Page 12 - history-related-to-methodism-and-early-settlement-in-florida-(esther-bernice-howell-haworth)-1961

History Related to Methodism and Early Settlement in Florida (1961) Esther Bernice Howell Haworth

“The following pathetic and elegant poem, we understand is the production of a
young lady of Cambridge, Massachusetts. The Editor of the National AEgas
observes, that “delighted as he was with its beauties, he could not resist his
inclination to give publicty to a producton, well deserving a local habitation less
evanescent than the columns of a newspaper.”

“JEPTHAH’S RASH VOW”
“The Battle had ceased, and the victory was won!
The wild cry of borrow was o’er-,
Now arose, in his glory, the bright beaming sun,
And with him the war-chief his journey begun—
With a soul, breathing vengeance no more.

The foes of his country lay strewed on the plain,
A tear stole its course to his eye—
But the Chieftain disdained every semblance of pain,
He thought of his child, of his country again,
And suppressed, while’t was forming, a sigh.

“0! Father of light.” said the conquering Chief.
“The vow which 1 made I renew;
T was thy powerful arm gave the welcome relief, When I called on thy name in
the fullness of grief,
And my hopes were but cheerless and few.

An offering of love will I pay to thy name,
An offering thou wilt not despise;
The first being 1 meet, when 1 welcome again The land of my fathers—1 left-not
in vain;
With the Hames on thy Altar shall rise.

Now hushed were his words; through the far spreading bands,
Naught was heard but the foot-falls around;
Till his lips, in wild joy, press his own native lands, And to heaven are uplifted
his trimbling hands,
While the silence is still and profound.

0, listen—At distance, what wild music sounds?
And at distance, what maiden appears?
See, forward she comes, with a light springing bound,
And casts her mild eyes in extacy round,
For a parent is seen through her tears.

Her harp’s wildest thrill gave a strain of delight*
A moment—she springs to his arms; ”My daughter* 0 God;—not the terror of
fight, —While legions on legions against him unite.
Could bring to his soul such alarms.

In wild horrow he starts—as a fiend had appeared;

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