Still whispering glorious things unseen?Faith makes the vision plain. The world would kill her soon: but Faith Her daring dreams will cherish, Speeding her gaze o'er time and death To realms where nought can perish. Or is it Love, the dear delight Of hearts that know no guile, That all around see all things bright With their own magic smile? The silent joy, that sinks so deep, Who, but a Christian, through all life Who, through the world's sad day of strife, Fathers may hate us or forsake, God's foundlings then are we: Mother on child no pity take", But we shall still have Thee. We may look home, and seek in vain A fond fraternal heart, But Christ hath given his promise plain Nor shall dull age, as worldlings say, The Saviour cannot pass away, And with him lives our joy. Ever the richest tenderest glow Sets round th' autumnal sun But there sight fails: no heart may know Such is thy banquet, dearest Lord; Our lot with thine, to trust thy word, And keep our best till last. u Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Isaiah xlix. 15. THIRD SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY. When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no not in Israel. St. Matthew viii. 10. I MARK'D a rainbow in the north, It was a gleam to Memory dear, And as I walk and muse apart, I would revive it in my heart, To regions farthest from the fount of day. Light flashes in the gloomiest sky, And Music in the dullest plain, Over her flat and leafless reign, And chanting in so blithe a tone, Brighter than rainbow in the north, Which on some holy house we mark ; Dear to the pastor's aching heart To think, where'er he looks, such gleam may have a part; May dwell, unseen by all but Heaven, ▾ Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof. "From the first time that the impressions of religion settled deeply in his mind, he used great caution to conceal it ; not only in obedience to the rule given by our Saviour, of fasting, praying, and giving alms in secret, but from a particular distrust he had of himself; for he said he was afraid he Lest the deep stain it owns within Break out, and Faith be sham'd by the believer's sin. In silence and afar they wait, To find a prayer their Lord may hear: Voice of the poor and desolate, You best may bring it to his ear. Your grateful intercessions rise With more than royal pomp, and pierce the skies. Happy the soul, whose precious cause You in the sovereign Presence plead "This is the lover of thy laws, "The friend of thine in fear and need" For to the poor thy mercy lends That solemn style," thy nation and thy friends.” He too is blest, whose outward eye The graceful lines of art may trace, should at some time or other do some enormous thing, which if he were looked on as a very religious man, might cast a reproach on the profession of it, and give great advantages to impious men to blaspheme the name of God." Burnet's Life of Hale, in Wordsworth's Eccl. Biog. vi. 73. * He loveth our nation. |