thrilling strain;
O, 'tis our dearest hope to hear
Those Sabbath bells again!
For now we're many a weary mile
From that New England home;
In lands where laughing summer lies,
Our wandering footsteps roam.
But yet those sweetly-chiming bells
Those heavenward-pointing spires,
Awaken e'er the brightest glow
From memory's vestal-fires.
poem by Frances Ellen Watkins Harper
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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