CHRISTMAS HYMN.

SHEPHERDS keeping watch by night
Saw around a glorious light,
Heard an angel then proclaim,
"Christ is born in Bethlehem."

Soon, by many a heavenly tongue,

Glory be to God" was sung;

“Peace on earth, good-will to men,
Christ is born in Bethlehem."

Joyful tidings to mankind!

Richest grace they now may find;
Children too this grace may claim;
"Christ is born in Bethlehem."

Oh, how great His grace and love,
Thus to leave His throne above;
Thus to bear our guilt and shame,
And be "born in Bethlehem."

Lord, accept our warmest praise
For this condescending grace,
And our hearts with love inflame
For Thy birth at Bethlehem.

A FAREWELL.

My fairest child, I have no song to give you;
No lark could pipe to skies so dull and grey;
Yet ere we part, one lesson I can leave you
For every day.

Be good, sweet maid, and let who will be clever;
Do noble things, not dream them, all day long;
And so make life, death, and that vast forever

One grand sweet song. Rev. Chas. Kingsley.

CALLING NAMES.

OUR tongues were made to bless the Lord,
And not speak ill of men;
When others give a railing word,
We must not rail again.

Cross names and angry words require
To be chastised at school;

And he's in danger of hell-fire
That calls his brother "fool."

But lips that dare be so prófane,
To mock, and jeer, and scoff
At holy things or holy men,
The Lord shall cut them off.

When children, in their wanton play,
Serv'd old Elisha so,

And bid the prophet go his way—
up, thou bald-head, go!"

"Go

God quickly stopp'd their wicked breath, And sent two raging bears,

That tore them limb from limb to death,
With blood, and groans, and tears.

Great God, how terrible art Thou
To sinners e'er so young!

Grant me Thy grace, and teach me how
To tame and rule my tongue.

HEAVEN AND HELL.

THERE is beyond the sky
A heaven of joy and love;
And holy children, when they die,
Go to that world above.

There is a dreadful hell,

And everlasting pains;

There sinners must with devils dwell,
In darkness, fire, and chains.

Can such a wretch as I

Escape this cursed end?

And

may I hope, whene'er I die, I shall to heaven ascend.

Then I for grace will pray,

While I have life and breath,

Lest I should be cut off to-day,
And sent t' eternal death.

Watts.

ACQUAINT THEE, MY CHILD.

ACQUAINT thee, my child,

Acquaint thee with God,
And joy, like the sunshine,
Shall beam on thy road;
Sweet peace, like the dew-drop,
Shall fall on thy head;
And sleep, like an angel,
Shall visit thy bed.

Acquaint thee, my child,
Acquaint thee with God,
And He shall be with thee,
When fears are abroad;
Thy safeguard in danger
That threatens thy path,
Thy joy in the valley

And shadow of death.

THE POOR WIDOW.

I KNEW a widow, very poor,
Who four small children had ;
The oldest was but six years old,
A gentle modest lad.

And very hard this widow toil'd,
To feed her children four ;
A noble heart the mother had,
Though she was very poor.

To labour she would leave her home,
For children must be fed ;

And glad was she when she could buy
A shilling's worth of bread.

And this was all the children had

On any day to eat ;

And glad was she when she could buy
A shilling's worth of bread.

And this was all the children had

On any day to eat;

They drank their water, ate their bread,

But never tasted meat.

One day, when snow was falling fast,
And piercing was the air,

I thought that I would go and see
How these poor children were.

Ere long I reached their cheerless home—

'Twas searched by every breeze—

When, going in, the eldest child

I saw upon his knees.

I paused to listen to the boy;

He never raised his head,

But still went on, and said, "Give us
This day our daily bread."

I waited till the child was done,
Still listening as he prayed;
And when he rose, I asked him why
That prayer he then had said.

"Why, sir," said he, "this morning when
My mother went away,

She wept, because she said she had
No bread for us to-day.

"She said, we children now must starve,
Our father being dead;

And then I told her not to cry,
For I would get some bread.

""Our Father,' sir, the prayer begins,
Which made me think that He,
As we have no kind father here,
Would our kind Father be.

"And then you know, sir, that the prayer
Asks God for bread each day;

So, in the corner, sir, I went,

And that's what made me pray."

I quickly left that wretched room,
And went with fleeting feet,
And very soon was back again
With food enough to eat.

"I thought God heard me," said the boy;
I answered with a nod;

I could not speak, but much I thought
Of that boy's faith in GOD.

Dr. Hawks.