The Ancient Banner | Page 6

Truth?
Has it not opened doors that had been closed,
And should
have been forever? And by these,
Has not an enemy been stealing in,

To spoil the goods of many; to assail,
And strive in secrecy to
gather strength,
To overcome the citadel at last?
Is it not thought
illiberal to refuse
Alliances with those who now profess
Respect
and friendship? Must the Quaker then
Bow in the house of Rimmon,
saying, Lord
Pardon in this thy servant? Do not some
Fail to resist

encroachments, when they come
Clothed in enticing words, and wear
the guise
Of charity and kindness, and are veiled,
Or sweetened to
the taste, by courtesy?
But is a snare less certain, when concealed

By some enticing bait? or is a ball
Less sure and fatal, when it flies
unheard,
Or, when the hand that sends it is unseen,
Or offers
friendship? Did not Joab say,
"Art thou in health my brother?" and
appeared
To kiss Amasa, while he thrust his sword
Into his
life-blood? And when Jonas fled
From the Lord's service, and the
stormy waves
Threatened the ship that bore him, was the cause
Not
found within it? Was there not a calm
When he, whose disobedience
to the Lord
Had raised the tempest, was no longer there?
Truth has
a standard openly displayed,
Untorn--unsullied. Man indeed may
change,
And may forsake it; but the Standard still
Remains
immutable. May all who love
This Holy Banner, rally to it now!

May all whose dwellings are upon the sand,
Seek for a building on
that living Rock,
Which stands forever;--for a storm has come--
A
storm that tries foundations! Even now,
The flooding rains are falling,
and the winds
Rapidly rising to a tempest, beat
Upon all dwellings.
They alone can stand
Which have the Rock beneath them, and above

The Omnipresent and Omnipotent
Creator and Defender of His
Church!
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