How little have the powerful of the earth
Aided in raising up God’s image, marred
In falling, and from age to age trod down!
Crowns have but crusht it; shepherds and their flocks
Only the more defiled it; Laws have buzzed
Perplexing round about; before the prance
Of War they cowered awhile, then seized his hand,
And, running at his side, took half the spoil.
Europe and Asia rais’d Gods over Gods,
Men over men; but gentle brotherhood
They never knew. Our iland sent beyond
The Atlantic wave some stubborn hearts, unmoved
By pity, and intolerant of tears.
One after sent she forth of milder mien,
And Peace and Justice were the counselers
On right and left of that sage patriarch:
Brave was the sire, but braver was the son,
Founder of states to live when Europe dies.
Greater than he comes one whom never gain
Attracted, never sanguinary field
Delighted, never idle peace allured
From earnest duty: thro’ remoter seas
Her vessel sails.. her vessel? Yes, that helm
A woman guides.. but One above guides her.
Chisholm! of all the ages that have roll’d
Around this rolling globe, what age hath seen
Such arduous, such heaven-guided enterprise
As thine? Crime flies before thee, and the shores
Of Austral Asia, lustrated by thee,
Collect no longer the putrescent weeds
Of Europe, cast by senates to infect
The only unpolluted continent.
Thither hast thou conducted honest toil
Fainting of hunger on the wealthy street,
Thither the maiden in whose pallid face
Lust thought he saw his victim, but could raise
Only one blush and one indignant tear.
These, these hast thou watcht over, nor hast lookt
Beyond, where Glory sits awaiting thee;
Nor wouldst thou hear with any fresh delight,
What sages in their histories will record,
That the most potent empire of the earth
Was planted, some five centuries before,
Under God’s guidance by his Chisholm’s hand.
Semiramis begirt with terraced walls
Her mighty city for the prince and slave;
Thy grander soul threw open a wide world
With one command, Be virtuous and be free.