And, blest by Thee, our present pain Strike, Thou the Master, we Thy keys, The anthem of the destinies ! The minor of Thy loftier strain, Our hearts shall breathe the old refrain, "EIN FESTE BURG IST UNSER GOTT.” W1 (LUTHER'S HYMN.) E wait beneath the furnace-blast Not painlessly doth God recast That from the land The hand-breadth cloud the sages feared All else is overtopping. East, West, South, North, It curses the earth; All justice dies, And fraud and lies Live only in its shadow. "EIN FESTE BURG IST UNSER GOTT.” What gives the wheat-field blades of steel? What points the rebel cannon? Of the men o' the South? For the Union's life? - Then waste no blows on lesser foes O North and South, Its victims both, Can ye not cry, "Let slavery die!" And union find in freedom? What though the cast-out spirit tear We who have shared the guilt must share Whate'er the loss, Whate'er the cross, Who trust in God's hereafter? For who that leans on His right arm What righteous cause can suffer harm His hand upholds The calm sky of to-morrow! 63 Above the maddening cry for blood,. Let Freedom's voice be heard, with good Give prayer and purse Whose shame we bear, Whose end shall gladden Heaven! In vain the bells of war shall ring That rings the knell Then let the selfish lip be dumb, And hushed the breath of sighing; The pains of purifying. To bear his lot, And, murmuring not, Endure and wait and labor! ASTREA AT THE CAPITOL. 65 ASTRÆEA AT THE CAPITOL. ABOLITION OF SLAVERY IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, 1862. HEN first I saw our banner wave WHE Above the nation's council-hall, I heard beneath its marble wall In the foul market-place I stood, And saw the Christian mother sold, I shut my eyes, I held my breath, And, smothering down the wrath and shame Beside me gloomed the prison-cell The flag that floated from the dome For crime was virtue: Gown and Sword On the oppressor's side was power; I knew that truth would crush the lie, - But now I see it! In the sun A free flag floats from yonder dome, Not as we hoped, in calm of prayer, Midst sounds that madden and appall, The song that Bethlehem's shepherds knew! The demon-agonies of Saul! Not as we hoped; - but what are we? I cavil not with Him: the voice Rejoicing! Dear friends still toiling in the sun, |