PRESCOTT.

THE UNIVERSAL PRAYER.

FATHER of all! in every age,

In every clime adored,

By saint, by savage, and by sage,
Jehovah, Jove, or Lord!

Thou great First Cause, least under-
stood,

Who all my sense confined

Let not this weak, unknowing hand
Presume thy bolts to throw,
And deal damnation round the land
On each I judge Thy foe.

If I am right, Thy grace impart
Still in the right to stay;

If I am wrong, oh, teach my heart
To find that better way!

To know but this, that Thou art good, Save me alike from foolish pride,
And that myself am blind;

Yet gave me, in this dark estate,
To see the good from ill;
And binding nature fast in fate.
Left free the human will.

What conscience dictates to be done,
Or warns me not to do,

This, teach me more than hell to
shun,

That, more than heaven pursue.

What blessings Thy free bounty

gives,

Let me not cast away;

Or impious discontent,
At aught Thy wisdom has denied,
Or aught Thy goodness lent.

Teach me to feel another's woe,
To hide the fault I see:
That mercy I to others show,
That mercy show to me.

Mean though I am, not wholly so,
Since quickened by Thy breath;
Oh, lead me wheresoe'er I go,

Through this day's life or death!

This day, be bread and peace my lot:
All else beneath the sun,

For God is paid when man receives; Thou know'st if best bestowed or not, To enjoy is to obey.

Yet not to earth's contracted span
Thy goodness let me bound,
Or think Thee Lord alone of man,
When thousand worlds are round.

And let Thy will be done.

To Thee, whose temple is all space,
Whose altar, earth, sea, skies!
One chorus let all Being raise!
All Nature's incense rise!

That bowed the knotted oak beneath IT comes betwixt me and the ame