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The sun no more shall make thee bright,†
Nor moon shall lend her lustre to thee;
But God himself shall be thy light,

And flash eternal glory through thee.

Thy sun shall never more go down;
A ray, from Heaven itself descended,
Shall light thy everlasting crown ---

Thy days of mourning all are ended. ‡
My own, elect, and righteous Land!

The Branch, forever green and vernal, Which I have planted with this hand Live thou shalt in Life Eternal.*

+ Thy sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee; but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. ISAIAH lx.

Thy sun shall no more go down, for the Lord shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended. ISAIAH lx.

* Thy people also shall be all righteous; they shall inherit the land forever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands. ISAIAH lx.

THERE IS A BLEAK DESERT.

THERE is a bleak Desert, where daylight grows

weary

Of wasting its smile on a region so dreary-
What may. that Desert be?

'Tis Life, cheerless Life, where the few joys that

come

Are lost, like that daylight, for 't is not their home.

There is a lone Pilgrim, before whose faint eyes
The water he pants for but sparkles and flies-
Who may that Pilgrim be?

'Tis Man, hapless Man, through his life tempted on By fair shining hopes, that in shining are gone.

There is a bright Fountain, thro' that desert stealing,
To pure lips alone its refreshment revealing -
What may that Fountain be?

'Tis Truth, holy Truth, that, like springs under ground,

By the gifted of Heaven alone can be found.*

There is a fair Spirit, whose wand hath the spell
To point where those waters in secrecy dwell
Who may that Spirit be?

Tis Faith, humble Faith, who hath learnt that where'er

Her wand bends to worship, the Truth must be there.

* In singing, the following line had better be adopted:
Can but by the gifted of Heaven be found.

SINCE FIRST THY WORD.

SINCE first thy word awaked my heart,
Like new life dawning o'er me,
Where'er I turn mine eyes, Thou art,
All light and love before me.
Nought else I feel, or hear, or see —
All bonds of earth I sever
Thee, O God, and only Thee
I live for, now and ever.

Like him, whose fetters dropped away
When light shone o'er his prison,*
My spirit, touched by Mercy's ray,
Hath from her chains arisen.
And shall a soul Thou bid'st be free

Return to bondage ? -never!

Thee, O God, and only Thee,

I live for, now and ever.

* And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison, and his chains fell off from his hands. Acra xit:7.

HARK, 'TIS THE BREEZE,

HARK!—'t is the breeze of twilight calling
Earth's weary children to repose ;

While round the couch of Nature falling,
Gently the night's soft curtains close.

Soon o'er a world, in sleep reclining,
Numberless stars, through yonder dark,
Shall look, like eyes of cherubs shining
From out the veils that hid the Ark.

Guard us, O Thou, who never sleepest,
Thou who, in silence throned above,
Throughout all time, unwearied, keepest
Thy watch of Glory, Power, and Love.

Grant that, beneath thine eye, securely

Our souls, awhile from life withdrawn, May, in their darkness, stilly, purely,

Like "sealed fountains," rest till dawn.

WHERE IS YOUR DWELLING, YE SAINTED?

WHERE is your dwelling, ye sainted?
Through what Elysium more bright

Than fancy or hope ever painted,
Walk ye in glory and light?
Who the same kingdom inherits?
Breathes there a soul that may dare
Look to that world of Spirits?

Or hope to dwell with you there ?

Sages! who, even in exploring
Nature through all her bright ways,
Went, like the seraphs, adoring,

And veiled your eyes in the blaze
Martyrs who left for our reaping
Truths you had sown in your blood-
Sinners! whom long years of weeping
Chastened from evil to good-

Maidens! who, like the young Crescent,
Turning away your pale brows.
From earth, and the light of the Present,
Looked to your Heavenly Spouse -
Say, through what region enchanted
Walk ye, in heaven's sweet air ?
Say, to what spirits 'tis granted,
Bright souls, to dwell with you there?

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