The dearest offering He can crave
His portion in our souls to prove,
What is it to the gift He gave,

The only Son of His dear love?

But we, like vexed unquiet sprites,
Will still be hovering o'er the tomb,
Where buried lie our vain delights,
Nor sweetly take a sinner's doom.

In Life's long sickness evermore

Our thoughts are tossing to and fro : We change our posture o'er and o'er, But cannot rest, nor cheat our woe.

Were it not better to lie still,

Let Him strike home, and bless the rod, Never so safe as when our will

Yields undiscerned by all but God?

Thy precious things, whate'er they be

That haunt and vex thee, heart and brain,

Look at the Cross, and thou shalt see

How thou may'st turn them all to gain!

Lovest thou praise? the Cross is shame :
Or ease the Cross is bitter grief:
More pangs than tongue or heart can frame
Were suffered there without relief.

We of that altar would partake,

no throne

But cannot quit the cost-
Is ours, to leave for Thy dear sake -
We cannot do as Thou hast done.

We cannot part with Heaven for Thee
Yet guide us in Thy track of love:
Let us gaze on where light should be,
Though not a beam the clouds remove.

So wanderers ever fond and true

Look homeward through the evening sky,
Without a streak of Heaven's soft blue
To aid Affection's dreaming eye.

The wanderer seeks his native bower,
And we will look and long for Thee,
And thank Thee for each trying hour,
Wishing, not struggling, to be free.

KEBLE.

LIGHT AMID DARKNESS.

"But unto you that fear my name, shall the Sun of Righteousness arise, with healing in His wings."

SOMETIMES a light surprises

The Christian as he sings;

It is the Lord who rises

With healing on His wings :

When comforts are declining,
He grants the soul again
A season of clear shining

To cheer it after rain.

In holy contemplation

We sweetly then pursue
The theme of God's salvation,
And find it ever new ;
Set free from present sorrow,
We cheerfully can stay,
E'en let the unknown tomorrow
Bring with it what it may.

It can bring with it nothing
But He will bear us through;
Who gives the lilies clothing
Will clothe His people too.
Beneath the spreading heavens
No creature but is fed;
And He, who feeds the ravens,
Will give His children bread.

Though vine nor fig-tree neither
Their wonted fruit should bear,
Though all the field should wither,
Nor flocks nor herds be there;

Yet God the same abiding,

His praise shall tune my voice;
For, while in Him confiding,
I cannot but rejoice.

WM. COWPER.

PRACTICAL DEVOTION.

"Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another."

FATHER of our feeble race!

Wise, beneficent and kind!
Spread o'er nature's ample face,
Flows Thy goodness unconfined.
Musing in the silent grove,

Or the busy walks of men,
Still we trace Thy wondrous love,
Claiming large returns again.

Lord what offering shall we bring
At Thy altar when we bow?
Hearts,

the pure, unsullied spring Whence the kind affections flow! Soft Compassion's feeling soul,

By the melting eye expressed!

Sympathy, at whose control,

Sorrow leaves the wounded breast!

Willing hands to lead the blind,

Bind the wounded, feed the poor!

Love, embracing all our kind!
Charity, with liberal store!

Teach us, O Thou Heavenly King!
Thus to show our grateful mind;
Thus th' accepted offering bring,—
Love to Thee and all mankind!

JANE TAYLOR.

GRACE AND GRATITUDE.

LORD! come too many gifts from Thee For us to mark each gift?

Down streams Thy grace too plenteously Our spirits up to lift?

Thy light would glorify our lot;

Thyself besets our way:

And yet Thine ingrates feel Thee not, And yet Thy pilgrims stray.

Still sometimes glorious grows the road,
And grateful raptures come;
All close and tender feels our God, -
All near appears our home.

Some sweet surprise our souls doth take Straight to the heavenly Throne :

Some sudden blaze of bliss doth make The Lord's bright Presence known.

Or midst some mighty woe awhile
Our gracious God appears,

And strangely beams th' Eternal Smile
Amid the mortal tears.