Zacchæus ran before,

And climbed to see him up a sycomore,
Nor guessed the Saviour's eye

Would notice, as mid thousands He passed by;
And one there was who knew

That Jesus by a word his works could do,
And would not have him come

Within a Gentile soldier's humble home :
These were the men who heard

Salvation's gracious word.

It was the Saviour's boast

That he had come to seek and save the lost,
And oh! most tenderly

He showed to all his love and sympathy,
Nor was it only then

That Jesus ministered to sinful men ;
Still does his watchful eye

Take note of every tear, of every sigh:
So kind and yet so just

Is he in whom we trust.

STRANGE CHILDREN.

Though Israel believe not, yet will I be glorified."

That voice of power and love,

That heaven-sent voice which hearts of stone could move, Once heard on Zion's hill,

Is silent now and still.

What, Israel, hast thou done, That the beloved one from thee has gone? To thee in love he came

Hast thou despised his name?

Worse still-thou didst betray

Thy Lord and King to Gentile hands to slay;
His life for thee he gave-

Thou brought'st him to the grave !

Thought'st thou the grave could hold

Him who created all in time of old?

Thought'st thou the pains of death
Could quench the immortal breath?

Let the earth, which trembled, say, Where now his body, in its tomb which lay; His soul-it went below;

Lies it in Hades now?

A high and glorious throne

Above the Heavens has now the Eternal Son; His name abroad is spread,

The Firstborn from the dead.

Why should the nations grope

Longer in darkness, unillumed by hope?

The reign of Death is o'er,

Christ reigns for evermore.

Great Quickener of the dead,

Once more thy living power on Israel shed,
Till all are captive led,

And Death itself is dead :

Then, thy great work complete,

Thou with thy Father take that glorious seat, Where, ere the worlds were made,

Thou sat'st and wast obeyed.

104

THE SPIRIT AND THE MUSE.

THE BLOOD OF THE ATONEMENT.

“The blood of Jesus that speaketh better things than that of Abel.”

When Cain had spilt his brother's blood,

Earth, which drank up the purple flood,
Cried to the God of Heaven to ban

With awful curse that wicked man.

The blood of Jesus, who was slain

By his own brethren, worse than Cain,
Pleads with the Father to forgive,

And let the guilty sinners live.

O precious stream! mysterious blood

Which from the side of Jesus flowed !
Balm of the soul ! sure pledge and sign

Thou, Lord, art ours, and we are thine.