Till Christ, thy glorious Lord, with clouds shall come, And call thee hence, to share His heavenly home. SPRING. "For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; the flowers appear on the earth, the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land; the fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise my love, my fair one, and come away."-Canticles ii. 11-13. WINTER is over, with its chilling rains, And the stern frost that bound in icy chains The mourning earth, has melted in the stream Of living light poured from the sun's bright beam. Fresh from her death-like sleep, Creation wakes, And, with a bound, to life and beauty breaks. The woody glades, and sloping valleys ring With Nature's choir, the warbling birds of Spring. Deep in the forest shades, the gentle dove Breathes a fresh loveliness o'er tree and flower. Winter is over, and the new-born soul Basks in the beams of heaven, that now control The captive soul, fall powerless to the ground. Jesus has set the weary prisoner free, To breathe a life of love and liberty. Fanned by the golden wings of heaven's dove, The soul brings forth the fruits of peace and love. Winter is over, through the joyous world Creation groans no more, for Jesus reigns, And earth breathes forth her joy in loud and rapturous strains. THE SHIP. "WHEN thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee."-Isaiah xliii. 2. PROUDLY floats the noble bark, And the seaman's eye can mark But the calm portends a blast, Tells of danger lurking nigh; Hark! what wild scream floated past? Furl the sails, ye seamen brave, G Sinner! thou also hast a suit to plead Before the King of kings. A fearful doom Fear not; thou hast a mighty Advocate, Whose pure blood, sprinkled on the mercyseat, Pleads a full pardon; while the gracious hand That leads thee, bears a mark which tells of sin Pardon'd and cancell'd-justice satisfied. That pierced hand can ne'er be rais'd in vain, |