The Family Bible (Dakin)

How painfully pleas­ing

The fond re­col­lect­ion

Of youthful con­nect­ions

And innocent joy!

When blest with pa­rent­al

Advice and af­fect­ion;

Surrounded with mer­cies

With peace from on high.

I still view the chairs

Of my sire and my mo­ther

The seats of their off­spring

As ranged on each hand;

And that richest of books

Which excelled every oth­er

The fa­mi­ly Bi­ble

Which lay on the stand.

The old fa­shioned Bi­ble

The dear

bless­èd Bi­ble

The fa­mi­ly Bi­ble

Which lay on the stand.

That Bi­ble

the vol­ume

Of God’s in­spir­ation

At noon and at ev­en­ing

Could give us de­light;

And the pray­er of our sire

Was a sweet in­voca­tion

For mer­cy by day

And for safe­ty thro’ night;

Our hymns of thanks­giv­ing

With har­mo­ny swell­ing

All warm from the hearts

Of that fa­mi­ly band

Half raised us from earth

To that rap­tur­ous dwell­ing

Described in the Bi­ble

That lay on the stand.

Ye scenes of tran­quil­ity!

Long have we part­ed;

My hope’s al­most gone

And my par­ents no more;

In sor­row and sad­ness

I live brok­en-heart­ed

And wan­der un­known

On a far dist­ant shore;

Yet

how can I doubt my

Dear Sav­ior’s pro­tect­ion

Forgetful of gifts

From His boun­ti­ful hand!

Oh! let me with pa­tience

Endure His cor­rect­ion

And think of the Bi­ble

That lay on the stand.

Hail

ris­ing the bright­est

And best of the morn­ing

The star which has guid­ed

My par­ents safe home;

The beam of thy glo­ry

My path­way adorn­ing

Shall scat­ter the dark­ness

And bright­en the gloom.

As the old east­ern sag­es

To wor­ship the Strang­er

Did hast­en with ec­sta­sy

To Ca­naan’s land

I’ll bow to adore Him

Not in a low man­ger

He’s seen in the Bi­ble

That lay on the stand.

Though age and mis­for­tune

Press hard on my feel­ings

I’ll flee to the Bi­ble

And trust in the Lord;

Though dark­ness should co­ver

His mer­ci­ful deal­ings

My soul is still cheered by

His heav­en­ly Word.

And now from things earth­ly

My soul is re­mov­ing

I soon shall glo­ry

With Heav­en’s bright bands

And in rap­ture of joy

Be for­ev­er ador­ing

The God of the Bi­ble

That lay on the stand.