IN

1880.

N Hebrew phrase, five weeks of years, Since our dear wedding day!

Dear Sabbath Jubilees of life,

How swiftly past away!

With golden sheaves of blessings fresh,

The retrospect how plain!

And melodies of flying hours

In musical refrain.

O sacred covenant of Time!

Could we but stay thy flight,

Earth might renew in Eden's clime
Old Adam's first delight.

For years and months and seasons, sweet

As ever God arrays,

Have borne new gifts upon their wings,

And taught new songs of praise

How crowned with mercy all our life!
Our Father's love, how clear!
The stations of our pilgrimage
Marked by his heavenly care.

He wakes for us the opening dawn,The clouds, the passing shower, The landscape, valley, plain, and hill, All call us to adore.

He plants the flowers, unfolds the buds,
Their fragrant hues combines,
And bids the resurrection woods
Foretell his bright designs.

He bids the honeysuckle bloom,

Our cottage to adorn;

He spreads the grass in tender green

Upon the dewy lawn.

Where do his thoughts of love begin?
Where will they ever end?
The Covenant of Love Divine,
By our Almighty Friend!

O God, our God, thee will we bless
While life for praise is given,

Till immortality renews.

The blissful strain in heaven.

1881.

HE sun is shining clear and bright,

THE

All Nature moves in sweet array,
But sweeter still the pleasant light
That shines upon our wedding day.

The heavens once more look mildly down, The night shows many a beauteous star,

The angry clouds away have flown,

But cloudless love is brighter far.

The dawn of day is sweet to see,

And twilight is a lovely hour,

But they are only types to me

Of love's celestial, deathless power.

The setting sun, the golden eve,
The starry sky, shall pass away,
As brightest dreams our spirits leave,
But love dwells in eternal day.

Love makes the day, 't is not the sun; His rays may but in mockery shine. 'Tis darkness if 't is light alone;

But love alone makes light divine.

O Thou who art the source of love, Still shine in mercy from on high, And bring us to that world above, Where love shall never wane nor die.

I

1882.

THANK my God for all the varied light

Of his rich mercy which doth crown my days; While the whole flying year, morn, noon, and night, Brings fresh memorials for his lasting praise; But most of all, that after such delays

Of lowering misery in a wilful heart,

He could with tender loving-kindness raise Me from my lonely prison, and impart

The dearest blessing that can charm man's life, A loving, faithful, gentle, winning wife!

Now, may the course of every day be such
As shows the effort of a grateful mind.
May he who saves us by his healing touch
Keep us in paths of piety inclined;

And as the golden threads of life unwind,
May they by grace be gathered up in heaven,
Till Christ's eternal love in glory bind

The hearts that each to each on earth were given. Lord, for such bliss our sinful souls prepare; Then make us sharers of thy glory there!