John Pierpont Poems

O'er Kedron's stream, and Salem's height.
And Olivet's brown steep,
Moves the majestic queen of night,
And throws from heaven her silver light,
...

O, Thou from whom all gifts proceed,
A blessing now dispense;
And give us, Lord, with power to plead,
The cause of temperance.
...

Faint, bleeding, of his robes bereft,
'Ready to perish' by the way,
'Mid craggy wilds by robbers left,
A lonely Jewish traveller lay.
...

Weary travellers are we,
And our word is briefly spoken;
We must lean on charity,
For our 'stay and staff' is broken.
...

Shall that old chamber be forgot,
Where first the light divine
Shone on our infant Sunday School,
...

Loud o'er thy savage child,
O God, the night-wind roared,
As, houseless, in the wild
...

Not with a conqueror's song
Thy courts, O God, we throng,
For battles gained;
No cannon's sulphurous throat,
...

O God! I thank thee, that the night
In peace and rest hath passed away,
And that I see in this fair light
My Father's smile, that makes it day.
...

We praise thee-if one rescued soul,
While the past year prolonged its flight,
Turned shuddering, from the poisonous bowl,
...

O! shun the bowl!-the draught beware,
Whose smile but mocks the lips of men:
When foaming high with waters rare-
O! never touch the goblet then.
...