Thomas Cogswell Upham Poems

If men of earth, for earth's renown,
Are willing long to wait or toil,
Nor shrink to lay existence down
Upon the war-field's bloody soil;--
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Oh Thou, who givest the true desire,
Thyself the only source of love,
Within our humbled hearts inspire
Affections, springing from above,
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How happy is the peaceful breast,
No agitating strife that knows;--
Through which the stream of holy rest
In one unbroken current flows?
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If there e'er was a time of rejoicing, 'twas then
When we first broke asunder the shackles that bound us,
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In prison, when the early saints
Wore despotism's chains,
'Twas Faith that silenced their complaints,
In solacing their pains.
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Jehovah, sov'reign of my heart!
My joy and by night and day!
From Thee, oh may I never part,
From Thee ne'er go astray.
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Oh love! thou day-star of my heart!
Ascend upon thy throne!
Victor and lord, where'er thou art,
To all within the power impart,
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Oh, could I rule my erring thought,
Each wrong desire subdue;
And serve my maker as I ought,
As Thou would'st have me do.
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Oh, what a fearful thing it is,
That, from the better way,
Attracted by illusive bliss,
We love to go astray.
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Oh, say when errors oft and black
Have deeply stained the inmost soul,
Who then shall call the wanderer back,
Who make the broken spirit whole?
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