Herald Of The Times

POETRY.

(From the Mechanics' Banner.)

REFLECTIONS
ON HOME AND ABSENT FRIENDS.

When bosom friends are doom'd to part,
In distant lands to dwell:
How painful to the lonely heart,
Its waves of grief to quell.

'Tis thus that absent souls are taught
To feel that God is nigh;
When other friends cannot be sought,
They seek their Friend on high.

The kindred stars are scatter'd wide,
On heaven's blue sparkled sea;
To light and bless more worlds beside,
This distant world with glee.

'Tis thus like stars they're set apart
'Twixt veiling mount and seas;
To light and cheer each other's heart,
And spread their charities.

Friendship like gold must first be tried,
From social dross refined;
By distance thus 'tis purified,
And seeks its kindred kind.

Together friends, too oft forget,
The clearness of their ties;
But memory's tears in absence whet,
The value of the prize.

In distant lands to hear the storm,
Whistling with fury round;
Brings to the mind that dearest friend,
Which summer spread around.

Thus God our very sorrows makes,
The sources of our joy;
When absent our affection wakes,
Which time would else destroy.

In heaven alone, true friends shall meet,
And never more to part;
There every present heart shall greet.
Its well known brother's heart.

All sorrows there shall flee away,
And love beam on our souls;
Behold our God his sceptre sway,
And bow to his control.

The pleasing news we there shall tell,
To Angels hovering round;
And meet the eternal note to swell,
While Seraphs join the sound.

All heaven will echo with the praise,
Of friends in heaven joined;
And all the host their voices raise,
To see our Jesus crowned.

G. W.