THE FLOOD.

Behold how kind and merciful

Our heavenly Father was,

To bear so long with sinful men,

Who had transgressed His laws.

The hearts of men wax'd worse and worse,

They disobeyed the Lord;

They followed their own thoughts, nor walked

According to His word.

And men were multiplied on earth,

They spread both far and wide;

And there were giants in those days,

Who did God's law deride.

The Lord look'd down from Heaven to see

If there were any good;

Behold they all were turn'd aside,

Sin tainted all their blood.

Yet still the Lord was good to them—

He gave them sun and rain,

And every blessing, yet their hearts

Were foolish, wicked, vain.

There is no sin so base as that

We call ingratitude,

To use those ill, with wicked hearts,

Who seek to do us good.

And when the Great and Holy One

With kindness stoop'd to bless

The sorrows of a sinful world,

And pity their distress;—

'Twas vile ingratitude in them

To act so wickedly,

And spurn the mercy of the Lord,

The great, the good, the high.

God's goodness leads us to repent,

And give our folly o'er;—

And if we use His kindness right,

We'll go and sin no more.

But God is just as well as good,

He will not always strive;

He will assert His sovereign right,

Nor let the sinner live.

He does not seek the death of one

Of all the sinful race,

Yet He will not forever bear

With those who slight His grace.

His mercy is forever sure,

His justice too must stand,

And people must obedient be

To what He does command.

So when the world so wicked proved,

And wander'd from the Lord,

And with most stubborn hearts refused

To hear His sovereign word;—

He bore with patience long and kind,

Their steady wickedness;

But did at last withdraw His grace,

And leave them in distress.

He gave them up to their own hearts,

To work their own desire;

He threatened them with judgment vast,

And kindled was His ire.

"My spirit shall not always strive"—

Jehovah sternly said—

A Flood I'll bring which will destroy

All things that I have made.

"Why should they live in guilt and wo,

And all my words despise;

Their every work, and every thought,

Is loathsome to my eyes."

When God provoked, in anger speaks,

Who can His word withstand?

His heart is full of holiness,

And strong is His right hand.

One righteous man was found on earth,

And him Jehovah loved;

His thoughts, his words, and all his deeds,

Were by the Lord approved.

He kept himself away from sin,

Nor walk'd with wicked men;

He loved the God who reigns on high,

Nor did he love in vain.

His family he train'd to know,

And love and serve the Lord;

And they were safe in keeping all

The great Jehovah's word.

The Lord remembered Noah's walk,

And did not him condemn,

When, for the wickedness of men,

He did aloud proclaim,—

That He would rain upon the earth

An overwhelming flood;

But choose him and his family—

And firm His counsel stood.

The Lord forever shows regard

To those who love His ways,

They vindicate His righteousness

And ever show His praise.

So He would not destroy this man

Who walk'd with Him in love,

But promised him that He would give

Protection from above.

Then Noah's fervent heart was fill'd

With grief for sinful men;

Yet though God's judgment was severe,

He could not once complain.

He pitied the sad state of those

Who had despised the Lord;

He saw that God would punish them,

According to His word.

Jehovah unto Noah said:—

"I will destroy the earth,

For violence is in the land,

And wickedness and mirth.

"Men's hearts are full of laughter wild,

Their lives are full of sin;

And I will send destruction swift,

And show my power divine.

"I'll rain upon the earth a flood,

And drown men in the storm,

And they shall find no arm to save,

Amid their fearful gloom.

"But thee I have found true and good,

A follower of my ways;

And I will save thee from the flood,

And lengthen out thy days.

"Now therefore build thyself an ark,

According to my word;

To save thyself and family,

For ye have fear'd the Lord.

"For every thing that now has life,

And all things that have breath,

Even for the wickedness of man,

I do devote to death.

"I am the Lord, the mighty one,

I, even I, do speak;

The flood upon the earth I'll bring,

And nought my word shall break."

Noah prepared to build the ark,

The tidings did him grieve;

Yet it was just, and every word

He did at once believe.

While Noah built for six score years

The ark to ride the flood,

He preach'd unto the people round

The dreadful word of God.

He show'd to them their heinous sins,

He told them God was just,

That He would surely punish them

Unto the uttermost.

Not only did they break God's law

But they despised His grace;

That they had most ungrateful proved,

A hard, rebellious race.

And though the Lord had suffer'd long,

Nor seem'd to notice them,

Yet soon He would arise in might,

And loud His wrath proclaim.

He told them of the impending flood,

The threatening of the Lord;

And that His counsel sure would stand,

And ever true His word.

But if they would repent, perhaps

The Lord would turn away

His anger from the earth and thus

Avert the dreadful day.

But if they should persist in sin

And folly to the last;

Then God in wrath would visit them,—

Their day of grace be past.

He there fore bade them all repent,

And turn from all their sin,

And humbly to Jehovah pray,

To stay His wrath divine.

The time wore on, the ark progress'd,

And Noah grew more bold;

And to the people day by day,

God's threatened judgment told.

They heeded not his solemn words,

Nor mark'd his tearful eye;

But still continued in their sin

Against the Lord most high.

They mock'd him with their taunting speech,

And call'd him foolish, vain,

To think that God would drown the earth

And men in floods of rain.

They look'd up to the heavens above,

No threatening clouds were there;

They laugh'd, they sang, they danced in pride,

Nor thought of God, or prayer.

All things remained the same to them,

For nearly six score years;

Why should they have distress of mind,

Or yield their soul to fears?

Still, Noah, faithful to his trust,

His solemn warnings gave;

And patiently prepared the ark,

His family to save

And still the people wagg'd their heads,

As they were passing by,

And look'd first on his monster ark,

Then upward to the sky;—

Then smiled in scorn, and went their way,

To sin and folly prone;

Not dreaming, though the skies look'd fair,

They'd soon be left alone.

Amid the angry storms of Heaven,

And rising waves around

Overflowing all the fields of earth,

And all the highest ground.

And now the ark was built; the day

Of wrath was drawing near;

Yet still no cloud was in the sky;

And in men's hearts no fear.

No doubt they wonder'd much what now

This foolish man would do;

And thought that they would surely prove,

His prophecy untrue.

But soon he heard Jehovah's voice;—

These words he heard Him say,—

"Come thou into the ark at once,

With all thy family."

So Noah enter'd in the ark,

He and his children too,

And beasts and birds of every kind,

Did enter two by two.

The lives of these Jehovah spared,

To fill the earth again,

When He should cause the ark to rest,

And should the flood restrain.

And when they all were in the ark,

The just and mighty God,

Prepared to bring upon the earth

The waters of the flood.

The day of grace was fully past,

No voice should now proclaim,

To sinful, faithless, scoffing men,

Jehovah's gracious name.

The righteous in God's care were safe,

From every fear of harm;

But wicked men would be o'erwhelm'd

With terrible alarm.

Ah! where shall now the sinner hide—

what power the storm can stay?

What pleasing charm can he call up

To drive his fears away?

Who can withstand the wrath of God!

He with a single breath,

Could vanquish all our boasted strength,

And visit us with death.

He gathers now His angry clouds,

And thick they quickly come;

Bearing along the teeming rains

And the devouring storm.

The beauteous sky is overcast.

And darkness fills the air;

And lightnings flash, and thunders roll;

No ray of hope is there.

As if the clouds are not enough,

Heaven's windows open wide,

To pour upon the startled earth

The overflowing tide.

The clouds come down almost to earth,

And seem to bend with rain;

And men look up with fearful gaze,

Nor can their fear restrain.

Oh! fearful and majestic scene;

Jehovah's awful frown

Seems o'er the sinfulness of earth,

In anger bending down.

No sun now cheers, no light of star

To those shall ever come,

Who by their long continued crimes,

Provoked this awful doom.

Not only did the clouds come up,—

Heaven's windows open wide;—

The fountains of the deep were stirr'd,

And raged on every side.

The clouds pour'd down their treasures vast,

The deeps yield up their store,

The proudest trembles at the form

Of God's almighty power.

The seas are swelling up in wrath,

And break the appointed bound—

Their waters overflow the shore

And fiercely rage around.

The rivers rise to fearful height,

And roll their torrents on,

Until their highest banks are lost

From sight, deep overflown.

The fountains too and hidden springs,

Seem bursting everywhere;

Their waters flow on every side,

The common rage to share.

Now wave meets wave, and swells the flood

In fury o'er the land,

Fulfilling all the will of God,

Obeying His command.

O God! the power is thine alone,

To punish and create;

We would with reverence bow to Thee,

And worship might so great

And may we never dare provoke

That high Almighty Power,

Which once awaked against our sins,

Could blast us in an hour.

The waters lifted up the ark,

Majestic it did ride

Above the swelling, surging waves,

Along the rolling tide.

The freight of life it bore along,

Secure from every harm;

And though the tempest raged without,

Their hearts knew no alarm.

To God in humble earnest prayer,

They sent their feeble cry,

And He with power and love did look,

Down from His throne on high.

And while the raging waves did roar,

And swift destruction bring,

Jehovah sheltered them beneath

The shadow of His wing.

The ark Jehovah guided through

The vast unmeasured deep;

And all the life therein reposed

He did in safety keep.

It floated o'er the valleys low,

And o'er the highest hill,

For high the waters rose, and thus

Obey'd the Almighty Will.

How strong that hand that can protect,

When danger rages round;

The mercy of our Father God,

Doth every where abound.

And those who put their trust in Him,

And to Him ever pray,

Will find it is the safest thing

His counsel to obey.

Now let us for awhile return

And see the startled world,

With all its pride and all its sin

Swift into ruin hurl'd.

The waters now are rising fast,

And men are in despair;

They can themselves no succur find,

No ear now hears their prayer.

They once derided him who preached

To them the coming wo,

But now no voice cries out, Repent;

Ah! whither shall they go?

The ark to them is firmly closed,

They cannot enter in;

They see the flood is rising round;

They perish in their sin.

Not highest trees can shelter them,

Nor mountain caverns hide,

For caves and heights are fill'd and lost,

As onward sweeps the tide.

Ah! would that they had heard the word

That faithful Noah preach'd;

Accepted of Jehovah's grace

Which he to them out-reach'd.

But now, alas! it is too late;

No human power can save

A single soul from perishing,

Beneath the flooding wave.

Oh! let us not provoke our God;

But of His grace partake;

And feel our sins are blotted out

For His own mercy's sake.

For forty days and forty nights,

The waters of the flood

Prevail'd o'er all the face of earth,

Obedient to the word.

Which God the great Jehovah spake,

To drown it for its sin;

His word is holy, just and right

Forever sure, divine.

The earth was drown'd; all living things

Had perish'd from its face,

Save Noah and his family,

Protected by God's grace.

The ark rode onward with the flood;

The hand of God did guide

The vessel with its freight of life,

O'er all the swelling tide.

The clouds do now withdraw aside;

The deepest fountains cease,

To pour their treasures forth on earth;

The waters slow decrease.

The ark moves on to Ararat,

And rests upon its height;

While Noah and his family,

Are fill'd with great delight.

They long to see the earth again,

Cleansed by Jehovah's hand;

They long to see the sun, great orb,

Shine brightly o'er the land.

They long to see the trees put forth,

And beauteous flowers spring,—

The fields with verdure clothed, and hear

The birds of morning sing.

Then Noah sent a raven forth,

Out of a window high,

To wander here and there, until

the waters should be dry.

And then again he sent a dove

That he might something learn,

But she could find no resting-place,

And did to him return.

The waters still spread o'er the earth,

And slowly did abate;

For seven days more within the ark,

He patiently did wait.

And then he sent her forth again,

And back she came at eve,

And bearing in her mouth she brought

To him an olive-leaf.

This token told him that the flood

Was drying fast away;

But Noah still within the ark

For seven days more did stay.

He now the third time sent the dove,

Nor did he send in vain,

The waters of the flood were dry;—

She ne'er returned again.

She found a resting-place on earth,

Beneath a sunny sky,

And with a gladsome, joyous heart,

She round about did fly.

Then Noah look'd forth from the ark,

And lifted up to God,

His thankfulness for keeping him,

According to His word.

And now the Lord to Noah spake,

And bade him from the ark

Go forth, and stand upon the earth,

And all his family take.

The waters from the earth had fled,

The ground was clean and dry,

No threatening billows form'd around,

No clouds were in the sky.

So Noah left the ark, and came

Forth to the open air,

And all the beasts and creeping things,

And fowls, were with him there.

He brought them out to fill the earth.

To multiply and live;

That they might magnify His name,

Who every good doth give.

Behold the wondrous hand of God,

How matchless is His skill,

Who works in heaven and on the earth,

The counsel of His will.

How great, how awful, and how just

Was that Almighty word,

Which, for the sinfulness of men,

Did call the dreadful flood.

And while the world was perishing,

'Tis pleasing to observe,

The loving-kindness of the Lord,

Who did the good preserve.

He saved them in the ark, while fell

The overflowing rain;

And when the flood was dried away,

He brought them forth again.

When Noah came forth from the ark,

His heart was filled with praise;

He worshipp'd God with thankful voice,

For His abounding grace.

He rear'd to God an altar there,

And offer'd sacrifice,

And kneeling with his family,

To heaven did lift his eyes.

And God was pleased with Noah's praise,

And witnessed from above

The offering which in faith he made,

And blest him with His love.

Jehovah said—"I will no more,

Destroy or curse the ground,

But will display my love and grace,

Wherever life is found."

How tender, loving is the Lord,

Whose anger does not burn

Forever 'gainst the sons of men,

But calls them to return.

He says to men—"Repent and live,

And all my law obey,

And I your strength and hope shall be,

Through all life's devious way."

O! sacrifice to God in faith,

And all your sins confess,

And with the riches of His love,

He will your spirits bless.

For blood of bulls, or lambs or goats,

Jehovah does not care,

But bring the offering of your hearts,

With humble earnest prayer.

Jehovah now a covenant made,

That He would bring no more

A flood of water o'er the earth,

As He had done before.

The nations now should prove His love,

His truth and power divine;

His attributes o'er all the earth,

With glory bright do shine.

His mercy hath no bound but truth,

And all His works do prove,

Unto the sons of men abroad,

His constant, perfect love.

He set the beauteous Bow on high

With many colours bright,

To show His covenant with men,

Was faithful, gracious, right.

It hung in heaven, upheld by God,

And arch'd the distant gloom,

And bent on either side to earth,

In bright and graceful form.

This covenant Jehovah keeps,

Forever faithful, true;

For when the rains are o'er, then high

The rainbow comes in view.

Whene'er we gaze upon its form,

And note its colours fair;

Our hearts should be inspired toward God,

With love and praise and prayer.

He gives the sun to warm the earth;

He sends the healthful shower,

And saves us always, through His grace,

By His almighty power.