21

God in Nature.

7's M.

Alcester.

In the Cottage.

1 IN each breeze that wanders free,
And each flower that gems the sod,
Living souls may hear and see,
Freshly uttered words from God!

2 Had we but a searching mind,
Seeking good where'er it springs,
We should then true wisdom find,
Hidden in familiar things!

3 God is present, and doth shine

Through each scene beneath the sky, Kindling with a light divine,

Every form that meets the eye.

4 But the soul, when veiled in sin,
And eclipsed with fear and doubt,
From the darkened world within,

Throws its shade on that without.

5 While to those who pure in heart.
For the truth their powers employ,
She will constant good impart,
And diffuse perpetual joy.

6 If the mind would Nature see,
Let her cherish virtue more;
Goodness bears the golden key,
That unlocks her palace door!

WATERSTON.

25

God's Goodness in flowers. C. M.

YLolem.

St. Luke.

1 GOD might have made the earth bring forth Enough for great and small,

The oak tree, and the cedar tree,
Without a flower at all.

2 He might have made enough, enough
For every want of ours;
For luxury, medicine, and toil,
And yet have made no flowers.

3 Then wherefore, wherefore were they made.
And dyed with rainbow light,
All fashion'd with supremest grace,
Up springing day and night?

4 Our outward life requires them not-
Then wherefore had they birth?
To minister delight to man;
To beautify the earth.

5 To comfort man-to whisper hope
Where'er his faith is dim;

For who so careth for the flowers,
Will care much more for him!

MISS HOWITT.

Ward.

26

God in Creation. L. M.

Children's Anthem; S. S. Minstrel.

1 THERE's not a leaf within the bower;
There's not a bird upon the tree;
There's not a dew-drop on the flower,
But bears the impress, Lord, of thee.

2 Thy hand the varied leaf designed,

And gave the bird the thrilling tone; Thy power the dew-drop's tints combined, Till like the diamond's blaze they shone.

3 Yes, dew-drops, leaves, birds and all,

The smallest, like the greatest things,-
The sea's vast space, the earth's wide ball,
Alike proclaim the King of kings.

But man alone to bounteous heaven
Thanksgiving's conscious strains can raise,
To favored man alone 't is given

To join the angelic choir of heaven.

27

MRS. OPIE.

Mear.

Power of God. C. M.

Medfeld

1 ALMIGHTY God! thy gracious power
On every hand I see;

O may the blessings of each hour
Lead all my thoughts to thee!

2 If, on the wings of morn, I speed
To earth's remotest bound,
Thy hand will there my footsteps lead
Thy love my path surround.

3 Thy power is in the ocean deeps,
And reaches to the skies;
Thine eye of mercy never sleeps,
Thy goodness never dies.

4 From morn till noon, till latest eve,
The hand of God I see;

And all the blessings I receive,
Ceaseless proceed from thee

5 In all the varying scenes of time,
On thee my hopes depend;
Through every age, in every clime,
My Father and my Friend!

St. Thomas.

28

God, the Creator. S. M.

1 How wond'rous is this frame,

As I its parts survey;

Dover.

These hands, these feet, this body, came
But from a mass of clay.

2 And in this fair machine
Dwells an immortal mind,
Placed here by some great hand unseen,
For some great end designed.

3 Before thy gracious throne,
Thou condescending Lord,

I bend the knee, and humbly own
Thy name should be adored.

4 'T was thou who gav'st me breath,
Who bad'st me live and move;
O may I bless thy name till death,
Then worship thee above.

Give me the humble hope to claim
A portion so divine.

2 This can my fears control,
And bid my sorrows fly;
What real harm can reach my soul
Beneath my Father's eye?

3 Whate'er thy will denies,
I calmly would resign;

For thou art just, and good, and wise;
O bend my will to thine!

4 Thy ways are little known

To my weak, erring sight;
Yet shall my soul, believing, own
That all thy ways are right.

5 My Father! blissful name!
Above expression dear!

If thou accept the humble claim,
I bid adieu to fear.

Hebron.

30

God, our Father. L. M.

Bonnie Doon.

1 GREAT God! and wilt thou condescend
To be my Father and my friend?

I but a child, and thou so high,
The Lord of earth, and air, and sky!

2 Art thou my Father?-Let me be
A meek, obedient child to thee;
And try, in every deed and thought,
To serve and please thee as I ought