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 Oi,'R LORD BEARING THE CROSS. 
 
 
T}^ H [MI gT© [^Y © ? 
 
 ^\^ ILli^gl© [L©[^©. 
 
THE HISTORY 
 
 OF 
 
 OUE BLESSED LORD, 
 
 IN EASY VERSE, 
 
 FOR YOUNG CHILDREN 
 
 ffiS^iti) illustrations. 
 
 FROM THE LONDON EDITION. 
 
 NEW-YORK: 
 
 GENERAL PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL 
 
 SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION. 
 
 DKPOSITORY 20 JOHN STREET. 
 13 4 5. 
 
PREFACE TO THE AMERICAN EDITION. 
 
 The little readers of this History should be informed, when looking at its 
 illustrations, that we have no true likeness of our Blessed Lord, but only 
 such representations of His person as have been conceived in the imagination 
 of some great men, who never saw Him, but have given their whole minds 
 to the contemplation of His divine perfections as described in the Sacred 
 Scriptures. 
 
 But it must not be supposed, that it was ever in the power of any man to 
 imagine the thousandth part of the beauty, and loveliness, and majesty which 
 shone in the features of the Divine Saviour : and it has not pleased Him 
 that we should have them as they actually were, before our eyes. We do 
 not know the reason ; but we do know, that He who is infinite in Wisdom 
 had a reason for it. Sufficient would it be for us, if every man and woman, 
 and every child should strive to be like Him in character, and then, we aie 
 sure that their very countenances would grow more and more like His. 
 
 Yet, those great men just spoken of, have striven to fix in their mind such a 
 lively sense of the Saviour's manifold perfections, as to enable them to por- 
 tray upon the canvass something which should serve to excite and elevate 
 our feebler conceptions; and for this we may well thank them, while we 
 guard against a misunderstanding of their works, or a use of them which 
 they did not intend. 
 
Bfrectfons for t|)c 33lat€». 
 
 OUR LORD BEARING HIS CROSS, Frontispiece. 
 
 OUR LORD IN THE TEMPLE TofdCe page 18 
 
 OUR LORD HEALING THE SICK , ... 29 
 
 OUR LORD MOCKED , . 42 
 
 OUR lord's BURIAL . • . . 52 
 
 OUR lord's ASCENSION 58 
 
THE 
 
 HISTORY OF OUR BLESSED LORD. 
 
 IN E'ASY VERSE. 
 
 I. 
 
 THE CREATION, FALL, AND FLOOD. 
 
 Before the sun and moon were made, 
 
 Or earth, or sea, or sky, 
 Our Blessed Saviour dwelt in heaven. 
 
 And reigned with God on high: 
 
 Then God the Father, God the Son, 
 And God the Holy Ghost, — 
 
 One God in Three, — made all the world, 
 And all the heavenly host. 
 
THE HISTORY OF 
 
 This earth Jehovah did create, 
 
 And all that is therein: 
 And what a lovely earth it was 
 
 Till cursed by Adam's sin! 
 
 But Adam fell, and brought the world 
 Beneath that heavy curse; 
 
 And then his sons were wicked too, 
 And men grew worse and worse ; 
 
 Till God — preservmg only Noah 
 In ark of gopher wood, — 
 
 Broke up the fountains of the deep 
 And drowned them in a flood. 
 
OUR BLESSED LORD. 
 
 II. 
 
 GOD'S MERCY. 
 
 Now though the world had thus received 
 A judgment from the Lord, 
 
 They still rebelled against His Name, 
 Nor kept His Holy Word: 
 
 For Adam's sin was in their hearts — 
 His curse was on them still — 
 
 And not one man that God had made 
 Obeyed His Blessed Will. 
 
 All — all were lost — and all must die! 
 
 O what would men have done 
 If God had not, to save their souls. 
 
 Sent down His only Son 1 
 
8 THE HISTORY OP 
 
 But Jesus from His Father's Throne, 
 
 Beheld, with pitying eye, 
 That all the world was doomed to hell, 
 
 Unless He came to die. 
 
 And so He left the joys of heaven 
 
 And all His angel host, 
 And came on this poor, wretched earth, 
 
 To save His creatures lost. 
 
 The Son of God, whose awful Face 
 E'en Seraphs dare not scan. 
 
 Came down from His Almighty Throne, 
 And made Himself a man. 
 
OUR BLESSED LORD. 
 
 III. 
 
 OUR LORD BORN, AND MADE KNOWN TO THE 
 
 GENTILES. 
 
 He was a little Babe at first : — 
 His Virgin Mother's hands 
 
 Within a manger laid him down, 
 Enwrapped in swaddling bands. 
 
 There shepherds came to worship Him, 
 
 And wise men from afar, 
 Who travelled from a long way off. 
 
 Where they had seen His star. 
 
 And as they journeyed from the East 
 
 The star went on before. 
 Until its light had guided them 
 
 To Bethlehem's stable door. 
 
10 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 And there the wise men entered in, 
 
 And did their God behold, 
 To whom they offered on their knees 
 
 Myrrh, frankincense, and gold. 
 
 Now Herod, Judah's wicked king, 
 Who wished to slay the Lord, 
 
 Had said, "When ye have found the Babe, 
 Be sure to bring me word." 
 
 But God forewarned them in a dream 
 
 That they should not obey; 
 And so, when they had worshipped Him, 
 
 They turned and went their way. 
 
OUR BLESSED LORD. 11 
 
 IV. 
 
 THE MURDER OF THE mNOCENTS. 
 
 When Herod saw that he was mocked, 
 
 He was exceeding wroth; 
 And, in the fury of his heart, 
 
 He sent his soldiers forth. 
 
 And by that barbarous, wicked king 
 Those cruel men were told 
 
 To murder every sucking child, 
 And babes of two years old. 
 
 Then was the voice of Rachel heard 
 To mourn her hapless lot, 
 
 '* Refusing to be comforted, 
 Because her babes were not." 
 
12 
 
 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 But, Rachel, do not weep for them 
 Upon the purple sod — 
 
 Rise up and bless those happy babes- 
 First martyrs for their God! 
 
OUR BLESSED LORD. 13 
 
 V. 
 
 OUR LORD'S FLIGHT INTO EGYPT. 
 
 Now while these httle innocents 
 
 For Blessed Jesus die, 
 The Virgin, and her Holy Child, 
 
 In haste to Egypt fly. 
 
 God bade them go — by Him forewarned, 
 From Herod's sword they fled ; 
 
 Nor came they back till Joseph knew 
 That wicked king was dead. 
 
 And then, by God's command, he came 
 
 And dwelt in Galilee, 
 In his own city, Nazareth, 
 
 Where he was wont to be; 
 
14 
 
 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 That SO the holy prophet's word 
 Accomphshed might be seen, 
 
 Which said the Blessed Jesus should 
 Be called a Nazarene. 
 
OUR BLESSED LORD. 15 
 
 VL 
 
 THE CHILDHOOD OF OUR LORD. 
 
 With Joseph and with Mary dwelt 
 
 The holy Son of God; 
 The King of kings, the Lord of lords, 
 
 A cottage pavement trod. 
 
 St. Joseph was a humble man — 
 
 A carpenter by trade, 
 And yet whatever Joseph said 
 
 Our Blessed Lord obeyed. 
 
 And Mary was St. Joseph's wife, 
 And poor and humble too ; 
 
 Yet whatsoe'er His mother bade 
 Would Jesus always do. 
 
16 
 
 THE HISTORY OP 
 
 Arid thus he taught each little child, 
 If he would please the Lord, 
 
 That he must do his father's will, 
 And mind his mother's word. 
 
OUR BLESSED LORD. 17 
 
 VII. 
 
 OUR LORD IN THE TEMPLE. ' 
 
 At twelve years old our Saviour was 
 
 In wisdom much increased ; 
 And with His parents He went up 
 
 To worship at the Feast. 
 
 And, as they journeyed back again, 
 The Child they could not find. 
 
 For in His Father's house of prayer 
 He had remained behind. 
 
 And there, when they had sought for Him, 
 At last they found the Lord 
 
 Among the Doctors of the Law, 
 Attending to their word. 
 
18 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 And all those aged men expressed 
 
 Amazement and surprise, 
 That such a lowly child should be 
 
 So learned and so wise. 
 
 Then Mary said to Jesus Christ, 
 *^ Son, wherefore didst thou stay? 
 
 For we have sought Thee sorrowing 
 For many a weary day." 
 
 Then Jesus answered her and said, 
 " O wherefore sought ye me ? 
 
 For wist ye not that I must in 
 My Father's Temple be?" 
 
 And then He rose and went with them ; 
 
 For Blessed Jesus still 
 Remained a meek, submissive Child, 
 
 Obedient to their will. 
 
OUR LORD IN THE TtlVIPlE. 
 
OUR BLESSED LORD. 19 
 
 VIII. 
 
 ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST IN THE WILDERNESS. 
 
 When Jesus Christ began to be 
 
 Near thirty years of age, 
 The thought of what He came to do 
 
 Would all His soul engage. 
 
 He knew He was the Son of God, 
 And that the time was come 
 
 When He must quit the Virgin's roof, 
 And leave His humble home. 
 
 Then, with a girdle on his loins, 
 And clothed in camel's hair, 
 
 St. John went forth, our Saviour's way 
 Before Him to prepare. 
 
20 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 And in the wilderness he cried, 
 
 " O wicked men, repent ! 
 Forsake your sins, and be baptized, 
 
 For therefore am I sent. 
 
 "And, lo, there cometh after me 
 
 One mightier than I, 
 The latchet of whose shoes I am 
 
 Not worthy to untie. 
 
 " Then haste, and yield abundant fruit, 
 
 Lest ye consumed be ; 
 The axe is laid unto the root 
 
 Of every barren tree. 
 
 " The Master's fan is in His hand. 
 And He will purge his floor ; 
 
 But gather all the fruitful wheat 
 Within His garner door." 
 
OUR BLESSED LORD. 21 
 
 IX. 
 
 THE BAPTISM OF OUR LORD. 
 
 Behold the Day-spring from on high 
 That once o'er Eden shone ! 
 
 Christ Jesus comes from Gahlee 
 To be baptized of John. 
 
 But John rephes, " Sure I have need 
 
 To be baptized of Thee ! 
 And comest Thou, O Lamb of God, 
 
 To be baptized of me ?" 
 
 Then Jesus said, " Nay let it be, 
 That God His Son may bless, 
 
 And that I may for man fulfil 
 The law of righteousness." 
 
22 THE HISTORY OP 
 
 Then, where the river Jordan flows, 
 
 Our Saviour entered in, 
 And gave the blessed water power 
 
 To wash away our sin. 
 
 And, as from out the hallowed wave 
 Our Gracious Lord arose, 
 
 A lovely and a wondrous sight 
 The heavens did disclose ; 
 
 For, lo ! they seemed to open wide 
 And, full of grace and love. 
 
 The Holy Spirit on His Head 
 Descended like a dove ; 
 
 And spake a Voice — ^while all around 
 With holy awe were seized, — 
 
 " This is mine own beloved Son, 
 In whom I am well pleased." 
 
OUR BLESSED LORD. 23 
 
 OUR LORD'S FASTING AND TEMPTATION. 
 
 Then went our Blessed Saviour forth 
 
 Into the desert rude, 
 Where, with the beasts, for forty days 
 
 He dwelt in sohtude. 
 
 He drank no water from the brook, 
 He ate no pleasant bread; 
 
 And when the forty days were past 
 Our Saviour hungered. 
 
 And then, behold, drew nigh to Him, 
 
 There in the wilderness, 
 That wicked one who tempted Eve 
 
 And Adam to transgress. 
 
24 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 The Devil came to Jesus Chjrist, 
 And to our Saviour said, 
 
 " Now, if thou be the Son of God, 
 O turn these stones to bread!" 
 
 But Jesus answered, in reply, 
 " Behold, thus saith the Lord, 
 
 Man shall not live by bread alone, 
 But by God's blessed Word." 
 
 Yet Satan still, with wicked wiles. 
 Would Jesus Christ assail; 
 
 But all in vain he tempted Him, 
 For he could not prevail. 
 
 At last he took our Blessed Lord 
 
 Into a mountain high, 
 Whence all the kingdoms of the earth 
 
 They could at once descry. 
 
OUR BLESSED LORD. 
 
 25 
 
 And then the evil spirit said, 
 " Those glories dost thou see ? 
 
 Behold, thou shalt be king of all, 
 If thou wilt worship me ! " 
 
 These daring words of Satan gave 
 
 Our Saviour such offence. 
 That He would suffer him no more, 
 
 But said, " Go — get thee hence ! " 
 
 And so he fled, while to the Lord 
 
 Came down the Seraphim, 
 Who worshipped God's own Blessed Son, 
 
 And ministered to Him. 
 
26 THE HISTORY OP 
 
 XI. 
 
 OUR LORD IN GALILEE.— THE APOSTLES CHOSEN. 
 
 The Tetrarch Herod, after this, 
 Did John the Baptist take, 
 
 And cast him into prison, for 
 His wife Herodias' sake. 
 
 For John had said, " It is not good 
 To have thy brother's wife ; " 
 
 And so Herodias hated him. 
 And sought to take his hfe. 
 
 Now, while St. John in prison lay, 
 
 In sad captivity, 
 Christ Jesus from the desert came. 
 
 To preach in Galilee : 
 
OUR BLESSED LORD. 27 
 
 And, full of wisdom, truth, and grace, 
 He taught throughout the land, 
 
 And cried, " Repent — Messiah comes, 
 His kingdom is at hand." 
 
 Then twelve Apostles Jesus chose. 
 That they might with Him be : 
 
 St. Peter first, then James and John, 
 The sons of Zebedee ; 
 
 Philip and Andrew, faithful friends, 
 
 St. James, Alpheus' son ; 
 With blessed Saint Bartholomew, 
 
 That holy, guileless one ; 
 
 And Matthew, named the publican, 
 
 Who Jesus' call obeyed ; 
 And Simon, Thomas, and St. Jude, 
 
 And him who Christ betrayed : 
 
28 
 
 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 And these twelve chosen men went forth 
 To journey with their Lord, 
 
 And witness all he said and did, 
 And preach His holy Word. 
 
OUR LORD HtALINC THE SICK 
 
 Endtcott Orh 
 
OUR BLESSED LORD. 29 
 
 XII. 
 
 OUR LORD'S MIRACLES. 
 
 Now to Gennesaret's peopled shore 
 Our Blessed Saviour came; 
 
 And cast out many devils there, 
 And healed the sick and lame : 
 
 And blinded hearts as well as eyes 
 From Christ received their sight 
 
 " The people who in darkness sat 
 Beheld a glorious hght." 
 
 He raised the dead to life again 
 
 By His almighty Voice ; 
 He bade the mourner sing for joy, 
 
 The widow's heart rejoice : 
 
80 
 
 THE HISTORY OP 
 
 Yet, — though the foxes have their holes, 
 And birds their downy bed, — 
 
 Our Blessed Saviour had not where 
 To lay His gracious Head! 
 
OUR BLESSED LORD. 81 
 
 XIII. 
 
 OUR LORD'S PREACHING. 
 
 And Jesus taught the multitudes, 
 And preached through all the land:— 
 
 Although their ears were dull to hear— 
 Their hearts, to understand. 
 
 He called to Him the burdened soul — 
 The wearied and opprest — 
 
 " O bear My easy yoke," He cried, 
 " And I will give you rest ! " 
 
 He blest the poor, the sad, the meek, 
 
 The merciful, the pure. 
 And those who for His kingdom's sake 
 
 Revilings should endure. 
 
32 THE HISTORY OP 
 
 But when the rich man came to Him, 
 
 He was by Jesus told 
 To sell his goods, and give away 
 
 His silver and his gold : 
 
 For they who follow Jesus Christ 
 
 Must gladly suffer loss, 
 They must forsake this present world 
 
 And learn to bear the Cross. 
 
 " No double heart," our Saviour said, 
 
 " Can my disciple be ; 
 Ye must give up your life — ^your all. 
 
 If ye would follow Me." 
 
OUR BLESSED LORD. 33 
 
 XIV. 
 
 OUR LORD TRANSFIGURED IN THE MOUNT. 
 
 On rocky Tabor's mountain height, 
 
 As eve was steahng on, 
 Christ Jesus knelt in secret prayer 
 
 With Peter, James, and John ; 
 
 And, as He prayed, His countenance 
 Was changed before their sight : 
 
 His visage shone with hght divine ; 
 His raiment ghttered bright. 
 
 Then Moses and Ehas came, 
 And with our Saviour spake 
 
 Of all that He should do for men, 
 And suffer for their sake : 
 
04 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 And soon a voice from heaven fell 
 
 Upon the Apostles' ear, 
 Which said, " This is mine only Son — 
 
 My First-begotten hear." 
 
 " O let us make three holy tents !" 
 
 The trembling Peter said ; 
 But he knew not of what he spake, 
 
 For he was sore afraid : 
 
 And then our Saviour charged them all. 
 When they were left alone, 
 
 To keep those wonders in their hearts, 
 Nor let them yet be known. 
 
OUR BLESSED LORD. 35 
 
 XV. 
 
 OUR LORD'S ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM. 
 
 Soon after this, our Saviour left 
 Gennesaret's honoured shore, 
 
 To preach the Word in Jordan's plains, 
 Where He had been before. 
 
 And there, to meek and humble hearts, 
 His gospel truth He taught — 
 
 Spake many beauteous parables, 
 And many wonders wrought. 
 
 And now towards Jerusalem 
 Christ Jesus draweth nigh. 
 
 That feast to keep, at which the true 
 And real Lamb must die. 
 
36 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 He rides upon an ass's colt, 
 While crowds before him run, 
 
 Who cry " Hosanna to the Lord ! 
 Hosanna ! David's Son ! " 
 
 They cast their garments in the way — 
 With shouts they sing His praise; 
 
 But what a diflferent cry will soon 
 Those fickle voices raise ! 
 
 And He who hears them knows it well, 
 
 And gazes, with a sigh. 
 On that unhappy city, doomed 
 
 Her God to crucify ! 
 
 "O Salem!" Jesus weeps, "if thou 
 Hadst known — yea even thou, 
 
 The things belonging to thy peace — 
 But they are hidden now! 
 
OUR BLESSED LORD. 37 
 
 " For days shall come in which thy foes 
 
 Shall compass thee around, 
 And keep thee in on every side, 
 
 And raze thee to the ground ! " 
 
38 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 XVI. 
 
 OUR LORD BETRAYED, AND HIS AGONY IN 
 THE GARDEN 
 
 In Zion's holy Temple court 
 
 A wicked traitor stood, 
 Who grasped within his guilty hands 
 The price of guiltless blood. 
 
 'Mid Priests and Scribes assembled round, 
 
 Iscariot's voice was heard, 
 Which said, " For thirty pieces given, 
 
 I will betray my Lord." 
 
 Now, while their own Messiah's death 
 
 The Jewish rulers sought. 
 And, at the value of a slave, 
 
 The blood of Jesus bought ; 
 
OUR BLESSED LORD. 39 
 
 Our Saviour in Gethsemane 
 
 His Spirit did prepare, 
 And knelt before His Father's throne 
 
 In fervency of prayer. 
 
 With bitter agony of heart, 
 
 Thrice prayed the Blessed Son ; 
 
 " O Father, if it must be so, 
 Thy Holy will be done!" 
 
 And, as it were, great drops of blood 
 
 Fell down upon the sod. 
 Until an angel came from Heaven 
 
 To aid the Son of God. 
 
 James, John, and Peter, charged by Christ 
 
 A careful watch to keep, 
 Thrice, when our Saviour came to them. 
 
 Were found by Him asleep. 
 
40 
 
 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 " What ! could ye not one hour watch 1 " 
 
 Our meek Redeemer said; 
 " Rest, now, ye sleepers ; — yet arise — 
 
 Behold we are betrayed ! " 
 
OUR BLESSED LORD. 41 
 
 XVIL 
 
 OUR LORD BEFORE HEROD. 
 
 While yet He spake, the traitor came 
 With lantern, staff, and sword, 
 
 Surrounded by a band of men, 
 To take our Blessed Lord; 
 
 " Hail, Master ! " with a kiss, he cried ; 
 
 But Jesus mildly said, 
 " O Judas ! with a kiss of peace 
 
 Is Jesus Christ betrayed?" 
 
 As lions fasten on a lamb. 
 They seized upon their prey ; 
 
 And to the house of Caiaphas 
 They led our Lord away. 
 
42 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 And thence to Pilate's judgment-seat, 
 And thence to Herod's court, 
 
 Where hired men with perjured tongues 
 Proclaimed their false report. 
 
 Then Herod, with his men of war, 
 
 Set Jesus Christ at nought. 
 And clothed Him in a royal robe 
 
 With gorgeous colours wrought. 
 
 They scoffed Him — though in silence meek 
 Each cruel taunt was borne, — 
 
 And sent Him back to Pilate's hall, 
 With mockery and scorn. 
 
OUR LORD WIOCKED. 
 
 iTidzraii 7i3 
 
44 THE HISTORY OP 
 
 " Thou art, if this man be set free, 
 No friend to Csesar's crown." 
 
 Then Pilate was the more afraid ; 
 Again he sat him down. 
 
 " Art thou a King 1 " — but Jesus made 
 
 No answer in reply. 
 The people grew more loud and fierce. 
 
 The tumult waxed high. 
 
 In purple robe, and crowned with thorns, 
 Our Blessed Saviour stood, 
 
 A patient Lamb 'mid angry wolves 
 Who thirsted for His Blood. 
 
 Then Pilate washed his hands, and said, 
 
 " Look to it as ye can, 
 I will not take upon myself 
 
 The Blood of this Just Man." 
 
OUR BLESSED LORD. 45 
 
 " His Blood be on our children's heads !" 
 
 The blinded sinners cry — 
 " Release Barabbas unto us, 
 
 And Jesus crucify ! " 
 
 
46 THE HISTORY OP 
 
 XIX. 
 
 OUR LORD BEARS HIS CROSS. 
 
 Christ is condemned — blood thirsty-hands 
 Seize on the Lamb of God ; 
 
 They smite, they buffet Him with scorn, 
 They scourge Him with the rod. 
 
 The purple robe with deeper hue 
 His precious Blood doth stain : 
 
 They pluck it off — and put His own 
 Mean raiment on again. 
 
 And then, with hardened hearts of stone 
 
 That cannot feel remorse, 
 They lay on His enfeebled Form 
 
 The burden of the Cross : 
 
OUR BLESSED LORD. 47 
 
 But Jesus sinks beneath its weight, 
 
 And Simon standing by, 
 They bid him bear it after Him 
 
 To fatal Calvary. 
 
 Then wept the daughters of the land 
 
 TJiat cruel sight to see : 
 But Jesus, turning to them, said, 
 
 " O do not weep for Me ! 
 
 *' Weep for yourselves and for your babes — 
 
 For awful days are nigh ; 
 If fire consumes the growing tree, 
 
 How shall it burn the dry?" 
 
48 THE HISTORY OP 
 
 XX. 
 
 OUR LORD CRUCIFIED. 
 
 Beside His Cross, in Golgotha, 
 The world's Redeemer stands ; 
 
 Rough soldiers pierce with iron nails 
 His blessed Feet and Hands; 
 
 They lay Him down upon the Cross; 
 
 They nail Him to the wood; 
 Then raise Him groaning from the earth 
 
 All crimson with His Blood. 
 
 " Father, forgive them ! " Jesus cried, 
 "They know not what they do." 
 
 Then on his mother, standing by, 
 A pitying glance He threw. 
 
OUR BLESSED LORD. 49 
 
 To His own best-beloved He spake, 
 "Behold thy mother, John!" 
 
 And to the weeping Mary said, 
 "Woman, behold thy Son!" 
 
 Two robbers near our Saviour's Cross 
 
 On either side were hung; 
 One railed upon the Son of God, 
 
 With foul, blaspheming tongue; 
 
 But, full of faith, the other cried, 
 "My God, I trust in Thee! 
 
 When to Thy kingdom Thou shalt come, 
 O Lord, remember me." 
 
 Upon that penitent in heart 
 The Saviour turns His eyes, 
 
 " Yea, thou shalt be, this very day, 
 With me in Paradise ! " 
 
50 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 " I thirst ! " then said our dying Lord — 
 They raised the bitter cup ; — 
 
 He bowed His Head. — For sinful man 
 The Christ is offered up. 
 
 Then was the sun to sackcloth turned — 
 Thick darkness wrapped the plain ; 
 
 The rocks were rent ; — the Temple shook ; 
 Her veil was reft in twain. 
 
 The trembling soldier at his post 
 
 Fell prostrate on the sod, 
 And, pale with terror, cried aloud, 
 
 "This was the Son of God!" 
 
OUR BLESSED LORD. 51 
 
 XXI. 
 
 OUR SAVIOUR BURIED. 
 
 Now, when the eventide was come 
 
 Before the Sabbath day, — 
 Because upon the accursed tree 
 
 The bodies might not stay ; 
 
 To Pontius Pilate Joseph came, 
 And prayed he might receive 
 
 His leave to take our Saviour down ; 
 So Pilate gave him leave. 
 
 Then he and Nicodemus went. 
 With aloes, myrrh, and spice. 
 
 And linen cloths in which to wrap 
 The Holy Sacrifice ; 
 
52 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 And from His Cross, with reverent hands, 
 Took down the Blessed Son, 
 
 And wound within the hnen cloths 
 Jehovah's Holy One. 
 
 Now, there was nigh unto the Cross 
 
 A sepulchre, or cave — 
 The which they chose, as near at hand. 
 
 For our Redeemer's grave. 
 
 And there, — while warm and bitter tears 
 
 Adown their faces ran, — 
 With pious love and holy awe 
 
 They laid the Son of Man. 
 
 The wicked Jews, remembering then 
 
 How Jesus Christ had said, 
 That, though they slew Him, He should rise 
 
 The third day from the dead, 
 
OUR LORD'S BURIAL 
 
OUR BLESSED LORD. 53 
 
 Prayed Pilate to seal up the cave, 
 
 And place a faithful guard 
 Of Roman soldiers at its mouth, 
 
 To keep strict watch and ward. 
 
 And so they did ; — while near them stood, 
 
 And gazed upon the scene, 
 Mary, the wife of Cleophas, 
 
 And Mary Magdalene. 
 
 These women saw, with anguished hearts, 
 
 Where Jesus' Body lay — 
 Then spice and ointment they prepared, 
 
 And kept the Sabbath day. 
 
54 THE HISTORY OP 
 
 XXII. 
 
 OUR LORD'S RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD. 
 
 Now, on the first day of the week, 
 While yet the moon was high, 
 
 And dawn had scarce begun to streak 
 Judea's Eastern sky; 
 
 The pious Marys left their home, 
 
 In darkness and in gloom. 
 With spice and ointment in their hands, 
 
 To seek their Saviour's tomb. 
 
 And now, behold, it came to pass, 
 
 On that eventful morn, 
 As drew the Sabbath near its end 
 
 And light began to dawn, 
 
OUR BLESSED LORD. 55 
 
 A fearful tremor shook the ground — 
 
 Earth trembled from below — 
 And came an angel down from heaven 
 
 In raiment white as snow. 
 
 With might he rolled away the stone 
 
 Upon the cavern laid: — 
 At sight of him the keepers fled — 
 
 For they were sore afraid: 
 
 And, as he sat beside the grave, 
 With countenance like flame, 
 
 Forth from the city to the tomb 
 The pious Marys came. 
 
 Then greatly feared they — till he spake, 
 
 And gently to them said — 
 "Ye seek the Lord; but He is risen — 
 
 Behold where He was laid! 
 
56 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 "And now to His disciples haste, 
 And tell how ye have heard 
 
 That Christ is risen from the dead, 
 According to His Word." 
 
 \\I/A 
 
OUR BLESSED LORD. 57 
 
 XXIII. 
 
 OUR LORD'S ASCENSION INTO HEAVEN. 
 
 Upon the morn that Jesus rose, 
 
 He first of all was seen 
 Beside His holy sepulchre, 
 
 By Mary Magdalene. 
 
 And then He showed Himself at last 
 
 To all the blest eleven, 
 As they were sitting at their meat 
 
 The self-same day at even. 
 
 For forty days with those he loved 
 Our Blessed Lord remained. 
 
 And taught them all the wondrous things 
 That to His Church pertained ; 
 
58 THE HISTORY OP 
 
 Then led them out to Bethany — 
 And, after He had given 
 
 His choicest blessing to them all, 
 Ascended up to Heaven. 
 
 And there, at the right hand of God, 
 With angel hosts around. 
 
 Our Saviour Christ in glory sits 
 Until the trump shall sound — 
 
 That awful trumpet that will fill 
 The sinner's heart with dread, 
 
 When Jesus Christ shall come again 
 To judge the quick and dead. 
 
 Now glory be unto the Lamb 
 
 For our salvation slain! 
 All glory to the Son of God 
 
 Who died and rose again ! 
 
OUR LORD ASCENDIMC TO HEAVEN 
 
 ^nd-tceO- 2*2- 
 
OUR BLESSED LORD. 59 
 
 To Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, 
 
 Be highest glory given, 
 From all the Church throughout the world, 
 
 And all the Saints in Heaven ! 
 
 
 ,VHNM^ 
 
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stereotyped by V^incent L. Dill, 12S Fulton St. New-York.