Meet for thy lowly shrine: Sooner than they should miss where Thou dost dwell, Angels from Heaven will stoop to guide them to thy cell.

Still, as the day comes round

For Thee to be reveald,
By wakeful shepherds Thou art found,

Abiding in the field.
All through the wintry heaven and chill night air,
In music and in light Thou dawnest on their prayer.

O faint not ye for fear

What though your wandering sheep,
Reckless of what they see and hear,

Lie lost in wilful sleep?
High Heaven in mercy to your sad annoy
Still greets you with glad tidings of immortal joy. .

Think on th' eternal home,

The Saviour left for you ;
Think on the Lord most holy, come

To dwell with hearts untrue :
So shall ye tread untir'd his pastoral ways,
And in the darkness sing your carol of high praise.

ST. STEPHEN'S DAY.

He, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God. Acts vii. 55.

As rays

around the source of light Stream upward ere he glow in sight, And watching by his future flight

Set the clear heavens on fire ;
So on the King of Martyrs wait
Three chosen bands, in royal state',
And all earth owns, of good and great,

Is gather'd in that choir.

One presses on, and welcomes death :
One calmly yields his willing breath,
Nor slow, nor hurrying, but in faith

Content to die or live :
And some, the darlings of their Lord,
Play smiling with the flame and sword,
And, ere they speak, to his sure word

Unconscious witness give.

Foremost and nearest to his throne,
By perfect robes of triumph known,
And likest Him in look and tone,

The holy Stephen kneels,
With stedfast gaze, as when the sky
Flew open to his fainting eye,
Which, like a fading lamp, flash'd high,

Seeing what death conceals.

Well might you guess what vision bright
Was present to his raptur'd sight,
Even as reflected streams of light

Their solar source betray-
The glory which our God surrounds,
The Son of Man, th' atoning wounds-

He sees them all ; and earth's dull bounds

Are melting fast away.

He sees them all-no other view
Could stamp the Saviour's likeness true,
Or with his love so deep embrue

Man's sullen heart and gross“ Jesu, do Thou my soul receive : “ Jesu, do Thou my foes forgive :" He who would learn that prayer, must live

Under the holy Cross.

He, though he seem on earth to move,
Must glide in air like gentle dove,
From yon unclouded depths above

Must draw his purer breath ;
Till men behold his angel face
All radiant with celestial grace",
Martyr all o'er, and meet to trace

ST. JOHN'S DAY.

Peter seeing hiin, saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.

St. John xxi. 21, 22.

« LORD, and what shall this man do?"

Ask’st thou, Christian, for thy friend? If his love for Christ be true,

Christ hath told thee of his end : This is he whom God

approves, This is he whom Jesus loves.

Ask not of him more than this,

Leave it in his Saviour's breast,
Whether, early callid to bliss,

He in youth shall find his rest,
Or armed in his station wait
Till his Lord be at the gate :

Whether in his lonely course

(Lonely, not forlorn) he stay, Or with Love's supporting force