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Lines on the Death of Mrs Susanna Romeyn,
Wife of the Revd JVC Romeyn, who died
April 22d 182x in the 57 year of her age.
Where Art Thou, My Mother?
Written after my first visit to
my father's house, after
my Mother's departure to rest
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Where are thou my Mother? Thou canst not be found
In the hall where thy accents were wont to resound
Where art thou my Mother? I see thee in vain
On the couch where I witness'd thy anguish and pain
I saw not thy struggling, thy gaspings for breath,
Yet saw thee all clothed in the garments of death.
I hard not thy song as thou entered the save
The shout of thy triumph o'er death and the grave.
I saw not - I heard not - and yet I can say -
That I think of thee reigning in regions of day.
I think of thee ransom'd, and see thee array'd
In the garments of praises; while the Lamb who was made
Thy Saviour and Sacrifice, gladdens the place
With the beams of his presence, the smiles of his grace.
Art thou there, my dear Mother? Is praise thy employ?
Are thy sorrows exchanged for ineffable joy -
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Are the toils of thy pilgrimage lost in the rest
Which remains for the righteous - relieves the opress'd?
Art thou there, my dear Mother? Who guided the way
Through the desert of sin, to those regions of day?
Who taught thee to sing 'midst the roar of the wave,
"Jehovah is mighty! Immanuel can save"?
Chang'd thy hope to fruition, thy faith into sight?
'Twas Jesus! we'll echo thy shout to his grace
We'll sing of the bliss of beholding his face.
We'll chide all our murmurings, our wailings shall cease
We'll think of thee resting in regions of peace.
We'll fly to the fountain whence issue the hills
Of Salvation and peace - Where Mercy distills
Like the drops of the morning, to nourish the soil -
Where the bud that is blooming, no changes can spoil.
We'll ask for the presence, the guidance, the grace
Of the God thou has worshipped. Old Mxx embrace
Sooth our souls when departing; His thought be our xx
When we tread the dark valley; his robes our array;
When we bow with the ransom'd, and join with the blessed,
In praising the Lamb, who hath purchased our rest.
Anna Taylor
Rev. James Van Campen Romeyn (15 NOV 1765 - 27 JUN 1840), a minister of the Dutch Reformed Church,
married Susanna Maud Van Vranken (abt 1780-).
Rev. Romeyn was the son of Rev. Thomas Romeyn and Susanna Van Campen. They had a daughter Anna in
1800, who died the same year. This Anna is probably James and Susanna's daughter Susanna Van Campen Romeyn (06 Feb 1790 -24 May 1868).
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