The Wonders of Salvation
When man the wonders of creation
Beholds in deepest contemplation,
Adores not the Almighty One,
Must have indeed a heart of stone.
Thou mortal! seest not the sun
His daily course so proudly run?
The moon in her nocturnal race,
With sweet and tender, smiling face?
The stars in pale but beauteous light,
Twinkling, shining all the night?
Stupendous ocean, wild and free,
Bold image of eternity?
The mountain cliff that checks the storm,
And sheds its tears on valley farm?
Poor soul twice dead indeed must be,
And plucked up like uprooted tree,
Or dulled by sensuality,
Or lured by prodigality,
Which does not bound with admiration,
Or feel a warmth of true devotion
Upon beholding this creation.
All nature smiling sweet and tender,
Sun, moon and stars in wondrous splendor,
And mortal man, a bit of sod,
Reveals the handiwork of God.
Howe’er there is one work divine,
Excels all others of my rhyme,
The making of a world like this,
Sent circling through so vast a space;
Bright worlds above in glory streaming,
Can not compare with this remaining.
It claims all Heaven’s admiration,
It moves all Hell to disputation,
Excels the glorious translation
Of Enoch from his brief probation
To higher plane of situation.
All that’s been done in whole creation
Is naught, compared with man’s salvation;
Saved from the scarlet stains of sin,
By power of God been born again;
Then by the Holy Spirit’s power
Made pure in instantaneous hour.
Oh, new and wonderful creation,
Exceeds by far the old formation;
Sun, moon and stars and mountain’s plane,
The dark and deep blue ocean’s main,
Do not God’s power so much display
As when He takes man’s sins away.
Old things are gone, all things are new,
All heaven by faith is now in view;
And peace, sweet peace fills all the soul,
And rest, though stormy billows roll;
Such is man’s happy situation
In this most wonderful salvation.