THE NEW NEW TESTAMENT.D

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2844, 6 May 1882, Page 2

THE NEW NEW TESTAMENT.D

And this is the hew New Testament, | And ’tis come m the sweet o' the year, When the fields are shining in cloth of gold, And the birds are singing so clear; And over and info the grand old text, Reverend and thoughtful men,' Through many a summer and winter past, Have been peering with book and pen. Till they’ve straightened the .mood? and tensesbut, .. 5 ‘ And dropped each obsolete phrase. And softened the strong, old-fashioned words To our daintier modern ways—. . Collated the ancient manuscripts, Particle, verb, and line, 1 ’ . V And faithfully done their very bestj To improve the Book Divine., •. I haven’t a doubt they have done it well, Bub it is not clear to me , ; That we needed the trouble it was to them On either side of the sea. I cannot help it, a thought that comes— You know I am old and plain— But it seems like touching the ark of God, And the touch to my heart is pain. For five years past and for five times ten At the. back ofthat, my dear, y g I’ve made and mended, and toiled and saved With my Bible over near. Sometimes it was only a verse at morn That lifted me up from care, ! Like the springing wings of a sweet-Voioed lark Cleaving the golden air. And sometimes on Sunday afternoons ’Twas a chapter rich and long That came to my heart in its weary hour, With the lilt of a triumph song. ; I studied the precious words, my dear, When a child at my mother's knee, And I tell you the Bible I’ve always had Is a good enough book for me. I may be stubborn and out of date; But my hair is white as snow, *nd I love the things I learned to love In the beautiful long ago. I cannot be changing at any time, ’Twould be losing a parfbf myself; k You may lay the new New Testament Away on the upper shelf. I cling to the one my good man read In our fireside prayers at night ; To the one my little children lisped Ere they faded out of my sight. I shall gather my dear ones close again Where tho many mansions be, And till then the Bible I’ve always had Is a good enough book for me.

A young niau proposed for tho hand of a beautiful girl. As she hesitated about replying ho said ; “1 await your answer with bated breath.” Tho girl, who is a good deal of a humorist, said_: “ Well, Mr Man, you will have to bait your breath with something besides high wines and Limburgor cheese to catch your humble servant. Good evening.” *>■