THE LAST DAY.

HARK! from the deep of heaven, a trumpet-sound
Thunders the dizzy universe around;

From north to south, from east to west it rolls,

A blast that summons all created souls;
The dead awaken from their dismal sleep:
The sea has heard it; coiling up with dread,
Myriads of mortals flash from out her bed!
The graves fly open, and, with awful strife,
The dust of ages startles into life!

All who have breathed, or moved, or seen, or felt;
All they around whose cradles kingdoms knelt ;
Tyrants and warriors, who were throned in blood:
The great and mean, the glorious and the good,
Are raised from every isle, and land, and tomb,
To hear the changeless and eternal doom.

But while the universe is wrapt in fire, Ere yet the splendid ruin shall expire, Beneath a canopy of flame behold,

With starry banners at his feet unroll'd,

Earth's Judge: around seraphic minstrels throng,
Breathing o'er golden harps celestial song ;

While melodies aerial and sublime

Weave a wild death-dirge o'er departing Time.

Imagination! furl thy wings of fire,

And on Eternity's dread brink expire;
Vain would thy red and raging eye behold
Visions of Immortality unroll'd!

The last, the fiery chaos hath begun,

Quench'd is the moon and blacken'd is the sun!
The stars have bounded through the airy roar;
Crush'd lie the rocks, and mountains are no more;
The deep unbosom'd, with tremendous gloom
Yawns on the ruin, like creation's tomb!

And, lo! the living harvest of the Earth, Reap'd from the grave, to share a second birth; Millions of eyes, with one deep dreadful stare, Gaze upward through the burning realms of air;

While shapes, and shrouds, and ghastly features gleam,

Like lurid snow-flakes in the moonlight beam.

Upon the flaming Earth one farewell glance!
The billows of Eternity advance;

No motion, blast, or breeze, or waking sound!
In fiery slumber glares the world around;
'Tis o'er from yonder cloven vault of heaven,
Throned on a car by living thunder driven,
Array'd in glory, see, th' Eternal come!
And, while the Universe is still and dumb,
And hell o'ershadow'd with terrific gloom,
To immortal myriads deal the judgment doom!
Wing'd on the wind, and warbling hymns of love,
Behold! the blessed soar to realms above:
The cursed, with hell uncovered to their eye,
Shriek-shriek, and vanish in a whirlwind cry!
Creation shudders with sublime dismay,
And in a blazing tempest whirls away!

J. M.

THE BETTER LAND.

"I hear thee speak of the Better Land, Thou callest its children a happy band; Mother! Oh where is that radiant shore? Shall we not seek it, and weep no more? Is it where the flower of the orange blows, And the fire-flies glance through the myrtle-boughs?" "Not there, not there, my child!"

"Is it where the feathery palm-trees rise,
And the date grows ripe under sunny skies?
Or 'midst the green islands of glittering seas,
Where fragrant forests perfume the breeze,
And strange, bright birds, on their starry wings,
Bear the rich hues of all glorious things?"

—“Not there, not there, my child!"

"Is it far away, in some region old,

Where the rivers wander o'er sands of gold?
Where the burning rays of the ruby shine,
And the diamond lights up the secret mine,
And the pearl gleams forth from the coral strand?—
Is it there, sweet mother, that better land?"

-"Not there, not there, my child!

"Eye hath not seen it, my gentle boy!
Ear hath not heard its deep songs of joy ;
Dreams cannot picture a world so fair-
Sorrow and death may not enter there;
Time doth not breathe on its fadeless bloom,
For beyond the clouds, and beyond the tomb,

-It is there, it is there, my child!"

HEMANS.

MORNING AND EVENING PRAYERS

FOR EVERY DAY IN THE WEEK.

SUNDAY MORNING.

ALMIGHTY and eternal God! who hast created me after thine own image and likeness; who hast made me capable of loving thee, and enjoying thee eternally; I adore thee with all humility as my sovereign Lord. O Father of mercies! I dedicate to thee my body and my soul, and all that I am; and because, through the weakness of my mortal nature, I can do no good thing without thee, grant that all I shall do or suffer this day, by the help of thy grace, may tend to thy glory and the salvation of my own soul; and now I am going to the place of thy public worship, let thy Divine Spirit assist me in the duty and service I am about to perform. Touch me with such a sense of thy presence as may fix my wondering thoughts, compose my tumultuous affections, stir up my flat and cold desires, that I may be devout, serious and attentive. Let me ever esteem it my privilege and happiness to have a day of rest set apart for thy service and the concerns of my soul; and let me employ it to all those holy purposes which thou hast appointed. Extend, O Lord, thy pity and compassion to the whole race of mankind. Enlighten the Gentile world with the knowledge of thy truth, and bring into thy flock thy ancient people the Jews; and let all who name the

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name of Christ depart from iniquity. Bless all my friends, relations, and acquaintance. Unite us all, O God! to one another by mutual love, and to thyself by the constant practice of piety and holiness. And in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, I conclude my imperfect prayer, saying in his words, Our Father, &c.

SUNDAY EVENING.

I THANK thee, O God! for the especial blessings of this sacred day; that I have been admitted to the privilege of joining in the assemblies of public worship to offer up my praises and prayers to thy Divine Majesty, and to hear thy holy word read and preached. Cause the great truths in which I have been instructed, to sink deep into my heart, and to bring forth in me the fruits of a holy and religious life. Pardon, I beseech thee, the coldness of my heart, the wanderings of my thoughts, and whatever else thou hast seen amiss in me this day. Grant that I may go to rest in peace and charity with all my fellow-creatures, forgiving those who have offended me, as I hope and pray to be forgiven of thee. Enable me throughout the week, upon which I have this day entered, to keep thy laws and obey thy commandments. Let thy blessings be upon my actions, and let thy wisdom direct my intentions, that so the whole course of my life, and the principal design of my heart, may be ordered by thy governance, to do always that which is righteous in thy sight, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.