HOME. Thou, whose every hour Is spent in home's green bower, Where love, like golden fruit o'erhanging grows, Where friends to thy soul sweet, United, circling meet, As lapping leaves that form the entire rose; Thou, at whose household fire, An angel guest with lore as those of old; That crown of hoary hair, Which the calm heavens love as they behold: Thou, from whose household nooks Peep forth gay, gleaming looks, Those "fairy heads" shot up from opening flowers, With wondrous perfume filled, The fresh, the undistilled, The overflowing bliss that childhood showers; Praise Him who gave, and at whose word their stay Passes away. Thou, with another heart United, though apart, As two close stars that mingling shine but one Whose pleasant pathway lies 'Neath tender, watchful eyes, Where love shines clearer than the morning sun; Praise God for life, that in such soft array, Passes away. More, more thou hast yet more! These, thy heart's treasured store, Transferred to heaven may win immortal birth With radiant seraphs there May tune ambrosial air To ever glorying hymns of praise, while earth, : HEAVEN. When through the silent, midnight hours, And the frail clay's exhausted powers Yet then, with child-like faith I cling There's calm in heaven, and perfect rest, And undisturbed repose; Sweet prospect to an aching heart, Is such a peaceful close. It's sweetness I delight to own, But its purity is bliss, I shall be like the Holy One, RECONCILIATION. Two celebrated ministers had quarrelled; they refused to speak to each other; when Dr. John Owen adopted the following plan to reconcile them, after several others had been tried in vain. He wrote and left at the house of each the following lines. An instant and perfect reconciliation was the happy result. How rare that task a prosperous issue finds, TO MOURNERS. HUIE. O ye, who, with the silent tear, Those eyes, indeed, are rayless now; The joys its soul is called to share, How would those lips rejoice to tell, The Saviour lives and all is well. SEASONS OF PRAYER. Come to the morning prayer: At noon, beneath the Rock Sweet is that shelter from the heat, At evening, shut thy door, Round the home altar pray; When midnight veils our eyes, I sleep, but my heart waketh, Lord, ON GENESIS II: 21, 22. CHARLES WESLEY. Not from his head was woman took, |