And from childhood's band who, when life's fresh glow

On their early bloom was lying,

Felt the shaft of death to their young hearts go,

And His love enfold them dying!

So onward, long as the queenly moon
Shall float through the azure nightly,
Or the sun ascend to his throne at noon,
Or the evening star burn brightly,

Shall the choral hymn of the saints resound
That chants of the Cross the Story;

It shall rise and blend with the trumpet's sound
When the Lord shall come in glory!

XIV.

THE GLAD TIDINGS.

When o'er the plains of Galilee

The stars their watch were keeping,
Nor ripple stirred its deep blue sea,
And weary men were sleeping;
Burst on the silent night the song
That airy lips were singing;
The hour by prophets promised long,
That blessed dawn was bringing.

To Him, the new-born Christ, that day
In Bethlehem's manger lying,

The wondering shepherds sped their way,
Ere morning dews were drying;
And wide and far the echoes flew,
The joyful tidings bearing;

And saints that waited for Him knew
'Twas God His Christ declaring.

To distant Elam's sunny clime

The rapturous news was carried,
That now at last-fulfilled the time-
The Christ no longer tarried!
And sages, all divinely taught,
Their steps to seek Him turning,
To old Judea's hills were brought,

The star before them burning.

He came He lived-He died for men,

Immortal life bestowing

Through death itself; then rose again,
With life immortal glowing!

Then forth His witnesses were sent
To tell the wondrous story,

While up, through parting clouds, He went
To take the throne of glory.

Peace-peace on earth-to men goodwill,
Down through the long-gone ages,
Have sounded forth are sounding still,
From out the holy pages;

The words to life have waked the dead,
The Cross is still life-giving,

And hope and joy o'er earth shall spread
From Christ the ever-living!

And oft as sacred hours return,
With holy welcome greeted,

Our love shall at Thine altars burn,

O Christ, in glory seated!

Till earth again shall see Thee come,

The angel hosts attending,

Thy vanquished foes before Thee dumb,

Thy saints with Thee ascending.

BAPTIST S.

I.

THE VALLEY OF HUMILIATION.

Now they began to go down the Hill into the Valley of Humiliation. It was a steep Hill, and the way was slippery; but they were very careful, so they got down pretty well. When they were down in the Valley, Piety said to Christiana, This is the place where Christian your Husband met that foul Fiend Apollyon, and where they had that dreadful Fight that they had; I know you cannot but have heard thereof. But be of good courage; as long you have here Mr. Great-heart to be your Guide and Conductor, we hope you will fare the better. So, when these two had committed the Pilgrims unto the conduct of their Guide, he went forward and they went after.

Great-heart. Then said Mr. Great-heart, we need not be so afraid of this Valley, for here is nothing to hurt us unless we procure it to ourselves. 'Tis true, Christian did here meet with Apollyon, with whom he also had a sore combat; but that fray was the fruit of those slips that he got in his going down the Hill; for they that get slips there, must look for combats here. And hence it is that this Valley has got so hard a name; for the common people when they hear that some frightful thing has befallen such a one in such a place, are of an opinion that that place is haunted with some foul Fiend or evil Spirit; when, alas, it is for the fruit of their doing, that such things do befall them here.

This Valley of Humiliation is of itself as fruitful a place as any the Crow flies over; and I am persuaded if we could hit upon it, we might find somewhere hereabouts, something that might give us an account why Christian was so hardly beset in this place. Then James said to his Mother: Lo, yonder stands a Pillar, and

it looks as if something was written thereon, let us go and see what it is. So they went, and found there written, Let Christian's slips before he came hither, and the Battles that he met with in this place, be a warning to those that come after. So, said their Guide, did not I tell you that there was something hereabouts that would give intimation of the reason why Christian was so hard beset in this place? Then turning himself to Christiana, he said, No disparagement to Christian more than to many others whose hap and lot his was; for 'tis easier going up than down this Hill, and that can be said but of few Hills in all these parts of the world. But we will leave the good man, he is at rest, he also had a brave victory over his enemy; let Him grant that dwelleth above, that we fare no worse when we come to be tried than he.

But we will come again to this Valley of Humiliation. It is the best and most fruitful piece of ground in all those parts. It is fat ground, and, as you see, consisteth much in meadows; and if a man was to come here in the Summer-time, as we do now, if he knew not anything before thereof, and if he also delighted himself in the sight of his eyes, he might see that that would be delightful to him. Behold how green this Valley is, also how beautified with Lilies. I have also known many labouring men that have got good estates in this Valley of Humiliation (for God resisteth the Proud, but gives more, more Grace to the Humble), for indeed it is a very fruitful soil, and doth bring forth by handfuls. Some also have wished that the next way to their Father's house were here, that they might be troubled no more with either Hills or Mountains to go over; but the way is the way, and there's an end.

Now, as they were going along and talking, they espied a Boy feeding his Father's Sheep. The Boy was in very mean cloaths, but of a very fresh and well-favoured countenance, and as he sate by himself, he sung. Hark, said Mr. Great-heart, to what the Shepherd's Boy saith. So they hearkened, and he said,

He that is down needs fear no fall,

He that is low, no pride;

He that is humble, ever shall

Have God to be His Guide.

I am content with what I have,
Little be it, or much:

And Lord, contentment still I crave,

Because Thou savest such.

Fulness to such a burden is

That go on Pilgrimage;

Here little, and hereafter Bliss,

Is best from age to age.

Then said their Guide, Do you hear him? I will dare to say, that this Boy lives a merrier life, and wears more of that Herb called Heart's-ease in his bosom, than he that is clad in Silk and Velvet; but we will proceed in our discourse.

In this Valley our Lord formerly had his country-house; he loved much to be here; he loved also to walk these meadows, for he found the air was pleasant. Besides, here a man shall be free from the noise, and from the hurryings of this life. All states are full of Noise and Confusion, only the Valley of Humiliation is that empty and solitary place. Here a man shall not be so let and hindered in his Contemplation, as in other places he is apt to be. This is a Valley that nobody walks in, but those that love a Pilgrim's life. And tho' Christian had the hard hap to meet here with Apollyon, and to enter with him a brisk encounter, yet I must tell you, that in former times men have met with Angels here, have found Pearls here, and have in this place found the words of Life.

II.

CIVIL AND RELIGIOUS LIBERTY.

The enjoyment of civil liberty is essential to the development and exertion of the best and noblest energies of the human mind. Deprived of this, nothing truly great flourishes in the moral world. There exists, indeed, an indissoluble connection between the civil and the religious freedom of a nation; and whatever may be thought of other considerations, every friend to the prosperity of religion must rejoice in the advancement of that liberal and enlightened policy under which alone it is favoured and fostered. It is only under a free representative government that this can be the case. Never did religious liberty flourish in the chilling, deadly atmosphere of despotism; it can open and spread only in the sunshine of political freedom. As the greater includes the less, the civil implies also the religious liberty of a state. Religion grows and blooms among the highest and most palmy branches of the tree of liberty, and ripens in luxuriance amongst its topmost boughs. This is the natural, established, order of things, in the present world: and, let it be remembered, we are not entitled to expect any miracles, properly so called,