Classic Poem

Sages of letter'd Greece and Rome,
Ev'n thou by feign'd Apollo's doom
Announced wisest of mankind,
Withdraw your thinly-scatter'd rays;
Before the broad o'erpow'ring blaze
Of the supreme eternal mind.

Mercy's great year, in heav'n inroll'd,
By seers succeeding seers foretold,
Was now with solemn pomp unseal'd.
Light of the world Messiah came,
In his almighty Father's name,
And immortality reveal'd.

Fill'd with his Father's strength he taught;
The dumb in rapture speak their thought,
The lame man bounding like the roe:
The blind look up to heav'n, stern death.
Resigns its spoil, and from his breath
Fierce Demons shrink to shades below.

O works of pow'r, O works of love,
Ethereal embassage to prove,
That ev'ry rising doubt control;
Earnest of love and pow'r more strong,
Which to the son of God belong,
To heal the miseries of the soul.

Great Prophet, Saviour, worthy thou
That every knee in homage bow,
From every mouth thy praise should flow:
All thy commands are mild and just,
Thy promise, faithful to our trust,
Will pardon, peace, and heav'n bestow.