| |
| THE BROAD-BACKED hippopotamus | |
| Rests on his belly in the mud; | |
| Although he seems so firm to us | |
| He is merely flesh and blood. | |
| |
| Flesh and blood is weak and frail, | 5 |
| Susceptible to nervous shock; | |
| While the True Church can never fail | |
| For it is based upon a rock. | |
| |
| The hippo’s feeble steps may err | |
| In compassing material ends, | 10 |
| While the True Church need never stir | |
| To gather in its dividends. | |
| |
| The ’potamus can never reach | |
| The mango on the mango-tree; | |
| But fruits of pomegranate and peach | 15 |
| Refresh the Church from over sea. | |
| |
| At mating time the hippo’s voice | |
| Betrays inflexions hoarse and odd, | |
| But every week we hear rejoice | |
| The Church, at being one with God. | 20 |
| |
| The hippopotamus’s day | |
| Is passed in sleep; at night he hunts; | |
| God works in a mysterious way— | |
| The Church can sleep and feed at once. | |
| |
| I saw the ’potamus take wing | 25 |
| Ascending from the damp savannas, | |
| And quiring angels round him sing | |
| The praise of God, in loud hosannas. | |
| |
| Blood of the Lamb shall wash him clean | |
| And him shall heavenly arms enfold, | 30 |
| Among the saints he shall be seen | |
| Performing on a harp of gold. | |
| |
| He shall be washed as white as snow, | |
| By all the martyr’d virgins kist, | |
| While the True Church remains below | 35 |
| Wrapt in the old miasmal mist. | |
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