Dedication Poem.

Dedication Poem.

Dedication Poem on the reception of the annex to the home for aged colored people, from the bequest of Mr. Edward T. Parker.

Outcast from her home in SyriaIn the lonely, dreary wild;Heavy hearted, sorrow stricken,Sat a mother and her child.There was not a voice to cheer herNot a soul to share her fate;She was weary, he was fainting,—And life seemed so desolate.Far away in sunny EgyptWas lone Hagar’s native land;Where the Nile in kingly bountyScatters bread throughout the land.In the tents of princely AbramShe for years had found a home;Till the stern decree of SarahSent her forth the wild to roam.Hour by hour she journeyed onwardFrom the shelter of their tent,Till her footsteps slowly falteredAnd the water all was spent;Then she veiled her face in sorrow,Feared her child would die of thirst;Till her eyes with tears so holdenSaw a sparkling fountain burst.Oh! how happy was that mother,What a soothing of her pain;When she saw her child reviving,Life rejoicing through each vein.Does not life repeat this story,Tell it over day by day?Of the fountains of refreshmentEver springing by our way.Here is one by which we gather,On this bright and happy day,Just to bask beside a fountainMaking gladder life’s highway.Bringing unto hearts now agedWho have borne life’s burdens long,Such a gift of love and mercyAs deserves our sweetest song.Such a gift that even heavenMay rejoice with us below,If the pure and holy angelsJoin us in our joy and woe.May the memory of the giverIn this home where age may rest,Float like fragrance through the ages,Ever blessing, ever blest.When the gates of pearl are openedMay we there this friend behold,Drink with him from living fountains,Walk with him the streets of gold.When life’s shattered cords of musicShall again be sweetly sung;Then our hearts with life immortal,Shall be young, forever young.

Outcast from her home in SyriaIn the lonely, dreary wild;Heavy hearted, sorrow stricken,Sat a mother and her child.There was not a voice to cheer herNot a soul to share her fate;She was weary, he was fainting,—And life seemed so desolate.Far away in sunny EgyptWas lone Hagar’s native land;Where the Nile in kingly bountyScatters bread throughout the land.In the tents of princely AbramShe for years had found a home;Till the stern decree of SarahSent her forth the wild to roam.Hour by hour she journeyed onwardFrom the shelter of their tent,Till her footsteps slowly falteredAnd the water all was spent;Then she veiled her face in sorrow,Feared her child would die of thirst;Till her eyes with tears so holdenSaw a sparkling fountain burst.Oh! how happy was that mother,What a soothing of her pain;When she saw her child reviving,Life rejoicing through each vein.Does not life repeat this story,Tell it over day by day?Of the fountains of refreshmentEver springing by our way.Here is one by which we gather,On this bright and happy day,Just to bask beside a fountainMaking gladder life’s highway.Bringing unto hearts now agedWho have borne life’s burdens long,Such a gift of love and mercyAs deserves our sweetest song.Such a gift that even heavenMay rejoice with us below,If the pure and holy angelsJoin us in our joy and woe.May the memory of the giverIn this home where age may rest,Float like fragrance through the ages,Ever blessing, ever blest.When the gates of pearl are openedMay we there this friend behold,Drink with him from living fountains,Walk with him the streets of gold.When life’s shattered cords of musicShall again be sweetly sung;Then our hearts with life immortal,Shall be young, forever young.

Outcast from her home in SyriaIn the lonely, dreary wild;Heavy hearted, sorrow stricken,Sat a mother and her child.

Outcast from her home in Syria

In the lonely, dreary wild;

Heavy hearted, sorrow stricken,

Sat a mother and her child.

There was not a voice to cheer herNot a soul to share her fate;She was weary, he was fainting,—And life seemed so desolate.

There was not a voice to cheer her

Not a soul to share her fate;

She was weary, he was fainting,—

And life seemed so desolate.

Far away in sunny EgyptWas lone Hagar’s native land;Where the Nile in kingly bountyScatters bread throughout the land.

Far away in sunny Egypt

Was lone Hagar’s native land;

Where the Nile in kingly bounty

Scatters bread throughout the land.

In the tents of princely AbramShe for years had found a home;Till the stern decree of SarahSent her forth the wild to roam.

In the tents of princely Abram

She for years had found a home;

Till the stern decree of Sarah

Sent her forth the wild to roam.

Hour by hour she journeyed onwardFrom the shelter of their tent,Till her footsteps slowly falteredAnd the water all was spent;

Hour by hour she journeyed onward

From the shelter of their tent,

Till her footsteps slowly faltered

And the water all was spent;

Then she veiled her face in sorrow,Feared her child would die of thirst;Till her eyes with tears so holdenSaw a sparkling fountain burst.

Then she veiled her face in sorrow,

Feared her child would die of thirst;

Till her eyes with tears so holden

Saw a sparkling fountain burst.

Oh! how happy was that mother,What a soothing of her pain;When she saw her child reviving,Life rejoicing through each vein.

Oh! how happy was that mother,

What a soothing of her pain;

When she saw her child reviving,

Life rejoicing through each vein.

Does not life repeat this story,Tell it over day by day?Of the fountains of refreshmentEver springing by our way.

Does not life repeat this story,

Tell it over day by day?

Of the fountains of refreshment

Ever springing by our way.

Here is one by which we gather,On this bright and happy day,Just to bask beside a fountainMaking gladder life’s highway.

Here is one by which we gather,

On this bright and happy day,

Just to bask beside a fountain

Making gladder life’s highway.

Bringing unto hearts now agedWho have borne life’s burdens long,Such a gift of love and mercyAs deserves our sweetest song.

Bringing unto hearts now aged

Who have borne life’s burdens long,

Such a gift of love and mercy

As deserves our sweetest song.

Such a gift that even heavenMay rejoice with us below,If the pure and holy angelsJoin us in our joy and woe.

Such a gift that even heaven

May rejoice with us below,

If the pure and holy angels

Join us in our joy and woe.

May the memory of the giverIn this home where age may rest,Float like fragrance through the ages,Ever blessing, ever blest.

May the memory of the giver

In this home where age may rest,

Float like fragrance through the ages,

Ever blessing, ever blest.

When the gates of pearl are openedMay we there this friend behold,Drink with him from living fountains,Walk with him the streets of gold.

When the gates of pearl are opened

May we there this friend behold,

Drink with him from living fountains,

Walk with him the streets of gold.

When life’s shattered cords of musicShall again be sweetly sung;Then our hearts with life immortal,Shall be young, forever young.

When life’s shattered cords of music

Shall again be sweetly sung;

Then our hearts with life immortal,

Shall be young, forever young.

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