present generation of this Parish introduced, in succession, into our village congregation, to participate in the church-service. You all entered at that time into an engagement, that your example of piety, devotion, and punctuality, should be deserving the approbation of your neighbourhood.

However dispersed in the preceding week by diversity of occupation, yet, in the house of God, we meet all the dear inhabitants of this Vale without distinction in His sight, and participate in the comforts of SOCIAL WORSHIP. The rich and the poor, the young and the aged, all now acknowledging the insecure tenure by which we hold the present life: and, here assembled, we raise our hearts and minds to a happier and better world, trusting in the promises of Him, who keepeth his promise for ever!

Yon taper spire reminds us of many local attachments and home-bred virtues. The tenderest sympathies bind us to our village environs; a living spirit seems to be guardian of this peaceful spot where all should be united in bonds of christian love; where, daily, we may be employed in educating the poor; in eliciting kindly feelings of our neighbours: " each in his own place, cherishing and patronizing our own dependants, loving our own children, pursuing our highest interest both here and hereafter; thus fulfilling the design of a wise and kind Providence."

SABBATH EVENING.

TO OUR VILLAGE-BELLS,

ON A RETURN TO THE VILLAGE OF

Again we walk these flowery dells,
And on the ear your music swells,
On Sabbath Evenings, this blest time,
Our village-church pours forth its chime.

But when
your solemn tones were giv❜n,
And parting-spirits claim'd by Heav'n :
You gently sooth'd the mind to peace,
And bade all worldly passions cease!

Anon, we hail'd the festal-day,
When peals gave out the roundelay!
When rising-bells, borne on the breeze,
So blithly spake of heart-felt ease.

Oft thus we muse:-our bosoms own
A magic in your varying tone:

And your dear voice, our children tells,
Their mother's love of village bells!

Invited, occasionally, by the beauties of the evening hour, we linger in the attractive, circumjacent fields of our village-church, listening to the receding sound of its bells; imagining they announce the

great Jubilee, when," this land is become like the Garden of Eden."* And as the sun descends, and the moon rises so slowly and majestically over yon eastern hill, we indulge in opening the cells of memory, where dwell the treasures of our poets and christian philosophers, who taught our youthful bosoms to read with transport "The spacious Firmament on high." Their instructions come to the soul like sounds of celestial harmony from the spheres, waking around us: and in these open fields we indulge in the meditations of our sublime poet, who imagined himself joining in the concert of praise and adoration with invisible beings, till the sound of their harp vibrates on the chords of the human heart.

"So sung they, and the empyrean rung

"With hallelujahs:-thus was sabbath kept."+

You will occasionally find that words fail, and language is too weak to express due homage: mental devotion arises in the soul like the dew, gentle and unheard, yet vivifying and nourishing the seeds committed to the bosom of the earth. Much do we owe thee, beautiful meadows! so tranquil yet gay, how well calculated to inspire devotional feelings: our fond asylum against the storms encountered in other scenes, and of which we here try to banish the remembrance as the breeze from woodbine hedge-rows

* Vide Ezekiel xxxvi. 35.

+ Milton.

breathes of peace. Of this favourite path, this chosen spot, have we made a friend that seems always to welcome our approach. The genius of the place often prompts to high musing, while the setting sun rejoices to open his splendour to our view, like some vision of blissful enchantment. And the lofty but bland spirit of devotion of King David, shall it not still be imitated by humbler mortals, when the soul is called forth in contemplating a richly diversified picture of creation? O, let us also then become glad and grateful worshippers, and this sweetest of symphonies, be it prolonged to the latest period of recorded time. A second Paradise will bloom around us in learning to contemplate this fair creation, while the faculties are in their highest state of susceptibility for delightful impressions.

PARAPHRASE OF PSALM CIV.

BY THE LATE OADE ROBERTS, ESQ.

Bless Jehovah, my soul! Jehovah, my God! thou art very great, thou art arrayed in glory and beauty!

Covering thyself with light as with a garment, stretching forth the heavens like a pavilion.

Who frameth his chambers amidst the waters, who maketh the thick clouds his chariot, who proceedeth upon the wings of the wind.

Who rendereth the winds his agents; his attendants, a flame of fire.