Prayer for the Abolition of Slavery.
1 With thy pure dews and rains,
Wash out, O God! the stains
From Afric's shore;
And while her palm trees bud,
Let not her children's blood,
With her broad Niger's flood,
Be mingled more.
2 Quench, righteous God! the thirst,
That Congo's sons hath cursed--
The thirst for gold;
Shall not thy thunders speak,
Where Mammon's altars reek,
Where maids and matrons shriek,
Bound, bleeding, sold?
3 Hear'st thou, O God! those chains,
That clank on Freedom's plains,
By Christians wrought?
Those who these chains have worn,
Christians from home have torn,
Christians have hither borne,
Christians have bought!
4 Lord! wilt thou not, at last,
From thine own image cast
Away all cords,
Save those of love, which brings
Man, from his long wand'rings,
Back--to the King of kings,--
The Lord of lords?