FROM BATON ROUGE
67
O God, we lift our waiting eyes to Thee,
And sadly cry, how long must these things be?
And sadly cry, how long must these things be?
How long must noble blood be poured like rain,
Flooding our land from mountain unto main?
Flooding our land from mountain unto main?
How long from desolated hearths must rise
The smoke of life's most costly sacrifice?
The smoke of life's most costly sacrifice?
Our brothers languish upon beds of pain,—
Father, O Father, have they bled in vain?
Father, O Father, have they bled in vain?
Is it for naught that they have drunken up
The very dregs of this most bitter cup?
The very dregs of this most bitter cup?
How long? how long? O God! our cause is just,
And in Thee only do we put our trust,
And in Thee only do we put our trust,
As Thou didst guide the Israelites of old
Through the Red Sea, and through the desert wold,
Through the Red Sea, and through the desert wold,
Lead Thou our leaders, and our land shall be
For evermore, the land where all are free!
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Hail and farewell,—we whisper in one breath,
As thus we meet thee, hand in hand with death!
For evermore, the land where all are free!
·······
Hail and farewell,—we whisper in one breath,
As thus we meet thee, hand in hand with death!
God give thy ashes undisturbed repose
Where drum-beat wakens neither friend nor foes;
Where drum-beat wakens neither friend nor foes;
God take thy spirit to eternal rest,
And, for Christ's sake, enroll thee with the blest!
And, for Christ's sake, enroll thee with the blest!
