Time passes unheeded and often forgotten.

The chimes of the seasons go merrily round; The dread hour of midnight steals on in the darkness, And thunders the night-watch with dull, heavy sound.

The wave of the ripple that rises from ocean

Speeds onward and dances, from bondage set free, Till, swollen with fulness, its period exhausted, It gently retires to the depths of the sea.

The dews of the night and the mists of the morning
Scarce live but a moment, when upward they fly:
The babe of our joy is the child of our sorrow;
To-day it is fondled-to-morrow to die.

The programme of life for the past is accomplished: It once lay before us, unopened, unknown;

The future a sealèd prospectus is waiting

For time to unfold its dark page, and be done.

Then teach us to number the days of our lifetime,
And study to walk in more heavenly ways;
As we reckon the hours and chimes of the noontide,
So teach us, Great Teacher, to number our days!

FOR THE OPENING YEAR.

GOD, who dost appoint to man
The bounds of time and space,
The limits of this narrow span,
The stages of the race.

Another stage of life is past,

A new one is begun ;

Each step is leading to the last,
When all the race is run.

I'm nearer now than e'er before;
Come nearer, Lord, to me;
And draw me daily more and more—
Nearer, my God, to Thee!

As bending arches cross the flood,
And stepping-stones the stream;

Or as the ladder up to God,

As in the patriarch's dream;

Thus step by step we cross the tide,
Thus step by step we rise;
Till we attain the other side,
Or climb to yonder skies.

And when the last of days is o'er, The last of midnights come; The sunrise next shall set no more,

My journey ends AT HOME!

(After the German of Karl Gerok.)

JOR this New Year the God of old,
Whose mighty arm doth worlds uphold;
From earliest days His loving care
On eagles' wings His children bare ;
We leave the future safely there :
For this New Year-the God of old,

Whose mighty arm doth worlds uphold.

For this New Year-new blessings too,
Like springing waters, freshly flow.
Hope still for joy, ye creatures, sing;
O'er all the snowy fields He'll bring

The growing corn of coming spring.

For this New Year-new blessings too,

Like springing waters, freshly flow.

For this New Year-old cares shall be ;
Not yet the Year of Jubilee.

We still are wanderers on the plain,
Through ups and downs, in storm and rain,

With battles fierce to fight again.

For this New Year-old cares shall be ;
Not yet the Year of Jubilee.

For this New Year-new hopes are sown,
For Time to bring them forth full-grown ;
As March will bring the lark's sweet lay,
And roses bud or bloom in May,
So shall thy strength be as thy day.

For this New Year-new hopes are sown,
For Time to bring them forth full-grown.

For this New Year-the faith of old,
Like triumphs as our fathers told.
God speed ye all, march forth and sing,
Unfurl the banner of your King.
Christ first, and last, and everything.

For this New Year-the faith of old,
Like triumphs as our fathers told.

For this New Year-new hearts be given,
A new leaf turned on earth for Heaven;
The debts of former days full paid,
Old quarrels healed, old strifes allayed,
The curse into a blessing made.

For this New Year-new hearts be given,
A new leaf turned on earth for Heaven.