They cry with simple voice and clear,
"Bless Father, Mother, Brethren dear :"
He for the Priests of His dread Son
Accounts the blessing ask'd and won.

For holy Priests and Matrons mild,
For penitents and undefiled,
For dying Saints, for babes new-born,
He takes their offering, eve and morn.

He gives the frail and feeble tongue
A doom to speak on sin and wrong;
Unconscious they stern lightnings aim,
When His ten Precepts they proclaim.

Thus in the Tabernacle shade

At morn and eve young Samuel pray'd,
Nor knew his prayer God's ark should win,
Forfeit by Priest's and people's sin.

To Eli thus dread words he spake :

Ye hearts profane, with penance ache ;-
A wondrous peal o'er Israel rung,

Heaven's thunder from a child's meek tongue.

PRAYER AT HOME AND IN CHURCH.

"These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the Mother of Jesus, and with his brethren."

WHERE are the homes of paschal mirth,

The bowers where heavenly Joy may rest her wings on earth,

And at her leisure gaze adoring

Where out of sight the golden clouds are soaring
Beneath the ascending Saviour's Feet?

Where may rejoicing Love retreat

To frame a melody for His returning meet?

Two homes we know of Love's resort,

One in the upper room, one in the Temple court:
In glorious Sion both, possessing

Alike her presence, whom the awful blessing

Lifted above all Adam's race :

The royal Twelve are there in place;

Women and duteous friends, awaiting His high

grace.

Two Homes for us His Love hath found,

One by our quiet couch and one in holy ground.
There in due season meekly kneeling

Learn we our lesson ere His last revealing.

The Mother of our Lord is there,

And Saints are breathing hallow'd air,

Living and dead, to waft on high our feeble prayer.

And with His Mother and His Saints

He watches by, who loves the prayer that never faints.
Avaunt, ill thoughts, and thoughts of folly!
Where christen'd infants sport, that floor is holy:
Holier the station where they bow,

Adoring Him with daily vow,

Till He with ampler grace their youthful hearts

endow.

4.

SELF-EXAMINATION.

"And he, trembling and astonished, said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do."

"WHAT wouldst Thou have me do, O Lord?"

Darkling he spoke and lowly laid,

With all his heart he spake the word,
The awful Voice mild answer made:
"Go, seek one out who thee may bring
Where healing, holy waters spring,

Then will I show thee speedily

What burthen thou must bear for Me."

"What wouldst Thou have me do, O Lord ?"
Each morn and eve we seem to say,
And He gives back no doubtful word:
"Remember, little child, all day,

Thine early vows, the hallow'd wave
Where Jesus first His blessing gave:

There stoop, there cleanse thee every hour:
Christ's Laver hath refreshing power."

"What wouldst Thou have me do, O Lord ?"

Rise, little child, and onward go,
Where Saints are met with one accord
The praises of high God to show.
In meekness learn their prayer and song,
Do as they do, and thou ere long
Shalt see the wonders they behold

In heavenly books and creeds of old.

"What wouldst Thou have me do, O Lord ?" So whispering, Saul with prostrate brow The persecuted One adored,

So breathed his earliest Christian vow.

Stern the reply :-to fast alone,

And in the darkness make his moan.
Thrice set and rose the weary day

Ere with the Christians he might pray.

"What wouldst Thou have me do, O Lord ?"

Think, little child-thy conscience try,

Rebellious deed and idle word,

And selfish thought and envious eye :