THE SABBATH.

[CUNNINGHAM.]

DEAR is the hallowed morn to me,
When village bells awake the day
And by their sacred minstrelsy,
Call me from earthly cares away.
And dear to me, the winged hour,
Spent in thy hallowed courts, O Lord,--
To feel devotion's soothing power,
And catch the manna of thy word.

And dear to me the loud amen

Which echoes through the blest abode,
Which swells, and sinks, and swells again,

Dies on the walls, but lives to God.

And dear the simple melody,

Sung with the pomp of rustic art;
That holy, heavenly harmony,
The music of a thankful heart.

In secret I have often prayed,
And still the anxious tear would fall;
But, on the sacred altar laid,

The fire descends and dries them all.

Oft when the world, with iron hands
Has bound me in its six days' chain,

This bursts them, like the strong man's bands,
And lets my spirit loose again.

Then, dear to me, the Sabbath morn,

The village bells, the shepherd's voice,
These oft have found my heart forlorn,
And always bid that heart rejoice.

Go, man of pleasure, strike thy lyre,
Of broken Sabbaths sing the charms;
Ours are the prophet's car of fire,
Which bears us to a Father's arms.

CHRIST'S NATIVITY.

[CAMPBELL.]

WHEN Jordan hushed his waters still,

And silence slept on Zion hill;

When Bethlehem's shepherds through the night, Watched o'er their flocks by starry light;

Hark! from the midnight hills around,

A voice of more than mortal sound,
In distant hallelujahs stole,

Wild murmuring o'er the raptured soul.
Then swift to every startled eye,
New streams of glory light the sky;
Heaven bursts her azure gates to pour
Her spirits to the midnight hour.

On wheels of light, on wings of flame,
The glorious hosts of Zion came;

High heaven with songs of triumph rung,
While thus they struck their harps and sung.
O Zion! lift thy raptured eye,

The long expected hour is nigh;

The joys of nature rise again,

The Prince of Salem comes to reign.

See, Mercy, from her golden urn,

Pours a rich stream to them that mourn,

Behold, she binds with tender care,

The bleeding bosom of despair.

He comes! to cheer the trembling heart,
Bids Satan and his host depart;
Again the day-star gilds the gloom,
Again the bowers of Eden bloom;
O Zion! lift thy raptured eye,
The long-expected hour is nigh;
The joys of Nature rise again,
The Prince of Salem comes to reign.

MISSIONS.

[HEBER.]

FROM Greenland's icy mountains,
From India's coral sand,
Where Afric's sunny fountains,
Roll down their golden sand;
From many an ancient river,
From many a balmy plain
They call us to deliver

Their land from error's chain.

What though the spicy breezes
Blow soft on Ceylon's isle,
Though every prospect pleases,
And only man is vile :

In vain with lavish kindness,
The gifts of God are shewn,
The Heathen in his blindness
Bows down to wood and stone.

Shall we whose souls are lighted
With wisdom from on high;
Shall we to man benighted

The lamp of life deny?

Salvation! ah, Salvation:
The rovful sound prociana
Till each remotest nation
Has learnt Messiah's name.

Waft, waft ve winds his story,
And you ye waters roil,
Til like a sea of glory

It spreads from pole to pole:
Till o'er our ransom`d nature
The Lamb for sinners slain,
Redeemer. King, Creator,
In bliss returns to reign.

RESIGNATION

CAROLINE PRY

GRACE does not steel the faithfu
That it should know no M
We learn to kiss the chast ning ro
And feel its shares still.

But how unlike the Christian's rars,
To those the world must stred
His sighs are tranquil and resta

As the heart from which her spei. The saint may be compell à a 19. Misfortune's saddest low,

His bosoms uive o fei

The seenest jang of woe But, ever as the wound's gr There's a hami inseen. Hasting to wipe way 2. St

tou like vaere I WAS NEAR

The Christian would not have his lot
Be other than it is:

For, while his Father rules the world,
He knows that world is his.

He knows that he who gave the best,
Will give him all beside;

Assur'd each seeming good he asks
Is evil, if denied.

When clouds of sorrow gather round,
His bosom owns no fear;
He knows, where'er his portion be,
His God will still be there.

And when the threaten'd storm has burst,
Whate'er the trial may be,
Something yet whispers him within,
"Be still, for it is He!"

Poor nature, ever weak, will shrink
From the afflictive stroke;
But faith disclaims the hasty plaint
Impatient nature spoke.

His grateful bosom quickly learns
Its sorrow to disown;

Yields to His pleasure, and forgets
The choice was not his own.

DEATH'S CONQUEST.

[PERCY.]

THE glories of our birth and state

Are shadows, not substantial things;

There is no armour against fate,

Death lays his icy hands on kings: