WRITTEN IN THE SUMMER OF 1826.

What strange, what fearful thing hath come to pass?
The ground is iron, and the heavens are brass;
Man on the withering harvests casts his eye,
" Give me your fruits in season, or I die; "
The timely Fruits implore their parent Earth,
" Where is thy strength to bring us forth to birth? "
The Earth, all prostrate, to the Clouds complains,
" Send to my heart your fertilising rains; "
The Clouds invoke the Heavens, — " Collect, dispense
Through us your quickening, healing influence; "
The Heavens to Him that made them raise their moan,
" Command thy blessing, and it shall be done: "
The Lord is in his temple: — hush'd and still,
The suppliant Universe awaits his will.

He speaks; and to the Clouds the Heavens dispense,
With lightning-speed, their genial influence;
The gathering, breaking Clouds pour down their rains,
Earth drinks the bliss through all her eager veins;
From teeming furrows start the Fruits to birth,
And shake their treasures on the lap of Earth;
Man sees the harvests grow beneath his eye,
Turns, and looks up with rapture to the sky;
All that have breath and being now rejoice;
All Nature's voices blend in one great voice,
" Glory to God , who thus himself makes known! "
— When shall all tongues confess Him God alone?

Lord! as the rain comes down from Heaven, — the rain
Which waters Earth, nor thence returns in vain,
But makes the tree to bud, the grass to spring,
And feeds and gladdens every living thing, —
So may thy word, upon a world destroy'd,
Come down in blessing, and return not void;
So may it come it universal showers,
And fill Earth's dreariest wilderness with flowers,
— With flowers of promise fill the world, within
Man's heart, laid waste and desolate by sin;
Where thorns and thistles curse the infested ground,
Let the rich fruits of righteousness abound;
And trees of life, for ever fresh and green,
Flourish where trees of death alone have been;
Let Truth look down from heaven, Hope soar above,
Justice and Mercy kiss, Faith work by Love;
Nations new-born their fathers' idols spurn;
The Ransom'd of the Lord with songs return;
Heralds the year of Jubilee proclaim;
Bow every knee at the Redeemer's name;
O'er lands, with darkness, thraldom, guilt, o'erspread,
In light, joy, freedom, be the Spirit shed;
Speak Thou the word: to Satan's power say, " Cease, "
But to a world of pardon'd sinners, " Peace. "
— Thus in thy grace, L ORD God , Thyself make known;
Then shall all tongues confess Thee God alone.