RHYMES WITH A REASON.

By B.

"But how the subject theme may gang,
Let time and chance determine;

Perhaps it may turn out a sang,

Perhaps turn out a sermon."

BURNS.

LONDON:

PIPER, STEPHENSON, & SPENCE,

23, PATERNOSTER ROW.

1857.

280,334

SUMFIELD AND JONES, PRINTERS, WEST HARDING STREET, FETTER LANE.

IBLIC

SAN

RHYMES WITH A REASON.

HUMAN NATURE.

JUDGE not those ancient Jews! they were but men
The same fierce passions still our hearts assail :
If the great Saviour came on earth again,
Poor, meek, and lowly-'twere the old, old tale-
They would be ready yet a cross to raise ;

The tongues that taunted then, the hands that tied,
Would find successors in these "better" days;
And still the cry would be, "Let Him be crucified !"

It is the same old story, aye the same:
Man, in his nature fierce, untaught, and rude,
Till holier feelings come the heart to tame,
Is but the beast that cryeth out for blood;
The passion in the breast but slumbereth-
Six thousand years ago a man was slain,
And India showeth in her fields of death
The bloody legacy, the handiwork of Cain!

MY BROTHER.

"Love one another.'

LET me have your hand, my brother,
Let these weary strivings cease;
We have hated one another,

Let us be at peace.

In the eyes of Him who made us
We are equal-the same ends

And hopes the same great GOD and Saviour.
Shall we not be friends?

Come up higher, where we're standing;
Though your speech be plain and rough,
You can pray; and if He hear you
Is not that enough?

Come up higher, oh! my brother,
Bent and worn and toil-embrowned,
Yet to Him thou'rt dear and comely
If thy heart be sound.

We have left you to your labour,
With nor help nor kindly word;
And we know your cries to Heaven
Will in heaven be heard-

Heard against us: we have shunn'd you,
Called
66
you common and unclean,"

Though we know the Lord was ever

With the poor man seen.

It is time to love each other,

Time for all our strife to cease;

Time to join our hearts, my brother;
Time to be at peace!

Come to us and we will help you,
See your little ones are fed ;
Ere we talk to you of heaven,
We will give you bread.

If we seek you sleek and wealthy,
While in rags and want you move—
How can you believe in mercy,
Justice, truth, or love?

We have said we love our Maker
Dearly, deeply-is it true?

Can we love Him (He has said it)
If we love not you?

Let me have your hand, my brother
Equals the same hopes and ends—
With the same great GOD and Saviour,
Shall we not be friends?