OLD AND NEW YEAR DITTIES.

I.

EW Year met me somewhat sad :

NEW

Old Year leaves me tired,
Stripped of favourite things I had,

Baulked of much desired:

Yet farther on my road to-day
God willing, farther on my way.

New Year coming on apace

What have you to give me?
Bring you scathe, or bring you grace,
Face me with an honest face;

You shall not deceive me :

Be it good or ill, be it what you will.
It needs shall help me on my road,
My rugged way to heaven, please God

2.

Watch with me, men, women, and children dear,
You whom I love, for whom I hope and fear,
Watch with me this last vigil of the year.

Some hug their business, some their pleasure scheme;
Some seize the vacant hour to sleep or dream ;
Heart locked in heart some kneel and watch apart.

Watch with me, blessèd spirits, who delight
All through the holy night to walk in white,
Or take your ease after the long-drawn fight.

I know not if they watch with me: I know
They count this eve of resurrection slow,

And cry,

"How long?" with urgent utterance strong

Watch with me, Jesus, in my loneliness:
Though others say me nay, yet say Thou yes;
Though others pass me by, stop Thou to bless.
Yea, Thou dost stop with me this vigil night;
To-night of pain, to-morrow of delight:

I, Love, am Thine; Thou, Lord my God, art mine.

3.

Passing away, saith the World, passing away :
Chances, beauty and youth sapped day by day :
Thy life never continueth in one stay.

Is the eye waxen dim, is the dark hair changing to grey
That hath won neither laurel nor bay?

I shall clothe myself in Spring and bud in May:
Thou, root-stricken, shalt not rebuild thy decay
On my bosom for aye.

Then I answered: Yea.

Passing away, saith my Soul, passing away :

With its burden of fear and hope, of labour and play, Hearken what the past doth witness and say:

Rust in thy gold, a moth is in thine array,

A canker is in thy bud, thy leaf must decay.

At midnight, at cockcrow, at morning, one certain day Lo, the Bridegroom shall come and shall not delay: Watch thou and pray.

Then I answered: Yea

Passing away, saith my God, passing away:
Winter passeth after the long delay:

New grapes on the vine, new figs on the tender spray
Turtle calleth turtle in Heaven's May.

Though I tarry, wait for Me, trust Me, watch and pray. Arise, come away, night is past and lo it is day,

My love, My sister, My spouse, thou shalt hear Me say Then I answered: Yea.

T is over.

IT

AMEN.

What is over?

Nay, now much is over truly!-
Harvest days we toiled to sow for;
Now the sheaves are gathered newly
Now the wheat is garnered duly.

It is finished.

What is finished?

Much is finished known or unknown:
Lives are finished; time diminished;
Was the fallow field left unsown?
Will these buds be always unblown?

It suffices.

What suffices?

All suffices reckoned rightly:

Spring shall bloom where now the ice is,
Roses make the bramble sightly,

And the quickening sun shine brightly,
And the latter wind blow lightly,

And my garden teem with spices.

THE LOWEST PLACE.

IVE me the lowest place: not that I dare

GIVE

Ask for that lowest place, but Thou hast died

That I might live and share

Thy glory by Thy side.

Give me the lowest place: or if for me

That lowest place too high, make one more low Where I may sit and see

My God and love Thee so.

END OF THE FIRST SERIES.