“God be thank’d for this bright morn,
    When Eisleben’s babe was born! 
    For the pious peasant’s son,
    Liberty’s great fight hath won,—­
    When at Wittenberg he stood
    All alone for God and good,
    And his Bible flew unfurl’d,
    Flag of freedom to the world!”

The Reverend E. Bullinger set this to excellent music; and it was translated for Continental use into German, French, Swedish, and Hungarian in the same metre.

As quite a cognate subject here shall be added my ballad on Wycliffe, also written by request:—­

    Wycliffe.

    “Distant beacon on the night
      Full five centuries ago,—­
    Harbinger of Luther’s light,
      Now four hundred years aglow,—­
    Priest of Lutterworth we see
    All of Luther-worth in thee!

    “Lo, the wondrous parallel,—­
      Both gave Bibles to their land;
    While, the rage of Rome to quell,
      Princes stood on either hand,
    John of Gaunt, and Saxon John,
    Cheered each bold confessor on.

    “Both are rescuers of souls,
      Cleansing those Augaean styes—­
    Superstition’s hiding holes,
      Nunneries and monkeries;
    Both gave liberty to men,
    Bearding lions in their den!

    “Wycliffe, Luther! glorious pair,
      Great Twin Brethren of mankind;
    Conscience was your guide and care,
      Purifying heart and mind;
    Both before your judges stood,
    ‘Here I stand, for God and good.’

    “Each had liv’d a martyr’s life,
      Still protesting for the faith;
    Yet amid that fiery strife,
      Each escap’d the martyr’s death;
    Rescued from the fangs of Rome,
    Both died peacefully at home.”

CHAPTER XLIX.

FINAL.

A few last words as to sundry life-experiences.  Whether we notice it or not, we are guided and guarded and led on through many changes and chances to the gates of death in a marvellously predestined manner; if we pray about everything, we shall see and know that, as Pope says,

    “In spite of wrong, in erring reason’s spite,
    One truth is clear, whatever is, is right;”

and the trustful assurance that the highest wisdom and mercy and power orders all things will give us comfort under whatever circumstances.  I believe in prayer as the universal panacea, philosophically as well as devoutly; and that “walking with God” is our highest wisdom as well as our deepest comfort.

* * * * *

Let no man think that a sick-bed is the best place to repent in.  When the brain is clouded by bodily ailment there is neither capacity nor even will to mend matters; a man is at the best then tired, lazy, and dull, but if there is pain too all is worse.  Listen to one of my old sonnets, and take its good advice:—­