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Though thy hopes be faint and dim,
Boldly cast thyself on Him.

If the sovereign Lord of all,

Mark the sparrows when they fall,
Hear the ravens when they cry,
Rule their humble destiny;

Shall He leave without a guide,
Man to drift o'er life's rough tide,

Cast him helpless on the sea
Of a vast eternity?

Can a mortal give thee peace,

Bid thy fears, thy doubtings cease,

Clear the path that seems to thee
Lost in dim uncertainy?

Who but He that formed the soul

Can its noble powers control?

Break the heavy chains that press thee,

Quell the doubts that sore distress thee?

At the fountain-head of light,

Seek to clear thy shrouded sight.

As the first faint streak of dawn

Gilds the sky in opening morn;
And the glorious sun on high
Drives the shadows from the sky :
So the beams of light divine,
On thy doubting soul shall shine;
And its bright resplendent ray
Chase the gloomy night away.
God in Christ shall fill thy soul,
As a stream thy bliss shall roll;
And the dove of peace and rest,
Dwell within thy tranquil breast.

THE SAVIOUR.

"He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him."-Isa. liii. 2.

How oft does the conquering hero's praise,
Live in the minstrel's heroic lays,

And the brilliant sparkle of beauty's eye
Shine in the numbers of poesy.

But, alas; no comeliness is seen

In the form of the lowly Nazarene:

And the thoughtless worldling, passing by,
Sees nought to attract his careless eye.
Yet Lord, there are still a chosen few

Of Thy purchased ones, in whose raptured view,

More glorious far than the sun's bright glow,
The chiefest among ten thousand Thou.
Thy yearning bride, like the captive bird,
Longs for the sound of this cheering word
Arise, my fair one, and come away

To the glorious land of eternal day."

STEPHEN.

"But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,

"And said, 'Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God.' "Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,

"And cast him out of the city, and stoned him; and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.

"And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, 'Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.'

"And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.' And when he had said this, he fell asleep."-Acts vii. 55— 60.

WHAT means yon furious crowd-whose angry brows

Speak of dark passions, while their savage

cry

Appals the startled ear, and tells of hearts

Boiling with fearful rage? they gnash their teeth,

And breath deep curses on that patient man, Who, as a lamb 'midst howling wolves, unmov'd

Hears alll their fury with a peaceful brow,
And holy smile, that fills his speaking eye
With a divine expression; while his gaze
Is fixed on the blue sky; he lifts his voice,
And, filled with holy unction, speaks aloud:
"Behold, I see heaven opened, and the Son
Of Man standing on the right hand of God."

Fierce grow the savage multitude, and stop
Their ears yelling aloud with enmity.

They drag him forth to stone him; he kneels down

And, with a holy faith and calm submission, Receives the murderous shower; but his bright

eye

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