When wandering here a little span,
Thou took'st on Thee to rescue man,

Thou hadst no earthly sire:

That wedded love we prize so dear,
As if our heaven and home were here,
It lit in Thee no fire.

On no sweet sister's faithful breast

Wouldst thou thine aching forehead rest, On no kind brother lean :

But who, O perfect filial heart,

E'er did like Thee a true son's part,

Endearing, firm, serene?

Thou wept'st, meek maiden, mother mild,

Thou wept'st upon thy sinless child,
Thy very heart was riven:

And yet, what mourning matron here
Would deem thy sorrows bought too dear
By all on this side Heaven?

A son that never did amiss,

That never sham'd his mother's kiss,

Nor cross'd her fondest prayer:

Even from the tree he deign'd to bow

For her his agonized brow,

Her, his sole earthly care.

Ave Maria! blessed Maid!

Lily of Eden's fragrant shade,

Who can express the love

That nurtur'd thee so pure and sweet,

Making thy heart a shelter meet

For Jesus' holy Dove?

Ave Maria! Mother blest,

To whom caressing and caress'd,
Clings the Eternal Child;
Favour'd beyond Archangels' dream,
When first on thee with tenderest gleam
Thy new-born Saviour smil'd:-

Ave Maria! Thou whose name

All but adoring love may claim,

Yet may we reach thy shrine;

For He, thy Son and Saviour, vows
To crown all lowly lofty brows

With love and joy like thine.

Bless'd is the womb that bare Him-bless'd h

The bosom where his lips were press'd,

But rather bless'd are they

Who hear his word and keep it well,

The living homes where Christ shall dwell,

And never pass away.

h St. Luke xi. 27, 28.

LXXXIII.

ST. MARK'S DAY.

And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder the one from the other. Acts xv. 39.

Compare 2 Timothy iv. 11. Take Mark, and bring him with thee, for he is profitable to me for the ministry.

OH! who shall dare in this frail scene

On holiest happiest thoughts to lean,

On Friendship, Kindred, or on Love?

Since not Apostles' hands can clasp

Each other in so firm a grasp,

But they shall change and variance prove.

Yet deem not, on such parting sad

Shall dawn no welcome dear and glad:

Divided in their earthly race,

Together at the glorious goal,

Each leading many a rescu'd soul,

The faithful champions shall embrace.

For even as those mysterious Four,

Who the bright whirling wheels upbore

By Chebar in the fiery blasti,
So, on their tasks of love and praise
The saints of God their several ways

Right onward speed, yet join at last.

And sometimes even beneath the moon
The Saviour gives a gracious boon,

When reconciled Christians meet,
And face to face, and heart to heart,
High thoughts of holy love impart

In silence meek, or converse sweet.

Companion of the Saints! 'twas thine
To taste that drop of peace divine,

When the great soldier of thy Lord
Call'd thee to take his last farewell,
Teaching the Church with joy to tell

The story of your love restor❜d.

i Ezekiel i. 9. They turned not when they went-they went every one straight forward.