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The Two Angels.
Two angels, one of Life and one of Death,
Passed o'er the village as the morning broke;
The dawn was on their faces, and beneath,
The sombre houses hearsed with plumes of smoke.
Their attitude and aspect were the same,
Alike their features and their robes of white ;
But one was crowned with amaranth as with flame,
And one with asphodels like flakes of light.
I saw them pause on their celestial way ;
Then said I with deep fear and doubt oppressed :
l( Beat not so loud, my heart, lest thou betray
The place where thy beloved are at restT”
And be who wore the crown of asphodels,
Descending, at my door began to knock,
And my soul sank within me as in wells
The waters sink before an earthquake's shock.
I recognized the nameless agony,
The terror and the tremor and the pain,
That oft before had filled and haunted me,
And now returned with threefold strength again.
The door I opened to my heavenly guest,
And listened, for I thought I heard God's voice:
And knowing whatso’er he sent was best,
Dared neither to lament nor to rejoice.
Then with a smile that filled the house with light,
“My errand is not Death, but Life,”lie said:
And ere I answered, passing out of sight,
On his celestial embassy he sped.
’Twas at thy door, 0 friend, and not at mine,
The angel with the amaranthine wreath,
Pausing descended, and with a voice divine,
Whispered a word that had sound like Death.
Then fell upon the house a sudden gloom,
A shadow on those features fair and thin ;
And softly, from that hushed and darkened room,
Two angels issued where but one went in.
All is of God ! If he but wave his hand
The mists collect, the rain falls thick and loud,
Till with a smile of light on sea and land
Lo ! He looks back from the departing cloud.
Angels of Life and Death alike are Ilis;
Without His leave they pass no threshold o'er;
Who then would wish or dare, believing this,
Against his messengers to shut the door?
But rather, as our darkening eyes descry
The flashing of the flaming angel’s wings,
Should we with smiles, without a single sigh,
Welcome and obey the message that he brings.
Is it Come?
Is it come? they said on the banks of the Nile,
Who look’d for the world’s long promised day,
And saw but the strife of Egypt’s toil,
With the dseert sands, and the granite gray.
From the pyramid, temple, and treasured dead
We vainly ask for her wisdom’s plan;
They tell of the slave and tyrant’s dread—
Yet there was hope when that day began.
SOUTHERN BAPTIS T MESS EN G E 11.
j The Chaldee came with his starry lore,
That built up Babylon’s crown and creed ;
And bricks were stamped on the Tigris’ shore
With signs which our sages scarce can read.
From Ninus’ Temple, and Nimrod’s Tower
The rule of the East’s old Empire spread
Unreasoning faith and unquestioned power—
But still, is it come? the watcher said.
The light of the Persian’s worshipped flame
O’er the ancient bondage its splendor threw ;
And once on the West a sunrise came,
When Greece to her freed m’s trust was true.
With dreams to the uttermost ages dear,
With human Gods and God-like men,
No marvel the far-off day seemed near,
To eyes that looked through her laurels then.
The Romans conquered and revelled too,
Till honor and fath and power were gone,
And deeper old Europe’s darkness grew
As wave after wave the Goth came on.
The gown was learning, the sword was law,
The people served in the oxen’s stead,
But ever some gleam the Watcher sa v,
And evermore, Is it come ? they said.
Poet and Seer that question caught
Above the din of life’s fears and frets:
It marched with letters—it toiled with thought
Through schools and creeds which the earth forgets;
And statesmen trifle, and priests deceive,
And traders barter our world away ;
Yet hearts to that golden promise cleave,
And still, at times, Is it come ? they say.
The days of the nation bear no trace
Os all the sunshine so far foretold ;
The cannon speaks in teacher’s place—
The age is weary with -work and gold ;
And higher hopes wither and memories wane—
On hearths and altars the fires are dead ;
But that brave faith hath not livod in vain ;
And this is .all that our Watcher said.
SUitertisements.
iT GREAT B ATtEi!
AS WAR seems to be the topic of the day, we are in
for it, but wish to fight a home battle, and desire
to be victorious. We have a fine selection of
GRAFTED FRUIT TREES,
for sale, of every class and variety almost, that is worth
setting out. Our stock consists of
APPLES, ENGLISH MULBERRIES,
PEARS, FRENCH CHERRIES,
PEACHES, APRICOTS,
1 OMEGF ANATES, PLUMS,
GRAPE VINES, &c.
The selection is made with an eye to fine size, flavor
sweetness, and regularity in time of ripening, from the
earliest to the latest. All persons desiring fruit t rees
will do well to give us a jail. Our prices range thus
Cherries, Apricots and Pears, 25ots each, or “S2O per
hundred; all other lruits 20 cts each, or sls per hun
dred.
My address is Covington, Ne.vton Cos., Ga. I will
pack and deliver trees at Covington depot, free of
charge. Money sent by mail for trees, well’ marked
and sealed, will be at my lisk.
Nov. I,ls—ts JAMES M, GEIGER,
ELEfESTM TOLOIE CF IKK
Southern Baptist Messenger,
WILLIAM L. BEEBE, Editor.
The Southern Baptist Messenger, devoted to tht
service of the Old School or Primitive Baptists, is
published at Covington Ga., on or about the Ist aiu*
loth of each month, by
WILLIAM L. BEEBE, Pnorsi'Etoit.
To whom all communication? must be addressed
Terms. One Dollar a year, in variably in advance
Six eopies ordered and paid for at one lin.e
thirteen copies, $lO.
Specimen copiesseut free of eharge on spj licatic a
WILLIAM L . BEEBE,
slain, .fantj! nnD ©rnamtntal
BOOK AND JOB BRIN TEE,
COVINGTON, GEORGIA,
Is now prepared to execute nearly eveiy uesovi.pt,ion
Printing, at short notice, and in good style, such tut
CARDS, % , TICKETS,
CIRCULARS, CAT A LOGUES,
LARGE BILLS. LABELS,
PRO j& A MIMES, feyf/ PAM PII LETS,
POSTERS, JfSSSIfe BOOKS,
BILL HEADS, jl|te£xP LAW BLANKS,
BLANK NOTES DEEDS,
dzc., &c., &c., &c.
The selection of Type having been cure fully made
and the material being mostly new, he flattei s himetlf
that he can give satisfai tion in every particular.
Orders for anything in the Printing line is respect
ully solicited. Cash is required for all Job Woik
NEW III'MN BOOK!
ELD. G BEEBE’S NEW HYMN BOOK, prepared
expressly for the use of the Old School or Primiti-’
Baptists, is now ready. It contains ever
Hundred Hymns, printed on New Stereotyped Plates in
the best of workmanship, on first rate paper, and good
substantial binding, making a book of JBOO pages.
TERMS :
Plain Binding, Single Copy, SI,OO ; or 6 copies, $5,00.
Blue Binding, Single Copy, 6 copies, $5,50;
or 1 Dozen Copies for SIO,OO.
Blue Binding with Gilt Edges, Single Copy, $1,25; or
6 copies $6,00 ; or 1 Dozen copies, for -yl 1,00
Best Quality Binding in Turkey Morocco, Single Copy
$2,00; 6 Copies for $ll,OO ; or 1 Dozen copies, ft>
$21,00.
The Cash must accompany the orders in all caser
and the Books will he sent by return mail, postage
Paid; or by Express at the publisher’s expense.
Address orders to
WM. L BEEBE Covington, Newton County, Ga,
or to Eld. G BEEBE, Middletown, Orange, Cos , N. Y„
i
RUSHTGN’S LETTERS,
AND
THE EVERLASTING TASK
There being a great many calls for this very valoa
ble work whichcanonly be supplied by the issuing
of a liew edition we have now republished it in a mat
pamphlet form of about 100 pnges.
To which will be appended The Everlasting Tasb
for Arminians, By* Wm Gadsby. late of Manchestu
England.
The whole neatly’ covered with paper, and sent pro
paid to any Post Office on the following terms.
One copy, $©
Four copies to one person, ... $1,(6
Twenty-five copies to one person, - - fi’cO
Address orders to WM. L. BEEBF,
C TVINGTON, Ga,