the palate sticks.
Your tongue would poison all honest merits,
Defiling honor by artful tricks;--
But, at my bar,
There is no demurrer:
The tomb I spar,
And I gag the slurrer,--
Who next thereafter, when speech is past,
To _Him_ shall answer, who judges last!

Then search, with rigor, your minds' desire,
Then probe, in tremor, your souls' intent;
With hands and hearts clean and pure, aspire
To _Him_ who knows what, within, you meant.
Yet, thither, mortals,
Your way is wending,
Where, on the portals,
Till time be ending,
There stands this sentence, without reprieve:
Here all shall enter--and none shall leave!

The earth devours you, with your achievements,
And locks together its jaws again,
If by beneficence, or bereavements,
You cheered, or injured, your fellow men--
But of this earth
Do not ask your measure;
For, if in dearth,
Or if blest with treasure,
Your past, your present, what hence befall
_He_ only knoweth, Who knoweth all.

What God requires of man, He told thee;
He meted out, for your life's career,
What griefs should bend, and what cheers uphold thee
And what you had to accomplish here.
His power wrought you
What you transacted,
And wisdom taught you
That right you acted,
If but you heard, from submissive choice,
The great celestial spirit's voice.

Attend the voice of the spirit sounder,
With upright steps, in His errand walk;
And, then, not question if you shall founder,
Nor care for grateful, or thankless, talk!
Fulfill your calling
With courage peerless!
If even falling,
Look upward fearless!
Then there shall clasp thee an angel's hand
And gently lead to thy promised land.

Stand firm, with conscience of pure intention,
Through times of trial, of toil and pain!
Then may your happiness meet prevention,
But mind and virtue can peace retain;
Then, in the sod
Though your corpse be buried,
These words of God
On the soul are veried:
"Thou true hast labored till payments' day,
Now, faithful servant, receive thy pay!"

To all do justice, and help the needy,
And comfort sorrow, where e'er you can!
For tr