Taking of Sorrow's heart a desert sweet,
Of Pity's tears a chose 1 luscious drink.
Earth hath no hydra dire, hell hath no fiend,
Nor the great Spirit one grim rival like it!
The scorn of Cubans e'er should be revenge!
"Do they love in heaven?" the maiden asked; She sat at her pastor's feet,
A girl who oft in the sun had basked,
Till her cheek grew brown with heat. "Do they love in heaven? I would not be
An angel that could not love: O, dearer the crown of mortality,
Than any they wear above;
Unless the heart is a changeless thing,
And carries its truth to heaven;
I'd spurn the gift of an angel's wing,
If love were not also given!"
"The heart is not a changeless thing,
Young maiden," the Pere replied;
There is not strength in an angel's wing
To lift a spirit of pride!
thither the weight of sin
That burdens thee where thou art?
O, maiden, repeat that thought again,
Ere asking a changeless heart.
A changeless heart! what a dreary thought
To the spirit that burdened lies,
With its chain of woe so heavily fraught,
It struggles in vain to rise !"
"Then they do not love in that brighter land,
Where they walk on gold-fringed stars,—
Where cherubim dance, hand linked in hand,
And tinkle their sweet guitars?
O, father, why tell me that I must go
To a loveless home on high?
Far sweeter with those that I love below,
In the cold, dark grave to lie!
The roses will sleep, and the birds will sing,
And my lambs will gayly rove;
And I shall be-not a desolate thing,
Immortal, with none to love!"
"Hush, hush! young maiden ;-with none to love?
O, cheerless indeed would be
A home below or a home above,
Where our love could not be free!
Yes, yes; the heart, in all its change,
Adds vigor and depth to Love ;
And free as a bird that heart will range
Forever and ever above,
To find enough of the thousands there,
To feed with its wastless store,
Yet ever and ever, as ages wear,
Will gather still more and more!"
How softly on the bruised heart
A word of kindness falls,
And from the dry and parched soul
The moistening tear-drop calls!
Oh, if they knew, who walk the earth
'Mid sorrow, grief, and pain,
The power a word of kindness hath,
"Twere paradise again.
To give a cup of water; yet its draught
Of cool refreshment, drain'd by ferver'd lips,
May give a shock of pleasure to the frame
More exquisite than when nectarean juice
Renews the life of joy in happiest hours.
It is a little thing to speak a phrase
Of common comfort, which by daily use
Has almost lost its sense; yet on the ear
Of him who thought to die unmourn'd, 'twill fall
Like choicest music; fill the glazing eye
With gentle tears; relax the knotted hand
To know the bonds of fellowship again ;
And shed on the departing soul a sense,
More precious than the bension of friends
About the honoured death-bed of the rich, To him who else were lonely, that another Of the great family is near and feels.
Think gently of the Erring!
Ye know not of the power
With which the dark temptation came,
In some unguarded hour.
Ye may not know how earnestly
They struggled, or how well,
Until the hour of weakness came,
And sadly thus they fell.
Think gently of the Erring!
Oh do not thou forget,
However darkly stain❜d by sin,
He is thy brother yet.
Heir to the self-same heritage !
Child of the self-same God'
He hath but stumbled in the path,
THOU hast in weakness trod.
Speak gently to the Erring!
For is it not enough
That innocence and peace are gone,
Without the censure rough?
It sure must be a weary lot,
That sin-crushed heart to bear-
And they who share a happier fate
Their chidings well may spare.
Speak kindly to the Erring!
Thou yet may'st lead them back
With holy words, and tones of love,
From Misery's thorny track,
Forget not thou hast often sinned,
And sinful yet may be,
Deal gently with the erring one,
As God hath dealt with thee.
CHARITY IN THE MILLENNIUM.
SINGING OF HER MISSION AND VICTORY.
On errands far and speedy
I went the kingdoms o'er,
And all the poor and needy
Are blest in soul and store.
On hearts grown hard with slaughter
I smote the rod of God
And loveliness like water
Runs flowing all abroad.
On prayers for heavenly union
I dealt my dear delights;
And iu one wide communion
The loving world unites.
Hail day, all blest, all-glorious!
Hail year of long repose !
With you I rise victorious,
With you my triumphs close!
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