3 Never, from thy pasture roving,
Let them be the fion's prey;
Let thy tenderness, so loving,
Keep them all life's dangerous way;
4 Then within thy fold eternal
Let them find a resting place;
Feed them in pastures ever vernal,
Drink the rivers of thy grace.

ANONYMOUS.

Christ calling Children to Himself.

1 THE Savior gently calls

Our children to his breast;
He folds them in his gracious arms;
Himself declares them blest.

2. Let them approach,' he cries,
Nor scorn their humble claim;
The heirs of heaven are such as these,-
For such as these I came.'

3 Gladly we bring them, Lord,
Devoting them to thee;
Imploring, that, as we are thine,
Thine may our offspring be.

545.

C. M.

WATTS.

Children included in God's Covenant.

1 How large the promise, how divine,
To Abraham and his seed!
'I'll be a God to thee and thine,
Supplying all their need."

2 The words of his extensive love
From age to age endure;

The angel of the covenant proves
And seals the blessing sure.

3 Jesus the ancient faith confirms,
To our great fathers given;
He takes young children to his arms,
And calls them heirs of heaven.
4 Our God, how faithful are his ways!
His love endures the same;
Nor from the promise of his grace
Blots out his children's name.

546.

Permanence of early religious Impressions. 1 WHILE yet the youthful spirit bears The image of its God within, And uneffaced that beauty wears So soon to be destroyed by sing ;2 Then is the time for faith and love To take in charge their precious care, Teach the young eye to look above, Teach the young knee to bend in prayer. 3 This work is ours this charge was thine, These youthful souls from sin to save; To lead them in thy faith divine, And teach its triumph o'er the grave. 4 The world will come with care and crime, And tempt too many a heart astray ; Still the seed sown in early time

Will not be wholly cast away.

5 The infant prayer, the infant hymn, Within the darkened soul will rise, When age's weary eye is dim, And the grave's shadow round us lies. 6 The infant hymn is heard again, The infant prayer is breathed once more; Reclasping of a broken chain,

We turn to all we loved before.

7 Lord, grant our hearts be so inclined,
Thy work to seek, thy will to do;
And while we teach the youthful mind,
Our own be taught thy lessons too.

547.

C. M.

J. STRAPHAM

At a Contribution for Sunday School.

1 BLEST is the man, whose heart expands At melting pity's call,

And the rich blessings of whose hands
Like heavenly manna fall.

2 Mercy, descending from above,
In softest accents pleads;
O may each tender bosom move,
When mercy intercedes!

3 Be ours the bliss, in wisdom's way
To guide untutored youth,

And lead the mind that went astray,
To virtue and to truth.

4 Children our kind protection claim;
And God will well approve

When infants learn to lisp his name,
And their Creator love.

5 Delightful work! young souls to win,
And turn the rising race
From the deceitful paths of sin,
To seek redeeming grace.

6 Almighty God! thy influence shed
To aid this good design;

The honors of thy name be spread,
And all the glory thine!

548.

8s & 7s M.

R. STREETER.

Children's Prayer.

1 GoD of mercy and of wisdom!
Hear thy children's lisping cry;
Let thy presence, Lord, be with them,
Teaching lessons from on high.
2 Here, beneath thy wing, we seat us,
Up to heaven for wisdom look;
Lord, in mercy deign to meet us,
Meet us in thy sacred book,

3 Since thy truth doth gild its pages,
May that truth, Lord, make us free;
On the Rock of endless ages
Let our faith established be.

4 To our faith we'll add the graces,
Virtue, knowledge, patience, love:
When on earth we leave our places,
Raise us all to seats above.

549.

L. M.

*H. BALLOU.

At an Annual Convention.

1 DEAR Lord, behold thy servants here, From various parts, together meet, To tell their labors through the year, And lay the harvest at thy feet. 2 In thy wide fields and vineyards, Lord, We've toiled and wrought with watchful care; Thy wheat hath flourished by thy word, Thy love consumed the choking tare. 3 The reapers cry, Thy fields are white, All ready to be gathered in,

And harvests wave, in changing light,
Far as the eye can trace the scene.

4 Lord, bless us while we here remain ;*
With holy love our bosoms fill;
O may thy doctrine drop like rain,
And like the silent dew distil!

5 While we attend thy churches' care,
O grant us wisdom from above;
With prudent thought and humble prayer,
May we fulfil the works of love.

550.

L. M.

B. FRANCIS.

At an Association of Minister's.

1 BEFORE thy throne, eternal King! Thy ministers their tribute bring, Their tribute of united praise

For heavenly news and peaceful days.

We sing the conquests of thy sword,
And publish loud thy healing word;
While angels sound thy glorious name,
Thy saving grace our lips proclaim.

3 Thy various service we esteem
Our sweet employ, our bliss supreme';
And, while we feel thy heavenly love,
We burn like seraphim above.

4 Still in thy work would we abound;
Still prune the vine, or plough the ground;
Thy sheep with wholesome pasture feed,
And watch them with unwearied heed.

5 Thou art our Lord, our life, our love,
Our care below, our crown above:
Thy praise shall be our best employ,
Thy presence our eternal joy.