'Tis greatly wise to talk with our past hours;
And ask them what report they bore to heaven;
And how they might have borne more welcome news:
Their answers form what men Experience call ;

*

*

If Wisdom's friend, her best; if not, worst foe.
O reconcile them! *
Our needful knowledge, like our needful food,
Unhedg'd, lies open in life's common field,
And bids all welcome to the vital feast.

*

YOUNG.

Be it my only wisdom here

To serve the Lord with filial fear,
With love and gratitude :

His gracious power may I display,
By shunning every evil way,
And walking in the good.

O may I still from sin depart!
A wise and understanding heart,
Jesus, to me be given!

And let me through Thy spirit know,

To glorify my God below,

And find my way to heaven.

I have no skill the snare to shun,
But Thou, O Christ, my wisdom art:
I ever into ruin run;

But Thou art greater than my heart.

Foolish, and impotent, and blind,

Lead me a way I have not known; Bring me where I my heaven may find, The heaven of loving Thee alone.

Enlarge my heart to make Thee room;
Enter, and in me ever stay;

The crooked then shall straight become:
The darkness shall be lost in day.

WESLEY.

O Saviour! I pant for the hour,

When uprais'd on the wing of Thy pow'r,
I may soar to the light of Thy throne,
And know Thee as here I am known.

When, when will the clouds roll away,
And this twilight dissolve into day,
And the visions of brightness endure,
And joys be as lasting as pure?

CUNNINGHAM.

From the deepest deep of sin,
Me to rescue, me to win,

O my Saviour, Thou didst come,

From Thy bless'd and brilliant home,

From the deep of holy light,

Plunging into shades of night.

Through the mists of twilight grey,

Bear me with Thee into day ;

Strengthen Thou my feeble sight,
That it bear the vision bright;

Deep and deeper still to see

Into Thy deep of purity;

Till I reach the glorious place

Where I view Thee face to face.

"THOUGHTS OF PEACE."

As ground, when parch'd with summer's heat,
Gladly drinks in the welcome show'r,
So may we, listening at Thy feet,

Catch Thy each word, and feel its power:

O let nought in our hearts remain,

But this great truth-the Lamb was slain!

WESLEY.

Lord, my soul hath heard Thy voice,
Lord, my heart its sin doth see ;
Henceforth Thou art all my choice,
Teach my feet to follow Thee;
Teach my spirit to be Thine,

Thine in every thought and word,
Though the powers of hell combine,
Thine in life and death, oh Lord!

What am I, that Thou should'st bend
From Thy throne of light above ;
What, that Thou should'st condescend
Thus to choose me in Thy love?

What am I, that Thou should'st pour

Wisdom on my feeble soul,

Plant in me Thy faith, and more,
Day by day, my ways control?

Lord, I fling me at Thy feet,
Low before Thy cross I lie;
Prospect glorious—vision sweet!
Gazing thus, oh, let me die!
Gazing on the opening springs

Whence the streams of life are poured;

Thinking on the glorious wings

On which our nature upward soared.

All my being, bleeding Lamb,

To Thy keeping I resign; All I have, and all I am,

From this day are only Thine! Knowledge, feeling, genius, thought, All wherein my heart had pride, Now in humble faith are brought, Unto Thee, the Crucified.

M. A. BROWNE.

Divine Historian of man's heart!
Thy heavenly pages can impart

That wisdom high, and pure,
By which alone my soul can learn
Her true condition to discern,

Her misery, and its cure.

Spirit of truth! celestial Guide!
Subdue my prejudice and pride,

Quell Thou this inward strife,
Those comprehensive words repeat,
Revealing Him in whom they meet—
“The way, the truth, the life.”

"INVALID'S HYMN BOOK."

Jesus! as a little child,

At Thy footstool I sit down : By man's glosses unbeguiled.

Learning truth from Thee alone; Lord! how strait soe'er the gate, Here I knock, and here I wait.

"INVALID'S HYMN BOOK."

There is a lesson in each flower,
A story in each stream and bower:
On every herb on which you tread
Are written words which rightly read,
Will lead you from earth's fragrant sod
To hope, and holiness, and God.

CUNNINGHAM.