Zinzendorff and Other Poems/Departure of Missionaries for Ceylon

by Lydia Huntley Sigourney

DEPARTURE OF MISSIONARIES FOR CEYLON.

Wave, wide Ceylon, your foliage fair,
    Your spicy fragrance freely strew;
See, Ocean's threatening surge we dare,
    To bear salvation's gift to you.

Hail! ye who long with faithful hand
    Have fondly till'd that favor'd soil,
We come, we come, a brother-band
    To share the burden of your toil.

Land of our birth! we may not stay
    The ardor of hearts to tell,
Friends of our youth! we dare not say
    How deep within our souls ye dwell.

But when the dead, both small and great
    Shall stand before the Judge's seat,
When sea and sky and earthly state
    All like a baseless vision fleet,

The hope that then some heathen eye
    Thro' us, an angel's glance may raise,
Bids us to vanquish nature's tie,
    And turn her parting tear to praise.