John Bowring

1792-1872 / England

The Dawning Of The Day

O the world is full of woe!
When will it pass away?
These heavings to and fro
Till the dawning of the day,
Like the ocean when 'tis vexed,
And the whirlwinds tear the waves,
So the nations are perplexed
With their sovereigns and their slaves.
The battle-hour is come
'Twixt the many and the few,
And the blood of Christendom
Is scattered like the dew.
Great Heaven! conduct them, do,
In the terrible affray-
That the tossings to and fro
Bring the dawnings of the day.
The dawning of the day
Of the Gospel promises,
When Freedom shall display
Her panoply of peace;
And the peoples shall be one,
And know no name but friend-
Millennium's day begun,
And never, never end!
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