"ONLY THIS ONCE."
Exodus X. 17.
"Only this once,"—the wine-cup glowed
All sparkling with its ruby ray,
The Bacchanalian welcome flowed
And Folly made the revel gay.
Then he, so long, so deeply warned,
The sway of conscience rashly spurned,
His promise of repentance scorned,
And coward-like to vice returned.
"Only this once."—The tale is told,
He wildly quaffed the poisonous tide,
With more than Esau's madness sold
The birth-right of his soul—and died.
I do not say that breath forsook
The clay, and left its pulses dead,
But reason in her empire shook,
And all the life of life was fled.
Again his eyes the landscape viewed,
His limbs again their burden bore,
And years their wonted course renewed,
But hope and peace returned no more.
And angel-eyes with pity wept
When he whom virtue fain would save,
His sacred vow so falsely kept,
And strangely sought a drunkard's grave.
"Only this once."—Beware,—beware!—
Gaze not upon the blushing wine,
Repel temptation's syren-snare,
And prayerful seek for strength divine.