William Johnson Fox (1786-1864). I. "A little child, in bulrush ark." Alfred H. Miles, ed. 1907. The Sacred Poets of the Nineteenth Century

Alfred H. Miles, ed. The Sacred Poets of the Nineteenth Century. 1907.

I. “A little child, in bulrush ark”

By William Johnson Fox (1786–1864)


A LITTLE child, in bulrush ark,
Came floating on the Nile’s broad water;
That child made Egypt’s glory dark,
And freed his tribe from bonds and slaughter.

A little child enquiring stood	5
In Israel’s temple of its sages;
That child, by lessons wise and good,
Made pure the temples of past ages.

’Mid worst oppressions, if remain
Young hearts to Freedom still aspiring;	10
Though nursed in Superstitious chain,
If human minds be still enquiring,—

Then, let not priest or tyrant dote
On dreams of long the world commanding;
The ark of Moses is afloat,	15
And Christ is in the temple standing.