A Morning Wish for a Friend

Darkness retires, and the brightening morn
Smiles as he heralds the day new born.
Mists roll away from the mountain’s brow,
And his head wears a circlet of sunlight now.
Night’s savage prowlers to caverns glide,
As seeking in darkness their deeds to hide;
While, mounting majestic his radiant throne,
With the glance of a monarch who reigns alone,
The sun looks forth from his palace of light,
And bids from his presence the gloom of night.
Glittering dewdrops reflect his ray,
Songsters carol on hillock and spray,
The woodlands wave to the breeze’s breath,
The ripple plays light o’er the lake beneath,
The flocks from the fold towards the uplands bound,
And the echoing hills with their voices sound:
Nature unanimous joins to pay
A tribute of joy to the welcome day.

But there’s a day of a brighter beam,
For its light from a brighter sun doth stream:
Sin and sorrow’s dark clouds from its brightness fly
And the soul gains a prospect to worlds on high.
’Tis a day that dawns from the realms above,
’Tis illumined by beams of eternal love:
’Tis a day whose light is the smile of God,
Shedding heaven-born peace in the heart abroad.
The gloom of grief, and the mists of care
Melt away in its radiance, while black despair,
Far chased by the beams of its glory, flies,
And leaves to the soul heaven’s cloudless skies.

Sister, may this bright day be thine!
Around thy soul may its sunbeams shine!
Be thy path in the light of its brightening rays,
And its gladdening glory on “all thy ways;”
Revealing from heaven thy title clear,
“To mansions” of endless glory there!