William Baxter Seasons for Prayer (1849)

FROM

THE

MILLENNIAL HARBINGER.

SERIES III.

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VOL. VI. BETHANY, VA. JANUARY, 1849. NO. I.
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SEASONS FOR PRAYER.

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 by a hand almighty thou art 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 midnight, when stars come softly forth,
      Giving a glory to the sunless sky;
Oh! let them call thy eyes and heart away
      From earth, and fix them steadfastly on high.

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

Pray in temptation's hour, and thou shalt find
      The pray'r of faith shall 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, and thou shalt find
      In that dark vale, a friend, whose words of love
Can cheer thy gloom, and bid thy failing eyes
      Behold the crown reserved for thee above!

WM. BAXTER.      

[The Millennial Harbinger (January 1849): 45.]

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. The electronic version of the poem has been produced from the College Press reprint (1976) of The Millennial Harbinger, ed. Alexander Campbell (Bethany, VA: A. Campbell, 1849), p. 45. The poem was reprinted in The Ladies' Repository, Vol. 28, No. 8 (New Series, Vol. 2, No. 2), August 1868, p. 142. 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 June 1
Updated 28 June 2003.

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