His true disciples may we live,
From all corruption free,

And humbly learn like him to give
Our powers, our wills, to thee.

And oft along life's dangerous way,
To smooth our passage through,
Wilt thou on this thy holy day

For us this scene renew.

WE

E sing thy mercy, God of love!
That sent the Saviour from above
To free our race from sin and woe,
And spread thy peace and truth below.

We thank thee for the words he brought;
We thank thee that he lived, and taught
Frail and imperfect man, to be
In humble mode, resembling thee.

We thank thee for thy gracious care
Which kept those sacred pages fair
Through every age, whose lines record
The deeds and precepts of our Lord.
We thank thee for this solema rite,
By us repeated in thy sight;
Oh, fill our souls with bread divine,
And nourish us with heavenly wine!

HYMN FOR AN ORDINATION.

Written for the ordination of Mr. Charles J. Bowen to the ministry, at Newburyport, Nov. 20, 1850.

FATHER! thy rich spirit shed

On this youthful suppliant's head;

Soothe his self-distrusting tears;

Temper his abounding fears;

Guide his vast and high desire;
Touch his lips with coals of fire;
Pour thy truth upon his soul,
O'er the thirsting church to roll.

In thy vineyard called to toil,
Wisely may he search the soil;
Sinners may he love to win,

Whilst he hates and brands the sin.
Give him boldness for the right,
Give him meekness for the fight;
Teach him zeal and care to blend ;
Give him patience to the end.

Seal, this day, the vows that hold
Flock and shepherd in one fold;
May he well those mandates keep,
Feed my lambs, and, Feed my sheep.
Bless his home, his watch-tower bless;
Guide him with thy gentleness

In the path once taught and trod
By the enduring Son of God.

Grant him, in his charge, to find
Listening ear and fervent mind,
Helpful counsels, deepening peace,
Earnest life and glad increase.
May they, by each other led,

Grow to one in Christ their head;

And, at last, together be

Ripe for heaven and meet for thee!

CAROLINE GILMAN.

(1794-)

MRS. CAROLINE GILMAN, daughter of Samuel Howard, Esq., and wife of Rev. Samuel Gilman, D.D., was born in Boston, Oct. 8, 1794. Having passed her school days at Concord, Cambridge, and other towns in her native State, she accompanied her husband, soon after their mar

riage, in 1819, to the future scene of his ministerial labors, at Charleston, S.C. Since Dr. Gilman's death, she has resided at Charleston and Cambridge, and is now living at Tiverton, R.I., with her daughter, Mrs. Charles J. Bowen, and other members of the family circle. She began to write poems and stories at a very early age. Her wellknown lines "On the Raising of Jairus' Daughter" appeared in the "North American Review" as long ago as 1817. In 1832 she began to edit, at Charleston, a juvenile weekly paper, which she named "The Rosebud," and which afterward took the title of "The Southern Rose." She contributed to it most of the verses, tales, and novels, which were subsequently published in volumes. "Recollections of a Northern Housekeeper" originally appeared in "The Rosebud," in 1834; and "Recollections of a Southern Matron" in "The Southern Rose," in 1835 and 1836. These, with "Ruth Raymond, or Love's Progress," and others of her popular works, passed through many editions, and were much admired for "their practical lessons as well as their genial simplicity and humor." She was the author, for several years, of the "Lady's Annual Register and Almanac," and wrote also a book entitled "The Poetry of Travelling in the United States." Her "Verses of a Lifetime" she gave to the press in 1849, and published her "Oracles from the Poets" in 1854, and, still later, "The Sibyl, or New Oracles from the Poets," the latter "consisting of passages of verse ingeniously arranged to correspond to numbers which are to be taken at random.”

Not to mention in detail a variety of other volumes of tales, ballads, &c., which she has written, it may be added that, in 1872, she and her daughter, Mrs. Caroline H. Jervey, published a small book of "Stories and Poems" for children, for whom Mrs. Gilman, all through her life, has rendered a most delightful literary service. Mrs. Jervey is also an authoress of no little merit, as her "Poetry and Prose for the Young," 1856, her story "Vernon Grove," 1859, and her "Hannah Courtenay," 1866, give ample proof.

The talented and accomplished lady who is the subject of this sketch, as she shared with her husband the toils and satisfactions of his long and beautiful ministry at Charleston, shared with him also the gift of song ; and several of her fine, lovely hymns have, like his, lent their aid to the service of praise.

The fifth verse of the following favorite hymn is less familiar to our congregations than the four which precede it, having been added to the others by the writer herself for the book of "Services and Hymns,” published in 1867, for the church at Charleston. The same may be said of the hymn which immediately succeeds this one. Both thus came to be a fuller expression of her Christian faith. We copy them from the Charleston Collection. They originally appeared in 1838, in the "Lady's Annual Register."

WE

SABBATH DAY.

bless thee for this sacred day,

Thou who hast every blessing given,
Which sends the dreams of earth away,
And yields a glimpse of opening heaven.
Rich day of holy, thoughtful rest,

May we improve thy calm repose;
And, in God's service truly blest,
Forget the world, its joys and woes.

Lord, may thy truth upon the heart
Here fall and dwell as heavenly dew,
And flowers of grace and freshness start,
Where once the weeds of error grew.

May Prayer now lift her sacred wings,
Contented with that aim alone
Which bears her to the King of kings,
And rests her at his sheltering throne.

And ever, on this sacred day,

May we remember Him who taught,
Though heaven and earth should pass away,
The Sabbath's holiest, highest thought.

As an illustration of the general favor with which the following lines have been regarded, we may say that the late Judge White, of Salem, having, in his constant attendance at the First Church in that city, noted, for a term of years, all the hymns which had been given out by different ministers to be sung, was curious to learn which one had been most frequently used during that time. He found that this was the hymn :

GOD OUR FATHER.

Is there a lone and dreary hour,

When worldly pleasures lose their power?

My Father! let me turn to thee,

And set each thought of darkness free.

Is there a time of racking grief,
Which scorns the prospect of relief:
My Father! break the cheerless gloom
And bid my heart its calm resume.

Is there an hour of peace and joy,
When hope is all my soul's employ:
My Father! still my hopes will roam,
Until they rest with thee, their home.

The noontide blaze, the midnight scene,
The dawn, or twilight's sweet serene,
The glow of life, the dying hour,
Shall own my Father's grace and power.

And while such lofty memories roll
In solemn grandeur o'er my soul,
May Christ be with me, he who came
To teach "Our Father's" tender name.

HYMN FOR A CHILD.

Taken from Mrs. Gilman's little volume, entitled A Gift Book."

HE glorious God who reigns on high,

THE

Who formed the earth and built the sky,
Stoops from his throne in heaven to hear
A little infant's prattling prayer.

Father of all! My Father too!
Oh, make me good and just and true!
Make me delight to learn thy word,
And love to pray, and praise thee, Lord.

Oh, may thy gracious presence bless
And guard my childhood's helplessness!
Be with me as I grow in years,

And guard me through the vale of tears.