Lie down in peace to take thy rest!
Let me betake myself to prayer,
Binding faith's corselet on my breast,
Lest Satan find an entrance there;
God gave; though now his gift he claim,
Still, blessed be his holy name!

BARTON.

FOR A BLIND PERSON.

"He endured, as seeing him who is invisible."— Heb. xi. 27.

ARE nature's charms all hidden

For ever from thy view?
Am I in darkness bidden

My journey to pursue ?
My Father! O my Father!

Thy child can trust thee still,
And strength from thee can gather,
To suffer all thy will.

Though many a form be shrouded,
That once inspired delight,
My soul's clear eye, unclouded,
And filled with inward light,
May gaze with steadier vision
On things to faith revealed,
And wait in meek submission
For all to be unsealed.

Vain things that once deluded,
The world's false glare and show,
By loss of sight excluded,

Nor please, nor tempt me now.
Should I not welcome blindness,
If sent, my God, by thee,
In thy parental kindness,

To break earth's spells for me?

O, if this sad privation,

Which men misfortune deem,
Make Christ and his salvation
"The one thing needful" seem,
I then shall gain that treasure,
Impervious to decay,

Which care, ambition, pleasure,
Might else have snatched away.

On thee, my God! reclining,
From things external freed,
Calm, peaceful, unrepining,
I go where thou shalt lead.
Loved looks, still lovelier seeming,
In memory's glow arrayed,
On me are ever beaming,
Undimmed by sorrow's shade.

Loved voices still can cheer me,
Sweet birds my ear can charm,
Kind guardians, ever near me,
Watch to protect from harm;

But, O! the thought most cheering,
Fraught with delight untold,

Is this,at thine appearing,
Thy face I shall behold.

JESUS LIVES.

"I know that my Redeemer liveth."— Job xix. 25.

JESUS lives! my life, my joy,

Where, O death, is now thy terror? Soon his light I shall enjoy,

Free from darkness, sin, and error;
He from darkness sets me free,
This is my security.

Jesus lives! to him alone

Power o'er all the earth is given ;

Soon I shall behold his throne,

Soon with him shall reign in heaven;
God fulfils his own decree,
This is my security.

Jesus lives! who saved my soul;
His be every thought and feeling,
He shall all my heart control,
All my aims and wishes sealing;
Faithful to his own is he,
This is my security.

Jesus lives! and from his love

Naught my soul shall ever sunder, Naught beneath, nor aught above, Satan's wrath, nor Sinai's thunder; Strength he gives, abundant, free,This is my security.

Jesus lives! the hour of death
Ushers to a life unending;
O, what rapture in that breath,
(Anguish every fibre rending,)
If my soul may say to thee,
Thou art my security!

GELLERT.

"FOR EVER AND EVER."

Rev. vii. 12

ETERNITY, eternity,

How long art thou, eternity!
So fleet our time glides on to thee,
As to its port the ship at sea,
As courier swift and martial steed,
As from the bow the arrows speed.

Eternity, eternity,

How long art thou, eternity!

As on a sphere all smooth and round, End and beginning are not found; For ever, ever thus with thee,Unending, vast eternity!

Eternity, eternity,

How long art thou, eternity!
Thou art a ring of boundless size,
Unceasing time thy centre is,
Thy circuit never can be found,
Since thee shall limits never bound.

Eternity, eternity,

How long art thou, eternity! If, on its long and tedious way, Some bird should bear our world away,

In

every thousand years one sand,

Still thou wouldst undiminished stand.

Eternity, eternity,

How long art thou, eternity! If only in each thousandth year Some single eye should drop one tear, So vast the flood at length would grow, It would the heavens and earth o'erflow.

Eternity, eternity,

How long art thou, eternity!

Nor ocean drops, nor sandy beach,
The number of thy years can reach ;