of Israel suddenly retreated, and left their captain in the midst of the press, combating against many foemen. He fell, mortally wounded; and the Ammonites, thinking the retreat of the besiegers a stratagem to lure them to destruction, withdrew behind their ramparts. Though involved in the thickest of the fray, and but slightly armed, by some miracle I remained unhurt after the skirmish, and was left alone with my dying lord.

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"I unfastened his casque, and wiped the deathdamp from his brow, and lamented over him aloud. 'Mahadi,' he gasped, 'I die; but it is well for me, although I fall by ungrateful treachery. Carry my belt, stained with my life-blood, to Nathan the Seer; he will protect thee, and vindicate my memory.'

My beloved lord soon breathed his last; and, after seeing him laid in the sepulchre, I sought the prophet of the Lord. The awful man received the token and heard my tidings, nor did he make comment thereon, saving a few words of comfort to myself, when, in the course of my narrative, mine agony of heart broke forth in cries and tears. With a pale cheek and flashing eyes, Nathan arose, and taking his staff in his hand, and wrapping his prophet's mantle around him, he bade me follow him to the house of the King..

"And he came unto him, and said unto him,There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor. The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds: but the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up and it grew up together with him, and with his children: it did eat of his own meat, and drink of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter. And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the way-faring man that was come unto him: but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him. And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man: and he said to Nathan, As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die: and he shall restore the lamb four-fold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity. And Nathan said to David, THOU ART THE MAN!'-2 Samuel, chap. xii.

*

"And this,' I said, after musing on these events, this is the man after God's own heart, the highlyfavoured among mankind, the royal prophet David!'

"Such,' replied the sage Nathan, 'is the erring nature of the best of men, when exposed to the

fiery shafts of temptation, and invested with the dangerous gift of unbounded power. It were easier for the shivered crystal to unite without a flaw, than for a great prince to pass unspotted by sin into the presence of his God. Yet a time will come, although even the eyes of the Prophet can see it but dimly and darkly at a far distance, when the power of the Evil One will be fettered and restrained; when a guiding light shall be vouchsafed to the children of men; and when the Kings of the earth will shame to act even as the best of them in these unhallowed days.'

"I dwelt for a few years in the house of Nathan, among the Sons of the Prophets. I became a convert to the Law of Moses, and a poet and musician of great fame; but I dreaded the shoals and quicksands of public life; and, having obtained the hand of thy mother Sheluma, a maiden of Judah whom I loved, I withdrew with the wealth which I had acquired into this fruitful land, where I have dwelt in tranquillity, and hope to die in peace."

"FEAR NOT."

BY JOSIAH CONDER.

"Fear not. I have the keys of the Grave and of Death.”

Rev. i. 17, 18.

I.

O cling not, Trembler, to life's fragile bark;

It fills it soon must sink!

Look not below, where all is chill and dark :

'Tis agony to think

Of that wild waste. But look, O look above,
And see the outstretched arm of Love!

II.

Cling not to this poor life. Unlock thy clasp

Of fleeting, vapoury air.

The world, receding, soon will mock thy grasp :
But let the wings of prayer

Take Heaven's own blessed breeze, and upward flee,
And life from God shall enter thee.

III.

O fear not Him who walks the stormy wave:

'Tis not a Spectre, but the Lord!

Trust thou in Him who overcame the Grave,
Who holds in captive-ward

The powers of Death. Heed not the monster grim,
Nor fear to go through death to Him.

IV.

Look not so fondly back on this false earth;
Let hope not linger here.

Say, would the worm forego its second birth,
Or the transition fear,

That gives it wings to try a world unknown,
Although it wakes and mounts alone?

V.

But thou art not alone; on either side

The portal, friends stand guard;
And the kind spirits wait, thy course to guide.
Why, why should it be hard

To trust our Maker with the soul he gave,
Or Him who died that soul to save?

VI.

Into His hands commit thy trembling spirit,
Who gave His life for thine.

Guilty, fix all thy trust upon His merit ;

To Him thy heart resign.

Oh! give Him love for love, and sweetly fall
Into His hands who is thy All.