And soon, too soon, the wintry hour
Of man's maturer age

Will shake the soul with sorrow's power,
And stormy passion's rage.

O thou, whose infant feet were found
Within thy Father's shrine,

Whose years, with changeless virtue crowned,
Were all alike divine:

Dependent on thy bounteous breath,
We seek thy grace alone,

In childhood, manhood, age, and death.
To keep us still thine own.

WORK, FOR THE NIGHT IS COMING.

Work, for the night is coming,

Work through the morning hours;
Work while the dew is sparkling,
Work 'mid springing flowers;
Work when the day grows brighter,
Work in the glowing sun;
Work, for the night is coming,
When man's work is done.
Work, for the night is coming,
Work through the sunny noon;
Fill brightest hours with labor,
Rest comes sure and soon:
Give every flying minute
Something to keep in store:
Work, for the night is coming,
When man works no more.

Work, for the night is coming,
Under the sunset skies;
While the bright tints are glowing,
Work, for daylight flies:
Work, till the last beam fadeth,
Fadeth to shine no more;
Work, while the night is dark’ning,
When man's work is o'er.

BLEST BE THE TIE.

Blest be the tie that binds

Our hearts in Christian love: The fellowship of kindred minds Is like to that above.

Before our Father's throne

We pour united prayers;

Our fears, our hopes, our aims are one,
Our comforts and our cares.

We share our mutual woes,

Our mutual burdens bear; And often for each other flows The sympathizing tear.

When we asunder part,

It gives us inward pain;
But we shall still be joined in heart,
And hope to meet again.

From sorrow, toil and pain,

And sin, we shall be free; And perfect love and friendship reign Throughout eternity.

NUN DANKET ALLE GOTT.

Now thank we all our God,

With heart and hands and voices!

Who wondrous things hath done,
In whom his earth rejoices;

Who from our mother's arms
Hath blessed us on our way

With countless gifts of love;
And still is ours to-day.

Oh, may this bounteous God

Through all our life be near us!

With ever joyful hearts

And blessed peace to cheer us;

And keep us in his grace,

And guide us when perplexed,

And free us from all ills

In this world and the next.

THE SPACIOUS FIRMAMENT.

The spacious firmament on high,
With all the blue, ethereal sky,

And spangled heavens, a shining frame,

Their great Original proclaim.

The unwearied sun, from day to day,

Does his Creator's power display,

And publishes to every land

The work of an Almighty hand.

Soon as the evening shades prevail,

The moon takes up the wondrous tale, And nightly to the listening earth

Repeats the story of her birth;

Whilst all the stars that round her burn, And all the planets in their turn, Confirm the tidings as they roll,

And spread the truth from pole to pole.

What though in solemn silence all
Move round this dark, terrestrial ball?
What though no real voice nor sound
Amidst their radiant orbs be found?
In reason's ear they all rejoice,
And utter forth a glorious voice;
Forever singing, as they shine-
"The hand that made us is divine."

MISSIONARY HYMN.

From Greenland's icy mountains, from India's coral strand;
Where Afric's sunny fountains roll down their golden sand;
From many an ancient river, from many a palmy plain,
They call us to deliver their land from error's chain.

What though the spicy breezes blow soft o'er Ceylon's isle,
Though every prospect pleases, and only man is vile;
In vain with lavish kindness, the gifts of God are strown;
The heathen, in his blindness, bows down to wood and stone.
Shall we, whose souls are lighted with wisdom from on high,
Shall we, to men benighted, the lamp of life deny?
Salvation! O salvation! the joyful sound proclaim,
Till earth's remotest nation has learned Messiah's name.
Waft, waft, ye winds, his story, and you, ye waters, roll,
Till, like a sea of glory, it spreads from pole to pole;
Till o'er our ransomed nature, the Lamb for sinners slain,
Redeemer, King, Creator, in bliss returns to reign.

JESUS, LOVER OF MY SOUL.

Jesus, lover of my soul, let me to thy bosom fly,
While the billows near me roll, while the tempest still is high.
Hide me, O my Saviour, hide, till the storm of life be past;
Safe into the haven guide; O receive my soul at last.

Other refuge have I none, hangs my helpless soul on thee;
Leave, ah! leave me not alone, still support and comfort me;
All my trust on thee is staid, all my help from thee I bring;
Cover my defenceless head with the shadow of thy wing.
Plenteous grace with thee is found, grace to pardon all my sin;
Let the healing streams abound, make and keep me pure within
Thou of life the fountain art, freely let me take of thee:
Spring thou up within my heart, rise to all eternity.

I WOULD NOT LIVE ALWAY.

I would not live alway: I ask not to stay
Where storm after storm rises dark o'er the way;
The few lurid mornings that dawn on us here,
Are enough for life's woes, full enough for its cheer.

I would not live alway thus fettered by sin,
Temptation without and corruption within:
E'en the rapture of pardon is mingled with fears,
And the cup of thanksgiving with penitent tears.

I would not live alway; no—welcome the tomb,
Since Jesus hath lain there, I dread not its gloom;
There, sweet be my rest, till he bid me arise,
To hail him in triumph descending the skies.

Who, who would live alway, away from his God,
Away from yon heaven, that blissful abode,

Where the rivers of pleasure flow o'er the bright plains,
And the noontide of glory eternally reigns?

Where the saints of all ages in harmony meet,
Their Saviour and brethren, transported to greet;
While the anthems of rapture unceasingly roll,
And the smile of the Lord is the feast of the soul.

COME, YE DISCONSOLATE.

Come, ye disconsolate, where'er ye languish;
Come to the mercy-seat, fervently kneel;

Here bring your wounded hearts, here tell your anguish ; Earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot heal.

Joy of the desolate, light of the straying,

Hope of the penitent, fadeless and pure,

Here speaks the Comforter, tenderly saying,

Earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot cure."

Here see the bread of life; see waters flowing

Forth from the throne of God, pure from above; Come to the feast of love; come, ever knowing Earth has no sorrow but heaven can remove.

THE NINETY AND NINE.

There were ninety and nine that safely lay
In the shelter of the fold,

But one was out on the hills away,
Far off from the gates of gold-

Away on the mountains wild and bare,
Away from the tender Shepherd's care.

Lord, thou hast here thy ninety and nine;
Are they not enough for thee?"

But the Shepherd made answer:

"Tis of mine has wandered away from me
And although the road be rough and steep
I go to the desert to find my sheep."

But none of the ransomed ever knew

How deep were the waters crossed;

Nor how dark was the night that the Lord passed thro
Ere he found his sheep that was lost.

Out in the desert he heard its cry-
Sick and helpless, and ready to die.

But all through the mountains, thunder-riven,
And up from the rocky steep,

There arose a cry to the gate of heaven,

Rejoice! I have found my sheep!"

And the angels echoed around the throne,
Rejoice, for the Lord brings back His own!"

PRAYER.

Prayer is the soul's sincere desire,
Unuttered or expressed;

The motion of a hidden fire
That trembles in the breast.

Prayer is the burden of a sigh,
The falling of a tear;

The upward glancing of an eye,
When none but God is near.

Prayer is the simplest form of speech
That infant lips can try;

Prayer the sublimest strains that reach
The Majesty on high.

Prayer is the contrite sinner's voice
Returning from his ways,

While angels in their songs rejoice,
And say " Behold, he prays."

Prayer is the Christian's vital breath,
The Christian's native air,

His watchword at the gate of death:
He enters heaven with prayer.

FLEE AS A BIRD.

Flee as a bird to your mountain,
Thou who art weary of sin;
Go to the clear-flowing fountain,

Where you may wash and be clean;

Fly, for tho avenger is near thee,
Call and the Saviour will hear thee,
He on his bosom will bear thee,

Oh, thou who art weary of sin.

He will protect thee forever,
Wipe every falling tear;