BIRTH-BORN.

JUDAH prevailed above his brethren, and of him came the chief ruler; but the birthright was Joseph's.--I. Chronicles, v. 2.

Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? saith the Lord.--Isaiah, lxvi. 9.

And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.--Luke, i. 14.

Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.--John, iii. 7, 8.

My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you.--Galatians, iv. 19.

Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.--I. John, iii. 9.

ORIENT light,

Exhaling first from darkness, they beheld,
Birthday of heaven and earth.

Milton.

Thou hast been found

By merit, more than birthright, Son of God.

Milton.

While no baseness in my breast I find,
I have not lost the birthright of my mind.

Dryden.

They tell me 't is my birthday, and I'll keep it
With double pomp of sadness;

'Tis what the day deserves which brought me forth.

Mysterious love! that thou must recommence
Life and existence, and be born anew,

Born both of water and of spirit, whence
Spirit comes only, as flesh must flesh ensue:

Dryden.

And where it lists the wind shall blow, whose sound
Thou hearest, but know'st not-none ever knew-
Whence cometh it, nor whither it is bound;
And no man hath ascended into heaven

But he who thence came down, and bore the wound,
And perished that the world might be forgiven.
J. A. Heraud.

Let us learn the wondrous story,
Of our great Redeemer's birth;
Spread the brightness of His glory,
Till it cover all the earth.

Hasten mortals to adore Him,

Till in heaven ye sing before Him.

Cawood.

Are all the memories of life
Buried when life has fled?
Are we forbid to keep again
The birthdays of the dead?
Time was when each successive year
Brought one bright day of mirth,
The looked-for anniversary

Of some belov'd one's birth.

The birthday feasts of childhood's age,
The feasts of riper years,
Remind us of like youthful joys

Remembered now with tears.

For they with whom those days were spent,
Have done with all on earth,
The fond home circle's broken up
That hailed each day of birth.

Yet as the days come round again
Marked with affection's seal,

Once more we think of those we've lost,
Once more their presence feel.

The blessed spirits now in Heaven,
May not such cycles keep,

Time metes not out their happiness,
They know not night or sleep.

Yet may they still retain the thoughts
Commemorating birth,

And haply still they keep in Heaven
The calendar of Earth.

Far off are they, but still towards them
Our loving arms we spread,

And ever in our hearts we'll keep
The birthdays of the dead.

George E. Shirley.

BLESSING-BLESSEDNESS-BLESS.

I WILL bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.-Psalm xxxiv. 1.

Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still 'praising thee.

Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee.-Psalm lxxxiv. 4, 5. Blessings are upon the head of the just, but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.-Proverbs, x. 6.

The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.-Proverbs, x. 22.

Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.-Matthew, v. 8.

I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.-Matthew, v. 44.

Blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.-I. Peter, iii. 9.

O ALL-SUFFICIENT, All-Beneficent!

Thou God of Goodness and of glory, hear!
Thou who to lowest minds dost condescend,
Assuming passions to enforce thy laws,
Adopting jealousy to prove thy love!
Thou who resigned humility upholdest,
E'en as the florist props the drooping rose;
But quellest tyrannic pride with peerless power,
E'en as the tempest drives the stubborn oak!
O All-sufficient, All-beneficent!

Thou God of goodness and of glory, hear!
Bless all mankind, and bring them in the end
To heaven, to immortality, and Thee!

O my soul, with all thy powers,
Bless the Lord's most holy name;
O my soul, till life's last hours,
Bless the Lord, his praise proclaim;
Thine infirmities He healed;

He thy peace and pardon sealed.
As in heaven, his throne and dwelling,
King on earth He holds his sway;
Angels, ye in strength excelling,
Bless the Lord, his voice obey;

All his works beneath the pole,
Bless the Lord, with thee, my soul.

Smart.

J. Montgomery.

Author of being! life-sustaining king!

Lo! want's dependant eye from Thee implores
The seasons, which provide nutritious stores;
Give to her prayers the renovating spring,
And summer's heats all perfecting, that bring
The fruits which autumn, from a thousand shores
Selecteth provident! when earth_adores
Her God, and all her vales. exultory sing.
Without thy blessing the submissive steer
Bends to the ploughman's galling yolk in vain;
Without thy blessing on the varied year,
Can the swarth reaper grasp the golden grain?
Without thy blessing all is blank and drear;
With it the joys of Eden bloom again.

Wordsworth.

Blessed be thy name for ever,
Thou of life the guard and giver;
Thou canst guard the creatures sleeping,
Heal the heart long broke with weeping.
God of stillness and of motion,

Of the desert and the ocean,

Of the mountain, rock, and river,
Blessed be thy name for ever.

Thou who slumberest not, nor sleepest,
Blest are they thou kindly keepest;
God of evening's parting ray,

Of midnight's gloom, and dawning day,
That rises from the azure sea,
Like breathings of eternity;

God of life! that fade shall never,
Blessed be thy name for ever.

James Hogg.

Oh! 't is a sight the soul to cheer,
The promise of the fruitful year,
When God abroad his bounty flings,
And answering nature laughs and sings!
He, "for the evil and the good,"
For them, who with heart's gratitude,
For them, who thanklessly receive
The blessings He vouchsafes to give,
Bids from his storehouse in the skies,
"His rain descend, his sun arise."

Mant.

Thrice blessed they who dwell
Within thine house, my God,
Where daily praises swell,

And still the floor is trod
By those who in thy presence bow,
By those whose King and God art thou.

Blessed are the pure in heart,
For they shall see our God;
The secret of the Lord is theirs,
Their soul is Christ's abode.

Spotless their robes and pure,
Dipped in the sea of light,

J. Montgomery.

That hides the unapproached shrine
From men's and angels' sight.

From darkness, here and dreariness,

We ask not full repose,

Only be thou at hand to bless
Our trial hour of woes.

Is not the pilgrim's toil o'erpaid

By the clear rill and palmy shade?

And see we not, up earth's dark glade,
The gate of Heaven unclose?

Thou that created'st all! Thou fountain
Of our sun's light-who dwellest far
From man, beyond the farthest star,
Yet, ever present; who dost heed
Our spirits in their human need;

We bless thee, Father, that we are!
We bless thee for our inward life;
For its immortal date decreeing;
For that which comprehendeth thee,
A spark of thy divinity,

Which is the being of our being!
We bless thee for this bounteous earth;
For its increase-for corn and wine:
For forest-oaks, for mountain-rills;
For cattle "on a thousand hills;"
We bless thee-for all good is thine!

Keble.

Keble.

Mary Howitt.