NATURE OF HEAVEN. No funeral knell Blends with the breeze of spring its mournful tone, Bidding henceforth the balmy breezes tell Of loved ones gone. O'er the cold brow No bitter tears of agony are shed; None o'er the still, pale form, in anguish bow, "No graves are there," Nor sunny slope, green turf, or quiet grot, That fearful foe! Here, ever bearing from us those we love, No! in the tomb Ends his dominion; there his power is o'er, And they who safely tread its path of gloom Shall die no more! "No graves are there;" Father, we thank thee that there is a clime Guarded alike from death, and grief, and care, Untouched by Time. We praise Thy name That from the dust and darkness of the tomb Hasten the day When, passing death's dark vale without a fear, ATTRACTIONS OF HEAVEN. N O sickness There No weary wasting of the frame away, No fearful shrinking from the midnight air, No dread of summer's bright and fervid ray ! No hidden grief, No wild and cheeriess vision of despair; No tearful eye, no broken heart are There! Care has no home Within that realm of ceaseless praise and song; The storm's black wing Is never spread athwart celestial skies; Its wailings blend not with the voice of Spring, No night distils Its chilling dews upon the tender frame; No parted friends O'er mournful recollections have to weep- No withered flower, Or blasted bud, celestial gardens know! No battle-word Startles the sacred hosts with fear and dread; Let us depart, If home like this await the weary soul! Look up, thou stricken one! Thy wounded heart Shall bleed no more at sorrow's stern control. With Faith our guide, White-robed and innocent, to tread the way,- THU ALLUREMENTS OF HEAVEN. E. H. BICKERSTETH. HUS Heaven is gathering, one by one, in its capacious breast, All that is pure and permanent, and beautiful and blest; The family is scattered yet, though of one home and heart, Part militant in earthly gloom, in heavenly glory part; But who can tell the rapture, when the circle is com plete, And all the children, scattered now, before the Father meet? One fold-one Shepherd-one employ-one universal home! "Lo, I come quickly." Even so-" Amen-Lord Jesus, come!" I REUNION. BISHOP MANT. COUNT the hope no day-dream of the mind, The souls of those whom once on earth we knew Such hope to nature's sympathies is true: And such, we deem, the holy word to view Unfolds, an antidote for grief designed; One drop from comfort's well. 'Tis true we read KNOW AS WE ARE KNOWN. BISHOP KEN. HE saints on earth, when sweetly they converse, TH And the dear favors of kind Heaven rehearse, Each feels the other's joys, both doubly share When they each other's heavenly foretastes know,— THE MEETING-PLACE. HORATIUS BONAR. WHERE the faded flower shall freshen— Freshen never more to fade; Where the faded sky shall brighten Brighten never more to shade; |