How little yet they knew, how much was learned in vain.

For human guilt and mortal wo,

Their sympathising sorrows flow;
Their hallowed prayers ascend in incense pare ;

They mourned the narrow bounds assigned
To the keen glances of the searching mind,
They mourned the ills they could not cure,
They mourned the doubts they could not clear,
They mourned that prophet yet, nor seer,

The great Eternal had made known,
Or reached the lowest step of that immortal throne,

And oft the starry cope of heaven beneath,
When day's tumultuous sounds had ceased to breathe,

With fixed feet, as rooted there,
Through the long night they drew the chilly air ;

While sliding o'er their head,

In solemn silence dread,
The ethereal orbs their shining course pursued,
In holy trance enwrapt the sages stood,
With folded arms laid on their reverend breast,
And to that Heaven they knew, their orisons addrest.

A Star appears : they marked its kindling beam
O'er night's dark breast unusual splendours stream :

The lesser lights that deck the sky,
In wondering silence softly gliding by,

At the fair stranger seemed to gaze,
Or veiled their trembling fires, and half withdrew their ray8.

The blame less men the wonder saw,
And hailed the joyful sign with pious awe ;

They knew 'twas none of all the train
With which in shadowy forms and shapes uncouth,

Monsters of earth and of the main,

Remote from nature as from truth,
Their learned pens the sky had figured o'er :
No star with such kind aspect shone before ;

Nor e'er did wandering planet stoop so low
To guide benighted pilgrims through this vale of wo.

The heavenly impulse they obey,

The new-born light directs their way;
Through deserts never marked by human tread,
And billowy waves of loose unfaithful sand,
O'er many an unknown hill and foreign strand

The silver clue unerring led,
And peopled towns they pass, and glittering spires ;
No cloud could veil its light, no sun could quench its fires.

Thus passed the venerable pilgrims on,
Till Salem's stately towers before them shone,

And soon their feet her hallowed pavements prest;

Not in her marble courts to rest,
From pomp and royal state aloof,
Their shining guide its beams withdrew;

And points their path, and points their view,
To Bethlehem's rustic cots, to Mary's lowly roof.

There the bright sentinel kept watch,
While other stars arose and set ;

For there, within its humble thatch,
Weakness and power, and heaven and earth were met.

Now, sages, now your search give o'er,

Believe, fall prostrate, and adore !
Here spread your spicy gifts, your golden offerings bere;

No more the fond complaint renew

Of human guilt and mortal wo,
Of knowledge check'd by doubt, and hope with fear :

What angels wished to see, ye view;

What angels wished to learn, ye know ;-
Peace is proclaimed to man, and heaven begun below.

o Zion! lift thy raptur'd eye,
The long-expected hour is nigh ;
The joys of nature rise again,
The Prince of Salem comes to reign.

Cold on his cradle the dew-drops are shining,
Low lies his head with the beasts of the

THE STAR OF THE MORNING.

Angels adore him in slumber reclining,
Maker and Monarch and Saviour of all!

ANON.

Say, shall we yield him in costly devotion, | Star of the morn, whose placid ray Odours of Edom, and offerings divine ? Beam'd mildly o'er yon sacred hill, Gems of the mountain, and pearls of the While whisp'ring zephyrs seem'd to say, ocean,

As silence slept and earth was still, Myrrh of the forest, or gold from the mine? | Hail, harbinger of gospel light !

Dispel the shades of nature's night! Vainly we offer each ample oblation; Vainly with gifts would his favour secure : I saw thee rise on Salem's tow'rs, Richer by far is the beart's adoration; I saw thee shine on gospel lands, Dearer to God are the prayers of the poor. And Gabriel summon'd all his puw'rs,

And waked to ecstacy his bands; BRIGHTEST and best of the sons of the

Sweet cherubs hail'd thy rising ray,
morning!

And sang the dawn of gospel day!
Dawn on our darkness and lend us thine aid !
Star of the East, the horizon adorning,

Shine, lovely star! on ev'ry clime,
Guide where our infant Redeemer is laid !

For bright thy peerless beauties be;
Gild with thy beam the wing of time,

And shed thy rays from sea to sea ;
The star of BETHLEHEM.

Then shall the world from darkness rise,
H. K, WHITE.

Millennial glories cheer our eyes !
When marshall'd on the nightly plain,

The glittering host bestud the sky;
One Star alone, of all the train,
Can fix the sinner's wandering eye.

UPON THE CIRCUMCISION.

MILTON. Hark! bark! to God the chorus breaks,

From every host, from every gem; | YE flaming powers, and winged warriors But one alone the Saviour speaks,

bright, It is the Star of Bethlehem.

That erst with music, and triumphant song,

First heard by happy, watchful shepherd's Once on the raging seas I rode,

ear, The storm was loud,--the night was dark, So sweetly sung your joy the clouds along The ocean yawn'd--and rudely blow'd Through the soft silence of the listening night ; The wind that tossed my foundering bark. Now mourn; and, if sad share with ns to

bear Deep horror then my vitals froze,

Your fiery essence can distil no tear,
Death-struck, I ceas'd the tide to stem; Burn in your sighs, and borrow
When suddenly a star arose;

Seas wept from our deep sorrow :
It was the Star of Bethlehem.

He, who with all heaven's heraldry whilere

Enter'd the world, now bleeds to give us ease It was my guide, my light, my all,

Alas, how soon our sin
It bade my dark forebodings cease ;

Sore doth begin
And through the storm and dangers' thrall, His infancy to seize !
It led me to the port of peace.

O more exceeding love, or law more just?

Just law indeed, but more exceeding love ! Now safely moor'd-my perils o'er, For we, by rightful doom remediless, I'll sing, first in night's diadem,

Were lost in death, till he, that dwelt above, For ever and for evermore,

High-throned in secret bliss, for us frail dust The Star--the Star of Bethlehem ! | Emptied his glory, even to nakedness;

fire

And that great covenant which we still / Our Saviour meek, and with untroubled transgress

mind, Entirely satisfied ;

After his airy jaunt, tho' burried sore, And the fall wrath beside

Hungry and cold betook him to his rest, Of vengeful justice bore for our excess; Wherever, under some concourse of shades And seals obedience first, with wounding Whose branching arms thick intertwin'd smart,

might shield, This day; but, 0! ere long,

From dews and damps of night, his shelter'd Huge pangs and strong

head, Will pierce more near his heart. But shelter'd slept in vain ; for at his head,

The tempter watch'd, and soon with ugly

dreams Disturb’d bis sleep; and either tropic now

'Gan thunder, and both ends of heaven the CHRIST IN THE TEMPLE.

clouds HEBER

From many a horrid rift abortive pour'd

Fierce rain with lightning mixt, water with ABASH'd be all the boast of Age! Be hoary Learning damb!

In ruin reconcil'd : Nor slept the winds Expounder of the mystic page,

Within their stopy caves, but rush'd abroad Behold an Infant come!

From the four hinges of the world, and fell

On the vexed wilderness, whose tallest pines, Oh Wisdom, whose unfading power

Tho' rooted deep as high, and sturdiest oaks Beside th' Eternal stood,

Bow'd their stiff necks, loaden with stormy To frame, in nature's earliest hour,

blasts, The land, the sky, the flooil;

Or torn up sbeer: Ill wast thou shrouded

then Yet didst not Thon disdain awhile

O patient son of God, yet only stood'st An infant form to wear ;

Unshaken ; nor yet staid the terror there, To bless thy mother with a smile,

Infernal ghosts, and bellish furies, round And lisp thy falter'd prayer.

Environ'd thee, some howld, some yellid,

some sbriek'd, But, in thy father's own abode,

Some bent at thee their fiery darts; while With Israel's elders round,

thou Conversing bigh with Israel's God,

Sat'st unappallid in calm and sinless peace. Thy chiefest joy was found.

Thus pass'd the night so foul, till morning So may our youth adore Thy name! And, Saviour, deign to bless

Came forth with pilgrim steps in amice gray; With fostering grace the timid fame

Who with her radiant fingers still'd the roar Of early holiness!

Of thunder, chas'd the clouds, and laid the

winds, And grisly spectres, which the fiend had

rais d CHRIST IN THE WILDERNESS. To tempt the son of God with terrors dire.

fair

MILTON.

DARKNESS now rose 1 JESUS TEACHING THE PEOPLE. As day-light sunk, and brought in low'ring!

BOWRING. night Her shadowy offspring, unsubstantial both, How sweetly flow'd the gospel's sound Privation mere of ligbt, and absent day. From lips of gentleness and grace,

When listening thousands gather'd round, | To strangers' hands: the innocents alarmed And joy and reverence fill'd the place. Amid the throng of faces all unknown,

Sbrink, trembling,-till their wandering From heaven he came-of heaven be spoke, eyes discern

To heaven he led his followers' way; The countenance of Jesus, beaming love Dark clouds of gloomy night he broke, And pity; eager then they stretch their arms, Unveiling an immortal day.

And, cowering, lay their beads upon his

breast. " Come wanderers, to my Father's home,

“ Come, all ye weary ones and rest!" Yes! sacred Teacher, we will come Obey thee,- love thee, and be blest!

MIRACLES OF CHRIST.
Decay then, tenements of dust!

BISHOP TAYLOR,
Pillars of earthly pride, decay!
A nobler mansion waits the just,

Full of mercy, full of love,
And Jesus has prepared the way.

Look upon us from above!
Thou who taught'st the blind man's night
To entertain a double light,
Thine and the day's, (and that thine too :)
The lame away his crutches threw;

The parched crust of leprosy
BEHOLD MY MOTHER AND MY

Return'd unto its infancy ;
BRETHREN.

The dumb amazed was to bear

His unchain's tongue to strike his ear: GRAHAME.

Thy powerful mercy did even chase Who is my Mother or my Brethren? The Devil from his usurped place, He spake and looked on them who sat Where Thon Thyself should'st dwell, not he: around,

Oh let thy love our pattern be ! With a meek smile of pity blent with love, Let thy mercy teach one brother More melting than ere gleamed from human To forgive and love another ; face,

That, copying Thy mercy here, As when a sunbeam, through a summer Thy goodness may hereafter rear shower,

Our souls onto Thy glory, when
Shines mildly on a little hill-side flock; | Our dust shall cease to be with men!
And with what look of love he said, Behold
My mother and my brethren ; for I say,
That whosoe'er shall do the will of God,
He is my brother, sister, mother, all.

THE POOL OF BETHESDA.

BARTON.

AROUND Bethesda's healing wave,

Waiting to hear the rustling wing LITTLE CHILDREN BROUGHT Which spoke the angel nigh, who gave TO JESUS.

With earnest, fix'd solicitude,
GRAHAME.

Were seen th' afflicted multitude.
SUFFER that little children come to me,
Forbid them not. Emboldened by his words, | Among them there was one, whose eye
The mothers onward press; but, finding vain Had often seen the waters stirr'd,
Th' attempt to reach the Lord, they thrust | Whose heart had often heav'd the sigb,
their babes

The bitter sigh of hope deferr'd;