r with which he threw himself into the
cause may be seen reflected in the stirring lines of his poems written in
those days, notably "The Star of Bethlehem." However, since his
anti-slavery poems are more vehement than inspiring, and as the events
which suggested them were temporary, they will be read with constantly
waning interest.

The vigor with which he espoused the Abolition cause stirred up deep
resentment among his enemies. At Philadelphia, where he published "The
Pennsylvania Free-man," the office of the paper was attacked by a mob and
burned. But Whittier was not dismayed. When Daniel Webster in 1850 made
his notable defense of the Fugitive Slave law in the United States
senate, Whittier wrote "Ichabod" in reply.

At a time when the Abolition movement seemed to be losing, rather than
gaining, ground, the poet gave expression to his faith in God in the
beautiful poem, "Seed-Time and Harvest." His duty, as he saw it, was to
sow the seed; God would take care of the harvest.

Because the Quakers do not sing in their services, Whittier knew little
of music. However, he once wrote: "A good hymn is the best use to which
poetry can be devoted, but I do not claim that I have succeeded in
composing one."

And yet, the poems of Whittier, notably "Our Master" and "The Eternal
Goodness," have been the source of some of the finest hymns in the
English language. There are at least seventy-five hymns now in use that
bear his name. Practically all of them are extracts from longer poems.
"Dear Lord and Father of mankind," "I bow my forehead to the dust," and
"We need not climb the heavenly steeps" are among the best loved of
Whittier's hymns. Probably his most famous poem is "Snowbound."

Whittier died in 1892. His last words were, "Love--love to all the
world." A friend bent over the dying man and whispered the words of his
poem, "At Last."

Palmer's Famous Hymn

My faith looks up to Thee,
Thou Lamb of Calvary,
Saviour divine;
Now hear me while I pray,
Take all my guilt away,
O let me from this day
Be wholly Thine.

May Thy rich grace impart
Strength to my fainting heart,
My zeal inspire;
As Thou hast died for me,
O may my love for Thee
Pure, warm, and changeless be,
A living fire.

When life's dark maze I tread,
And griefs around me spread,
Be Thou my Guide;
Bid darkness turn to day,
Wip