Then from my heart will young petals diverge,
As rays of the sun from their focus;
I from the darkness of earth will emerge,-
A HAPPY AND BEAUTIFUL CROCUS.

Gaily arrayed in my yellow and green,
When to their view I have risen,
Will they not wonder how one so serene
Came from so dismal a prison?

MANY, PERHAPS, FROM SO SIMPLE A FLOWER

THIS LITTLE LESSON MAY BORROW,

PATIENT TO-DAY, THROUGH ITS GLOOMIEST HOUR,
WE COME OUT THE BRIGHTER TO-MORROW.

ONWARD, ONWARD.

BY LINNAEUS BANKS.

[Bold and with energy.]

ONWARD! ONWARD is the language of creation! The STARS whisper it in their courses; the SEASONS BREATHE IT, as they succeed each other; the NIGHT WIND WHISTLES IT; the WATER of the deep ROARS IT OUT; the MOUNTAINS LIFT UP THEIR HEADS, and tell it to the clouds; and TIME, the hoary-headed potentate, PROCLAIMS IT WITH AN IRON TONGUE! From CLIME to CLIME, from OCEAN to OCEAN from CENTURY to CENTURY, and from PLANET to PLANET, all is ONWARD.

From the SMALLEST rivulet down to the unfathomable sea, EVERYTHING is ONWARD. CITIES hear its voice, and rise up in MAGNIFICENCE; NATIONS hear it, and sink into the dust; MONARCHS learn it, and tremble on their thrones; CONTINENTS FEEL it, and are convulsed as with an earthquake.

Men, customs, fashions, tastes, opinions, and prejudices are ALL ONWARD. States, counties, towns, districts, cities, and villages ARE ALL ONWARD. THAT WORD never ceases to influence the destinies of men. SCIENCE cannot arrest it, nor PHILOSOPHY divert it from its purpose. It flows with the very

blood in our veins, and every second of time chronicles its progress.

From one stage of civilization to another, from one towering landmark to another, from one altitude of glory to another, we still move upward and onward. Thus did our forefathers escape the barbarisms of past ages; thus do we conquer the errors of our time, and draw nearer to the invisible.

SO MUST WE MOVE ONWARD, WITH OUR ARMOUR BRIGHT, OUR WEAPONS KEEN, AND OUR HEARTS FIRM AS THE 66 EVERLASTING HILLS. EVERY MUSCLE MUST BE BRACED, EVERY NERVE STRUNG, EVERY ENERGY ROUSED, AND EVERY THOUGHT WATCHFUL. ONWARD IS THE WATCHWORD!

PRAYER.

THE UNIVERSAL PRAYER.

BY ALEXANDER POPE.

[Earnest and serious.]

Father of ALL! in every age,
In every clime adored,
By saint, by savage, and by sage,
Jehovah, Jove, or Lord!

Thou great FIRST CAUSE, least understood,
Who all my sense confined

To know but this, that thou art good,

And that myself am blind;

Yet gave me, in this dark estate,
To see the good from ill;
And, binding nature fast in fate,
Left free the human will.

What conscience dictates to be done,
Or warns me not to do,

This teach me more than hell to SHUN,
That, more than heaven PURSUE.

What blessings thy free bounty gives
Let me not cast away;

For God is paid when man receives,—
To enjoy is to obey.

Yet not to earth's contracted span
Thy goodness let me bound;
Or think thee Lord alone of man,

When thousand worlds are round.
Let not this weak, unknowing hand
Presume thy bolts to throw,
And deal damnation round the land
On each I judge thy foe.

If I am RIGHT, thy grace impart
STILL IN THE RIGHT TO STAY ;
If I am WRONG, Oh, teach my heart
TO FIND THAT BETTER WAY.
Save me alike from foolish pride,
Or impious discontent

At aught thy wisdom has denied,
Or aught thy goodness lent.
Teach me to feel another's woe;
To hide the fault I see;
That mercy I to others show
THAT MERCY show to me.

Mean though I am, not wholly so,
Since quickened by thy breath;
Oh, lead me, wheresoe'er I go,-
Through this day's life or death.
This day be bread and peace my lot;
All else beneath the sun

Thou know'st if best bestowed or not,
And let thy will be done.

To Thee, whose temple is all space,
Whose altar, earth, sea, skies!
ONE CHORUS LET ALL BEING RAISE !
ALL NATURE'S INCENSE RISE!

SAYING PRAYERS.

[For a little child, earnestly.]

To say my prayers is not to pray,
Unless I mean the things I say;
Unless I think to whom I speak,
And with my heart His favour seek.
In prayer we speak to God above,
We seek the blessed Saviour's love,
We ask for pardon of our sin,
And grace to make us pure within.
My infant lips were early taught,
So say
"Our Father," as I ought;
And every morn and every night,
To use my daily prayer is right.

BUT OH! if I am found to smile,
Or play, or look about the while,
Or think vain thoughts, the Lord will see,
And how can he be pleased with me?

Then, let me when I kneel to pray,
Not only mind the words I say;
But also strive with earnest care
To let my mind go with my prayer.

THE MERCY-SEAT.

[Earnest and vigorous.]

From every stormy wind that blows,
From every swelling tide of woes,
There is a calm and sweet retreat,
"Tis found beneath the mercy-seat.
Here is a place where Jesus sheds,
The oil of gladness on our heads;
A place than all beside more sweet ;—
It is the blood-stained mercy-seat.

Here is a spot where spirits blend,
And friend holds fellowship with friend ;
Though sundered far, by faith they meet
Around our common mercy-seat.

Ah! whither could we flee for aid,
When tempted, desolate, dismayed,
Oh, how the host of hell defeat,

Had suffering saints no mercy-seat?

THERE, THERE ON EAGLES' WINGS WE SOAR,

And time and sense seem all no more;

AND HEAVEN COMES DOWN OUR SOULS to greet,

AND GLORY CROWNS THE MERCY-SEAT.

I pray thee speak to me ;

A still small voice she heard within her soul,

"What is it, child? I hear thee; tell me all."

"I pray thee, Lord," she said,
"That thou wilt condescend
To tarry in my heart,

And ever be my friend;
The path of life is dark-
I would not go astray;
Oh, let me have thy hand
To lead me in the way."

"Fear not-I will not leave thee, child, alone." She thought she felt a soft hand press her own.

They tell me, Lord, that all

The living pass away,

The aged soon must die,

And even children may.

Oh, let my parents live,
Till I a woman grow;
For if they die, what can
A little orphan do?"

"Fear not, my child-whatever ills may come, I'll not forsake thee till I bring thee home." Her little prayer was said,

And from her chamber now
She passed forth with the light
Of heaven upon her brow;
"Mother, I've seen the Lord-
His hand in mind I felt,
And oh, I heard him say,

As by my chair I knelt :

Fear not, my child-whatever ills may come I'll not forsake thee till I bring thee home."

THE STORM.

BY MRS. HEMANS.

MARK Vi. 47-51.

[Earnest and vigorous.]

Fear was within the tossing bark,
When stormy winds grew loud;
And waves came rolling high and dark,
And the tall mast was bowed.

And men stood breathless in their dread,
And baffled in their skill;

But one was there, who rose and said
To the wild sea, "BE STILL!"