feel strongly inclined to walk. I started.

My

heart was overflowing, my spirit was occupied with God, and my eyes sought every where the

traces of his greatness.

O how every object

As I stood on a knoll,

seemed to welcome me! which formed the highest elevation in the garden, I could overlook the whole country; the blue mountains in the back-ground, and the little town, between the dwellings of which the blooming cherry-trees were rising; and as I cast my eyes over my immediate neighbourhood, the pink and the hawthorn seemed to call to me: "Welcome, brother! Behold, we also are fair and young; take a place in our ranks! We sacrifice to the Father in Heaven; come thou, servant of the word in the temple made by human hands, be now his servant in this greater edifice of God, which nature opens to man. We will listen to thee!" And I repeated. with a loud voice my psalms, and my celebrationhymns. The people that were passing looked with astonishment over the fence of evergreen, and I heard them remark: “The minister is studying his sermon for to-morrow."

But I could not remain on thee, lovely height,

holy altar, from which my soul has so often elevated itself to God. Into the distance, into the lower world, I felt myself compelled to descend; and I wished to communicate the sentiment of my happiness to the whole country, and to impart my joyful feelings from the height to the valley. There the forge was heard; shadows covered the walks; the meadows sent forth their delicate odours, and the perfumes of May surrounded me from all sides, like breathings of the East. As, at the time of the creation, the Spirit of God moved over the waters, so it seemed to me now floating over the tops of the trees, over the verdure of the meadows, over the whole prospect, and above the little town so beautifully concealed. O! how my

heart expanded, when I looked upon the house of God, in which, on this day three years ago, I received the sacred ordination. From the first trembling and fearful feeling of that moment, to the high and confident enthusiasm of the present day, the whole course, all the pleasures and sufferings of my ecclesiastical life, passed in review before me, and I was only able to thank and praise Him.

My eye took then the direction of the pineforest. There also I desired to be, to see, on every favoured spot, how beautiful the new world of spring had grown. I was now in the grove; but almost all the splendour of spring was lost in its obscurity, and I felt with trembling the intimations of a higher world. It was in a peculiar state of mind that, after some time, I left this grove. I thought of the happy hours I had enjoyed in its shades, and of the time when I first imbibed a love for religion. It was then that a voice from the very depth of my soul inquired whether this happiness and this love would last. A thousand emotions seemed to utter the response. "Shall they not last? God is love, and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him!" I shall remain a youth in spirit and love, although my hair may grow grey.

Engaged in such soliloquies, I went down to the meadows. There the children of my congregation, the delicate lambs of the flock, chased each other, and joyed in their gambols. Here also is a sacrifice, I said to myself, which is brought to the Lord; but the priests are not aware of their dignity.

Lovely childhood, thou art indeed the spring of life. Then every desert spot is green, every plant has its blossoms, every day its joys, every season its sport, and tears and joys follow each other with the same facility. O lovely youth, didst thou but

know how beautiful thou art!

I ascended to the house of the Lord. Above all others I was desirous of visiting this spot and of consecrating it for to-morrow, were it only by a look of longings. Yes, if the light of that morrow were now shining, I should be standing there at this moment; and thus I would commence:

"Welcome to the house of the Lord, my friends. My pulses beat more rapidly, my heart is filled with happiness, my lips overflow with gratitude and praise, for I am about to speak of the hour of spring! Before I appeared in your presence, my prayer ascended to God, that I might feel again the glow and pleasure, the joy and happiness, the blessings and gratitude, which I have often felt during those days. O! that they might fill again my favoured spirit with the full consciousness of regenerated life; that they might assist me in pouring forth streams of the inspired word, and to find

that word, which may also inspire you, and, thrilling through your ears, may enter the deepest recesses of your heart; for behold, the winter is past; the rain is over and gone; the flowers appear on the earth; the spring is here.'

"Thus the songster of the canticles spoke. In the beautiful and passionate Orient his sensitive soul vibrated with divine love, and among the perfumes and tints of the blooming East, his agitated heart poured forth in sacred songs. You feel the voice of youth when you read, 'The voice of the turtle is heard in our land; the fig-tree putteth forth her figs, and the vines with the tender grapes give a good smell.'

"Now, my friends, we also may rejoice. In our native glens we behold the Orient, youth, and spring-for lo! 'the winter is past, &c.'

"Are there any among you whose hearts are mourning for the sufferings of humanity? O, do not yourselves obstruct the sources of eternal joy! Do not veil your eyes, do not harden your hearts. It is true, this world is full of misery, and the heart returns bleeding from the toil of business and the strife of ambition; but cast them off to-day from