Broadside ballad entitled: 'The Books of the Bible, a Literary Curiosity'

Transcription

The Books of the Bible.

A LITERARY CURIOSITY.

In Genesis the world was made by God's creative hand;
In Exodus the Hebrews marched to gain the Promised Land.
Leviticus contains the law?holy, and just, and good;
Numbers records the tribes enrolled?all sons of Abraham's blood.
Moses in Deuteronomy recounts God's mighty deeds;
Brave Joshua into Canaan's land the host of Israel leads.
In Judges their rebellion oft provokes the Lord to smite;
But Ruth records the faith of one well-pleasing in his sight.
In First and Second Samuel of Jesse's son we read,                                    
Ten Tribes in First and Second Kings revolted from his seed.
In First and Second Chronicles see Judah captive made;
But Ezra leads a remnant back by princely Cyrus' aid.
The city walls of Zion Nehemiah builds again,
Whilst Esther saves her people from plots of wicked men.
In Job we read how faith will live beneath affliction's rod;
And David's Psalms are precious songs to every child of God.
The Proverbs like a goodly string of choicest pearls appear;
Ecolesiastes teaches man how vain are all things here.
The mystic Song of Solomon exalts sweet. Sharon's rose,
Whilst Christ the Saviour and the King the " rapt Isaiah " shows
The warning Jeremiah apostate Israel scorns;
His plaintive Lamentations their awful downfall mourns.
Ezekiel tells, in wondrous words, of dazzling mysteries;
Whilst Kings and Empires yet to come Daniel in vision sees.
Of judgment and of mercy Hosea loves to tell;
Joel describes the blessed days when God with man shall dwell.
Among Tekoa's herdsmen Amos received his call;
Whilst Obadiah prophecies of Edom's final fall.
Jonah enshrines a wondrous Type of Christ our risen Lord';
Micah pronounces Judah lost?lost, but again restored;
Nahum declares on Nineveh just judgment shall be poured.
A view of Chaldea's coming doom Habakkuk's visions give ;
Next Zephaniah warns the Jews to turn, repent, and live.
Haggai wrote to those who saw the temple built again ;
And Zechariah prophesied of Christ's triumbhant reign.
Malachi was the last who touched the high prophetic chord;
Its final notes sublimely show the coming of the Lord.

Matthew, and Mark, and Luke, and John, the Holy Gospels wrote,
Describing how the Saviour died, His life, and all He taught,
Acts prove how God the Apostles owned with signs in every place.
St Paul in Romans teaches us how man is saved by Grace.
The Apostle in Corinthians instructs, exhorts, reproves.
Galatians shows that faith in Christ alone the Father loves;
Ephesians and Philippians tell what Christians ought to be;
Golossians bids us live to God, and for Eternity.
In Thessalonians we are taught the Lord will come from Heaven,
In Timothy and Titus a bishop's rule is given.
Philemon marks a Christian's love, which only Christians know.
Hebrews reveals the Gospel prefigured by the Law.
James teaches without holiness faith is but vain and dead;
St Peter points the narrow way in which the Saints are led.
John, in his three Epistles on love delights to dwell;
St Jude gives awful warning of judgment, wrath, and hell.
The Revelations prophesy of that tremendous Day,
When Christ, and Christ alone, shall be the trembling sinner's stay.

L. Macartney, The Poet's Box, 18 Overgate, Dundee.

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