ABOVE THE STORMS.

Published in the "Religious Magazine," February, 1873.

ABOVE the storms and thunder-jars That shake the eddying air,

Away beneath the naked stars,

Rises the Mount of Prayer!

The cumbering bars of mortal life
Here break and fall away,

And the harsh noise of human strife
Comes never: Let us pray!

Here, Lord, may thy serener light
Reveal my nature true,

And all the pages dark and bright
Lie open to my view.

I've mingled in the battle-din
That shakes the plains below,
And passions born of earth and sin
Have left their stains, I know.

How silent move thy chariot-wheels
Along our camping ground,
Whose thickly folding smoke conceals
Thy camp of fire around!

We tremble in the battle's roar,
Are brave amid its calm;
And when the fearful fight is o'er
We snatch thy victor-palm.

On surface-knowledge we have fed,
And missed the golden grain;
And now I come to thee for bread

To sate this hunger-pain.

Ambrosial fruits hang o'er the waves That pour their cleansing flood, Thy fount of love the heart that laves, And fills with royal good.

That good I seek, yet not alone
The hungered heart to fill,
But as the angels nigh the throne,
Made swift to do thy will:

Thy will, unmingled, Lord, with mine,
That makes all service sweet,
And, charged with messages divine,
Puts wings upon my feet.

No need to trim my taper's blaze,
No need of sun or moon;
The glories falling from thy face

Make my unchanging noon.

ABIEL ABBOT LIVERMORE.

(1811.)

REV. A. A. LIVERMORE was born in Wilton, N.H., Oct. 30, 1811. His parents were Jonathan Livermore and Abigail (Abbot) Livermore; and Sarah White Livermore, of whom we have given a sketch in another part of this volume, was his aunt. He fitted for College at Exeter, graduated at Cambridge in the class of 1833, and at the Divinity School in 1836. He was ordained pastor of the Unitarian Church in Keene, N.H., Nov. 2, 1836; and was installed minister of the Unitarian Church in Cincinnati, Ohio, May 26, 1850. This connection was dissolved in the summer of 1856; and on the 1st of January, 1857, he assumed the editorial charge of the New York 'Christian Inquirer," which now bears the name of "Liberal Christian," while at the same time he served as pastor of Hope Church at Yonkers. He was chosen President of the Theological School at Meadville, Pa., June 25, 1863; and, entering upon the duties of the position shortly after, has since continued as the head of that institution, and has seen many classes of young men pass out of his care to become the ministers of the Liberal Faith in different sections of the country.

Mr. Livermore, in connection with his professional labors, has found time to write and publish numerous very useful books: a Commentary on the Four Gospels, 1841-42 (republished in Belfast, Ireland, 1844); a Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles, 1844 (London edition, 1846); "Lectures to Young Men on their Moral Duties and Dangers," 1846; "The Marriage Offering," a compilation of prose and poetry, 1848; "The War with Mexico Reviewed," a Prize Essay, 1850; a volume of Discourses, 1854; a Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans, 1854. He has also been a contributor to various magazines, the "North American Review," the "Christian Examiner," the "Christian Repository," and others. His commentaries, especially, are deserving of notice, since no similar works of any other American Unitarian author have been so well adapted to popular use in the Sunday school and home as have his. Mr. Livermore was associated with Rev. Levi W. Leonard, D.D., Rev. W. A. Whitwell, and Rev. Curtis Cutler, in compiling the book of "Christian Hymns," familiarly known as the "Cheshire Collection." It was first published in 1845, passed through as many as sixty editions, and came to be very widely used in Unitarian Churches. The principal labor of its preparation devolved upon Mr. Livermore, who wrote its Preface, and also contributed to it a hymn of his own, which has since passed into various Collections: "A Book of Hymns," by Messrs. Longfellow and Johnson; "Christian Worship," by Drs. Osgood and Farley; Mr. Martineau's new "Hymns of Praise and Prayer," &c. Its simple, fervent lines, as we copy them here, were written immediately after their

author had attended a very impressive communion service, administered by Rev. James Walker, D.D., who had feelingly spoken of the sacred occasion as a spirit, a presence, a fragrance.

THE LOVE OF THE BRETHREN.

A HOLY air is breathing round,

A savor from above;

Be every soul from sense unbound,
Be every spirit love.

O God, unite us heart to heart,
In sympathy divine,

That we be never drawn apart,
And love nor thee nor thine.

But, by the cross of Jesus taught,
And all thy gracious word,
Be nearer to each other brought,
And nearer to our Lord.

more.

The first Unitarian Year-Book ever published in this country was printed in 1846. The idea and preparation of it were due to Mr. LiverSince that time the denomination has issued a similar book each year; and the Unitarians in England have thus been led to do the same. In the first number, just referred to, are several of Mr. Livermore's poems. Among them is the above hymn, and another is the following:

So soft, so white, so cold,

Poor wanderer of the air ;
A scroll God's hand unrolled
To give us lessons rare.

So soft, so white, so cold,

Thou white-winged bird of heaven,

Thy pinions broad unfurled,

Thy feathers tempest-riven.

So soft, so white, so cold,
Come thou, like charity,

And spread thy mantle's fold
O'er earth's dark stains to lie.

So soft, so white, so cold,
Sweet flower of heaven;

No costly gem, no virgin gold
Is worth thy lesson given.

Here, also, are some early lines by Mr. Livermore, though we have not met them in any of the books :

SPIRITS CALLING.

COME, let us away,

Far, far to the Day,

The spirits do pray,

Nor 'mid scenes so darkling and sad longer stay.

Why linger on earth,
Where living is dearth,

Where dying is birth,

But of heaven, sister spirit, how vital the breath!

Then fear not to die, -
Farewell and a sigh,

Thy home is on high,

To the bowers of bliss thou wilt joyfully fly.