He knew not, but there are who know :

The Matron, who alone hath stood, When not a prop seem'd left below,

The first lorn hour of widowhood, Yet cheer'd and cheering all, the while, With sad but unaffected smile ;

The Father, who his vigil keeps

By the sad couch whence hope hath flown, Watching the eye where reason sleeps,

Yet in his heart can mercy own,
Still sweetly yielding to the rod,
Still loving man, still thanking God;-

The Christian Pastor, bow'd to earth

With thankless toil, the vile esteemid,
Still travailing in second birth

Of souls that will not be redeemd,
Yet stedfast set to do his part,
And fearing most his own vain heart ;-

These know : on these look long and well,

Cleansing thy sight by prayer and faith,

And thou shalt know what secret spell

Preserves them in their living death:
Through sevenfold flames thine eye shall see
The Saviour walking with his faithful Three.

TWENTIETH SUNDAY AFTER

TRINITY.

Hear, O ye mountains, the Lord's controversy, and ye strong foundations of the earth. Micah vi. 7.

WHERE is thy favour'd haunt, eternal Voice,

The region of thy choice,
Where, undisturb'd by sin and earth, the soul

Owns thine entire control ? -
'Tis on the mountain's summit dark and high,

When storms are hurrying by : 'Tis ’mid the strong foundations of the earth,

Where torrents have their birth.

No sounds of worldly toil, ascending there,

Mar the full burst of prayer ;
Lone Nature feels that she may freely breathe,

And round us and beneath
Are heard her sacred tones: the fitful sweep

Of winds across the steep,
Through wither'd bents romantic note and clear,

Meet for a hermit's ear,

The wheeling kite's wild solitary cry,

And, scarcely heard so high,
The dashing waters when the air is still

From many a torrent rill
That winds unseen beneath the shaggy fell,

Track'd by the blue mist well :
Such sounds as make deep silence in the heart

For Thought to do her part.

"Tis then we hear the voice of God within,

Pleading with care and sin : “ Child of my love ! how have I wearied thee?

“ Why wilt thou err from me? “ Have I not brought thee from the house of slaves,

“ Parted the drowning waves,

“ And set my saints before thee in the way,

“ Lest thou should'st faint or stray ?

“ What ? was the promise made to thee alone ?

“ Art thou th' excepted one ? “ An heir of glory without grief or pain ?

“ O vision false and vain ! “ There lies thy cross; beneath it meekly bow;

“ It fits thy stature now : 66 Who scornful pass it with averted eye,

“ 'Twill crush them by and by.

“ Raise thy repining eyes, and take true measure

66 Of thine eternal treasure; 6 The Father of thy Lord can grudge thee nought,

66 The world for thee was bought, “ And as this landscape broad-earth, sea, and sky,

66 All centers in thine eye, “ So all God does, if rightly understood,

“ Shall work thy final good.”

TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY AFTER

TRINITY.

The vision is yet for an appointed time; but at the end it shall speak and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it, because it will surely come, it will not tarry. Habakkuk ii, 3.

THE morning mist is clear'd away,

Yet still the face of heaven is grey,
Nor yet th' autumnal breeze has stirr'd the grove,

Faded yet full, a paler green

Skirts soberly the tranquil scene,
The red-breast warbles round this leafy cove.

Sweet messenger of “ calm decay,"

Saluting sorrow as you may,
As one still bent to find or make the best,

In thee, and in this quiet mead

The lesson of sweet peace I read,
Rather in all to be resign'd than blest.