112 I HAVE FOUGHT A GOOD FIGHT. "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith; henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day."-2 TIM. iv. 7, 8. "I HAVE fought a good fight, I have finished my course To the goal of death; I've a diadem bright For the crowning day, For the coward, that runs From the foe and fight, Shall never be crowned Nor clothed in white. But the valiant heart, That never shrank From the hottest charge Shall have the reward Of the brave alone A name and a place On Immanuel's throne. Who there would sit, Go on!-go on! Till summoned away Or the battle won: With Antichrist Maintain the fray, Till Christ shall appear And decide the day. Then hang up your swords In the Victor's halls, Take the golden harps From the sapphire walls; String high their cords, And Immanuel crowned.* * Rev. xix. 1-6. THE WOMAN DRUNKEN WITH BLOOD. "And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus."-REV. xvii. 6. AYE, “drunken with blood!"—through the blood of the saints She wades to her destiny, reeling along; And the martyrs of Jesus have hushed their complaints, Preparing their harps for her funeral song. Aye, "drunken with blood!"—she has drunk it before: The Vampire!—she pants to be drinking She could relish it well, as she loved it of yore, And she thirsts for it now, as she yearn'd for it then. But her measure of guilt has been filled to the brim, And her measure of mercy been emptied of all; And the cup of her vengeance is up to the rim She has drunk of the blood-she must drink of the gall. Let her hasten her doom!-she is urging it fast, She's for having the red life of martyrs again; Soon her steel will be sheath'd in the heart of the last, And will open the sluice for the blood of the slain. |