A practical rebuker of vain strife, youth A beautiful consecration to the Truth. Virtue, neglected long, and trampled down, Grew stronger in the echo of his name; And, shrinking self-condemned beneath his frown, The cheek of harlotry grew red with shame. Serene with conscious peace, he strewed his way With sweet humanities, the growth of love ; Shaping to right his actions, day by day, Faithful to this world and to that above. The ghosts of blind belief and hideous crime, Of spirit-broken loves, and hopes betrayed, That flit among the broken walls of Time, Are by the True Man's exorcisms laid. Blest is his life, who to himself is true, And blest his death—for memory, when he dies, Comes, with a lover's eloquence, to renew Our faith in manhood's upward tendencies. Weep for the self-abased, and for the slave, And for God's children darkened with the smoke Of the red altar--not for him whose grave greener than the mistletoe of the oak. ALICE CAREY. Is Bright Lamp of God. Swoln hatred, and consuming envy spring ring, sling, And send men's groaning ghosts to lower shade Of horrid hell. This the wide world doth bring To devastation, makes mankind to fade: But true religion, sprung from God above, But grasping all in her vast active spriteBright lamp of God, that men would joy in thy pure light! HENRY MORE. Blest that Home where God is felt. 'TWAS early day—and sun-light streamed Soft through a quiet room, Still, but with nought but gloom : For there, secure in happy age, Whose hope is from above, Of Heaven's recorded love. Pure fell the beam, and meekly bright, On his grey holy hair, As if its shrine were there; With something lovelier far- Caụght not from sun or star. Some word of life e'en then had met His calm benignant eye; Of immortality; Of quenchless faith survives; Redeemer lives." And silent stood his children by, Hushing their very breath Before the solemn sanctity Of thoughts o'ersweeping death : With love and reverence melt? FELICIA HEMANS. Believe, thou dark lost Pilgrim, still ! Secure, thy part in Christ to claim ; purer fires the soul. Nature will raise up all her strife, Foe to the flesh-abasing life, Loth in a Saviour's death to share, Her daily cross compelled to bear; But grace omnipotent at length Shall arm the saint with saving strength; Through the sharp war with aids attend, And his long conflict sweetly end. Act but the infant's gentle part, Give up to love thy willing heart; No fondest parent's tender breast Yearns like thy God's to make thee blest; Taught its dear mother soon to know, The simplest babe its love can show : Bid bashful, servile fear retire, The task no labour will require. The sovereign Father, good and kind, Shake from thy soul, o'erwhelmed, deprest, |