"ANGELS IN HEAVEN."

New Zealand Tablet, Volume II, Issue 79, 31 October 1874, Page 13

"ANGELS IN HEAVEN."

■Lines written by Denis Florence McCarthy, Esq., on the death of his three children ; two within the year. His wife has since departed. ■" But thou ahalt rejoice and thy cl.ildroa, because they shall be blessed and shall be gathered together to the Lord."— Tobias, xiii. 17. '

Oh, what a grace to me is given, To have my angels three in Heaven ; Three angels who -with me have been — One was my baby-wonder, Willie, One was my darling little Lillie, And one my gentle Josephine. A bud of one brief Spring-tide's brightness, A lily whose unsullied whiteness Through thirteen joyous Junes was seen ; While eighteen Summers, with the sireetness Of their ro6es, and their fleetness, Twined their wreaths for Josephine. That bud, a perfect bloom is blowing ; That lily, now is lovelier growing ; Transplanted to a summer sod. While she, the sun-flower of the seven, Revives the amaranth rose of Heaven, Amid the garden groves of God. Ah ! shall I ever see those bowers ! Ah ! shall I ever clasp those flowers ! Once more into my beating breast ? Ah ! shall it be, my sins forgiven, My stains -washed wliite like snow that's driven, I, with my angels, too, may rest ? O blessed hope! delight Elysian ! O blissful dream ! ecstatic vision ! O life that death cannot destroy ! To see once more my darlings' faces — To fold them in my fond embraces — To taste with them eternal joy ! O Josephine! by Joseph kneeling! O Lilly ! to the Lamb appealing ! O Angel ! to the Angels Queen ! Join all your prayers and your entreating, .Bring round for me that happy meeting, And make to be what once hath been. And for the others here remaining — The gentle mother uncomplaining — The sweet nun-sister in her eell — The tender one that needs most caring — The brothers, for life's fight preparing — Oh ! guard the golden circle well. Let not the precious ring be broken, Let not a missing pearl betoken A loss beyond all other loss. But, as the master-hand hath finished, Be found undimmed and undiminished, Encrowued and crimsoned by the Cross.