THE LAUNCHING OF THE SHIP

Then the Master,

With a gesture of command,

Waved his hand;

And at the word,

Loud and sudden there was heard,

All around them and below,

The sound of hammers, blow on blow,
Knocking away the shores and spurs.

And see! she stirs !

She starts- she moves

she seems to fee

The thrill of life along her keel,

And, spurning with her foot the ground.
With one exulting, joyous bound,

She leaps into the ocean's arms!

And lo! from the assembled crowd

There rose a shout, prolonged and loud,
That to the ocean seemed to say,
"Take her, O bridegroom, old and gray,
Take her to thy protecting arms,
With all her youth and all her charms!

How beautiful she is! How fair
She lies within those arms, that press
Her form with many a soft caress
Of tenderness and watchful care!

Through wind and wave, right onward steer The moistened eye, the trembling lip,

Are not the signs of doubt or fear.

Sail forth into the sea of life,
O gentle, loving, trusting wife,
And safe from all adversity
Upon the bosom of that sea
Thy comings and thy goings be!
For gentleness and love and trust
Prevail o'er angry wave and gust;
And in the wreck of noble lives
-Something immortal still survives!

Thou, too, sail o, O Ship of State
Sail on, O Union, strong and great?
Humanity with all its fears,

With all the hopes of future years,
Is hanging breathless on thy fate!

We know what Master laid thy keel,
What Workmen wrought thy ribs of steel,
Who made each mast, and sail, and rope,
What anvils rang, what hammers beat,
In what a forge and what a heat
Were shaped the anchors of thy hope!

Fear not each sudden sound and shock,
"Tis of the wave and not the rock;
'Tis but the flapping of the sail,
And not a rent made by the gale!
In spite of rock and tempest's roar,
In spite of false lights on the shore,
Sail on, nor fear to breast the sea!

Our hearts, our hopes, are all with thee, Our hearts our hopes, our prayers, our

God of our fathers, known of old
Lord of our far-flung battle line-
Beneath Whose awful Hand we hold
Dominion over palm and pine-
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget-lest we forget!

The tumult and the shouting dies-
The captains and the kings depart.
Still stands Thine ancient sacrifice,

An humble and a contrite heart. Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet, Lest we forget-lest we forget!

Far-called our navies melt away

On dune and headland sinks the fireLo, all our pomp of yesterday

Is one with Nineveh and Tyre! Judge of the nations, spare us yet, Lest we forget-lest we forget!

If, drunk with sight of power, we loose Wild tongues that have not Thee i

awe

Such boasting as the Gentiles use,

Or lesser breeds without the Law
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget-lest we forget!

For heathen heart that puts her trust
In reeking tube and iron shard-
All valiant dust that builds on dust,
And guarding calls not Thee to guard-
For frantic boast and foolish word,
Thy mercy on Thy people, Lord!

Amen.

-Kipling.

THE LADDER OF ST. AUGUSTINE.

Saint Augustine! well hast thou said,
That of our vices we can frame
A ladder, if we will but tread

Beneath our feet each deed of shame.

All common things, each day's events,
That with the hour begin and end,
Our pleasures and our discontents,
Are rounds by which we may ascend.

The low desire, the base design,
That makes another's virtues less;
The revel of the ruddy wine,

And all occasions of excess;

The longing for ignoble things;

The strife for triumph more than uth; The hardening of the heart, that brings Irreverence for the dreams of youth;

All thoughts of ill; all evil deeds,

That have their root in thoughts of ill; Whatever hinders or impedes

The action of the nobler will.