CHRISTIAN'S BOOK OF GEMS.
GOD of my fathers! holy, just, and good;
My God! my Father! my unfailing hope :
Jehovah! let the incense of my praise,
Accepted, burn before thy mercy-seat,
And in thy presence burn, both day and night.
Maker! Preserver! my Redeemer God!
Whom have I in the heavens but Thee alone!
On earth, but Thee, whom should I praise, whom
For thou hast brought me hitherto, upheld
By thy omnipotence; and from thy grace
Unbought, unmerited, though not unsought,
The wells of thy salvation, hast refresh'd
My spirit, watering it at morn and even;
And by thy Spirit, which thou freely giv'st
To whom thou wilt, hast led my venturous song,
Over the vale and mountain track, the light
And shade of man; into the burning deep
Descending now, and now encircling the mount,
Where highest sits Divinity, enthroned;
Rolling along the tide of fluent thought,
The tide of moral, natural, divine;
Gazing on past and present; and again
On rapid pinion borne, outstripping time,
In long excursion, wandering through the groves
Unfading, and the endless avenues,
That shade the landscape of eternity;
And talking there with holy angels met,
And future men, in glorious vision seen!
Nor unrewarded have I watch'd at night,
And heard the drowsy sound of neighbouring sleep.
New thought, new imagery, new scenes of bliss
And glory, unrehearsed by mortal tongue,
Which unreveal'd, I, trembling, turn'd and left,
Bursting at once upon my ravish'd eye,
With joy unspeakable have fill'd my soul,
And made my cup run over with delight;
Though in my face the blast of adverse winds,
While boldly circumnavigating man,
Winds seeming adverse, though perhaps not so,
Have beat severely, disregarded beat,
When I, behind me, heard the voice of God,
And his propitious Spirit say, "fear not!"
God of my fathers! ever-present God!
This offering more, inspire, sustain, accept;
Highest, if numbers answer to the theme;
Best answering, if thy spirit dictate most.
Jehovah! breathe upon my soul; my heart
Enlarge; my faith increase; increase my hope;
My thoughts exalt; my fancy sanctify,
And all my passions, that I near thy throne
May venture unreproved, and sing the day
Which none unholy ought to name, the Day
Of Judgment! greatest day past or to come!
Day, which-deny me what thou wilt, deny
Me home, or friend, or honourable name—
Thy mercy grant, I, thoroughly prepared
With comely garment of redeeming love,
May meet, and have my Judge for advocate.
DIMM'D by the distance and the hazy sky,
On ocean's farthest verge a vessel lay;
Long had I watch'd it on its gentle way, Till now, scarce seen, it faded on the eye : Wedded in thought and varying sympathy, I communed with the souls it did convey. And kind Affection's and Hope's cheering ray Sent o'er the waters, with Compassion's sigh.How little thought the solitary crew,
'Mid the lone ocean, of a friendly care,
Whose eye and heart still held them in its view, And breathed for them a supplicating prayer: Nor knoweth man what love his steps attend, What unseen Being is his guardian friend.
A CHRISTIAN MOTHER ON THE
THERE was the parting sigh;
With that the spirit fled,
And winged its flight on high,
And left the body dead.
No prayers, no tears, its flight could stay, 'Twas Jesus call'd the soul away.
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