While every breeze that round me played Rich fragrance was diffusing. The perfumed air, the hush of eve, O'er thoughts perchance too prone to grieve, For thus "the actions of the just," SPIRITUAL WORSHIP. Though glorious, O God! must thy temple have been, On the day of its first dedication, When the cherubim's wings widely waving were seen, On high, o'er the ark's holy station; When even the chosen of Levi, though skilled To minister standing before Thee, Retired from the cloud which the temple then filled, And thy glory made Israel adore Thee; Though awfully grand was thy majesty then; Less splendid in pomp to the vision of men, And by whom was that ritual forever repealed To enter the Oracle, where is revealed, Not the cloud, but the brightness of heaven? Who, having once entered, hath shown us the way, Not with shadowy forms of that earlier day, This, this is the worship the Saviour made known, By the patriarch's well sitting weary, alone, How sublime, yet how simple, the homage He taught, If Jehovah at Solyma's shrine would be sought, "Woman! believe me, the hour is near, When He, if ye rightly would hail Him, Will neither be worshipped exclusively here, Nor yet at the altar of Salem. "For God is a spirit! and they who aright Would perform the pure worship He loveth, TIME'S TAKINGS AND LEAVINGS. What does age take away? Bloom from the cheek, and lustre from the eye; Unclouded as the summer's bluest sky. What do years steal away? The fond heart's idol, Love, that gladdened life; We trusted to in hours of darker strife. What must with time decay? Young Hope's wild dreams, and Fancy's visions bright; Life's evening sky grows gray, And darker clouds prelude Death's coming night. But not for such we mourn! We know them frail, and brief their date assigned; Less from Time's thefts than what he leaves behind. What do years leave behind? Unruly passions, impotent desires, Distrusts and thoughts unkind, Love of the world, and self-which last expires. For these, for these we grieve; What Time has robbed us of we know must go : Not only finds us poor, but keeps us so. It ought not thus to be: Nor would it, knew we meek Religion's sway; Her votary's eye could see How little Time can give, or take away. Faith, in the heart enshrined, Would make Time's gifts enjoyed and used, while lent; And all it left behind, Of Love and Grace, a noble monument. A CHRISTIAN IS THE HIGHEST STYLE OF MAN. "Homo sum, humani nihil a me alienum puto!" A noble thought! and worthy to awake, From Rome's proud senate, in her palmy days, Both for the orator's and nature's sake, O'erwhelming echoes of accordant praise. "I am a man! and therefore to my heart Think nothing human alien e'er can be; That sense of union can enough impart Of weal or woe to make it dear to me!" And, truly, in such bond of brotherhood, To those who estimate its hidden might, Enough is seen, and felt, and understood, For human hearts to own its hallowed right. But while I pay my homage to his soul, Who thus humanity could broadly scan; And, looking only at their mighty whole, Do honor to the natural rights of man; I can but feel-a Christian, by his faith, May humbly stand upon yet higher ground; And feel to all who live by vital breath In a still dearer brotherhood fast bound! Is he a follower of The Crucified The Nazarene-who died that all might live? In that one bond of union is implied More than the Roman creed could ever give. That would but link, by human sympathy, The noble speaker to his fellow-man; But this makes known a closer unity Than proud philosophy had power to scan. There needs no more to knit in closest thrall, Beyond what Greek or Roman ever knew, Than this-" One common Saviour died for all! And rose again-to prove his mission true!" This, of itself, has a more hallowing leaven Than human sympathy can e'er confer; Because its loftier hopes are linked with heaven, And God's own word is its interpreter ! Then chide me not, if, yielding homage due Higher-as opening up a loftier line; Holier-as springing from a deeper root; For LOVE TO GOD may be pronounced divine, When LOVE OF MAN becomes its genuine fruit! A WORD FOR PEACE. "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you."-ST. JOHN xvi. 27. If such the legacy bequeathed If such his meek injunctions, breathed His kingdom is not of this world! The banner from his cross unfurled The Christian's warfare is within! Whence come your wars, frail worms of dust? Envy and hatred, greed and lust, Which in your members war! Dwells such a dark, unhallowed host In temples of the Holy Ghost? When angels first, to shepherd's ears, Glory to God! who dwells on high; Toward men-good will and unity! When Christ, on Calvary's blood-stained hill, What peaceful love, triumphant still, 'Tis by its fruit the tree is known! Who bid their fellow.creatures bleed, Thank God! this gospel truth, no more STANZAS TO A FRIEND ON HER MARRIAGE. "The blessing of the Lord, IT maketh rich; and he addeth no sorrow with it!"-PROV. x. 22. What can I wish thee, gentle friend, On this eventful day, With being's onward course to blend, Yet wishes are but idle things, As all of us well know ;- Since He who condescends to care For ALL still hears and answers prayer. But answers it as He deems best, And we are often blinded still I, therefore, would not breathe for thee Be thine the blessings which HIS WORD, To all the things of time; That blessing which true riches brings, May this, my gentle friend, be thine, May He remain your rich reward, In prosperous hours your hearts to guard, So shall you own, in grateful mood, |