William Baxter Seasons for Prayer (1868)

 

T H E

L A D I E S '   R E P O S I T O R Y .
A U G U S T,   1 8 6 8 .

 

S E A S O N S   F O R   P R A Y E R .
PRAY at bright morn. The spirit then needs strength
    For all the varied duties of the day,
And in the panoply of virtue strong,
    Among thy lab'ring fellows take thy way.

Then shall thy hand be strong, thy heart be light,
    Though hard thou toilest, and thy daily bread
Shall sweet as manna seem; thy prayer is heard,
    And soul and body by God's hand are fed.

Sweet is the water of the running brook
    From which thou drinkest at the hot mid-day,
For He who caused the crystal wave to flow
    Gives it his blessing--he has heard thee pray.

And when thy toil is done, with thankful heart,
    Think life's brief journey shorter by a day;
Trial shall soon give place to bright reward,
    And, strong in hope, go on and pray--still pray.

Pray--pray at night when stars come softly forth,
    Giving a glory to the sunless sky;
O, let them call thy eyes and heart away
    From earth and fix them steadfastly on high.

Calmly survey the past, and ere thou yield
    Thy wearied frame to sweet, oblivious sleep;
Confess thy sins, seek pardon, and implore
    That God may thee in his protection keep.

Pray in temptation's hour and thou shalt find
    The prayer of faith can make the tempter flee;
Though strong thy foe, thy God can break the snare,
    And set thy soul at perfect liberty.

Pray, too, when death is near, then shalt thou find
    In that dark vale, a friend whose words of love
Can cheer its gloom, and bid thy failing eyes
    Behold the crown reserved for thee above.

 

[The Ladies' Repository 28 (August 1868): 142.]

ABOUT THE ELECTRONIC EDITION

      William Baxter's "Seasons for Prayer" was first published in The Millennial Harbinger, Third Series, Vol. 6, No. 1, January 1849, p. 45. It was reprinted in The Ladies' Repository: A Monthly Periodical Devoted to Literature and Religion, Vol. 28, No. 8 (New Series, Vol. 2, No. 2), August 1868, p. 142. This volume, edited by I. W. Wiley, was published in Cincinnati by Hitchcock and Walden and in New York by Carlton and Lanahan. Another poem with the same title was published earlier in The Ladies' Repository, Vol. 4, No. 8, August 1844, p. 245.

      Addenda and corrigenda are earnestly solicited.

Ernie Stefanik
Derry, PA

Created 19 April 2000.
Updated 28 June 2003.

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