They floated on, they floated on, that bright and shadowy train, Their skirts of fleecy fplendour swept the blue ethereal plain, And now and then a band advanced from fome far region bleft, Around whom breathed soft airs of peace, an atmosphere of rest. Methought as meffengers they came, to guide with wings of love, These younger fifters from the earth to their bleft home above; Holy and pure as Angels are, were their resplendent eyes, And full of Heaven's own light they smiled a welcome to the skies. I faw them meet, I faw them kneel, wrapt in a long embrace, And as they knelt a glory fell on each uplifted face; Awhile in pure excefs of joy they paufed with folded wings, The silence of their rapture told unutterable things. And onward, onward still they moved towards the glorious fun, They drank his rays until they grew like light to look upon; And methought that could I follow them with pure unfhrinking eye, I foon should see Heaven's golden gates receive them all on high. But when in vain I fought to pierce thofe dazzling depths of light, A dimness and a darknefs came across my aching fight, And all those bright and beauteous things paffed from me like a dream, I was again on earth, and oh! how dark this earth did feem! MRS. H. V. ELLIOT. LXIV. THE SEA OF GALILEE. OW pleasant to me thy deep blue wave, H For the glorious One who came to fave Fair are the lakes in the land I love, Where the pine and heather grow; It is not that the wild gazelle Comes down to drink thy tide; But He that was pierced to fave from hell It is not that the fig-tree grows, And palms, in thy foft air; But that Sharon's fair and bleeding Rofe Graceful around the mountains meet, But ah! far more! the beautiful feet Those days are paft!-Bethfaida, where? Tell me, ye mouldering fragments, tell, Ah! would my flock from thee might learn How days of grace will flee; How all an offered Christ who spurn Shall mourn at last like thee. And was it befide this very fea The new-rifen Saviour faid Three times to Simon, "Loveft thou me ? My lambs and fheep then feed?" O Saviour! gone to God's right hand, Yet the fame Saviour still, Graved on thy heart is this lovely strand, And every fragrant hill. Oh! give me, Lord, by this facred wave, That I may feed, till I find my grave, Thy flock, both Thine and mine. MCCHEYNE.* LXV. ST. JOHN. E hath gone to the place of his rest, Submiffive would bow to the rod. Our friend and our father we heard, On earth, paint the glories of Heaven ;But now the lone Church, like a wandering bird, To the home of the defert is driven. Entranced, on his vifions we hung; Our hearts and our hopes were above; For the words of Perfuafion fell foft from his tongue, And the foul of his teaching was Love. *Written by the Sea of Galilee, July 16th, 1839. In vain the ftern Tyrant affailed. With threats of the dungeon or grave;— He spoke but the word, and the timid ne'er quailed For what were thy terrors, O Death? And where was thy triumph, O Grave? When the veft of pure white, and the conquering wreath, Were the prize of the scorned and the slave? Oh! then to our Father was given, To read the bright visions on high; He gave to our view the full glories of Heaven;— We heard and we haftened to die. Some died—they are with thee above; Some live-they lament for thee now; But who would recall thee, bleft Saint, from the love That circles with glory thy brow? Long, long didft thou linger below, But the term of thine exile is o'er ; And praises shall mix with the tears that must flow From the eyes that behold thee no more. Praife-praife-that thy trials are past! The thrones are completed-for thine is the laft |