EARTH to earth, and dust to dust:
Here the evil, and the just;
Here the youthful, and the old;
Here the feeble, and the bold;
Here the matron, and the maid,
In one silent bed are laid;
Here the warrior, and the king,
Side by side, lie withering.
Glory but a broken bust:
Earth to earth, and dust to dust.
Age to age shall roll along,
O'er this vast and mouldering throng.
Those that wept them, those that weep,
All shall with the sleepers sleep;
Prince and peasant, lord and slave,
Moving onward, wave on wave,
Till they reach the final shore,
Where life's toils and pains are o'er.
Here the spade and sceptre rust:
Earth to earth, and dust to dust.
But a day is coming fast,
Earth, thy mightiest, and thy last;
When the trumpet's voice shall sound,
Wakening up the slumberers round;
When all the sons of men shall see
Christ in glorious majesty.
Then shall dawn immortal day;
Death and sin have no more sway.
Now in hope 'tis ours to trust:
Earth to earth, and dust to dust.
DESIGNED TO MEET THE EYE, AND ARREST THE ATTENTION, ON ENTERING A CHURCHYARD OR CEMETERY.
Earthly friends are taken away, but our Heavenly Father liveth-gourds wither, but the tree of life flourishes-the cisterns are broken, but the fountain remains entireworldly prosperity is lost, but the heavenly inheritance is safe-death comes, but the believer is then gathered to his own people, and enters his eternal home.
STRANGER! Welcome to this sacred spot; the last In nature's course, the first in wisdom's thought.
Stranger! who art wandering here,
Among these sad, sepulchral shades,
Death, fast approaching, may be near,
And then how soon thy glory fades!
Behold, vain man! in every tomb,
The sinner's just and certain doom.
Oh, set thine heart on things above,
And seek to know the Saviour's love!
Here rest the dead-how fast they sleep!
The marriage peal rings out-the funeral knell
Saddens our hearts-they neither ask, nor care
for whom,
No news from their dark world they ever tell,
Nor any seek from ours, to cheer its gloom,
How short the time, for us, on earth to dwell,
Who, with an eagle's flight, are hastening to the
tomb.
What cause has man to build on length of life ?---
Be death your theme, in every place, and hour;
* No longer need
A brother's tomb to tell you, you must die,
And perish, if Christ be not your Saviour.
Thy time is short, and precious too,
For the work thou hast to do.
Scorn it not a little space,
Day of mercy and of grace.
Follow Christ-so time shall be
Lost in heaven's eternity.
How sweet it is, so near the sacred house,
Where we had heard of Christ, and taken his yoke,
And Sabbath after Sabbath gather'd strength
To do his will, thus to lie down, and rest
Beneath the shadow of its peaceful walls.
And when the hand doth moulder, to lift up
Our simple tombstone, witness to that faith
Which cannot die.
"He that believeth on the Son of God hath everlasting life." (John iii. 16.)
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