GOOD NEWS TO THE WILDERNESS AND THE TRIUMPHS OF GRACE IN THE DESART : Suitable to the North-American Indians. Text: Baptist Register, v.3 1798-1801 Tune: WAR DEPARTMENT (Southern Harmony, p. 94, Sacred Harp, p. 160) MIDI: http://www.ccel.org/s/southern_harmony/midi/War_Department.midi [Part 1] FROM realms where the day her first dawning extends, The Sun of the Gospel in glory ascends : Ye forests attend, while your children combine In accents unusual, in transports divine. Involv'd in uncertainty, darkness and death, The clouds of destruction hung over our path, Till yon rising splendor enlighten'd our way And pointed our steps to the regions of day. A council on high has been had to inquire For help for mankind, and peace kindled the fire ; Provision was made for the nations distress'd, And with the rich treasure, all lands shall be blest. The chain of salvation, let down from above Cemented by justice and brighten'd by love, The good hope which flows through the channel of grace Joins heaven and earth in its mighty embrace. On high see our Jesus, the penitent's friend, With banners of mercy compassionate bend, Entreating the wretched, rebellious and vile From ruin to flee and repose in his smile. The Prince of Salvation is coming ! prepare, A way in the desert his blessings to share ; He comes to relieve us from sins and from woes And bid the dark wilderness bloom like the rose. His reign shall extend from the east to the west, Compose all the tumults of nature to rest ; The day-spring of glory illumine the skies And ages on ages of happiness rise. The brute-hearted temper of man shall grow tame ; The wolf and the lion lie down with the lamb ; The bear with the kine shall contentedly feed, While children their young ones in harmony lead. Then the serpent stall dart his venom in vain ; The rattlesnake harmless shall bask on the plain ; The infant shall play on the hole of the asp, And, smiling, the folds of the cockatrice grasp. No more shall the sound of the war-whoop be heard ; The ambush and slaughter no longer be fear'd ; The tomahawk buried shall rust in the ground, While peace and good will to the nations abound. All Spirit of war to the Gospel shall now, Like th' bow lie unstrung at the foot of the plough ; To prune the young orchard the spear shall be bent And love greet the world with a smile of content. Slight tinctures of skin shall no longer engage The fervor of jealousy, murder and rage ; The white and the red shall in friendship be join'd, Wide spreading benevolence over mankind. Hail scene of felicity, transports and joy, When sin and vexation shall scarcely annoy! Rich blessings of grace from above shall be giv'n, And life only serve as a passage to Heaven. Roll forward, dear Saviour, roll forward the day. When all shall submit, and rejoice in thy sway ! When white men and Indians, united in praise, One vast Hallelujah triumphant shall raise. [Part 2] O HARK! What pleasing sounds salute our ears, They joy inspire and vanish all our fears ; Lo! 'tis the Gospel Herald of Free-grace Proposing mercy to the Indian race. Plung'd in the gulph of error, long we lay Without one friend, to guide our cheerless way, No ray of promise lighten'd on our road To point our footsteps to the throne of God. Lost in the maze of superstition's night, Thick films of darkness hung upon our sight, And Nature's laws they wanted force to bind, Nor comfort brought to an afflicted mind. But HE, whose voice the universe obeys, Whose powerful providence all nature sways, Whose love, parental, none can circumscribe, Has sent Salvation to our little tribe. [Part 3] THEN straighten the path, let the chain be made bright, Since concord and peace all our wishes unite ; Cemented in love, the white man and red, Shall patiently follow CHRIST JESUS their head. The Lord gave the word, and numbers increase To publish the tidings of mercy and peace ; Repentance and pardon thro' Jesus proclaim, And glory to all who believe on his name. From the East, to the West, let his praises be sung, And his love be rehearsed by every tongue ; Let the young and the aged his goodness relate, Whose pity regarded our helpless estate. O may we receive the favour divine, Ourselves and our all to Jesus resign ; On him our vast hope of Salvation depends, Then let us obey the heralds He sends.