But yet our craving spirits feel,

Fancy with all her dreams must die,

And seek a surer pledge-a seal

Of love to last eternally.

Who art thou, that would'st grave thy name
Thus deeply in a brother's heart?

Look on this saint, and learn to frame
Thy love-charm with true Christian art.

First seek thy Saviour out, and dwell
Beneath the shadow of his roof,

Till thou have scann'd his features well,
And known Him for the Christ by proof;

Such proof as they are sure to find,

Who spend with him their happy days,
Clean hands, and a self-ruling mind
Ever in tune for love and praise.

Then, potent with the spell of heaven,
Go, and thine erring brother gain,
Entice him home to be forgiven,

Till he, too, see his Saviour plain.

:

Or, if before thee in the race,

Urge him with thine advancing tread

Till, like twin stars, with even pace

Each lucid course be duly sped.

No fading frail memorial give

To soothe his soul when thou art gone,

But wreaths of hope for aye to live,

And thoughts of good together done.

That so, before the judgment-seat,

Though chang'd and glorified each face, Not unremember'd ye may meet

For endless ages to embrace.

LXXVIII.

ST. THOMAS' DAY.

Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. St. John xx. 29.

WE were not by when Jesus came",

But round us, far and near,

We see his trophies, and his name

In choral echoes hear.

In a fair ground our lot is cast,

As in the solemn week that past,

While some might doubt, but all ador'd,

Ere the whole widow'd Church had seen her risen

Lord.

Slowly, as then, His bounteous hand

The golden chain unwinds,

a St. John xx. 24. Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.

b St. Matt. xxviii. 17. When they saw him, they worshipped him but some doubted.

Drawing to Heaven with gentlest band

Wise hearts and loving minds.

Love sought him first—at dawn of morn c
From her sad couch she sprang forlorn,

She sought to weep with Thee alone,

And saw thine open grave, and knew that Thou wert gone.

Reason and Faith at once set out d

To search the SAVIOUR'S tomb;
Faith faster runs, but waits without,

As fearing to presume

Till Reason enter in, and trace

Christ's relics round the holy place

"Here lay His limbs, and here His sacred head, "And who was by, to make his new-forsaken bed?"

Both wonder, one believes-but while

They muse on all at home,

No thought can tender Love beguile
From Jesus' grave to roam.

c St. Mary Magdalen's visit to the sepulchre.

d St. Peter and St. John.

Weeping she stays till He appear―

Her witness first the Church must hear

All joy to souls that can rejoice

With her at earliest call of His dear gracious voice.

Joy too to those, who love to talk

In secret how He died,

Though with seal'd eyes awhile they walk,

Nor see Him at their side;

Most like the faithful pair are they,

Who once to Emmaus took their way,

Half darkling, till their Master shed

His glory on their souls, made known in breaking

bread.

Thus, ever brighter and more bright,

On those he came to save

The Lord of new-created light

Dawn'd gradual from the grave:

Till pass'd th' enquiring daylight hour,
And with clos'd door in silent bower

The Church in anxious musing sate,

As one who for redemption still had long to wait.