A Loyal Poem

Year
1899
Month
5
Day
23
Article Title
A Loyal Poem
Author
Rev. Joseph Pascoe
Page Number
3
Article Type
Language
Article Contents
A LOYAL POEM. BY REV. JOSEPH PASCOE. Hail, Victoria! Queen of nations! Hail, our own beloved Queen! Men from various climes and stations Shall to thee their tribute bring. Now from Britain’s Isles, ascending, Shall the voice of prayer arise; And, in holy accents blending, Send its wishes to the skies. Asking God to shield thee ever From the dark assassin’s hand; Praying that Jehovah never, Never will forsake thy land. May he, thy Almighty Saviour, Still protect thy person dear, And may Briton’s pure behaviour Show they do thy throne revere. May thy loyal subjects, bending At the mercy-seat divine, Pray that heaven's defence, befriending, May eternally be thine. May the God of thy salvation Evermore uphold thy hand; Favoured ruler of our nation, Known and loved in every land. Thou art blest with Christian graces, Virtues rich and rare are thine; Pious acts in many places, With a spirit like divine, Have by thee in pleasing manner, Worthy of the royal grace, Been performed beneath thy banner, Symbol of thy strength and race. In thy council chamber sitting, As the central point of power, Never art thou found committing Deeds unworthy of the hour. Good in cottage, hall and castle, With the rich and with the poor, Courteous to both lord and vassal, Kind and gracious evermore. All thy deeds are high and holy, Worthy of thy queenly state; In thy manner, meek and lowly, Thou art truly wise and great. In thy court and palace dwelleth Naught of vice, by thy consent, And thy life forever telleth It is not in folly spent. Loving peace and it pursuing, Thou hast to the people shown, In the light of wisdom viewing, Things relating to thy throne, That it is thy will and pleasure, As thy glory shall increase, To adopt the safest measure That shall give the nations peace. Thou art surely God’s anointed, Thou art his vicegerent here, Born to rule, by him appointed, Born to fill a royal sphere; Crowned with wisdom, power and glory, Thou in equity dost reign; History shall tell thy story, Faithfully thy life explain. Rich and poor shall hail forever Thee, Victoria, mighty Queen! For before thee there was never, Never better monarch seen. And with voices all united Through the world it shall be known, We our solemn vows have plighted To our Queen upon the throne. Swaying still thy peaceful sceptre Over millions of our race; Prince and peasant and preceptor Thou dost rule with royal grace. May thy reign, thus crowned with blessing, Having passed its jubilee, Heavenly influence possessing, Blessed by God for ever be. Empress Queen, fulfil thy station, Greatest monarch of the earth, Honoured by each tribe and nation, As they celebrate thy birth. Sit upon thy throne, surrounded With a nation’s strength and pride; May the foes, by God confounded, Fall in shame on every side. Peace to those, who, loyal ever, True and faithful subjects are; May the treason-lover never Dull the light of Britain's star. Still among the orbs ascendant, With a lustre bright, divine, May her light be more resplendent, And with greater glory shine. We, in our Dominion, greeting, With our loyal hearts and true, Would, by acts of love repeating, Show, as we are wont to do, That we swear allegiance ever To our Queen and England’s throne; And declare that naught shall sever Loyal ties we proudly own. Petitcodiac, N. B. “Onward.” Toronto, May 20, 1899.