A HUNDRED YEARS FROM NOW.

MRS. MARY A. FORD ("UNA.")

HE surging sea of human life forever onward rolls,

And bears to the eternal shore its daily freight of souls;

Though bravely sails our bark to-day, pale death

sits at the prow,

And few shall know we ever lived a hundred years from now.

O mighty human brotherhood! why fiercely war and strive, While God's great world has ample space for everything

alive?

Broad fields, uncultured and unclaimed, are waiting for the

plow

Of progress that shall make them bloom a hundred years from now.

Why should we try so earnestly in life's short narrow span, On golden stairs to climb so high above our brother man? Why blindly at an earthly shrine in slavish homage bow? Our gold will rust, ourselves be dust, a hundred years from

now!

Why prize so much the world's applause? Why dread so much its blame?

A fleeting echo is its voice of censure or of fame;

The praise that thrills the heart, the scorn that dyes with shame the brow,

Will be as long-forgotten dreams a hundred years from now.

O patient hearts, that meekly bear your weary load of wrong! O earnest hearts, that bravely dare, and, striving, grow more

strong!

Press on till perfect peace is won; you'll never dream of how You struggled o'er life's thorny road a hundred years from

now.

Grand, lofty souls, who live and toil that freedom, right and truth

Alone may rule the universe, for you is endless youth; When 'mid the blest, with God you rest, the grateful lands shall bow

Above your clay in rev'rent love a hundred years from now.

Earth's empires rise and fall, O Time! like breakers on thy

shore;

They rush upon thy rocks of doom, go down, and are no

more;

The starry wilderness of worlds that gem night's radiant

brow

Will light the skies for other eyes a hundred years from now.

Our Father, to whose sleepless eyes the past and future stand

An open page, like babes we cling to thy protecting hand; Change, sorrow, death are naught to us if we may safely bow Beneath the shadow of Thy throne, a hundred years from

now.

CHRISTMAS CHIMES.

VARIOUS AUTHORS.

Rise, happy morn, rise, holy morn,

Draw forth the cheerful day from night;
O Father, touch the east, and light
The light that shone when Hope was born.

This day

-TENNYSON.

Shall change all griefs and quarrels into love.

Light on thy hills, Jerusalem!

-SHAKSPERE.

The Savior now is born!

And bright on Bethlehem's joyous plains

Breaks the first Christmas morn.

--E. H. SEARS.

This happy day, whose risen sun
Shall set not through eternity;
This holy day when Christ, the Lord,

Took on Him our humanity.

PHEBE CARY.

Immortal Babe, who this dear day,
Didst change Thine Heaven for our clay,
And didst with flesh thy God-head veil,
Eternal Son of God, all hail!

-BISHOP HALL.

There's a song in the air, there's a star in the sky, There's a mother's deep prayer, and a baby's low cry, And the star rains its fire while the beautiful sing, For the manger of Bethlehem cradles a king.

-JOSIAH GILBERT HOLLAND.

With gentle deeds and kindly thoughts

And loving words, withal,

Welcome the merry Christmas in,

And hear a brother's call.

--F. LAWRENCE.

But the star that shines in Bethlehem

Shines still, and shall not cease,

And we listen still to the tidings

Of glory and of peace.

-ADELAIDE A. PROCTER.

Who taught mankind on that first Christmas day,
What 'twas to be a man; to give, not take;
To serve, not rule; to nourish, not devour;
To help, not crush; if need, to die, not live?

The poor will many a care forget,

The debtor think not of his debt.

But as they each enjoy their cheer,

--C. KINGSLEY.

Wish that 'twere Christmas all the year.

--THOMAS MILLER.

CHRISTMAS CHIMES.

'Twas Christmas broached the mightiest ale;
'Twas Christmas told the merriest tale;
A Christmas gambol oft could cheer

The poor man's heart through half the year.

SIR WALTER SCOTT.

As fits the holy Christmas birth,

Be this, good friends, our carol stillBe peace on earth, be peace on earth,

To men of gentle will.

-W. M. THACKERAY.

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