Lays of the Sanctuary, and Other Poems

( t Mot ' ilttfTraT^CC*? < V 1 |li )J Wk XWKTSS FROM THE LIBRARY OF REV. LOUIS FITZGERALD BENSON, D. D, BEQUEATHED BY HIM TO THE LIBRARY OF PRINCETON THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY LAYS OF THE SANCTUARY, AND OTHER POEMS. Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2013 http://archive.org/details/sanctoOOruth of tf)e §?anct AND OTHER POEMS. COMPILED AND EDITED G. Stevenson de M. Rutherford. " Now the end of the commandment is charity, out of a pure heart, and of a good conference t and offaith unfeigned." i Tim. i. 5. LONDON: HAMILTON, ADAMS, AND CO. 33 PATERNOSTER ROW. LONDON: Ltktfkr Printed by G. Barclay, CaftU St. Sf. PREFACE. Tt yTRS. Elizabeth Good, for whofe benefit this Work *-*-- has been publifhed, is the aged relict of a pro- feffional gentleman, and the niece of the late Rev. T. Allen, D.D. In times gone by, her family furnifhed members to the clerical and legal profeffions ; but its fortune, like all earthly things, has changed with the viciffitudes of time. Mrs. Good has attained her feventy-fifth year, but fhe is a marvel for her age. She is brifk, lively, and chatty, as a girl in her teens, and evinces unwonted bodily activity in the difcharge of her domeftic duties. Her faculties are hardly impaired : fhe can thread her needle by candlelight, and can walk three and four miles in fucceffion. Nor have the fnows of feventy winters bleached a hair of her head. Yet, at her age, when the majority of people feek reft, fhe eats not the bread of idlenefs, but cheerfully ftruggles with feeble hands againft the difficulties that have befet her path. vi Preface. Sixteen years ago (he loft her hufband,—a man much beloved for genuine goodnefs by all who knew him, and a few poor retain to this day a grateful recollection of his kindneiTes ; while fome, whom his generous heart befriended in their poverty, and who have fince enjoyed profperitv, have for former favours returned bafe ingra- titude. At his death fhe was left in eafy circumftances, occupying a well-furnifhed houfe on Connaught Terrace, furrounded by fmiling friends, who with the firft fign of adverfity flunk away. By the charity that thinks no wrong — an honeft credence which fome might call eafy credulity — fhe too implicitly confided in thole who, with fair fpeaking and feeming, were cruelly defrauding her j and at laft, from the heartlefs duplicitv and atrocious villany of one, matchlefs for his audacity in weaving the web of wrong fcathlefs, fhe not only loft her money, but the greater part of her furniture was fold. From comfort fhe was at once reduced to indigence, with the growing incapabilities of age to aggravate the bitternefs of deftitution. And for the laft ten years fhe has been totted hither and thither on a lea of troubles, — often- times expofed to grievous neceflitv, in need of common necefTaries, fo keenly prefling as almoft to border on the dire ft exigencies of poverty. Yet with fortitude fhe drained the bitter cup, and with cheerfulnefs fhe bore the uncharitablenefs of the world,— with a ftrength and Prefa VII energy beyond her years, which the poiTeflion of a good confcience could alone impart, and with a firm reliance on the mercy of God, who in His own time will fet this bewildering fcene of wrong right. True to her early teaching, in the midft of the forrow and adverfity that have darkened and embittered her old age, fhe has fteadfaftly clung to the Rock that faileth not the children of the " houfehold of faith." In corroboration, I beg to offer the following tes- timonials of Mrs. Good's deferts : — The Parfonage, Rainhill, near Prefcot, Lancafhire, July 17, 1858. This is to certify that I have known Mrs. Good for more than eighteen years,— that I have always found her to be a lady of moft upright, honourable, kind, and induftrious habits, willing to be ufeful in every way that fhe could, and anxious to promote the happinefs and comfort of every one with whom fhe is con- nected. It is with extreme pain I hear of her fad loffes, and the cruel treatment fhe has met with from feme who ought to have been a help to her. I knew her hufband, who was an eftimable medical man. Any benevolent individual who may be willing to help Mrs. Good in her plans for her future fup- port, may reft allured that his kindnefs will be well applied. Theodore Shurt, M.A., Of Chrift College, Cambridge, And late Incumbent of Morton Morrell, Warwickshire. viii Preface. 3 Tonbridge Street, Eufton Road, Dec. 9th, 1858. Dear Madam,— I deeply regret to hear that your old age is embittered by trouble and poverty, and fhall rejoice to hear that the exertions of your friends have proved a real aid and comfort in the hour of need. Having known you for upwards of thirty years, I am quite fure, if it had depended upon yourfelf, your active habits and kindnefs of heart would have fecured you a happy and comfortable lot, but unforefeen events and the unfair dealings of the world have, indeed, faddened your latter days. Pray put my name down for a copy of the Poems ; and if the teftimony of an old friend's regard is of any fervice, ufe it in any way you think fit. I remain, yours faithfully, £. W. Hayes, Of the Bank of England. Acacia Road, N.W. Dec. 13th, 1858. Dear Madam,— It is with great regret I learn the ftory of your trouble and misfortune — not the refult of any want of induftry on your part, but arifing from the mifcondudfc of others. Having known your late hufband and yourfelf between twenty and thirty years, I cannot withhold this teftimony of my eiteem, and fhall be happy to fubferibe for the Poems, which, with the kind affiftance of your friends, you are going to publifh ; and which, I fincerely truft, may prove a fource of permanent relief to you. I remain, yours very truly, Le Chevalier George Manders, Attache to the Portugucfe Legation. Pre/a IX The Poems in this volume are original, and expreflly contributed. The Work itfelf is a noble teftimony of the active charities of life,— the golden links that bind humanity in bonds of love. To this Compilation I have brought nothing but friendfhip and patience ; indeed, my fhare of the labour I may well exprefs in the words of Montaigne, —" I have here only made a nofegay of culled flowers, and have brought nothing of my own but the thread that ties them." In tendering my grateful thanks to the Contributors for the generous afliftance they have, throughout this " labour that proceedeth of love," afforded me, I cannot but exprefs a hope that we may meet hereafter on a wider field of ufefulnefs. But whether or not, I fhall ever retain a deep and lively fenfe of their kindnefs to Mrs. Good. How ever forget the difintereftednefs with which they refponded to my appeal, and liberally be- ftowed the rich and delicate fabric of the mental loom for her benefit ? Not content with the beftowal of thefe tokens of fympathy, nor unmindful of the injunction of Chriftian duty laid on us all to lighten, to the beft of our ability, the burden and forrow of the widow, they have added material gifts too,— fcattering a few flowers of comfort on the path to the tomb. How exprefs her gratitude for thefe offices of love ? But, verily, her benefactors will find their beft reward for fuch acts x Preface. of beneficence in the deep reality of the inward fatis- fa£Hon that flows to thofe who give a cup of water in His name ! " Thofe deeds of charity which we have done, Shall flay for ever with us; and that wealth Which we have fo beftow'd, we only keep." With the launch of the Volume, for weal or woe, on the fea of literary adventure, I take cordial leave of the friends of the caufe. Yet not before fervently breathing a prayer of earneft heart, that this fweet offering of the Mufe of Benevolence may prove the forerunner of many bleflings to Mrs. Good. For poverty, which is often vifited as a crime, is at all feafons hard to bear ; but how much harder when it falls to the lot of threefcore and ten, with the infirmities of age to aggravate diftrefs ! Yet, making no appeal to morbid feelings by parading her woes and her cares, but limply trufting to our common humanitv, I leave the broad outlines of misfortune to fpeak to the heart, and prompt it to acts of grace from its own native goodnefs. If the Work be fuccefsful, the proceeds will be appro- priated to the purchafe of an annuity, or the leafe of a fmall houfe. In either cafe, the conlummation of a plan of relief fo fimple will enfure to her few remaining years a home, or a means of fubfiftence, certain and Preface, XI definite. And, no longer a prey to the fharp pangs of poverty and its fore difquietude, this unfortunate and aged lady may end her days in the enjoyment of com- parative comfort. In recommending this Volume to the tender mercies of the critic, I beg to remind him that it folicits indulgent confideration on the plea that it is an expreflion of the beft and nobleft feelings of our nature — the defire to fuccour misfortune and folace the helpleflhefs of age. *** As this little Work has been contributed exprefjly for a charitable purpcj'e, Purchafers of it are moji rejpetlfully and earnejiiy entreated, if they approve of its objeel, to recommend it to their friends.

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