Collected Works (Vol. II)

ADAPTATION 3 Held by her lips too tempting and too warm, Bewitched by every beauty of her form, The blush upon her cheek is deeper red, Half glad, and half repenting what she said. A moment’s struggle, as her form I press :— One soft sad sigh. Love conquers. I possess. A WELCOME TO JABEZ,)} Reprinted from the ‘‘ Eastbourne Chronicle.” GREAT Liberator, come again, Thy country needs thee sadly ; In Scotland Yard they all complain They ‘‘ want” thee, oh! so badly. Thou canst not tell the sighs and sobs That for thy presence yearn ; And the great heart of England throbs With joy at thy return. For many a year prolong thy stay By Portland’s shady harbour ; And all expenses we will pay— Especially the barber. A change of work is rest, they say, So honest toil shall rest thee ; No fears that thou must go away Need haunt thee and molest thee. We pray a level-headed set Of fellow men, who know thee, In some small measure grateful yet, May pay thee what is owed thee. The joys of single blessedness, And undisturbed seclusion, We envy for thee, we confess, Until thy final fusion. ELVINA. Written at Eastbourne. Tune—'' German Evening Hymn.’ Was thy fault to be too tender? Was thine error to be weak? Was iny kiss the chief offender Pressed upon thy blushing cheek? 1 Jabez Balfour, author of the ‘‘ Liberator” frauds. Was it sin to press and press thee _ Till thy burning lips at last’ Madly kissed me? HowI bless thee, Now, for that superb repast ! - All-consuming, all-devouring, All-absorbing, burnt the flame; Burnt unchecked till, hotly showering, Passion disregarded Shame ! Was it sin—that moonlight madness? Was our passion so accurst ? ) Sweetness damned to mother Sadness? Satisfaction to bring Thirst? Was our love to bring division? Nay ! ten thousand devils! nay ! And a devil in a vision Hisses as I slumber, ‘‘ Yea! ‘¢ Ffeaven of your accurst creation Shall become a hell of fire ; Death for kisses, and damnation For your love shall God require.” ADAPTATION OF “ONWARD, CHRIS- TIAN SOLDIERS” TO THE NEEDS OF BRETHREN. PREFACE, IN response to many suggestions from dear Brethren, I have adapted a hymn to the wants of the Church. In view of the grossly unscriptural nature of the original hymn (so- called) many changes have been rendered necessary, but I hope and trust that this has been effected without losing the grandeur of the original? To this effort of mine certain ‘‘false brethren unawares brought in” have objected, saying, ‘‘ Touch not the accursed thing.” I pass over the blasphemy of their. thus adapting verses of Scripture to their own vile ends. Let me, however, tell these ‘‘ wolves in 1 This astonishing piece of satire was ¢om- posed after some weeks in the house of a Ply- mouth Brother. Almost every phrase used therein is a quotation, not a parody. 2 See preface to ‘‘Hymns for the Little Flock,” 1856, from which this stupefying sen- tence has been bodily taken.