To show the world unfaltering faith
In what the Sacred Scriptures saith:
O swell! ye rising waters, swell!"
Pealed out the clear-toned Baptist bell.
"Oh, heed the ancient landmarks well!"
In solemn tones exclaimed a bell;
"No progress made by mortal man
Can change the just eternal plan:
With God there can be nothing new;
Ignore the false, embrace the true,
While all is well! is well! is well!"
Pealed out the good old Dutch church bell

"In deeds of love excel! excel!"
Chimed out from ivied towers, a bell;
"This is the church not built on sands,
Emblem of one not built with hands;
Its forms and sacred rites revere,
Come worship here! come worship here!
In rituals and faith excel !"
Chimed out the Episcopalian bell.

"Not faith alone, but works as well,
Must test the soul !" said a soft bell;
"Come here and cast aside your load,
And work your way along the road,
With faith in God and faith in man,
And hope in Christ, where hope began.
Do well! do well! do well! do well!"
Rang out the Unitarian bell.

"To all, the truth we tell! we tell!"
Shouted in ecstasies a bell;
"Come, all ye weary wanderers, see!
Our Lord has made salvation free!

Repent, believe, have faith, and then

Be saved, and praise the Lord, Amen!
Salvation's free, we tell! we tell!"
Shouted the Methodistic bell.

"Farewell! farewell! base world, farewell!"
In touching tones exclaimed a bell;
"Life is a boon, to mortals given,
To fit the soul for bliss in heaven;
Do not invoke the avenging rod,
Come here and learn the way to God;
Say to the world, farewell! farewell!"
Pealed forth the Presbyterian bell.

"In after life there is no hell!"
In raptures rang a cheerful bell;
"Look up to heaven this holy day,
Where angels wait to lead the way;
There are no fires, no fiends to blight
The future life; be just and right.
No hell! no hell! no hell! no hell!"
Rang out the Universalist bell.

"The Pilgrim Fathers heeded well
My cheerful voice," pealed forth a bell;
"No fetters here to clog the soul;

No arbitrary creeds control

The free heart and progressive mind,

That leave the dusty past behind.

Speed well, speed well, speed well, speed well!"

Pealed out the Independent bell.

"No pope, no pope, to doom to hell!”

The Protestant rang out a bell;

"Great Luther left his fiery zeal,

Within the hearts that truly feel

That loyalty to God will be
The fealty that makes men free.
No images where incense fell!"
Rang out old Martin Luther's bell.

Neatly attired, in manner plain,
Behold a pilgrim-no spot, no stain-
Slowly, with soft and measured tread,
In Quaker garb-no white-no red.
To passing friend-I hear him say—
"Here worship thou-this is the way-
No churchly form—it is not well,
No bell, no bell, no bell, no bell."

GEORGE W. BUNGAY.

OVER THE RIVER.

VER the river they beckon to me,

Loved ones who crossed to the other side,

The gleam of their snowy robes I see,

But their voices are drowned by the rushing tide.

There's one with ringlets of sunny gold,

And eyes the reflection of heaven's own blue,
He crossed in the twilight gray and cold,

And the pale mist hid him from mortal view.
We saw not the angels that met him there-
The gate of the city we could not see;
Over the river, over the river,

My brother stands, waiting to welcome me.

Over the river the boatman pale

Carried another, the household pet;
Her brown curls waved in the gentle gale-
Darling Minnie! I see her yet!

She closed on her bosom her dimpled hands,
And fearlessly entered the phantom bark;
We watched it glide from the silver sands,

And all our sunshine grew strangely dark.
We know she is safe on the further side,
Where all the ransomed and angels be;
Over the river, the mystic river,

My childhood's idol is waiting for me.

For none return from those quiet shores,
Who cross with the boatman cold and pale;
We hear the dip of the golden oars,

And catch a glimpse of the snowy sail;

And lo! they have passed from our yearning hearts,
They cross the stream and are gone for aye.
We may not sunder the vail apart

That hides from our vision the gates of day;
We only know that their barks no more
Sail with us o'er life's stormy sea;

Yet somewhere, I know, on the unseen shore,
They watch and beckon and wait for me.

And I sit and think when the sunset's gold
Is flushing the river and hill and shore,
I shall one day stand by the waters cold

And list to the sound of the boatman's oar.
I shall watch for a gleam of the flapping sail;
I shall hear the boat as it gains the strand;
I shall pass from sight with the boatman pale
To the better shore of the spirit-land.
I shall know the loved who have gone before,

And joyfully sweet will the meeting be,
When over the river, the peaceful river,
The angel of death shall carry me.
NANCY A. W. PRIEST.

KATIE LEE AND WILLIE GRAY

WO brown heads with tossing curls,

TWO

Red lips shutting over pearls,
Bare feet, white and wet with dew,

Two eyes black and two eyes blue—
Little boy and girl were they,
Katie Lee and Willie Gray.

They were standing where a brook,
Bending like a shepherd's crook,
Flashed its silver, and thick ranks
Of willow fringed its mossy banks-
Half in thought and half in play,
Katie Lee and Willie Gray.

They had cheeks like cherry red,
He was taller, 'most a head;
She with arms like wreaths of snow
Swung a basket to and fro,

As they loitered, half in play,
Katie Lee and Willie Gray.

"Pretty Katie," Willie said,

And there came a dash of red
Through the brownness of the cheek,
"Boys are strong and girls are weak,
And I'll carry, so I will,
Katie's basket up the hill."

Katie answered with a laugh,
"You shall only carry half;"
Then said, tossing back her curls,
"Boys are weak as well as girls."
Do you think that Katie guessed
Half the wisdom she expressed?