91

March 31.

L. M.

Duke Street.

THE CHRISTIAN WARFARE.

"Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil."-Eph. vi. 11.

1

AWAKE, my soul! lift up thine eyes;

See where thy foes against thee rise,
In long array, a numerous host;
Awake, my soul! or thou art lost.

2 Here giant danger threatening stands,
Mustering his pale, terrific bands;
There pleasure's silken banners spread,
And willing souls are captives led.
3 See where rebellious passions rage,
And fierce desires and lusts engage;
The meanest foe of all the train

Has thousands and ten thousands slain.

4 Come, then, my soul! now learn to wield
The weight of thine immortal shield;
Put on the armor, from above,

Of heavenly truth and heavenly love.

5 The terror and the charm repel,

And powers of earth, and powers of hell;
Jesus, our Saviour, triumphed here;
Why should his faithful followers fear?

92 April 1.

8s & 7s.

Greenville.

SPRING.

"Rejoice in the Lord your God; for he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain and the latter rain."— Joel ii. 23.

1 LO! the bright, the rosy morning

Calls me forth to take the air; Cheerful spring, with smiles returning Ushers in the new-born year.

2 Vernal music, softly sounding,

Echoes through the verdant grove; Nature now, with life abounding, Swells with harmony and love.

3 Now the kind, refreshing showers
Water all the plains around;
Springing grass and painted flowers
In the smiling meads abound.

4 Praise to thee, thou great Creator!
Praise be thine from every tongue!
Join, my soul, with every creature,
Join the universal song.

93

April 2.

L. M.

A YOUTH SEEKING WISDOM.

Effingham.

"And thou, Solomon, my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever."-1 Chron. xxviii. 9.

1 I ASK not wealth, nor pomp, nor power,

Nor fleeting pleasures of an hour:

My soul aspires to nobler things
Than all the pride and state of kings.

2 One thing I ask ;-Lord! wilt thou hear,
And grant my soul a gift so dear?-
Wisdom, descending from above,
The sweetest token of thy love :-

3 Wisdom, betimes to know the Lord,
To fear his name, and keep his word;
To lead my feet in paths of truth,
And guide and guard my wandering youth.
4 Then shouldst thou grant a length of days,
My life shall still proclaim thy praise;

Or early death my soul convey

To realms of everlasting day.

94

April 3.

L. M.

THE SAVIOUR EVER PRESENT.

Wells.

"For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."-Matt. xviii. 20.

1

JESUS, where in thy name we meet,
There we behold thy mercy-seat;
Where'er we seek thee, thou art found,
And every place is hallowed ground.

2 For thou, within no walls confined,

Inhabitest the humble mind;

Such ever bring thee where they come,
And going, take thee to their home.

3 Dear Shepherd of thy chosen few!
Thy former mercies here renew;
Here to our waiting hearts proclaim
The sweetness of thy saving name.

4 Here may we prove the power of prayer
To strengthen faith, and sweeten care;
To teach our faint desires to rise,
And bring all heaven before our eyes.

5 Lord we are few, but thou art near;
Nor short thine arm, nor deaf thine ear;
Oh! hear our prayer before thy throne,
And make our waiting hearts thine own.

95 April 4.

C. M.

PROVIDENCE OF GOD.

Warwick.

"Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face."-Ps. lxxxix. 14.

1

GOD moves in a mysterious way,

His wonders to perform;

He plants his footsteps in the sea,
And rides upon the storm.

2 Deep in unfathomable mines
Of never-failing skill,

He treasures up his bright designs,
And works his sovereign will.

3 Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take;
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy, and shall break
In blessings on your head.

4 Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust him for his grace;

Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.

5 His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding every hour;

The bud may have a bitter taste,

But sweet will be the flower.

6 Blind unbelief is sure to err,
And scan his work in vain;
God is his own interpreter,
And he will make it plain.

96

April 5. S. M.

St. Thomas.

FAITH IN THE SEED OF TRUTH.

"He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him."-Ps. cxxvi. 6.

1

2

3

4

5

Sow

in the morn thy seed;

At eve hold not thine hand;

To doubt and fear give thou no heed;
Broad cast it o'er the land.

The good, the fruitful ground
Expect not here nor there;

O'er hill and dale, by plots 'tis found,-
Go forth then everywhere.

Thou knowest not which may thrive,
The late or early sown;

Grace keeps the precious germ alive,
When and wherever strown.

And duly shall appear,

In verdure, beauty, strength,

The tender blade, the stock, the ear,
And the full corn at length.

Thou canst not toil in vain,

Cold, heat, and moist, and dry, Shall foster and mature the grain, For garners in the sky.

97

April 6.

L. M.

Uxbridge.

THE OMNISCIENCE OF GOD.

"The Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts."-1 Chron. xxviii. 9.

1

LORD! thou hast searched and seen me thro'; Thine eye commands, with piercing view,

My rising and my resting hours,

My heart and flesh, with all their powers.

2 My thoughts, before they are my own,
Are to my God distinctly known;
He knows the words I mean to speak,
Ere from my opening lips they break.

3 Within thy circling power I stand,
On every side I find thy hand;
Awake, asleep, at home, abroad,
I am surrounded still with God.

4 Oh! may these thoughts possess my breast,
Where'er I rove, where'er I rest;

Nor let my weaker passions dare
Consent to sin, for God is there.

98

April 7.

L. M.

Ward.

THE BLESSINGS OF BENEFICENCE.

"Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble; and he shall be blessed upon the earth."-Ps. xli. 1, 2.

1

THRICE happy man who fears the Lord,

Loves his commands, and trusts his word; Honor and peace his days attend,

And blessings to his seed descend.

2 Compassion dwells upon his mind,
To works of mercy still inclined;
He lends the poor some present aid,
Or gives them, not to be repaid.

3 His soul, well-fixed upon the Lord,
Draws heavenly courage from his word;
Amid the darkness, light shall rise,
To cheer his heart and bless his eyes.

4 He hath dispersed his alms abroad;
His works are still before his God;
His name on earth shall long remain,
Nor shall his hope of heaven be vain.