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The Marriage Vow

The Marriage Vow image
Parent Issue
Day
30
Month
June
Year
1848
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

Speak it not lightly, 'lis a holy thing ; A bond endaring through long distnnt years, Whon joy o'er thine abode is hovering, Or when thiuc eyo is wet with bitterest tears, Recorded by an angels pen on tiigl), And must be questioued in elernity. Speak it not lightly, ihuugh the youug and gay Are thrunging round theo now with touesuf mirth, Let not the holy promise of to-day Fade with the clouds that with the raorn have birthi But ever bright and sacred may it be, Stoied ia the treasure cell of memory. Life may not provo all sunahine ; there will come Dark houro for all. O will ye, when the niglit Of sofrow gathers thickly round your home, lxve as ye did when calm and bright, Beemed the jure path ye trod untouched by care, And cleemed the future like the present fair. Eyes that now beam with health, may yet grow dim And cheeks of rose forget their early glow - Langor and pain assail each active limb. And lay perchance some worshipped beauty low ; Will ye then gaze upon the nltered brow, And love as fondly, fuithfully as now ? Should fortune frown on your defeuceless head ; Should storm o'ertake your bark on life's dark sea; Fierce tempests rend the sail so gaily spread, When hope her syren strain sang joyously, Will ye look up, thougli clouds your sky o'ercast, And say " together vvo will bide the blast !" Age, with its silvery locks comes stealing on, And briugs the tottering step, tho furrowed cheek ; The eye frota whence each lustrous gleiiin hath gone ; And the pale lip, with acceuts low and weak - Will ye then thiuk upon your life's gay priine, And mniling, bid leve triurnph over Time ? Speak it not lightly - O, beware, beware! 'Tis uo vain promise, no unmeaning word. Lo men and angels, list the faith ye swear, - And by the high and Holy One 'tis heard : Oh ! then kneel liumbly at His altar now, And pray for strength to keep your marriage vow.