BE SOBER AND WATCH UNTO PRAYER.
By Laura C. Hutchins
Be sober, be sober, and watch unto prayer;
For Satan surrounds thee with many a snare.
His vigils are constant, awake, O awake!
Thy God, and thy duty, oh never forsake!
Gird on the whole armor, prepare for the fight.
What thine hand finds to do, quickly do with thy might,
For perchance thou art hastening fast to the grave.
Where no thoughts are cherished, no good can be craved.
Listen not to the tale that professors will tell,
That the smooth "by-path meadow," will do just as well.
"For how prone are professors to rest on their lees,
"To study their pleasure, their profit and ease!"
And the prophet of God loud proclaimeth His woe,
To all who in Zion seek ease as they go.
Yea the word of the Lord bids thee work while 'tis light,
And do what thine hand finds to do, with thy might;
And the path of the just is so narrow and straight,
There be few that will enter so lowly a gate;
And the thief and the robber climb over the wall,
Yet the thief and the robber forever shall fall.
Yea all, who endeavor to go round the cross,
Shall find that their labor is sorrow and loss.
Lay aside all thy showy and costly attire.
Dispense with the riches of carnal desire;
Go buy thee white raiment, that thou mayest be clad.
And get thee pure gold, that the furnace hath tried.
Be constant, consistent, O go not astray,
Lest the weak, or the lame, be turned out of the way.
The work of the christian to ruin is hurled, [world.
When he seeks to serve God, and join hands with the
God ever repels the proud wish of the wise,
While he lists to the prayer of the poor they despise;
And He chooseth the weak of the world, to confound
The works which earth's wise men and mighty have
planned.
Oh why wish for laughter? The wise man hath said,
That laughter is folly, yea, laughter is mad.
Oh how can the christian choose folly and mirth,
While God hath a work for his people on earth.
How reckless to jest, and the moment let slip,
When thou shouldest speak words that are holy and fit;
And, drunken with folly, be "courting a smile,"
When thy words should win tears from thy hearers, the
while;
And the wicked are hardened in view of thy sin,
And thy gold hath the value and luster of tin.
Be sober, be sober, and watch unto prayer!
For Satan surrounds thee with many a snare,
His vigils are constant, and oh, thou art weak,
And thou needest the strength of the holy and meek.
LAURA C. HUTCHINS.
Ganges, July 1st, 1858.