Till once again at Angels' warning

Heaven-gates shall part as clouds of morning,
And the confirming Spirit pour

His glory where young hearts adore :
There is Heaven's Light ; there, if true Pastors be,
Are eyes, the Light to see.

And what if there some favoured one should kneel, Whom in His time the Lord will seal,

High in the Mount to draw

Light uncorrupt from His pure fontal Law,
Then 'mid his brethren bear unknowing

The lustre keen within him glowing,
But veil it, when he feels their gaze,

As Moses veil'd the Sinai rays

?—

Blest, who so shines and blest the thoughtful few,

Who see that brightness true.

Wouldst thou the tide of grace should higher flow, The angelic ray more glorious show?

Wait for His trial hour,

His willing Saints in His dread day of Power.

The Saints' Infancy.

Ever as earth's wild war-cries heighten,
The Cross upon the brow will brighten,
Till on the very scorner's gaze

Break forth the Heaven-reflecting rays,
Strange awful charms the unwilling eye compel
On the Saints' Light to dwell.

Yes-strive, thou world, in thy rash tyrant-mood,

To slake that burning Cross in blood :

It will but brighter burn,

·

As martyrs' eyes near and more near discern
Where on the Father's right hand beaming,
Light upon Light in glory streaming,

The Saviour, felt, not seen, in life,

Deigns to be seen in that last strife, And Angels hail, approaching to the shore, Rays like their own, and more.

Who knows but maiden mild or smiling boy,

Our own entrusted care and joy,

By His electing grace

May with His martyrs find their glorious place?

71

O hope, for prayer too bold and thrilling,
O bliss, to aid its high fulfilling!

O woe and wrong, O tenfold shame,

To mar or damp the angelic flame !

To draw His soldiers backward from the Cross! Woe and eternal loss !

Cradle Songs.

73

15.

THE CRADLE GUARDED.

"Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."

"As therefore the tares are gathered, and burned in fire, so shall it be in the end of this world."

THE Lord, th' All-gracious, hides not all His Ire :
Through the dim chinks of this decaying earth
Gleams ever and anon th' unwasted fire,

Startling rude eyes, and shaming lawless mirth.

Even in the joy of Harvest, see, His Brand
Over the chaff is kindling; sheaves for food
And tares for fire, He binds in equal band.
At vintage time His robes are rolled in blood.

His Angels and His Saints cry out, How long?
His Little ones, full keenly are they bent
To right the fallen and redress the wrong,
Full eagerly to justice run unsent.

These are Thy tokens, all-redeeming Lord!

Where, but of Thee, learn'd we aright to name The last dire prison? Thine the dismal word, Thine the undying worm, th' unquenched flame.

Therefore Thy duteous Spouse, our Mother dear,

Tuning her love-notes to the Father's voice,
Is fain to breathe grave warnings in deep fear,
And say to Sin, Hell is thine hopeless choice!

The strain Love taught her, she in love repeats.—
Call it not hard, if in each holiest hour,

When with unwonted joy her King she greets,

With His own threatenings she would fence His

bower.

Call it not stern, though to her Babes she show
The smoke aye glaring o'er th' abode of ill;
Though guileless hearts, even in their vernal glow,
Hear now and then her thunders, and are still.

Might the calm smile, that on the infant's brow
So brightly beams, all its deep meaning tell,
Would it not say, "For Love's sweet sake allow

Fear's chastening Angel here with me to dwell?