ToMr.R—
Robert Raikes (1736-1811), printer, philanthropist and early founder of Sunday schools in Gloucester in the 1780s.
He was a subscriber to Poems on Several Occasions.
,ONHISBenevolentSchemeforrescuingPoorChildrenfromViceandMisery,BYPROMOTINGSUNDAYSCHOOLS.O,R—!mytimidsoulwouldfainaspireTorapturesuchasthine;tothepurezealWhichfiresthysoulinblestReligion'scause.Say,canIcatchonesaint,oneglimmeringspark,Towarmmycheerlessbosom?WilltheflameWhicheverseedsthyfervencyofsoul,Illuminemine?Ah,no!onme'twerelost;Myfaculties,mypovertyofthought,Wou'deverdisappointthegranddesign,Andrendergreatcommissionsallabortive.Vainwerethehopetosavearuin'dworld!Ev'nJesu'ssufferingsne'erconvinc'dthewhole;Thenshallanatomthefix'daxismove,Andwinaworldfromhell?Thougreatlydar'st,Yetlimitedthypower;standforth,yefew!Youwhowou'dgivealustretoyourname,AndprovethegrandimpressionofJehovah;Whoweep,likeR—,thegloryofyourGod,Defac'd,demolish'd,beautytrodindust;Leavenotthewreckdesertedonthebeach,WhereIgnorance,Vice,andloud-mouth'dReprobation,Exultingyell,andwringthemeltingsoul:O!freeze,tohearthehoary-headedsinner,Withceaselessprofanation,tainttheair;Grownoldindarkstupidity,hetreads,Fearless,tho'feeble;onthevergeoffateSinleaveshimnot;andinnateflamesofviceStillfiercelyburn;thefactexistsinwill:ThelastremainoflifepresentsagloomWhichfrightstheshrinkingsoul;lo!backshestarts,Struckwithdirehorror,lothtohearthesound,ThedreadfulsummonsofoffendedHeaven—Shelingers—thestrongblasttoatomsrendsTheframewhichheldher.—O!yebettersouls,Yenoblerfew,whoslumberinyourrace,Tho'wellbegun,andforwardedwithhope,Say,willyouseeafellow-spiritlost,Thusswallow'dintheever-yawninggulf,Thatfrightsthementaleye,ande'enappalsThemanwhofirmeststands,norlendyouraidTosavehim,asasouloncemeantforHeaven?O,think!thecominghourwillsoonbeyours;LetnotaformwhichbearsyourMaker'simageDefeattheendofbeing:know'tisyours,Inheavenlytintstodiptheinfantsoul;Toraisethenewidea,liftithigh,Ev'ntoJehovah'sThrone:theductilemind,Pliantaswax,shallwearthemouldyougive;SharpGratitudeyou'vecall'dtolife,shallcut,Incyphersdeep,thenowexpandedheart;And,ev'nbeyondthechambersofthegrave,Thejoyousspiritshallyourrecordsbear,Tomeetyoureyeswhentremblingworldsexpire.Whatthenshalllive,orstandinthatdreadhour,Butactslikethese,whenpantingspiritscallForeverylittletesttoaidtheirplea?Mayyoursresound,supportedintheblastBygratefulInfants,andbyripen'dMan,Towhomyougaveperfection.Angelssmile,AndsongsofgloryshakethevaultofHeaven.NottothevainIliftmypoorappeal,Whoneveryethavedar'dtoownasoul,OrnameaDeitywithheart-feltjoy;'TistothemindwhofeelslikegenerousR—,Whoseheartcanmourn,whosemanlyeyecanmelt,Atthedreadthoughtofhumansoulsdestroy'd.Whatpen,tho'dipp'dinhorror'sdeepestdye,Canjustlypaintthepoorunletter'dtribe,Assembledinagroupe?Thefloridyouth,Robust,impetuous,ardentinhisstrength,Livelyandboundingastheskippingroe,Theblushofbeautyblowingonhischeek;Within,astrongepitomeofhell;Therevicesrage,andpassionswildlyroar;Strongappetites,whichneverknewrestraint,Screamforindulgence,tillthesouldistract,Seizesinhastethedraughtofpoisonsmix'dWhensinbegan,andruin'dnaturefell;Thedireinfusionstrongergrowsbytime;Andstillfermenting,sinsonsinsarise,Inorderhorrible.Thuseverlost,Thepoorbenightedsoulne'erhopestolightOnGilead'ssovereignbalm,itsworthnotknown,Orlongmisus'd;ah!hapless,haplessstate,WhereImmortalityitselfissick,Andhopesannihilation.Dreadfulthought!Poormiserablerefuge!poorerstillThesoulwhohopestofindit.O,befriend,Ere'tistoolate,thetender,buddingmind,Nowchoak'dbyignorance;cherishthespark,TheparticleofGodhead,whichimpelsTogoodifnourish'd,ifo'erwhelm'dmustdie!Yesacredfew,whoshudderatthesoundOfblasphemy,breath'dfromthetenderlipWhoselispingaccentInnocenceshou'dguide,Whoseheartshou'dwhite-rob'dPurityadorn:O,think,howlostthebeauteousreprobateOftwelveorfourteenyears,nurs'dupinsin;OnwhosesweetformherbounteousMakersmil'd,AndgaveasthegrandstrokeoffairCreation:Herpassionssoftandgentle;pureherthought,HersoulsoAngel-like,itspokeperfection;Eyesform'dtobendthestubbornbreastofmanTomorethanhumansoftness;accentsmildTocharmhisear,andsoothhissullensoul,Whenpantingintheirongraspofwoe!O,shewasmeantsoperfect,fair,andgood,ThatAngelswithunusualardourgaz'd,Bless'dthefairform,andhail'dthejoyoushour!Butah!down,downshesinks,foreverlost,Forevertarnish'd,blastedinthebud;Theearlyfalsehoodpointstheflowingtongue,Theartfulleerdeformstheeagereye;Thesmileostpractis'd,deeplytodeceive;EachsoftallurementHeavensofranklygave,All,all,devotedtoeternalshame:Charminginsin,toooftshemeetsherfate,Soearly,thatthemostobdurateweeps,Andgivesthatpityshewasform'dtoraise.Awake,yerich,thatsleep!awaketosave!Andinfants,yetunborn,inchoralsong,Shallblessthehandwhichform'dasocialfather,Afatheronwhoselipinstructionhangs,Whosnatchesfromtheburningflamethebrand!Thepoorilliterate,chill'dbyfreezingwant,WithinwhosewallspalePenurystillsits,Withicyhandimpressingeverymeal,Cannotdividehisslenderhard-earn'dmiteBetwixthisbodilyandmentalwants;Thesoulmustgo—forhungerloudlypleads,AndNaturewillbeanswer'd;thushisrace,Envelop'd,groping,sinkinvulgartoils;Toeatandsleepincludesthesoul'sbestwish;Andmeandeceit,andtreacherous,low-phras'dguile,Fillthevastspaceforbetterpurposegiven.Oppress'dlikeyou,soAmram'ssononcefelt,O'erburthen'dwithagrossinconstantrace;Fainwou'dyetotheirpromis'dCanaanguideThesewretchedwanderers,leadthemtotheirrest,Asnursingfathersbearthesuckingbabe;Fainwou'dyetotheshelteringhiveallure,Andfixtheswarmwhereendlesspleasuresflow.NotwishingtodiminishaspiritofReligion,butinallusiontotheSecondChapterofNumbers,Verse17;"AndIwilltakeoffthatspiritwhichisuponthee,andIwillputituponthem."Takeoff,greatGod!someportionofthyspirit,Toomuchforoneweakform;o'erpower'dhesinks,Yetgloriesintheflame;andfaintingthus,Wou'dliftaworldtoHeaven.OmniscientPower!Bringforwardyetthyseventyelect!Bidthemtothygreatmandatefixtheirseal,Andloudlysound—"Yechosen,aidmypeople;Guidethem,Ichargeyou,thro'thedrearywilds,Supportthefaint,andtellthelazy-blind,Who,mole-like,neversaw,noreverwish'dit;O,tellthem,'tisinMercyyouaregiven;ThatuntoyouIgaveextensivesouls,Greatfaculties,andamplemeans,tosaveSoulsIthoughtworthcreating.Thenrejoice,Thatyouarethuscommission'd;open'dfairToyouthepathofglory,whiletheirsoulsWanderindarkness,anddespairtofindSalvationwithouthelp.ToyouIgiveThemeans;thenanswerwellyoursacredcharge."YeHeaven-attemptingsouls,wherevirtueslieListless,inactive,waitingbutthecallOfgreatJehovah,listentohisvoice,Avoicene'erheardinvain;hark!hark!itsoundsFromMisery'slowestshed;theaccentsoft,Thehumblesigh,theinfant'searlytear,Thehusband'sstifled,sympatheticgroan,Themother'sfeelings,morethaneverfelt,Tho'borneinsilenceandinpensivemood.TheseareallshadesinwhichtheGodhead'sseen;WellfeltthosewoeswheregreatReligionsitsOnthehouse-top,andshedsherheavenlydewsOnthepoorgroup;—be'tyourstofixherthere.Indresslikethis,OmnisciencesoftlytriesYourfriendlydoors,andthusdisguis'd,oftmeetsThesternrepulse,andvirtue-killingfrown.