- The modest Meeting House of which I write,
- There on a flat topped hill's commanding height,
- The Meeting House where Friends once used to
meet,
- Stands in the nook, a pleasant retreat.
- Ard with prevailing quiet around;
- Bright scene where Nature's still abound.
- Now fronting South, a gentle slope extends
- Just to the road. Beyond the prospect ends,
- Closed by a narrow belt of branching trees
- Where summer charmes and leafy verdure please
- While to the North East Broad varied fields are
green,
- With cultivated crops all growing bright and
green.
- In sight a farm home still mute the view,
- Hard by the traveled way which passes through.
- And farther off the higher hills arise
- In massive form to meet beholding eyes.
- The hills make rugged work of Nature's Seen,
- With wooded sides all clad in garb of green,
- And pierced by glens irregular and wild,
- Amid the rock and earth around them piled,
- Then at one point in Northern view
- Appears the Catawissa Mountain blue.
- Then looking Westward are the forest bounds,
- Almost encroaching on the Meeting Grounds,
- Which spread o'er hillside and the plain below,
- When Chestnut Maple Oak and Pine in contrast
grow,
- Our homeward road leads down a gentle rise,
- From out the felting trees to open
- To level stretch high up along the slope.
- Whence Southward, on takes in the Country's
scope.
- Now from the road there's wid'ning space
- Of forest cleared far down the Hillside Face
- The long descent becoming very steep.
- Then forms the border of a ravine deep
- The wooded Mountain South with color blue
- And even height sets limits to the view.
- But Bear Gap breaks this length of Mountain
Crest
- And adds it's feature bold to all the rest.
- Appearing large, imposing to the sight
- To yield a Nature lovers keen delight.
- Where through the Gap appears some fields
confined
- By neighbor's woods with Mountains still behind
- While from the Gap extends a narrow vale
- And shows with changing Scene a rugged dale,
- Through which in course the sounding waters flow
- Well known as Roaring Creek is there below.
- Right there at foot of steep descending hill,
- Beholding you look down on Kingbannis Mill.
- Off to the left on rising ground
- With open fields spread wide around,
- The M. E. Church is painted coat of white,
- Stands by itself amid the landscape bright.
- If you direct your gaze toward the East
- You see extending for twelve miles at least
- Along the Mountains to it's curving rim
- Farm after farm the farthest growing dim
- Which clearly show the features of a border fair
- That grows more pleasing when the sunshine lights it
there.
- Here of't clouds shadows fleck the lower land
- Or climb the sloping hei ghts in ev'ry hand.
- They follow each in idle chase and slow,
- In patches of inconstant shade they go.
- Let us now to the Meeting House retrace
- Our steps in easy daunting pace.
- The Grounds then reached we then review the Past
- They fill our minds arising thick and fast.
- Those thoughts which take us back to years gone
by.
- Wher joyful life was young and hopes were high.
- Within House how of't an hour we spent
- As objects of parental care content ,
- And free from anxious Thought and all concern
- About the future or the days return,
- In ministrations call our Father heard
- In speech direct give forth the Spoken Word.
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- And Mother to in her persuasive tone
- Set forth the truth that all must own.
- Advise fell from their lips and counsel true,
- Outlined the course the Christian should persue.
- These things in riper age impressed us more
- When we could feel there force and think them
o'er.
- Then reason too comfirmed undaunted fact,
- That something hangs on each and ev'ry act.
- What'er we do in stand for good or ill,
- The plan Divine to thwart or to fulfill,
- To make us strong or lead us to defeat
- In trials, disappointments we may meet:
- Which 'tis just and proper we should need.
- For life's a fieldy of labor learn to know,
- In which with hope and faith to better grow.
- While so we seek the highest and the best,
- The sense of being right will give us rest.
- We'll view the little gathering of Friends
- That long ago there religious ends
- Their service to perform assembled here
- With purpose good and true and all sincere.
- On facing seat the brothers through with look
intent
- Conclusive showed their minds on worship bent.
- Those were Elida, Perry, Asa too
- That here with faith their Strength they might
renew.
- Abia, Asa's son was faithful to attend
- And kept it up till near his end.
- And William Thomas mostly came whose portly form
- Seemed suited well to weather ev'ry wind and
storm
- His broad and open face betrayed no anxious
thought
- With kindly ways and good intentions fraught
- And Uncle Abisha bent with weight of passing
years
- In meeting often pleased to take his place
appears
- His head was whitened o'er with silver hair
- His face was marked by lines of age and care.
- John Walter then to seek the quiet seemed
content
- As straight to his corner by the window went.
- John Kester with ready smile and easy turn
- The benefit of Meeting did not spurn.
- But Joseph John was sure each to attend
- And to the friendly interest himself to lend
- There Uncle Sammy often found a seat
- In time long past, thus his brothers there to
meet.
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- THE WOMAN SIDE OF THE HOUSE
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- Our Mother with Aunt Sarah and Polly grace
- The fronting seat as they serenely sit in place.
- Their open faces tell that calm composure reigns
- Within their minds which strong religious hope
sustains.
- Aunt Emily though old was frequent there
- When storm was absent and the weather fair.
- And Aunt Eliza to her faith was true
- For in the cause did all that she could do.
- Aunt Sally too was sometimes seated there
- In davs of brightness and warm summer air.
- She ever wore a calm contented look
- Her words and deeds of great good sense partook
- And other worthy women also came
- Whom I 'll now pass by and not stop to name
- The girls and boys sat on the benches back
- Whose presence there the Meeting did not lack.
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- A few yards nearer the Western Wood
- From Meeting House, an old log building stood,
- But long unused, abandoned to decay.
- The roof was bad, the singles blown away,
- The windows void of sash like vacant stare
- of sightless eyes, looked out on prospect fair.
- The open entrance barren no man nor beast,
- It's public use and service long had ceased.
- But there it was reminder of the Past,
- Whose log built walls defied the storm and
blast.
- Here once a school was kept and teachers taught
- Dispenced that little knowledge them was sought.
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