I looked upon the lonely flower,
And on each blade of grass;
Upon the forest wide and deep,
I saw the tempests pass;
I gazed on all created things
In earth, in sea, in air;

Then bent the knee-FOR GOD IN LOVE
WAS EVERYWHERE.

THE BEING AND ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.

BY MAXCY.

"The invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen." Let us for a moment behold our earth. WITH WHAT A MIGHTY SCENE ARE WE HERE PRESENTED! The diversification of its surface into land and water, islands and lakes, springs and rivers, hills and valleys, mountains and plains, renders it to man doubly enchanting. We are entertained with an agreeable variety, without being disgusted with a tedious uniformity.

Everything appears admirably formed for our PROFIT and DELIGHT. There the valleys are clothed in smiling green, and the plains are bending with corn. Here is the gentle hill to delight the eye, and beyond, slowly rising from the earth, swells the huge mountain, and, with all its load of waters, rock, and woods, heaves itself up into the sky. WHY, this pleasing, vast deformity of nature? UNDOUBTEDLY FOR THE

BENEFIT OF MAN.

From the mountains descend streams to fertilize the plains below, and cover them with wealth and beauty. The earth not only produces everything necessary to support our bodies, but to remedy our diseases and gratify our senses. WHO Covered

the earth with such a pleasing variety of fruit and flowers? WHO gave them their delightful fragrance, and painted them with such exquisite colours? WHO causes the same water to whiten in the lily that blushes in the rose?

Do not these things indicate a CAUSF, INFINITELY SUPERIOR TO ANY INFINITE BEING? Do they not directly lead us to BELIEVE the EXISTENCE of GOD, to ADMIRE His GOODNESS, to REVERE HIS POWER, to ADORE His WISDOM, in so happily accommodating our external circumstances to our situation and internal constitution?

How are we astonished to behold the vast ocean rolling its immense burden of waters! WHO gave it such a configuration of particles as to render it movable by the least pressure, and, at the same time, so strong as to support the heaviest weight?

WHO spread out this vast highway of all the nations under Heaven? WHO gave it its regular motion? WHO confined it within its bounds? A little more motion would disorder the whole world! A small incitement on the tide would drown whole kingdoms !

WHO restrains the proud waves when the tempest lifts them to the clouds? WHO measured the great waters, and subjected them to invariable laws? THAT GREAT BEING, who "placed the sand for the bound of the sea, by a perpetual decree that it cannot pass it; and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it."

With reason may we believe that from the things that are made are clearly seen eternal power and wisdom.

When we cast our eyes up to the firmament of Heaven, we clearly see that IT declares God's handiwork. HERE the immense theatre of God's works opens upon us, and discloses ten thousand magnificent objects. We dwindle to nothing in comparison with this august scene of beauty, majesty, and glory.

WHO reared this vast arch over our heads? WHO adorned it with so many shining objects, placed at such immense distances from each other, regular in their motions, invariably observing the laws to which they were originally subjected? WHO placed the sun at such a convenient distance as not to annoy, but to refresh us? WHO, for so many ages, has caused him to rise and set at fixed times? WHOSE HAND DIRECTS, and WHOSE POWER RESTRAINS him in his course, causing him to produce the agreeable changes of day and night, as well as the variety of seasons?

HE EXISTS

THIS GREAT BEING IS EVERYWHERE PRESENT. ALL AROUND US. He is not, as we are apt to imagine, at a great distance. Whenever we turn, His image meets our view. We see HIM in THE EARTH, in THE OCEAN, in THE AIR, in THE SUN, MOON, and STARS. We feel HIM in ourselves. He is always working AROUND us; He performs the GREATEST OPERATIONS, PRODUCES the NOBLEST EFFECTS, and DISCOVERS HIMSELF in a THOUSAND DIFFERENT WAYS.

All parts of the creation are equally under HIS INSPECTION. Though He warms the breast of the highest angel in Heaven, yet He breathes life into the meanest insect on earth. He LIVES through all His work, supporting all by the word of His power. HE SHINES in the verdure that clothes the plain, in the lily that delights the vale, and in the forest that waves on the mountain. He SUPPORTS the slender reed that trembles in the breeze, and the sturdy oak that defies the tempest.

HIS PRESENCE CHEERS the inanimate creation. Far in the wilderness, where human eye never saw, where the savage foot never trod, there HE BIDS the blooming forest smile, and the

D

blushing rose open its leaves to the morning sun. THERE HE causes the feathered inhabitants to whistle their wild notes to the listening trees and echoing mountains. There nature lives in all her wanton wildness. There the ravished eye, hurrying from scene to scene, is lost in one vast blush of beauty.

When you survey this globe of earth, with all its appendages; when you behold it inhabited by numberless ranks of creatures, all moving in their proper spheres, all verging to their proper ends, all animated by the same great source of life, all supported at the same bounteous table; when you behold, not only the earth, but the ocean and the air, swarming with living creatures, all happy in their situation; when you behold yonder sun, darting an effulgent blaze of glory over the heavens, garnishing mighty worlds, and waking ten thousand songs of praise; when you behold unnumbered systems diffused through immensity, clothed in splendour, and rolling in majesty; when you behold these things, your affections will rise above all the vanities of time; YOUR FULL SOULS WILL STRUGGLE WITH ECSTACY, AND YOUR REASON, PASSIONS, AND FEELINGS, ALL UNITED, WILL RUSH UP TO THE SKIES, WITH A DEVOUT ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF THE EXISTENCE, POWER, WISDOM, AND GOODNESS OF GOD.

THE CREATOR'S WORK.
BY WALLACE.

[Earnest and bold.]

There's not a star whose twinkling light
Illumes the distant earth,

And cheers the solemn gloom of night,
But MERCY gave it birth.

There's not a cloud whose dews distil
Upon a parching clod,

And clothe with verdure vale and hill,

That is not sent by God.

There's not a place in earth's vast round,
In ocean deep, or air,

Where skill and wisdom are not found,
For God is everywhere.

Around, beneath, below, above,

Wherever space extends,

There Heaven displays its boundless love,
And POWER with mercy blends.

THE CHILD'S INQUIRY.

[Dialogue for an adult and a young child.]
Child. "Teacher, you tell me of a God
That lives and reigns above,

Who made the world, the sun, and stars:
A GOD OF POWER AND LOVE.

"You say

He made the shrubs and trees,

And flowers that deck the sod,

And gives us friends, and health, and food-
A WISE AND GRACIOUS GOD.

"You say He sits enthroned in Heaven,
On a bright, dazzling throne;

That saints and angels sing His praise,

AND THAT BRIGHT HEAVEN'S THEIR HOME. "You say, that though He rules all worlds, And stills the tempest wild :

He looks from His imperial throne
And notices a child.

"But, teacher, more I want to know,

As He's so good and wise,

I wish to see Him here below,
As well as in the skies.

"I wish to see-to love Him more,
To thank Him for His care;
Because you tell me though He's great,
He'll hear an infant's prayer."

"You tell me that he sent His Son
From that sweet happy place,
To die for sins which we had done
And save us by his grace."

Teacher. "All that I ve told you is quite true,
Of Heaven, of Christ, and God;

And more than that you soon may learn
From his most holy word.

"Not only how he made the world,
And flowers and trees to grow,
But how the men who fear'd his name
Did His salvation know.

""Tis by his mercy that we live ;

And every good we have,

All did before belong to Him;
We've only what he gave.

"You say you want to see Him now,
As well as in the skies :

But His great glory is too bright
To see with human eyes.

"Yet from that glorious world above,
'Midst angels' harps and songs,
He deigns to listen to the cry

Which comes from human tongues.

"He sees our hearts, he knows our thoughts,
And not a word we say

Is hid from Him who all things sees-
A child to Him can pray

"Jesus presents our feeble prayer

Before his Father's face:
His merit pleads, nor ever fail
To give his richest grace.

Child. "Teacher, I think from all you say, -
The Saviour more I love,

I'LL TRY TO SERVE HIM THAT I MAY

BEHOLD HIS FACE ABOVE.'

"

THERE IS A GOD.

BY LORD BROUGHAM.

[Bold and earnest.]

"There IS A GOD," all nature cries:
A thousand tongues proclaim
His arm ALMIGHTY, MIND ALL WISE,
And bid each voice in chorus rise
TO MAGNIFY HIS NAME.

Thy name, GREAT NATURE'S SIRE DIVINE,
Assiduous we adore;

Rejecting godheads, at whose shrine
Benighted nations blood and wine
In vain libations pour.

Yon COUNTLESS WORLDS in BOUNDLESS SPACE,
MYRIADS OF MILES EACH HOUR
Their mighty orbs as curious trace
As the blue circlet studs the face
Of that enamelled flower.