One of such magnitude-surpassing thought,
Sinks all the rest to beggary and nought!
Such thoughts as these, whene'er our birthdays come,
Hailed by the cheerful voices of our home,
May well with joy inspire the bounding heart,
And bid awhile dull thoughts of care depart;
And yet each birth-day speaks with serious sound,
It tells how life is narrowing in its bound,
It tells us that with every added year,
One less remains.-Is earth so very dear,
Its joys so pleasant, and its bliss so great,
That we should never wish to change our state,-
That we with sorrow should our birthdays count,
And shudder as they dwindle in amount?
Swift as the silent moments fleeting fly,
Our breath goes forth and we as swiftly die;
The Christian undismay'd can view this truth,
And calmly leave behind the days of youth.
Lady, may you that heavenly hope possess,
Which looks for peace, and hope, and happiness,
Beyond this dying world, and there will you,
Each birth-day with rejoicing spirit view.—
Yes, with a firm, unshrinking, holy faith,
You will regard the close approach of death,
E'en hail the hour that ushers man from earth,
The hour that grants him his immortal birth,
To live for ever in that glorious clime,
Where the decaying influence of time
Doth not corrupt its joys, nor spoil its peace,
Where mortal toils and sorrows sweetly cease,
In realms that never know the shade of night,
But God himself its everlasting light,
Welcomes his children to their home above,
And crowns their joys with everlasting love!
ADVICE TO THE LADIES.
LADIES, if you would wish to shine,
Pray hear a simple friend;
Nor let your taste for dress incline,
As pride and folly tend.
The fashions of this world shall pass,
As rainbows fade away;
Like flowers upon the tender grass,
That bloom and die to-day.
Seek not for gems of costliest hue,
Dug from earth's darkest cave;
Which some poor captive brought to view,
A wretch of slaves the slave.
The brightest gems that christians wear,
Come radiant from above;.
No sapphire can to these compare,
Pure gems of Faith and Love.
For these no diver quits the shore,
To meet the dreaded shark;
Who guards the ocean's glittering store,
Hid in recesses dark.
Go seek a Pearl of richest price,
Of value infinite:
No other pearl is worth thy choice,
None shines so purely bright.
Send not to India's spicy vale,
To spoil the feather'd race;
Nor rob the ostrich of her tail,
A christian's head to grace.
Oh, seek a nobler, richer plume,
Than Tyrian damsels wore ;
And let your graces shed perfume,
Arabia never bore.
Your robe be one of righteousness,
Pure as the mountain snow;
The sandals on your feet, the peace
The gospel yields below.
If thus, my friends, you are array'd
In splendour all divine;
When earthly fashions all shall fade,
Your raiment still will shine.
LINES BY A POOR WOMAN UNABLE TO READ.
She was converted to God about three years since, and severely afflicted a few months ago. She can neither read nor write, but during her affliction, with perfect resignation to the Divine will, and in the fulness of a heart glowing with gratitude, she composed the following lines, which her daughter wrote down.* P. FIELD.
I COME with all my sins to Thee,
To make me what I ought to be;
My nature wholly sanctify,
Prepar'd to reign with Thee on high.
When painful trials me surround,
I think of Job-the Friend he found:
Patient amidst all his distress,
He still the Lord his God did bless.
Thus patient would my soul abide,
And in my gracious Lord confide;
Secure in Him, my faithful Friend,
Until life's weary journey end.
And what is life? A vapour. Soon
With all its varied cares 'tis
And only truly happy he,
Whose portion's in eternity.
The world, its riches, I resign
With this content, "Jesus is mine!"
For when I need, I make complaint,
And He supplies my every want.
I soon shall end my pilgrimage,
I soon shall quit life's busy stage:
I then shall my Redeemer see,
Who surely will appear for me.
Ye weary heav'n-bound pilgrims come,
We soon shall reach our wish'd-for home;
And sweetly marching hand in hand,
With singing enter Canaan's land.
When through the strength of Jesus' grace,
Our feet shall rest in that blest place,
Then shall our hearts, replete with love,
For ever praise our God above.
*Note. We insert these lines without any alteration. ED.
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