OUR LIFE ON EARTH.

SOME there are scarcely seen
On this world's troublous wave;
So short the space between
The cradle and the grave.

And some in middle age,
While busy life beats high,
Earth's warfare cease to wage
And lay them down to die ;

To "threescore years and ten,"
Of sorrow and of strife,
Some struggle on, and then
Yield up this weary life.

Some toil a longer space,

Fre that their labour's done;

And run a longer race,

Ere sinks their setting sun.

'Tis but of little worth

How short, how long, our stay
Amidst the things of earth,
Whose impress is decay ;—

So that the soul be strong
In faith, and hope, and love ;
And all life's path along

Sees HOME and REST above.

E. Fox.

IT IS I; BE NOT AFRAID.

MATT. xiv. 27.

THE eye of Jesus watching

The toilers on the lake,

When winds and waves are thwarting Their efforts for His sake:

The heart of Jesus yearning,
And pleading in His might,
Whilst their frail bark is tossing,
And struggling all the night :

The form of Jesus moving
Across life's troubled sea,

To still its angry waters,

To make them calm for thee:

The feet of Jesus coming

Through darkness of thy grief,

To light thy desolation,
To bring thy heart relief:

The hand of Jesus guiding,
When waves of trouble roll;
When billows of temptation

Are surging round thy soul :

The promises of Jesus

They're flashing round the tomb,
Like signals from the mainland,
To light thee through the gloom :

The morning watch is breaking,
The darkness flieth past;
He comes! and He is speaking!
(It is Himself at last!)

"Tis I; be not afraid."

DEAN PAKENHAM WALSH.

LAZARUS.

WHEN Lazarus left his charnel-cave,
And home to Mary's house returned,
Was this demanded-if he yearned
To hear her weeping by his grave?

Where wert thou, brother, those four days?
There lives no record of reply,

Which telling what it is to die
Had surely added praise to praise.

From every house the neighbours met,

The streets were filled with joyful sound, A solemn gladness even crowned

The purple brows of Olivet.

Behold a man raised up by Christ!

The rest remaineth unrevealed;
He told it not; or something sealed
The lips of that evangelist.

TENNYSON.

ALMOST HOME.

FROM earth retiring,

Heavenward aspiring,

All my long day's work below now done; Calmly reclining,

All unrepining,

Jesus, let me lean on Thy love alone.

On love relying,

Thy love undying,

Not a shade can fall upon my soul;

Here am I resting,

The joy foretasting

Of the life beyond this life's dark goal.

Thine arms embracing,

Each shadow chasing,

Chains of flesh now cease my soul to hold; Pilgrim staff breaking,

Royal badge taking,

Earth's torn raiment all exchanged for gold.

No more low caring,

No more wayfaring;

These soiled sandals loosed and flung away,

Done with the soiling,

Done with the toiling,

All my burdens lay I down for aye.

Ended the jarring,

Past all the warring,

Quit I gladly life's rude war-array,

Victory crying,

Enemies flying,

Thus my armour put I off for aye.

Pain yet assails me,

Strength ofttimes fails me,

Yet my weakness is my strength and rest; Light o'er me stealing,

Softly revealing

Scenes of glory up among the blest.

Head no more sinking,

Eyes no more shrinking,

From the world's gay glitter here below;

Life's cup just draining,

Time's star fast waning:

Christ Jesus, receive my soul! to Thee I go.

Earth is retreating,

Heaven is to me greeting,

Hope is lighting up new scenes above;

Tranquilly lying,

Peacefully dying,

Jesus beckons upward to His love.

BONAR.

AFFLICTION.

IF affliction grasp thee rudely,

And present the rack and cup,

Drink the draught, and brave the torture,
Even in despair look up!

Still look up, for One there liveth
With the will and power to save;
One who knows each human sorrow,
From the cradle to the grave.