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glorious presence in heaven hereafter for ever
and ever! Ah, if all this were true, if this
were sure, what a blessed, what an invaluable
treasure would this book be!" All this is
contained in the Bible, and is sure; is sure
and true every whit: the "testimony of the
Lord is sure.'
It is the word of the living
God, which abideth for ever: for "all Scrip-
ture is given by inspiration of God," for
"holy men of old spoke and wrote it as they
were moved by the Holy Ghost." You may
firmly believe it, you may confidently rely
upon it: it is sure; and it contains all that
your hearts could desire to make you wise
and happy for time and eternity. All human
learning and wisdom is but the work of man:
it may be sure, or it may not; there is much
that may please, entertain, and instruct; and
much that may pervert, deceive, perplex, and
poison the mind; and all perishes with this
life. But the word of God is sure, and true
without any mixture of error, and maketh
wise for eternity. The everlasting covenant,
sealed and ratified in the blood of Jesus, is
"ordered in all things and sure."

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little child, (indeed, in the Septuagint version the word is translated infants)—those who are wishful to sit at Jesus' feet to learn what they must do to be saved,-whose prayer is, "draw us, and we will run after thee:" "Lord, open thou mine eyes, that I may see wondrous things out of thy law." Such simple ones the Bible, as the instrument of the Spirit, makes wise, and converts their souls. They search it diligently, knowing that therein they have eternal life. They learn from it their fallen, corrupt condition; their condemnation by the law of God; their need of repentance and faith, of a Saviour, of the teaching and sanctification of the Spirit; their need of prayer, of holiness of heart and purity of life; they find in it various promises suited to their wants-that "if they ask, they shall receive; if they seek, they shall find; if they knock at the door of mercy and grace, it shall be opened to them." They come to the throne of grace deeply sensible of their wants, and in faithful earnest prayer for God's pardoning mercy acceptance through the appointed Saviour. God, in mercy, hears their cry; The Septuagint translate this word faith-blesses his word to them, whether read or ful:-the "testimony of the Lord is faithful." Yes, it is faithful, as well as sure; all its sweet and blessed promises, invitations, and encouragements, are faithful; they are all "yea and amen" in Christ Jesus. And let it not be forgotten, that the threats, denunciations, and judgments against sin and impenitent sinners are faithful and true too; hell and eternal misery, as well as heaven and everlasting happiness.

II. We are to consider, secondly, the effects which the law and the testimony are said to produce; which are these, "converting the soul, and making wise the simple."

The word simple in Scripture has very different significations. It sometimes denotes the careless, the godless, the unconcerned, or openly wicked sinner. These indeed may have the word of God in their possession, but they are likely to read any thing rather than it. Or if they do occasionally look into it, it benefits only the head, it reaches not to the heart and life. It is read for curiosity, or to kill time. Shall I say it is sometimes read for a worse purpose to cavil, to ridicule, to sneer, to blaspheme? Seldom indeed is it read by such from a sense of duty, or for profit. Yet I would call upon all such, if any such unhappy persons be here, to begin to read the Bible as the word of God, for instruction in righteousness; to read it prayerfully for divine teaching, that it may make them wise unto salvation and convert their souls.

But by the simple in the text is meant the sincere, the single-minded, the teachable as a

preached; applies it to their souls, according
to their several necessities; and leads them by
the way through such trials and experiences
as shall ultimately end in their being made
savingly wise, and in the conversion of their
souls. It teaches them the only true wisdom
for this life or the next-to be" diligent in
business, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;
to follow peace with all
men, and holiness,
without which no man shall see the Lord."
It assures them that "godliness is profitable
for all things, having the promise of this life,
and also of that which is to come;" that "all
Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and
is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for cor-
rection, for instruction in righteousness; that
the man of God may be perfect, thorough-
ly furnished unto all good works."

It

maketh wise unto salvation, through faith in Christ Jesus." It is the "sword of the Spirit," by which we are to overcome all our corruptions and spiritual enemies. Thus the law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.'

Who then is truly wise, but they who know God, and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent ? All other wisdom is folly in comparison; for it perishes with the body. But, if you wish to be made thus wise unto salvation, come to the word of God in an infant-like, teachable form of mind; open your hearts to its instructions whether read or preached, divested of all prejudice and self-conceived opinions, and pray for the simple guidance and teaching of the Spirit of truth, who is promised to

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vice, profaneness, and immorality, which is set forth at the commencement of each reign, and commanded to be read in open court by all judges of assize, justices at quarter-sessions, &c., the following requirement is made among others:-"We do hereby strictly charge and command all our judges, mayors, sheriffs, justices of the peace, and all our loving subjects whom it may concern, to take care effectually to suppress all gaming-houses and places." Still, the fact i notorious, that gaming-houses are to be found in almost every town of any considerable population, and not seldom patronised and frequented by those from whom better things might have been expected; and that in the metropolis they abound, suited in their scale of expense to all classes of the community. While, in fact, they are patronised as they are by many of the noble and wealthy of the land, it is almost in vain to hope for their extinction. The Christian philanthropist, however, will not cease to endeavour to point out the incalculable mischiefs to which they give rise; and it will be the object of the present paper to consider their baneful influence, directly leading to loss of time and loss of principle.

lead such into all truth. I would exhort all to reverence and read the word of God; let no day pass away without some portion of it being diligently perused; it will, by God's blessing, diffuse through the life a leaven of holiness, tranquillity, and cheerfulness. I would call upon those in the higher stations of life to set an example in this respect to the lower. Their too general disregard of religion and the word of God has contributed much to the irreligious and unsettled state of mind so prevalent in this country among the lower orders. It is the Bible alone which can counteract the mischievous spirit of many of the publications of the day, teaching sedition, blasphemy, and discontent; whose object is to uproot the most sacred institutions of the country, and subvert the peace and well-being of society. Let me advise you all not to be led away by such devices of wicked men make the word of God your study; it will teach you ways of pleasantness and The only secret of being truly happy life is spent in gambling; with whom, in fact, it is a peace. is by fearing God and keeping his command-profession, into all the mysteries of which they are ments, and following peace and charity with regularly initiated, and who scarcely allow the body all men. You then have the covenanted protime sufficient for its necessary repose, nor for reinto which it is mise of God's blessing for this life and that covery from that feverish state which is to come. Parents, read the word brought by sleepless nights and the exciting effects on the mind which games of hazard are calculated to of God yourselves, and teach your children produce. to do the same. Young people, let me advise you to store your minds with the treasures of divine knowledge, instead of trifling and unprofitable reading. The word of God contains every variety of reading, and is the only book which will assuredly "make wise the simple, and convert the soul."

GAMBLING AND ITS CONCOMITANT VICES.
BY A CLERGYMAN.

No. III.-The Gaming-house.
SIR NATHANIEL WRAXALL, in his "History of
France," vol. vi. chap. 4, speaking of the rage for
gambling, which in the reign of Henry IV. prevailed
more universally and attained to a greater pitch of
enormity than it had ever done before, justly terms it
one of the most destructive to morals of any which can
be tolerated in society. It received every possible en-
couragement from the king's example, and forms one
of the greatest defects in his character. The conta-
gion was not limited to the court; it pervaded private
life, fatally corrupting the manners of the inferior
orders. If, indeed, there be one atmosphere more
pestilential than another, and more destructive to the
well-being of man, whether it respects his temporal
interests, his spiritual improvement, or his eternal
hopes, it is that of a public gaming-house, the ordi-
nary designation of which too manifestly proves, that
its frequenters are under the influence of the prince
of darkness. No efforts of a Christian legislature
should be left untried to get rid of such intolerable
nuisances. Enactments, indeed, among ourselves,
have been made with reference to this, and in some
instances have been carried into execution with success.
In the royal proclamation for the encouragement of
piety and virtue, and for the preventing and punishing

With respect to the loss of time naturally resulting from attendance at the gaming-table, this of itself alone were sufficient to point out the evil. It is notorious that on the continent, and it is to be lamented even in our own country, there are many whose whole

But how many, who can scarcely be termed professed gamblers, being actually engaged in business, spend hours and days and nights at the gaming-table, and betake themselves thither when opportunity offers, to the serious detriment of their calling-to the unfitting of their minds for attention to their ordinary duties! I am not now considering the awful responsibility of the Christian to redeem the time-that talent vouchsafed to him by his heavenly Father, for the use or abuse of which he must one day render a solemn account-though unquestionably this subject, in all its tremendous importance, should be urged on the serious consideration of the gambler;-but, taking a lower ground-merely with reference to this worldcan that man be a useful member of the community, whose whole soul is wrapped up in the desire of illgotten gain-who leaves the solemn discharge of the duties of domestic life, that he may associate with the dissolute, and spend his time in the society of those whose contact cannot fail to be contaminating? moving in a higher sphere, can that man become, in any degree, a benefactor to his fellow-creatures, or an ornament of the circle in which God's providence has placed him? Is that man fit to be a senator, to legislate for the good of his country, or to be a magistrate to carry the laws into effect, who wastes his hours amidst the excitement of a gaming-house? or, if moving in a lower, can he be a respectable tradesman or a faithful servant, who spends every spare moment in such a place? And yet it is notorious that thousands in

If

"Bear in mind... the fictitious hope, entertained by many, of easily accumulating wealth by gaming; the inducements held out, and the efforts made to entice them (young men) into gaming-houses. Passing by Crockford's and the minor houses, let us take one of the third class. The number of persons (noblemen's and gentlemen's servants, and shopmen with small salaries) usually to be found at one time in one of this class of gaminghouses is from forty to fifty. In the course of twenty-four hours it is calculated that one hundred and twenty persons visit one such house."-See "Young Men; or, an Appeal to the several Classes of Society in their behalf, by the Rev. Stephen Davies, B.C.L." This circumstance is perhaps but little known to the masters of such servants, and by some of them may scarcely be

this way waste their time; that in an especial manner the hours of the Sabbath are, in many instances, devoted to gambling; that every precaution is used to escape the vigilance of those who are anxious to prevent such a fearful desecration of the day of rest,-and generally speaking with success. Can it be wondered at, therefore, that the natural consequence of such a waste of time, such a desecration of the Lord's day, should lead to consequences the most detrimental to the spiritual, as well as temporal welfare of the gambler? "I cannot forbear," says the present Bishop of London, in his letter on the neglect of the Lord's day, addressed to the inhabitants of London and Westminster," from taking this opportunity of lifting up my voice-ineffectually, I am too well aware-against the scandalous and shameless manner in which the gaming-houses are now resorted to on the Christian Sabbath. The number of those dens of infamy, those monuments of splendid profligacy, is every year increasing one has been lately opened within a few doors of my own residence, which, for a time, was closed upon the Lord's day; but the plunder of every seventh day was too valuable to be long foregone; and now the work of fraud, and rapine, and ruin goes on, without even the decent show of intermission on the Lord's day. Yet for this enormous evil, destructive as it is of individual and domestic happiness, and of national character, the law, it seems, has provided no effectual remedy."

And this leads to the consideration of another effect of attending the gaming-house, namely, loss of principle. Is not the professed gambler's character notorious for want of honesty? Have not some, born to move in the highest sphere, by associating with unprincipled men, proved guilty of conduct flagrant in the extreme, in comparison of which the petty larceny, which renders the culprit amenable to punishment by the laws of his country, is not to be named, and which conduct has brought upon their relatives, no less than themselves, shame and reproach?

The annals of gambling in our own country could unfold many an instance of gross trickery and swindling, in those of whom, from their rank, better things might have been expected; and it were not difficult to recall to mind many such instances, as occurring within the last few years. It may be better, however, to advert to the case of the infamous Duke of Orleans, whose base conduct in the affairs of the French revolution can never be forgotten: "The passions succeed each other with such rapidity in the heart of a vicious man," says the author of a sketch of his life, "that it is almost impossible to point out the reigning vice. His highness became addicted to gaming; and, as in a depraved soul no passion ever takes root without being accompanied by its corresponding crime, Philip had no sooner become a gambler than he also became a cheat. A prince of the blood; a nobleman enjoying several millions of annual income, to turn black-leg, and to be as notorious as any one rogue in the whole capital! This may appear extraordinary, but it is nevertheless the truth. Such was his ardour in the pursuit of illicit gain, that he became pupil to Jonas, Comus, and Pinetti, received lessons from them daily, and was initiated in all the mysteries and subtleties of the profession. From the theory of this perfidious art, he passed rapidly on to its practice:

credited; but such is the fact. The temptations which beset men-servants in fashionable families are very great. One season in town is often sufficient to undermine every virtuous and honest principle. They are not unfrequently more the objects of pity than of blame: their means of religious instruction are often scanty; and they are too apt to imitate the conduct of those in whose service they are; in almost total neglect of the solemn requirements of God's law. In not a few instances they have been known, on their return to the country, to introduce among the rustic villagers the vices which they have become conversant with in the metropolis, and none more frequently than that of gambling. Does not this especially merit the serious consideration of the masters of families!

taking advantage of the ascendency produced by his rank, he easily contrived to strip the young noblemen at his court of their fortunes. He actually ruined several; and the indigence to which he saw them reduced only served to excite his raillery. Another speculation of the same kind also proved uncommonly successful. He introduced horse-racing, after the English manner, into France, and so effectually displayed his jockeyship, as to be always victorious. The king being at length informed of the low and despicable tricks practised by his unworthy relation, abolished horse-races; and this is the only punishment which this too-indulgent prince inflicted on a wretch who disgraced the blood of the Bourbons. Soon after this, the duke went into England, and made that island the theatre of his exploits. A great personage (the Prince of W.) permitted himself to be imposed upon by the apparent amiableness of his manners; and this connexion cost him several thousand guineas, which the artful Philip procured by means of his usual practices. But as his royal highness was also an adept in the game at which the money was lost, he one day perceived that he was cheated, and actually caught the duke in the fact. His soul revolted at an act of baseness, which he could not have expected in a man of such an illustrious rank, and he next day sent him a challenge, which he had the cowardice to refuse." Not that the refusing the challenge was blameable-quite the reverse; but the motive was not the right one which induced him to decline meeting the prince.

Can it be wondered at, that loss of principle should be the result of intercourse with the unprincipled ? The whole tenor of a gamester's life, the whole tone of his feelings, his notions of right and wrong, his moral integrity, are all blighted and blasted by the sin so dear to his heart. The principles of the gambling-room are carried out into the ordinary dealings of life; and the same foul play, which is regarded as perfectly lawful, is unblushingly practised on every occasion and under all circumstances: the mind, in fact, loses its moral tone; the conscience becomes scared; the law of man, as well as of God, is set at nought.

The unwary youth, or the casual visitor in town, is not unfrequently entrapped into a first attendance at a gambling-table,-induced to visit it, not improbably, from mere curiosity, and without any love of play he is gradually, however, led to join in the game, heated probably by the wines so bountifully supplied: he is permitted to win; this may be the case for some time, to lure him more effectually into the snare; until at length a love of gambling is engendered; habits are formed which cannot without difliculty be relinquished; and from one step to another the wretched dupe is hurried on the road to misery and ruin. Many have become professed gamblers, from the circumstance of having been led to make one visit. Let none, then, suffer himself to be tempted to enter a gambling-house; its gates are assuredly those which open to the broad path leading to the chambers of death. He may rest assured, that those who would lure him hither can have nothing but some sinister object in view,-that object, to deprive him of his property. Let him not think that he has resolution enough to resist the temptations which will surround him; or give utterance to the language of Hazael, "Is thy servant a dog, that he should do this great thing?" for, to use the forcible language of Dr. Beattie, "Persons who take pleasure in play, seldom fail to become immoderately attached to it; and neglect of business, and the ruin of fortune, family, and reputation, are too frequently the consequence. Savages are addicted to gaming; and in this respect, whatever difference there may be in dress, or colour of the skin, the characters of the gentleman gambler and gambling savage are not only similar, but the same. The savage, at play,

will lose his wife and children, and personal liberty; the other will throw away, in the same manner, what should support his wife and children, and keep himself out of a jail-and it is well if he stop short of selfmurder. Is it possible to keep at too great a distance from such enormities? and can the man who once engages in this dreadful business say when he will stop, or how far he may go? Let no such man be trusted."

The Cabinet.

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THE DIVINE IMAGE EFFACED BY THE FALL. Measure now this creature with himself-the wonderful powers of his mind, the grasp of his memory, the lightning of his invention-with the depravity which is withheld from the beasts of the field; the impurity which brings his soul into bondage to his body; the malice and revenge that make him the abode of the spirit of darkness. Truly the wild beasts are in our ruins, and the dragons are in our pleasant places. These are the fragments of an image that once was; beautiful enough to shew that it once existed, and that now it is broken. And among the ruins there is a voice sometimes heard, like the spirit of a departed inhabitant, unwilling to leave even the ruins of the palace which he once had occupied; a voice that reasons of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come; that sometimes catches the ear in the momentary stillness of the day, and still more in the dead of night, before "deep sleep falleth upon men;" but men cannot bear to listen to it. And thus does conscience sometimes remind us of former days-of hours of sin-of time squandered away, that can never be recovered-of an impure heart, and a worldly and carnal mind, and proves that it is a remnant of God; for it tells us that for all these things God will bring us into judgment. But, alas, it does no more than reproach and condemn; for, alas, it cannot change an old heart; it cannot create a new spirit within us; it cannot raise our affections from the dust upon which we are treading; it cannot fill us with heavenly dispositions; it cannot make us look forward with delight to scenes of future glory. Alas, this is beyond the power of conscience. It serves to reproach, but cannot restore; it is but a spectre among the ruins-but a voice among the tombs; it is a poor remnant of what was once a living temple of the Almighty-enough to shew that it once existed, and that it is now broken.-Rev. Charles Wolfe.

THE SEA. In the holy Scriptures the sea is frequently considered as an emblem of the world and what is passing therein. Under a smiling deceitful surface both conceal dangerous rocks and quicksands; both abound with creatures pursuing and devouring each other, the weak becoming a prey to the powerful; while in both there is a grand "destroyer, a leviathan taking his pastime," and seeking the perdition of all. In the voyage of life, we may set out with a calm sea and a fair sky, but ere long cares and sorrows overtake us. At God's word, either to punish or to prove us, the stormy wind ariseth and lifteth up the waves; we are carried sometimes up to heaven with hope, sometimes down to the deep with despair, and our soul melteth because of trouble. Then it is that our heavenly Father sheweth us what poor helpless creatures we are without him; and tribulation becomes the parent of devotion. If we cry unto the Lord in our trouble, he will deliver us out of our distress; if, with the disciples of the Gospel, we go to our Master saying, "Lord, save us, we perish,” he will, as he did then, arise and rebuke the winds and the sea; there will be a calm, and we shall arrive in safety at the desired haven. Let us, then, beseech the Almighty, in the words of our most excellent Church, that " we who by baptism were received into the ark of Christ's Church, being stedfast in faith, joyful through hope, and rooted in charity, may so pass the waves of

this troublesome world, that finally we may come to the land of everlasting life," where all the tossings and agitations of human affairs shall cease, or, as St. John expresses it, where there shall be "no more sea."Bishop Horne.

RELIGION PROGRESSIVE.-The holiness of God, indeed, is confined by no limitation; ours is bounded, finite, imperfect. Yet let us be sedulous to extend our little sphere; let our desires be large, though our capacities be contracted; let our aims be lofty, though our attainments be low. Let us be solicitous that no day pass without some augmentation of our holiness, some added height to our aspirations, some wider expansion in the compass of our virtues. Let us strive every day for some superiority to the preceding day; something that shall distinctly mark the passing scene with progress. The celebrated artist, who has recorded that he passed no day without drawing a line, drew it not for repetition, but for progress; not to produce a given number of strokes; but to forward his work, to complete his design. The Christian, like the painter, does not draw his line at random; he has a model to imitate, as well as an outline to fill.Mrs. Hannah More.

THE CHURCH OF CHRIST.-God in his Scriptures compares his Church to a vine, which he has planted himself, and which he cultivates with his own hands. He is the celestial husbandman, of whom he speaks to us in the Gospel. He has begun by removing from the vicinity of the vine, which he has transplanted from Egypt to the promised land, all the nations of the unfaithful, communication with whom might be injurious to the development of its roots and foliage. He has surrounded it with a hedge of protecting angels, commissioned to defend it against the attacks of robbers; in the middle of it he has constructed a wine press, true image of the tribulations it would experience in the course of time, containing in it a mixture of good and bad: and he has built a tower in his vineyard, to indicate that those who fly to him for refuge, will find an asylum impenetrable to the arrows of the adversary. The most furious persecutions are let loose against the Church, without its foundations being shaken. Enemies have started up from its own bosom, and declared no less formidable war against it, without being able to scale the walls of this fortress, protected by the promise, "the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." This promise proceeded from the mouth of God himself. Is it surprising that the same Word which created the heavens, established the earth upon the waters, and gave to the mass of the universe the liquid and indomitable element for its support, should maintain his Church, far more precious in his sight than the earth, the heavens, and the elements?St. Chrysostom.

RICHES. Riches are no security against outward accidents and contingencies. God hath placed man in this world in the midst of many hazards and evil chances, which fall not under any certain rule, but that of divine foresight and providence. To these the rich man is as liable as the poorest beggar. A tile or stone may as soon fall on and crush the rich man's head as the vilest peasant's: the rich man stands on no better legs, and hath no other arms, than the poor man; and he may, and as often doth, need the surgeon to cure his broken leg or arm. He that is clothed in of lightning than a man in rags. In the time of war purple is thereby no more secured from a sudden blast and public calamity, the rich man generally fares the worst of all, and is exposed to plunder, rapine, and violence; whilst the meaner man is overlooked, and his obscurity is his greatest security and safety.-Bp. Bull.

THE COMMON PRAYER.-We are plainly reminded by the very title of our Liturgy, the "Book of Common

Prayer," how our Church would inculcate, to the utmost possible extent, the doctrine of Christian fellowship. In the first and most obvious sense of these words, we are taught to regard the Liturgy as an exercise of united worship in the public house of prayer. When viewed in this light, the Liturgy holds forth to us the sweet and comfortable assurance, that, as often as we approach the courts of the Lord's house, under a heartfelt conviction of our common infirmities, our common wants, and our common sorrows, we shall find a common source of joy, and hope, and strength, for the support and the refreshment of our souls. And the more we dwell upon the language of our Book of Common Prayer, the more we shall feel how it expresses our common miseries, our common hopes, and our common joys, in a manner beautifully adapted to the highest purposes of devotion.-Rev. Robert Anderson on the Book of Common Prayer.

THE SINNER DENIED BY CHRIST.-O, the inexpressible horror that will seize upon a poor sinner when he stands arraigned at the bar of divine justice! when he shall look about, and see his accuser, his judge, the witnesses-all of them his remorseless adversaries; the law impleading mercy, and the Gospel upbraiding him; the devil, his grand accuser, drawing his indictment, numbering his sins with the greatest exactness, and aggravating them with the cruelest bitterness; and conscience, like a thousand witnesses, attesting every article, flying in his face, and rending his very heart; and then, after all, Christ, from whom only mercy could be expected, owning the accusation. It will be hell enough to hear the sentence; the very promulgation of the punishment will be part of the punishment, and anticipate the execution. If Peter was so abashed when Christ gave him a look after his denial-if there was so much dread in his looks when he stood as prisoner, how much greater will it be when he sits as a judge? If it was so fearful when he looked his denier into repentance, what will it be when he shall look him into destruction? Believe it, when we shall hear our accusation from our Advocate, our eternal doom from our Intercessor, it will convince us that a denial of Christ is something more than a few transitory words. What trembling, what outcries and astonishment will there be, upon the pronouncing this sentence! Every word will come upon the sinner like an arrow striking through his reins-like thunder, that is heard and consumes at the same instant. Yea, it will be a denial with scorn, with taunting reprobations; and to be miserable without commiseration, is the height of misery. He that falls below pity can fall no lower. Could I give you a lively representation of guilt and horror on this hand, and point out eternal wrath and decipher eternal vengeance on the other, then might I shew you the condition of a sinner hearing himself denied by Christ; and for those whom Christ has denied, it will be in vain to appeal to the Father, unless we can imagine that those whom mercy has condemned, justice will absolve.-Dr. South.

Poetry.

DORCAS.

BY MRS. ABDY.

(For the Church of England Magazine.) MEEK follower of our gracious Lord, Of thee we are not told

That thou couldst boast a lavish hoard

Of shining gems or gold;

We read not that thy rank impress'd
The humble with respect;

Or that thy mind the fires possess'd
Of dazzling intellect.

But yet the works we all approve

In which thy life was past;
And they who shar'd thy bounteous love
Clung round thee to the last;

Our Lord's apostle heard them breathe
Their plaint of hopeless pain,

And rais'd thee from the shroud of death,
To bless their sight again.

Ye who lament your means confin'd,
Your talents plain and few,
Mark the good works, the alms-deeds kind,
That cheerful love can do.
Oft on the sunny heights we see
Domestic virtues fade,

Oft the meek flowers of piety

Best flourish in the shade.

O, give, my Christian sisters, still,

To charity's demand,

The fervent heart, the ready will,

The quick and active hand:

A course in quiet zeal pursued,
Like that by Dorcas trod,
Trust me, shall win man's gratitude,
And gain the love of God.

TO THE DEAD.

"Heu! quanto minus est cum reliquis versari, quam tui meminisse."

AND would we win thee back to life?
How selfish and how vain,
To stir the settled waves of strife
In that calm breast again;
To call thee back again to bear
The long-borne load of toil and care,

O'er earth's rough path of pain,
And lift the lids of those seal'd eyes
To gaze once more on clouded skies!

Would we on that pure, placid cheek
Life's varnish'd hues bestow,

That o'er their flush the tears should break
That furrow as they flow;
Unseal once more the death-clos'd ear,
Cold flattery's hollow voice to hear,

And melt at sounds of woe;
And loose the tongue to tell again
Of unheard grief, unpitied pain?

No; hush'd be nature's yearnings now,
Let sorrow's voice be still'd,
There lives no trace on that pale brow
Of wishes unfulfill'd:

The holy hush of answer'd prayer,
The calm of cloudless peace is there,
The saint's last sleep to gild;
'Twere more than crime to mar a rest
So tranquil, so supremely blest.

Supremely blest; for o'er that sleep
The promise breathes its spell,
Replete with joy for eyes that weep,
And hope for hearts that swell;

From "The Christian Examiner."

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