Sacrilege
The Church shone brightly in her youthful days,
Ere the world on her smiled;
So now, an outcast, she would pour her rays
Keen, free and undefiled:
Yet would I not that arm of force were mine,
Which thrusts her from her awful ancient shrine.
'Twas duty bound each convert-king to rear
His Mother from the dust,
And pious was it to enrich, nor fear
Christ for the rest to trust;
And who shall dare make common or unclean
What once has on the Holy Altar been?
Dear brothers!—hence, while ye for ill prepare,
Triumph is still your own;
Blest is a pilgrim Church!—yet shrink to share
The curse of throwing down.
So will we toil in our old place to stand,
Watching, not dreading, the despoiler's hand.
Ere the world on her smiled;
So now, an outcast, she would pour her rays
Keen, free and undefiled:
Yet would I not that arm of force were mine,
Which thrusts her from her awful ancient shrine.
'Twas duty bound each convert-king to rear
His Mother from the dust,
And pious was it to enrich, nor fear
Christ for the rest to trust;
And who shall dare make common or unclean
What once has on the Holy Altar been?
Dear brothers!—hence, while ye for ill prepare,
Triumph is still your own;
Blest is a pilgrim Church!—yet shrink to share
The curse of throwing down.
So will we toil in our old place to stand,
Watching, not dreading, the despoiler's hand.
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