Page:Suggestive programs for special day exercises.djvu/75

61

When suddenly his mantle wide

His hands impatiently flung aside,

And, lol he met their wondering eyes

Complete in all a warrior&rsquo;s guise.

A moment there was awful pause&mdash;

When Berkeley cried, &ldquo;Cease, traitor! cease!

God&rsquo;s temple is the house of peace!&rdquo;


 * The other shouted, &ldquo;Nay, not so,

When God is with our righteous cause;

His holiest places then are ours,

His temples are our forts and towers


 * That frown upon the tyrant foe;

In this the dawn of freedom&rsquo;s day,

There is a time to fight and pray!&ldquo;

And now before the open door&mdash;


 * The warrior priest had ordered so&mdash;

The enlisting triumphs sudden roar

Rang through the chapel o&rsquo;er and o&rsquo;er.


 * Its long reverberating blow.

So loud and clear, it seemed the ear

Of dusty death must wake and hear.

And there the startling drum and fife

Fired the living with fiercer life:

While overhead, with wild increase,

Forgetting its ancient toil of peace,


 * The great bell swung as ne&rsquo;er before.

It seemed as it would never cease;

And every word its order flung

From off its jubilant iron tongue,


 * Was, War! War! WAR!

&ldquo;Who dares&rdquo;&mdash;this was the patriot&rsquo;s cry,

As striding from the desk he came&mdash;

&ldquo;Come out with me, in Freedom&rsquo;s name

For her to live, for her to die?&rdquo;

A hundred hands flung up reply,

A hundred voices answered, &ldquo;I.&rdquo;



