The Patent Hat

With which I would thy servants' pathway mark,-
Without thy aid 't will only make it dark:
But if my prayer to answer thou wilt deign,
'T will tend to enlighten, and to make it plain;
By showing sloughs, which, if with care they shun,
The Christian course in triumph they will run.
First, I would show, in this my humble song,
Where some, who'd fain do right, are doing wrong;
Why some, who try thy Sacred Word to preach,
Have no success, and are not apt to teach,-
That they the talents trusted to their care,
Can ne'er improve alone by dreams and prayer,—
That they must toil, with all their force and might,
T'enlarge those talents and to use them right,
And further show, that members of thy Church
Should more perform,--should diligently search
Thy Word, and all its sacred truths obey,-
Should for each other and their pastors pray.
If they would run thus in the Christian race,
They'd be refresh'd by streams of heavenly grace:

That if they all would daily watch and pray,
Sinners would turn and seek the heavenly way.
For this, O Lord, I meekly ask thy aid,
On which alone my humble hopes are stay'd.
I ask not lofty style, Shaksperian flame,
Unless 't will tend to good-I ask not fame.
I'd have a style, though not in great demand,
So plain, that all who read may understand:
But most of all I'd have it fraught with sense,
So they who read shall find a recompense.
O! guide my helm aright, and I shall sail
O'er waters broad and deep, and cannot fail
To reach the port: who can, when heavenly light
Directs his course and makes his pathway bright?
Thy fear, I hold in view, O righteous Lord!
While I relate the duties and reward

Of those professing, from thy bounteous store,
To feed thy flock, and lead them to the shore
Of heavenly rest, beyond life's troublous stream;
The preacher's solemn charge begins my theme:-
The Lord was pleased that man, by sin depraved,
*By foolishness of preaching should be saved;
But in his Word he nowhere has decreed,
That men, of foolish preaching, stand in need.
It is a solemn, fearful work, to talk,
To plead, to act for God; and yet to walk,
To run, to soar, yet faint nor weary not,
Shall be the faithful pastor's happy lot.
Thrice, four times happy, is his lot indeed,
Who, with due care, his Master's flock doth feed:
+Glory and honor, peace, all that he could
Desire, God gives to him that worketh good.

* 1 Cor. i, 21.

† Rom. ii, 10.

Not worldly, but celestial honors large,

That preacher gains who guides aright his charge:
But he, for this, with deep and fervent prayer,
Should labor, watch, and have an anxious care.
The Eastern shepherds watch'd their flocks by night
As well as day, and in it took delight.

That none might stray, and wolves might none devour,
They used all care and caution in their power.
Shall shepherds, who Christ's flock attempt to keep,
Be less engaged than those attending sheep?
Are they not duty-bound to watch and pray,
Lest through neglect one soul shall go astray?
Yea, truly, they have stations high to fill,
*Requiring heavenly wisdom, grace, and skill.
Forth into pleasant pastures they must lead
The sheep, and to the tender lambs take heed;
And wandering ones that through the deserts roam,
They must search out, and gently lead them home;
And in the Church, which is Christ's sacred fold,
Feed them with care, as Peter thrice was told.
And can they thus much time for leisure find?
Much, to be sure, if they the tempter mind;

He says they should; and Nick, you know's no fool,-
An idle preacher is the devil's tool.

He's not so partial to an idle man,

'Tis true; but first he'll stop men, if he can, From doing good, and then, will, by degrees,

Teach them to work for him: they learn with ease.

What various ways he takes to gain his ends!

And O, alas! how oft success attends !

* Matt. x, 16, and Eph. iv, 29.

†The verb лоuaiva, used in John xxi, 16, means not only to feed, but to have a watchful care over the flock.

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