The cheerfu' supper done, wi' serious face, His lyart haffets, wearing thin an' bare; And "Let us worship God!" he says, with solemn air. They chaunt their artless notes in simple guise, The tickled ears no heartfelt raptures raise; The priest-like father reads the sacred page, With Amalek's ungracious progeny; Beneath the stroke of Heaven's avenging ire; Or other holy seers that tune the sacred lyre. Perhaps the Christian volume is the theme, How guiltless blood for guilty man was shed; Saw in the sun a mighty angel stand; And heard great Babylon's doom pronounc'd by Heav'n's command. Then kneeling down to Heaven's Eternal King, The saint, the father, and the husband prays: Hope springs exulting on triumphant wing, No more to sigh, or shed the bitter tear; In such society, yet still more dear; While circling time moves round in an eternal sphere. Compared with this, how poor Religion's pride, May hear, well pleased, the language of the soul; And in his book of life the inmates poor enrol. Then homeward all take off their sev'ral way; And proffer up to Heav'n the warm request, O Scotia! my dear, my native soil! For whom my warmest wish to Heaven is sent ; Long may thy hardy sons of rustic toil Be blest with health, and peace, and sweet content! Then, howe'er crowns and coronets be rent, And stand a wall of fire around their much-loved Isle. O Thou! who pour'd the patriotic tide That stream'd through Wallace's undaunted heart; Who dared to nobly stem tyrannic pride, Or nobly die, the second glorious part; (The patriot's God, peculiarly thou art, His friend, inspirer, guardian, and reward!) O never, never, Scotia's realm desert; But still the patriot, and the patriot-bard, In bright succession raise, her ornament and guard! 1. What are the signs of this chill November day's close? 2. Which day of the week is it? day night comes? 4. Where is his cot situated? Burns. 20. With what do they sing, which is better than the finest instrument ?. 21. Name these church tunes and char Satur-acterize them. 6. What are the things that make him forget his cares and toil? 7. How are the elder bairns employed during the week? 8. Name the eldest daughter. 9. What may she be bringing with her? 10. Why is she so careful of her wages? 11. Describe the affectionate meeting of the brothers and sisters. 12. What thoughts fill the parents' minds at seeing them all around? 13. How is this good mother employed? 14. How is this christian father employed? 15. Repeat the several portions of the father's advice to them. 16. What is every one's duty morning and night? 17. After supper in what holy exercise do they engage? 18. Describe the father as he holds the Bible before him. 19. In what way do they sing God's praises? 22. What favourite portions may the father read in the Old Testament ? 23. What portions in the New Testament, here called christian volume ? 24. Which of the Apostles was banished to Patmos ? 25. Who is the saint, the father, and the husband? 26. What glorious hope fills the bosom of parents and children? 27. Is not true religion a matter of the heart? 28. How are the "parent-pair" employed when their family retire? 29. What is the chief blessing they pray for to their children? 30. Repeat the warm wishes of the bard in regard to his dear native land. 31. Can there be a fairer sight on earth than a family joining in the worship of God? 32. May not those families expect a peculiar blessing that raise the family altar? 33. Who will quote Joshua xxiv. 15. to me? THERE is no flock, however watched and tended, But one dead lamb is there! There is no fireside, howsoe'er defended, But has one vacant chair! The air is full of farewells to the dying, The heart of Rachel,1 for her children crying, Let us be patient! These severe afflictions But oftentimes celestial benedictions Assume this dark disguise. We see but dimly through the mists and vapours; What seem to us but sad, funereal tapers, May be heaven's distant lamps. There is no Death! What seems so is transition; This life of mortal breath Is but a suburb of the life Elysian,2 She is not dead, the child of our affection,- Where she no longer needs our poor protection, In that great cloister's stillness and seclusion, Safe from temptation, safe from sin's pollution, Day after day, we think what she is doing Year after year, her tender steps pursuing, Behold her grown more fair. Thus do we walk with her, and keep unbroken The bond which nature gives, Thinking that our remembrance, though unspoken, May reach her where she lives. 1 Rachel, see Jeremiah xxxi, 15. and Matt. ii, 18. 2 Elysian, of or belonging to Elysium. Elysium, in ancient mythology, was a place assigned to the pious souls after death, furnished with rich fields, groves, shades, streams, &c.; the seat of happiness. Heaven. Not as a child1 shall we again behold her, In our embraces we again enfold her, But a fair maiden, in her Father's mansion, And beautiful with all the soul's expansion And though at times, impetuous with emotion The swelling heart heaves moaning like the ocean, We will be patient, and assuage the feeling 1. Is there any family that escapes the visit of death? 2. What have you to tell me about Rachel ? 3. Who are represented by her? 4. What are severe afflictions to the believer in Christ? 5. Do we see things clearly in our present imperfect state? 6. What does the poet call Death? 7. What does he call our present state of existence ? 8. Where was his young daughter now, who had been snatched from them by the hand of Death? 9. What mean you by the great cloister? Longfellow. 10. In what circumstances was she there ? 11. Do the sorrowing parents ever think about her? 12. What thoughts about their daughter often pass through their mind? 13. What mean you by the" bond which nature gives"? 14. What do the parents expect she will have become before they meet her in heaven? 15. Is there any word in Scripture to countenance such an idea? 16. Though a Christian feels deeply the loss of those he loves, need he despair? 17. What do you mean by "sleeping in Christ" ? 1 "Not as a child,"-see, Isaiah lxv, 20. and 1 Cor. xiii, 11. New-fledged', adj. Will, n. |