There Was an Eden Once on Earth

There was an Ed­en once on earth

Beyond con­cept­ion fair—

Where mor­tal beau­ty had her birth

Ere sin had en­tered there.

What flow’rs per­fumed the bal­my gale

All burst­ing in­to bloom:

What fruits en­riched the hap­py vale

Of cool

but grate­ful gloom!

There our first par­ents

clothed in grace

The vel­vet ver­dure trod

And loved in all they saw

to trace

The ves­tig­es of God!

Oh! life di­vine—when day re­tired

And closed her gold­en eye—

And ge­ni­al ev­en­ing gent­ly fired

The cur­tains of the sky:

Then would the Voice

that made them all

Flow down­ward from His throne—

And sweet­ly on His crea­tures call

To walk with Him alone!

Holy com­mun­ion! Match­less joy!

How free­ly it was giv’n;

That bath of bliss

with­out al­loy

An an­te­past of Heav’n!

Woe to the hour

that shed its shade

O’er such a glo­ri­ous scene—

And soon

too soon

in ru­ins laid

That which had per­fect been!

From Ed­en to Geth­se­ma­ne—

With ten­der tears we turn:

Our dear Re­deem­er there to see

And there re­joice and mourn!