SONNET.

Poets oft have sung her story,
Painters decked her brow with glory,
Priests her name have deified.

But no worship, song, or glory
Touches like that simple story,-
Mary stood the cross beside.

And when, under fierce oppression,
Goodness suffers like transgression,
Christ again is crucified;

But if love be there, true-hearted,
By no grief or terror parted,

Mary stands the cross beside.

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SONNET.

SACRED OFFERING.

John, Chapter xix.

STRETCHED on the cross, with mortal woe op

pressed,

The Son of Man breathed forth his parting sighs;

Darkness o'erspread the earth; and then the cries Of smitten hearts were heard, and nearer pressed

His mother, and the follower whom he loved. "Mother, behold thy son!" the Saviour said, "Behold thy mother!" The o'erwhelming dread

Of death came o'er him; yet his pale lips moved With love and mercy still, as the base crowd Mocked at his sufferings, and the tumult grew.

Father, forgive! they know not what they do!" Was heard amid his anguish, and aloud

He cried, "'T is finished!" bowed his hallowed head,

And to his God the chastened spirit fled.

LOOKING UNTO JESUS.

MRS. MILES.

THOU who didst stoop below,
To drain the cup of woe,
And wear the form of frail mortality,

Thy blessed labors done,

Thy crown of victory won,

Hast passed from earth, - passed to thy home

on high.

It was no path of flowers,

Through this dark world of ours,

Beloved of the Father, thou didst tread;

LINES WRITTEN AT THE HOLY SEPULCHRE. 99

And shall we, in dismay,

Shrink from the narrow way,

When clouds and darkness are around it spread?

O Thou, who art our life,

Be with us through the strife;

Thy own meek head by rudest storms was bowed; Raise thou our eyes above,

To see a Father's love

Beam, like a bow of promise, through the cloud.

E'en through the awful gloom
Which hovers o'er the tomb,

That light of love our guiding star shall be;
Our spirits shall not dread

The shadowy way to tread,

Friend, Guardian, Saviour, which doth lead to

thee.

LINES WRITTEN AT THE TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE.

COPIED FROM A VERY OLD EDITION OF SANDYS'S TRAVELS.

SAVIOUR of mankind, Man! Emmanuel!
Who, sinless, died for sin; who vanquished hell;
The first-fruits of the grave; whose life did give
Light to our darkness; in whose death we live;

O, strengthen thou my faith, correct my will,
So that the latter death may not devour
My soul sealed with thy seal. So in the hour
When thou, whose body sanctified this tomb,
Unjustly judged, a glorious Judge shall come
To judge the world with justice, by that sign
I may be known, and entertained for thine.

MARY AND JOHN, BEFORE THE RESUR-
RECTION.

S. G. BULFINCH.

My mother! in the awful hour
When darkness o'er us lay,

While, fainting by the Blest One's cross,

My arm became thy stay,
Did not his gentle voice then seal
The bond for thee and me,
And give me for the coming time
To be a son to thee?

O privilege of all most high!
O boon of all most dear!
Still, still, in sweet, sad memory
That voice I seem to hear.

Then come, my mother! share the cot
Thy Jesus oft hath blest,

MARY AND JOHN.

Far hence, where blue Gennesareth
Expands his peaceful breast.

The boat lies idle on the strand,
The net hangs by the wall;

In happier hour, when hope was high,
For him I left them all.

Now, for his sake and thine, I turn
Back to that quiet sea.

Farewell, ye proud and guilty towers!
My mother! come with me!

There oft, when eve's advancing shades
O'er hill and lake are thrown,
Will we recall the varied past,

And weep for hopes now gone.
Then will we waken slumbering faith,

And lift our brightening eyes

To Him, who e'en from this deep gloom
Can bid the light arise.

Yes, we will trust! My thought retains
Words of mysterious power

The Loved One spoke, as o'er his soul
Darkened the destined hour.

That he should rise again! O joy!
But ah! for hope too dear!

Some mystic meaning sure was there,
That time shall render clear.

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