THE FAREWELL BLESSING.

How

OW precious to each heart the farewell blessing

Of all departing saints in Christ is found! They, like the sun, scem larger at their setting,

And flood with light the whole creation round. May God's dear mercy grant us such possession, And power of faith to speak our Saviour's love; That we may know the bliss of faith's confession, Through all earth's pilgrimage towards heaven above!

That hope in Christ,-how glorious, how divine!
God's witness to the Grace of his Dear Son!
A light through all the vale of death to shine,
The Resurrection and the Life begun.

Oh what a dream of glory might it be,

If thou, God's dearest gift,-my loving wife— Should prove the Angel first to welcome me Within the glories of Eternal Life.

O gracious God! within thy presence hide us, Redeemed and sheltered from the death of sin; And grant thy Holy Spirit's grace to guide us, The Resurrection Life in Christ to win.

BIRTHDAY OFFERING.

AY of thy birth, my loving wife!

DAY

Oh, who could then foresee

"The spring of love, the star of life, Thou wouldst be unto me!

In all my wanderings round the globe How little could I dream

That such a rainbow light would come To comfort and redeem;

That I, unworthy and forlorn,

So many years should roam,

And thou reserved my bride to be,

The angel of my home!

Most Merciful! deal kindly still,

Thou Everlasting Friend! And lead us gently, all thy way, Rejoicing to the end.

Whatever be thy blessed will,

Oh, let not ours intrude; For thou alone art always still The Giver of all good.

But grant that in the Book of Life
Our names as one remain,
Forever to adore his grace,

The Lamb for sinners slain.

Our times are in his loving hand,
And our eternal bliss;

Our quiet sleep at his command,
Our resurrection his.

As in the covenant of his love
Our Christian names were tied,
So in the presence of the Lord
Forever we 'll abide.

LOVE'S EARLIEST MEMORIALS.

E dear memorials of love's earliest hours!

YE

How pleasant to be welcomed by these flowers!

As grateful as the fragrant breath of June,

Sweet as the dew, precious as these soft showers
Falling to-day, like spring, from morn till noon,
Mayhap till twilight introduce the moon,
With interlude of winds, through autumn bowers,
Kissing the earth, keeping the world in tune.

The autumnal rain veils with a misty light
The birth of that fair bridal cloudless day,
When, in the covenant of God's holy rite,
We gave each other and ourselves away,
And, in our little boat with promise bright,
As for the unseen land of pure delight,
With hopes and prayers and grateful praise alway,
From the dear household shore we sailed that day.

With clouds of blessings borne by anxious fears,
Distilled from prayers as rainbows by the sun,
Groups of loved friends surrounded us in tears,
Not doubtful of the sunshine from above,
But with rich fruits of tenderest yearning love,
Insurance for life's journey so begun,

Not knowing through what snares their path might

run,

By whom the crown of glory should be won.

The tears, the prayers, the sadness, and the joy, -
Not dreams of evil darkling o'er the mind,
Nor premonitions of mistakes entwined,
Nor in default of thoughts to God resigned,
But that no earthly bliss, without alloy,
Comes from the Father of Eternal Light,
Whose gifts alike are, morning, noon, or night,
A jewelled train with his own radiance bright.

Sure as the covenant in God's word expressed,
Sure as the sun shining from east to west,

His love shall guide our daily pilgrimage,
Who gives his angels charge, where'er we roam,
To keep our faltering steps through every stage,
Till he shall speak the word that calls us home,
With all the dear ones of the household blest,
To be partakers of his heavenly rest.

Now be the temple, oft by mercy swept
For his abode who knocked for entrance there, -
In heart and mind by grace divinely kept,

In his dear name, with holiest praise and prayer; Till his indwelling presences become,

Through love's assurance of our sins forgiven, Sweet foretastes of the life that makes heaven home, Dear worship of a faith that makes home heaven.

PERPETUAL YOUTH.

COR do you not know that the older you grow,

FOR

The nearer you come to perpetual youth? With the swift-flowing river of time you go

To the bright-rolling ocean of God's own truth. And the world where your Father is taking our souls,

From the wrecks that were tossing on billows of