POEM

O how uncertain and unknown,

Is all that lies before;

But just before those stores were blown

We thought ourselves secure.

August the Eleventh, in Seventy One

Will long remembered be.

Beneath a bright meridian sun

The town was all in glee.

None thought beneath so fair a sky

So dark a cloud was near,

Which soon drew tears from many an eye

And filled our hearts with fear.

Without a moments warning came

That devastating shock,

Attended by a lurid flame

With vapour, cloud and smoke.

The shattered homes and crash of glass,

With that tremendous boom,

Caused some, with fear, to scream, “Alas!

The End of Time is come.”

What horror and alarm then filled

The breasts of all concerned;

Each feared their own dear ones were killed,

Until the truth was learned.

For some had husbands, some had wives,

Some children there employed!

The first sad thought was, all their lives

Must surely be destroyed.

The doleful moans and frantic shrieks,

Still ringing in our ears,

In language which too plainly speaks

What bitter pangs were theirs.

And some were loudly heaping blame

On those with whom it rests,

As they suppose the evil came,

By which they were distressed.

But why should we ascribe to man

What God hath willed should be;

His mighty hand doth surely span

All human destiny.

Though terror, grief, alarm and dread,

Fill heavy on each heart,

Some bravely to the danger sped,

To bear a helping part.

For greater love can no man show,

Or nobler aims intend,

Than when through dangers thick he’ll go

To save a dying friend.

Some lives those noble deeds have cost,

Their blood the earth hath stained;

We hope though mortal life is lost,

Eternal Life is gained.

While mourning the untimely fate

Of those dear ones cut down

In sorrow let us not forget

Great mercy has been shown.

For surely here’s enough to make

Us wonder and adore,

How God this mighty stroke did break,

That it should slay no more.

When we survey this mournful scene,

What solemn thoughts arise;

When all was peaceful and serene,

Than came the dread surprise.

To gaze upon the fearful wreck,

Must fill our hearts with gloom;

Thoughts will intrude, we cannot check

What is their final doom?

The death shown by those charred remains

Which some poor dears have shared,

Reminds us of those awful chains,

For fallen ones prepared.

His Word declares, all those that scorn

The Saviour’s precious blood,

Shall be cast down to weep and mourn

In Tophets dark abode.

We hope of those thus snatched away,

Not one has sunk so low;

To be for ever cast away,

To share eternal woe.

Perhaps before that thunder roll,

Bright angel guards were sent

To give each doomed immortal soul

A moment to repent.

In cases which to us are dark,

We ought to be discreet;

Unknown to us the Spirit’s work

May yet have been complete.

No evidence is left behind

Of hope or of despair;

A solemn warning here we find

And leave the matter there.

That morning some who victims fell,

Revealed a latent fear;

Foreboding thoughts which seemed to tell

Some sad event was near.

We hope not one in death’s alarm,

Despised the Saviour’s grace;

But in His wide-spread loving arms,

Have found a resting place.

Who dare presume to set a bound,

Or span the love of God?

Or point to one who hath not found

Forgiveness through his blood.

One deeply interesting case

Is that of poor lost HOWE,

Whose duty called him to his place

Just at the hour of two.

His virtuous wife a birthday gift

On him had just bestowed,

Which did his drooping spirits lift,

His grateful answer showed.

She said: “This Bible, take, my dear,

Accept it from your wife;

May every blessing promised here

Attend you all through life”.

Said he “This present you now make,

The best a wife can give,

I’ll prize it highly for your sake

And keep it while I live.

A kind farewell was taken then,

But soon she was bereft;

She was before they met again

A mourning widow left.

Ere twenty minutes had elapsed,

From when he left is home.

The office walls had all collapsed,

And formed his fatal tomb.

Thus by the ruthless hand of Death,

Those hallowed bonds were riven,

Since they no more can meet on earth,

O! may they meet in heaven.

Those honoured names we deeply mourn

Must not prolong my tale,

But over their sad heart-rending bourne

We draw the silent veil.

Some, while they mourn’d their absent dead,

This seemed to pain them most;

Fear lest the soul so quickly fled

Should be for ever lost.

If there’s a hope we can express

To warm a heart so cold,

And mitigate such deep distress

O! should it not be told.

When God and man hung side by side,

In agonies of death,

Degraded man for pardon cried;

T’was granted in a breath.

One instance of such love is told,

That no one might despair,

But lest we should in sin get bold,

But one alone is there.

When Christ to fill the yawning grave

Expired upon the post,

He paid the price lost souls to save,

Unto the uttermost.

Repent, believe, look up and live,

A moment will suffice,

To know the change his Spirit give,

Through that Great Sacrifice.

Lord, bless the sufferers which survive,

Protect and guard them still,

And give them strength henceforth to live

Obedient to Thy will.

Lord bless the mourners every one,

Thus suddenly bereaved;

Bless all for what they’ve given or done,

That those may be relieved.

May careless ones from this event

A saving lesson learn;

Forsake their sins, believe, repent,

And to the Saviour turn.

Each sudden call to yield the breath

To lie beneath the sod

Proclaims to all “Prepare for death,

Prepare to meet thy God.” 

Awakened sinner, don’t delay

To make the happy choice;

Do not the Spirit grieve away,

No hush His warning voice.

No one can tell a longer space

To us will ever be given,

To summon us to dark disgrace,

Or to the joys of Heaven.

May we who love the Lord unite

To keep our lamps in trim;

Be ready, morning, noon and night

With joy to welcome Him.

Thanks to Christine Yates of Felixstowe Family History Society for transcribing this.

STOWMARKET HISTORY AND HERITAGE
2007
email neil@stowman.plus.com