English text
(First Version)
Brotherly love (C. M.)
Lo! what an entertaining sight
Are brethren that agree!
Brethren, whose cheerful hearts unite
In bands of piety!
When streams of love from Christ the spring
Descend to every soul,
And heavenly peace, with balmy wing,
Shades and bedews the whole;
'Tis like the oil, divinely sweet,
On Aaron's reverend head
The trickling drops perfumed his feet,
And o'er his garments spread.
'Tis pleasant as the morning dews
That fall on Zion's hill,
Where God His mildest glory shows,
And makes his grace distill.
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(Second Version)
Communion of saints; or, Love and worship in a family (S. M.)
Blest are the sons of peace,
Whose hearts and hopes are one,
Whose kind designs to serve and please
Through all their actions run.
Blest is the pious house
Where zeal and friendship meet;
Their songs of praise, their mingled vows,
Make their communion sweet.
Thus when on Aaron's head
They poured the rich perfume,
The oil through all his raiment spread,
And pleasure filled the room.
Thus on the heavenly hills
The saints are blessed above,
Where joy, like morning dew, distills,
And all the air is love.
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(Third Version)
The blessings of friendship (668. 668.)
How pleasant 'tis to see
Kindred and friends agree;
Each in their proper station move,
And each fulfill their part,
With sympathizing heart,
In all the cares of life and love!
'Tis like the ointment shed
On Aaron's sacred head,
Divinely rich, divinely sweet;
The oil through all the room
Diffused a choice perfume,
Ran through his robes, and blessed his feet.
Like fruitful showers of rain,
That water all the plain,
Descending from the neighboring hills;
Such streams of pleasure roll
Through every friendly soul,
Where love, like heavenly dew, distills.
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