BETA

The Young Soldier.

“ Jeune soldat, où vas-tu ? ”
“ Je vais combattre pour Dieu et les autels de la patrie ;
pour la justice ; pour la sainte cause des peuples ; pour les
droits sacrés du genre humain. ”
“ Que tes armes soient bénies, jeune soldat ! ”
Lamennais.
“ Young soldier, whither goest thou ?”1
“ Wherever sorrow goes, I go.2
Sorrow I count my deadly foe.3
I walk ’mid miserable men,4
Prostrate within dark Falsehood’s den,5
Proclaiming truth and right.6
Snake-like, each tyrant hides his head ;7
Behold ! the oppressed ones all are fled,8
A light breaks o’er the sullen land,9
As Joy and Peace come hand in hand,10
And Right o’ercometh Might.”11
“ Blessed be thy arms, young soldier !”12
“ Young soldier, whither goest thou ?”13
“ To search out men of wicked ways,14
Enmeshed in error’s foulest maze ;15
To break the prisoner’s bar and chain ;16
Freedom give to the slaves again,17
Who groan beneath the sky.18
Behold, grim kings on dusky thrones,19
Unheeding hear their piteous moans.20
‘ Onward !’ I shout— ‘ for liberty !’21
We triumph, and the land is free—22
God hears his people’s cry.”23
“ Blessed be thy arms, young soldier !”24
“ Young soldier, whither goest thou ?”25
“ I go to fight, that none may scorn26
The day on which his son was born ;27
That brother may not grieve to see28
Ilis sister fading silently,29
Like early flowers in spring ;30
That none a savage warfare rage31
Against the poor man’s heritage ;32
That little children may not cry,33
‘ O give us bread, or else we die !’34
Lord, shield them ’neath thy wing !”35
“ Blessed be thy arms, young soldier !”36
“ Young soldier, whither goest thou ?”37
“ With spear in hand, I gladly go ;38
All social barriers overthrow ;39
Preparing for the God-like plan—40
Confederated man and man,41
A brotherhood of love ;—42
Peace, justice, and the people’s cause,43
Based upon God’s eternal laws ;44
Born in a new and finer birth—45
One God in heaven, one home on earth—46
A happy home on earth to prove47
The goodness of our God above.”48
“ God bless thee, soldier, seven times seven,49
And give thy soul a place in heaven !”50