Providence Daily Advertiser

POETRY.
From the Ladies' Magazine.
ABRAHAM'S TRIAL.
Peace dwelt in Gerar's vale—God's chosen one.
There fed his flocks, amid the vine clad hills
Th' olive there with verdant, shadowy boughs
Flourished commingling with the myrtle groves.
And there the Patriarch had his altar raised.
Where oft the holy man called on his God,
The everlasting One, in whom he hoped;
And often to this sacred spot, he led
The pious Isaac, darling of his heart,
The child of his old age, God promised gift,
And destined father of a numerous race.
The aged mother looked upon her boy
With all the tender love that mothers feel,
And the deep, holy thought that this her child
Was the Almighty's gift and special charge.
None but a mother's heart can know her joy
To guard his infant steps, to spread his couch
To watch his gentle sleep, and on his cheek
And lip to mark the glowing hues of health—
When years had added vigor to his limbs.
Like the young antelope, Beersheba's hills
He bounded o'er; or climbed in youthful glee
The graceful sycamore. or lofty palm,
Or careful, watched his father's numerous flocks.
Thus lived the parents of the Hebrew race,
Each loving each, and all approved of God.
Easy is virtue's path when clustering joys
Surround our steps, each moment sending forth
Some fresh perfume of bliss to charm the soul;
But few with pious Job can bless the hand
That strips us of our joys and leaves us lone
And comfortless, to walk a thorny road
Unblest by aught to cheer the gloomy way.
Oft does the Almighty prove his faithful ones
In furnace of affliction—as the gold
Is rendered pure by ordeal of fire,
So by sore trial shines the virtuous mind.
Calm in those eastern skies the morning dawned,
Revealing nature in her loveliest forms,
But not as wont, suggesting to the mind
Of the old patriarch, gently pleasing thoughts,
His high wrought soul was raised above the earth
Intent upon accomplishing the deed
His God required—With tenderness of love,
Sparing the mother's weakness; not to her
This man of God the dreadful secret told ,
But rising early, bids his child prepare
To journey on with him from Gerar's vale
They pass the brook of Besor, Sorek's stream,
Judah's wilds and Bethlem's sacred plain.
The third day, to the man of God, revealed
A mount refulgent with celestial beams,
Token sublime that here Jehovah looked
Of his obedience, to see the proof—
One moment at the mountain's base. they passed
But soon its steep ascent began—the child
Unconscious, bears the wood; the fatal knife
To slay the victim, and the fire to burn;
The father carries in his trembling hands.
They reach the mountain's top, an altar raise;
The child in simple innocence, exclaims,
"My father, we have here the fire and wood,
But we have yet no lambs for sacrifice?"
The father looked with anguish upon the boy
And nature plead in his behalf—but soon
A sudden vision broke upon his soul,
He saw his darling son an emblem and
Of that great sacrifice which God would make
Of His Beloved for the sins of man—
The patriarch seized the knife—A voice is heard
Touch not the lad—Abra'm, thy faith is proved;
Thou fearest God, since thou hast thus resigned
Thine only, well beloved child to me."
The astonished father scarcely dare believe
He hears aright—When looking up, he saw
A lamb before him—victim sent by God,
The ransom for his son ; he quickly seized
And gave it a burnt offering to the Lord—
Then on their way rejoicing, back they went
To Gerar's valley; to his mother's arms
The child is given—and in the father's breast
Dwells joy serene, and sweet approving voice.
Of conscience whispering, thou hast proved thy
faith.
A. H. L.