АH! why should the thought of a world that is lying,
Encumber the pleasure of seasons like these? Or, why should the Sabbath be sullied with sighing, While faith the bright things of eternity sees?
Now, let us repose from our care and our sorrow,
Let all that is anxious and sad pass away;
The rough cares of life lay aside till to-morrow,
And let us be tranquil and happy to-day.
Let us say to the world, should it tempt us to wander,
As Abraham said to his men on the plain, There's the mountain of prayer, I am going up yonder,
And tarry you here till I see you again.
To-day on that mountain we would seek for thy blessing,
O Spirit of Holiness, meet with us there, Our hearts then will feel, divine favour possessing, The sweetness of praise and the fervour of prayer.
THE CALL OF SAMUEL.
I. Sam. iii. 1, 10.
IN Israel's temple, once by night,
The lamp of God was burning bright;
And there, by unseen angels kept,
Samuel, the child, securely slept.
A voice unknown the stillness broke,
"Samuel," it called, and thrice it spoke ;
He rose-he ask'd whence came the word?
From Eli?-no :-it was the Lord.
Thus early call'd to serve his God,
In paths of righteousness he trod :
Prophetic visions fired his breast,
And all the chosen tribes were bless'd.
Speak, Lord! and from our earliest days,
Incline our hearts to love thy ways;
Thy wakening voice hath reached our ear,
Speak, Lord, to us, thy servants hear.
THE planets of each system represent
Kind neighbours; mutual amity prevails;
Sweet interchange of rays, received, returned;
Enlight'ning, and enlightened! All, at once
Attracting, and attracted! Patriot-like,
None sins against the welfare of the whole;
But their reciprocal, unselfish aid,
Affords an emblem of millennial love.
Thou pledge of love divine,
A faithful guide from earth to heaven, My Bible, thou art mine.
In reading thee, a holy calm,
Steals gently o'er my
From every page flows healing balm,
Lulling my griefs to rest.
There a blest comforter I find
In dark adversity,
Leading my weak and harassed mind
To rest, O God, in thee.
There too I read of holiness,
To make me meet for heaven,
And everlasting happiness
For all, through Christ, forgiven.
O precious gift of perfect love,
Led by thy truth and light,
My heart shall seek the joys above,
Where faith is lost in sight.
ONWARD! onward! men of heaven
Rear the Gospel's banner high;
Rest not till its light is given,-
Star of every Pagan sky.
Bear it where the pilgrim stranger
Faints 'neath Asia's burning ray;
Bid the Indian forest ranger
Hail it, ere he fades away.
Where the northern ocean thunders-
Where the tropics fiercely glow,
Broadly spread its page of wonders,
Brightly bid its mercies flow.
India marks its lustre stealing,
Shivering Greenland loves its rays,
Afric, 'mid her deserts kneeling,
Lifts the untaught strain of praise.
Rude in language or in feature,
Dark in spirit though they be,
Show that light to every creature,—
Prince or peasant, bond or free:
Hasten unto every nation,
Host on host, the ranks supply,
Onward! Christ is your Salvation!
Your's through Him is victory!
MRS. SIGOURNEY.
WRITTEN AFTER WALKING OVER SMITHFIELD.
HAIL, holy Martyrs, glorious names,
Who nobly here for Jesus stood,
Rejoiced and clapped your hands in flames,
And dared to seal the truth with blood!
Finished your course, and fought your fight,
Hence did your mounting souls aspire,
Starting from flesh, they took their flight,
Borne upward on a car of fire.
Where earth and hell no more molest,
Ye now have joined the heavenly host,
Entered into your Father's rest,
And found the life which here ye
Arm of the Lord! awake, awake!
To us thy glorious self reveal;
Let us the Martyr's faith partake,
Let us thy mighty working feel!
C. WESLEY.
THE LIGHT OF THE GOSPEL.
IF all our hopes and all our fears
Were prisoned in life's little bound;
If, travellers through this vale of tears,
We saw no better world beyond;
Oh! what could check the rising sigh?
What earthly thing could pleasure give?
Who then in peace could hope to die,
Or who would breathe a wish to live?
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