The Sufading Flower.

FULL many a bud and flow'ret fair
Wakes at the breath of morn;

And plants, whose fragrance fill the air,
Our summer wreaths adorn.

But plants and flowers of sweet perfume
Fade with the falling year;

The lovely scenes in which they bloom
Themselves will disappear.

One Plant alone, of choicest worth,
Destruction's power defies;

A purer climate gave it birth,

Where no sweet blossom dies.

The Sun, whose beams mature its hues,

Shines not on earthly bowers;

'Tis visited by sweeter dews

Than fall on earthly flowers.

Heavenward each beauteous branch aspires,

Its flower can never fade;

The final elemental fires

Shall not one leaf invade.

'Twas planted by a Hand Divine,
To bloom in worlds above,
And through eternity shall shine,
A trophy of His love!

On my Birthday.

THERE was a wanderer once, who strove in vain At earthly fountains to assuage her thirst;

For though they sparkled and seemed sweet at first,
Soon, unabated, it returned again:

But He who marks and pities human pain,
And loves to pardon and reclaim the worst,

Met her, in mercy infinite; as erst
Another wanderer on Samaria's plain.

He led her to the living stream that flows

From heavenly springs, the pilgrim to restore;

And there she quenched her thirst, and learnt that those

Who drink that water thirst again no more,

But hasten on, through strength divinely given, E'en till they reach the fountain-head in heaven.

À Sabbath Meditation.

JESUS, my Advocate Divine!

Thy wondrous love shall be my theme;

Chiefly on this glad day of Thine,

When all things sweeter seem.

Sweet is the sunshine's vernal glow,

And still more sweet the Sabbath calm,

But not unless Thy love bestow

Celestial balm.

Oh, when the baneful power of sin

Veils that which can alone make glad, My heart is desolate within,

Benighted, sad.

The azure sky, the sparkling sea,

Spring's opening charms, around, above, All are a mournful blank to me

Without Thy love.

And then the burden weighs me down
Which with Thy smile is gladly borne;

The brightest day is dark as night,

All seems to mourn.

But when upon my soul is shed
That radiant smile's restoring power,
The little spot on which I tread

Seems Eden's bower.

A hidden source of sacred joy

Springs up at once within my heart,
Which nothing earthly can alloy,
Nothing impart.

Earth brightens with a lovelier grace,
The flowers with fairer charms unfold,
For then in everything I trace

Thy love untold.

I lift to Thee my tearful eye,
And silently that love adore,
Which grants of bliss, before I die,
So rich a store.

Grants me, midst languor, weakness, pain,
Such strength to suffer, hope to cheer,
That now I faint not, nor complain,

For Thou art near.

Nay, sometimes leisure, comfort, ease,

Dear, precious friends to soothe and guide, So much to succour me, and please,

On every side.

Yet to my faith Thy Spirit tells,

Of bliss which all these joys outweighs,
E'en as the noon's full blaze excels

The dawn's first rays.

And tells me Thy unbounded love,
My Saviour, ere Thy grace I sought,
For me, in those bright realms above,
A mansion bought.

And Thou wilt keep my ransomed soul,
Through faith, by Thine almighty power,
Each sin subdue, each foe control.

E'en till my latest hour.

Then bid my unbelief remove;

For when to Thee I yield my breath,
Thy love, Thy wondrous love, will prove,
Stronger than death.

On the Shore, at Moonlight.

THOU restless, and boundless, and fathomless sea,
Whose turbulent waves struggle hard to be free,
As if they would spurn the Almighty decree
That limits their dangerous course.