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Show . . , :. '.; - ; ; - --vi-;---V a . , i The Eights of the Women of Zion, and the Eights of the Women of all Nations. ' 'l -- Vol. The scenes roll on. Written in commemoratidn of the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Church of Jesus Christ oj Saints, by Bishop 0. JFl Whitney, Hail to the Year of Jubilee! Let pealing anthems rise,. And burets of echoing melody Loud mingle with the skies! Let earth resound with music's pow'r, Glad welcoming the year, When Zion 6ees her natal hour The fiftieth time appear! An hour when, thro' the Iing'ring night, In beauty broke the morn, When Faith, exultant, hailed the Light That told her Truth was born. The fulness of an omened birth In Terse prophetic given When Truth, new springing from the earth, Saw Mercy smile in Heaven, It is a oay for Israel His highest hopes to raise, While voice and harp, uniting, swell The sounding notes of praise. For Truth and Virtue, breathing love, Have made the world more fair, Since Righteousness, from realms above, llpfurl'd her standard there. friendly eye this radiant scene behold, Nor feci what fairebt words could not unfold? Or stranger gaze upon its glory rest, ... Nor deem, of all, this day divinely West? Could Time retrace the wilderness of years The stubblefleld of human hopes and fears-Re- call from 6ilent regions of decay The buried greatness of a former day, Would not the righteous dead their voices raise, To swell the volume of a people's praise, And, bursting from the thralldom of the sod, & ..,. the wondrous workmanship of God? But Time, alas! no retrogression knows, Its ever hurrying stream still onward flows; The moments coming crowd the moments past, And each day sings the requiem of the last. Fair Memory! Thine the task this boon to give; Bid thou the past within the present live! On thy bright altar let the embers glow, To lift the shadows of the Long Ago! Far down the mystic river of the Mind, A fleet of . recollections slowly wind A chain of gems on Fancy's pinions brought, Historic views on Memory's canvas wrought. The foremost is a scene where forests grow, Where flowers bloom and springtime lreczc8 blow, Where sweet-tonebirds send up their matin lay, And lave in th' golden fountain of the day. Deep in the bosom of a woodland shade, Where Solitude her secret home hath made, A simple lad, his sunburned temples bare, Pours forth a guileless soul to God in prayer. A sudden cloud, of midnight depth profound, d hurls him breathless to the trembling ground; 8pe3chless he's stricken, but with voice of will Calls on his God, and supplicates Him still. His prayers are heard. Lo! shining o'er his head A dazzling light! Where hath the darkness fled? A pillar brighter than the noonday sun, When on the purest sky his race is run, g Falls, gently as the dew, And opens to his gaze a heavenly view; Within a rustic cot An honest farmer's home of humble lot The boy that was, in pride of strength appears, Erect 'neath manhood's crown of ripening years, Nor now, as when, in trusting childhood's care, Alone he sought and found the God of prayer, Nor when, as singly, stemmed the tide of hate, Which spurned the truth he dared to innovate; j Friends are his followers. Tho' numb'ring few, Disciples dauntless, of a doctrine new, Convened to verify the written word Of him who bore the burden of the Lord, WTien learned proud Babel's king thro' wisdom's ways, Wnat God had destined in the latter days. The hour is nigh when monarchs' necks shall bow, The Stone yet lingers on the Mountain's brow, But 6oon with force resistless shall it fall, And onward roll, victorious over all. 'Tis done the deed Creation's morn devised The Church of Jesus Christ is organized. The scenes roll on. Now chains the wand'ring sight, A land of meadows broad and streamlets bright, WTicrc flowery billows, in the far extent, Kiss, with soft lips, the bending firmament, And royal rivers, from their northern throne, Ponr their dark waters toward the burning zone. Can Declare " " ' - 11 - - mm SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, SEPTEMBER 1, 1880. . 9. THE JUBILEE OF ZION." Latter-da- y "" " ." Now earth-revivin- Two Beings, of a glory to defy The pow'r of words, stand 'twixt him and the sky. And is't a voice, or music low and clear, Whose hallowed sweetness charms the listener's ear Like murmuring waters from a mossy rial: ' 'Joseph! Tis my beloved Son, Hear Him!" A city stands, in purity and pride, On th' verge of Mississippi ' rolling tide; Erewhile the home of Happiness and Worth, The sacred source of melody and mirth, A refuge for the righteous of the earth. The shrine of Hope, the paradise of Peav wtocTe Farm was round in Charity's increase, The ark where roving Weariness might rest A gleam of light upon the earth's dark crest. But there are sounds of sorrow in the air, Where Gladness reigned o'er beauty bright and rare, , Dark clouds of efWgatnMngnroijd.tty.le bosom o'er shall tears spread, of thy Whence show'rs And Sadness shall the leaves of lichen strew ' On thy pale brow, O fated, fair Nauvool The slow descending day Thro' the rude window sends a farewell ray, Where Freedom's sons, her worship to atone, In dreary durance tread the dungeon stone. Four forms revealed, and one familiar fact The boy the man, of other times and place-S- till of care, young, yet on his brow the crown wear. That Age and early Woe arc known to What deed of his hath Won the felon's doom? Ask the bright sun, that bids the envious gloom Give way when Morning lifts the veil of Night, vanished light? Why bringeth he again the His deed the same for bidding darkness flee, Shares he a dungeon with his comrades three. Nor filled his cup of fate. Hark! From below, A rumble as of angry waters flow; Fast gathering, as clouds foretelling storm, A horde of demons, housed in human form, with surging sway. BcKlego IW portals, and, The threshold throng the treacherous guards give way. A roaring volley rends th' affrighted air, As rush the mad mob up the trembling stair, to rend, Eager, as wolves, the helpless prey wcre"none defend. Daring, as cowards, strike Now bristling weapons gleam about the door, . Into the cell their murderous showers pourf-to the fatal room, . While, through the windows, of doom. Swift rain Uxe metal messengers flood, Vainly the captives stem that fiery a blood, Thirsting to mingle with martyr's E'en now life's ruddy river's ebbing fast, their last, Two noble souls on earth have sigW of Fate! book cwect Mercy! Close the bloody can contemplate. Seared is the sight such scenes ruthless foes, their To shield thy chosen, smite O God! Could not thy lightnings interpose? A prison cell. . shed Zion, weep! But every drop that's head. Shall roll an ocean o'er the murderer's recall , Tictlms to Thy tew, tho viin his Wep, No. 7. On Crime's dark soul like molten lead shall falL Mourn, Israel! Mourn thy prophet chieftains slain, Yet know their souls arc 'neath the altar lain, To rise in witness at that solemn day, When Judgment shall the world In balance weigh, And cowering Sin, from vengeance long concealed, In Retribution's presence stands revealed. Where, next, shall Fancy's roving pinion rest? Mid barren regions of the boundless West, Where silv'ry streams through 6llent valleys flow From mountains laureled with eternal snow. Where reigns no creed its rival creed to bind, Where exiled Faith a resting place shall find, WTicrc th' eagle builds his home upon the height. And dreams of Freedom that hath wing'd her flight. 'Tis morning. On the mountain, valo and stream The generous sun bestows a golden beam, Crowning with glory snow, bespangled hills, And darting life through all their thousand rills. No sound disturbs the stillness of that scene So bare, so bright, so savage yet Bercne Save where the torrent's distant voice is heard, Mingling with music of the mountain hi"), Or minstrel cricket, 'neaU J tfrooplng blade. Chirps, ceaJ"w'Or kls summer Rcrens dc. Bat H"tl Breaks on the ear a stranger sound-H- ow -- -- the high hills those jarring notes rebound, As sentinels, that warn what would intrude, To mar the sway of kingly Solitude! Now nearer borne upon the canon breeze, The roll of rocks and crash of falling trees Blend harsh, at intervals, with human shout, And clattering wheels that throng the rngged route. Lo! Issuing from the mountain's rough defile, WTierc frowns, on either side, a lofty pile, A little band of ragged mountaineers , Halt on tho ridge whose milder summit rears, ; TJtpwering peaks and plain to intervene And gaze with wonder dh the glOrtouaeeevAh! marvel nothing if the eye may trace The care Hn on each sunbrowned hero' face; Nor yet, if down his cheek, in silent show, The trickling tides of tender feeling flow. Tears, not of weakness, nor of Sorrow's mood, As when, o'er banished joys, will Memory brood, Far richer fount each fearless eye bedewed They wept the golden drops of gratitude. Wherefore? Ask of the bleak and biting wind, The rivers, rocks and deserts left fhind; The rolling prairie's waste of moveless wav, Besprinkled with a sea of n&racicss graves; The city fair, where widowed Loneliness Weeps for her children in the wildcmcBs; The river broad, along whose icy bridge, each frozen ridge; Their bleeding feet The Christian world, that drove them forth to die On barren wilds, beneath a wintry ky! Would e'en the coldest heart fortcar to say. Good cause had Gratitude to weep that day? Or censure, for a flow of minly tcarB, That brave soulcd hand the Mormon Pioneers? Their names? Go view them on the Golden Page, The gift of Glory Jo the coming age; The van of Civilization's westward sweep. The few that sowed what millions yet shall reap. As some fair ship that waves its pennant high, of tlie evening sky, Bright with the splendors sails along the mystic sight, Their memory Haloed with blessings, as a crown of light, Floating down Fame's eternal river, A thing of beauty and a joy forever. And fifty years, like billows on the sand, Havcieft their marks on Life's enruffled strand, Since djtvncd the morning of that choen day Israel's fold rcfound the Narrow Way, And planted fiCm the Gospel's glorious' tree, On Joseph's laud, tho land of Liberty. soil-- Its Tho' rudely torn from out the parent Ludding glories fierce Oppression's spoil An.d flung far out upon the burning plain, To meet the doom lU ranrd'roua foes ordain; "' ''" -- rcd-huc- d Wli s t -- ' ' |
