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| When I stood, on a lovely autumn eve, 
i Merl With a young and merry company ) 
ns | Around our mother’s knee ; 
Hi iV A Sabbath eve,—and our thoughts were led 
T'o Him who, victor from the dead, 
Arose to-day; then taught to weave ye 
Our artless words in lisping prayer ; 
il | A rich deep flow of love was there, 
ae Intensely tender ; no austerity 
ala Taught the young heart hypocrisy ; 
No bigot zeal infused its poison there, 
| To make the God of Love a source of fear; 



But gentle as that hour, and as her love, 
The tender yet profound,—so was each | 
thought ; 
| “ Father of all, who dwell’st in heaven above!” | 
|| Snch was the God our infant minds were | 
i] taught: 
\ And proud since then as thoughts and hopes 
have been, | 
=, 
| Gladly I would exchange the proudest now 
Hh For the pure simple feelings of that scene! 
Wi Would that we could erase these furrowed 
an lines, 
Passion and sorrow’s sign, 
Deep graven on the brow, 
And be again that which we once have been! 
Fearless then we weaved 
Each childish thought, 


