OH FOR THE ROBES OF WHITENESS!

CHARITIE LEES SMITH.

Ο

H for the robes ef whiteness!

Oh for the tearless eyes!

Oh for the glorious brightness
Of the unclouded skies!

Oh for the no more weeping
Within the land of love,
The endless joy of keeping
The bridal feast above!

Oh for the bliss of dying,
My risen Lord to meet!
Oh for the rest of lying
Forever at His feet!

Oh for the hour of seeing
My Saviour face to face,
The hope of ever being
In that sweet meeting-place!

Jesus, Thou King of glory,
I soon shall dwell with thee;
I soon shall sing the story
Of Thy great love to me!

Meanwhile my thoughts shall enter

E'en now, before Thy throne

That all my love may centre

On Thee, and Thee alone!

WHAT JOY WHILE THUS I VIEW THE DAY

From the Latin of ZUINGER, by MERRICK.

7HAT joy, while thus I view the day

WHAT

That warns my thirsting soul away,

What transport fills my breast!

For, lo! my great Redeemer's power
Unfolds the everlasting door,

And leads me to His rest.

The festive morn, my God, is come
That calls me to the hallowed dome,
Thy presence to adore;

My feet the summons shall attend,
With willing steps Thy courts ascend,
And tread th' ethereal floor.

E'en now to my expecting eyes
The heaven-built towers of Salem rise;
E'en now, with glad survey,

I view her mansions, that contain
Th' angelic forms, an awful train,
And shine with cloudless day,

Hither, from earth's remotest end,
Lo! the redeemed of God ascend,
Their tribute hither bring;
Here, crowned with everlasting joy,
In hymns of praise their tongues employ,
And hail the immortal King;—

Great Salem's King, who bids each state
On her decrees dependent wait;

In her, ere time begun,

High on eternal base upreared,
His hands the regal seat prepared
For Jesse's favored Son.

Mother of cities! o'er thy head

See Peace, with healing wings outspread,
Delighted fix her stay;

How blest who calls himself thy friend
Success his labors shall attend,

And safety guard his way.

Thy walls, remote from hostile fear,
Nor the loud voice of tumult hear,
Nor war's wild wastes deplore;
There smiling Plenty takes her stand,
And in thy courts with lavish hand
Has poured forth all her store.

Let me, blest seat, my name behold
Among thy citizens enrolled;

In thee forever dwell;
Let Charity my steps attend,
My sole companion and my friend,

And Faith and Hope farewell.

JE

WOULD GOD I WERE IN THEE.

From the German of J. M. MEYFART, by Caroline WINKWorth,

ERUSALEM, thou city fair and high,
Would God I were in thee!

My longing heart fain, fain to thee would fly,-
It will not stay with me;

Far over vale and mountain,
Far over field and plain,
It hastes to seek its Fountain,
And quit this world of pain.

Oh happy day, and yet far happier hour,
When wilt thou come at last,

When, fearless, to my Father's love and power,
Whose promise standeth fast,

My soul I gladly render?

For surely will His hand

Lead her, with guidance tender,
To heaven, her fatherland.

A moment's space, and gently, wondrously,
Released from earthly ties,

The fiery chariot bears her up to thee,
Through all these lower skies,

To yonder shining regions;

While down to meet her come

The blessed angel legions,

And bid her welcome home.

Oh hail, thou glorious city! now unfold
The gates of grace to me!

How many a time I longed for thee of old,

Ere yet I was set free

From yon dark life of sadness,

Yon world of shadowy nought,

And God had given the gladness,
The heritage I sought.

Oh what the nation, what the glorious host,
Comes sweeping swiftly down?

The chosen ones on earth who wrought the most,
The church's brightest crown,

Our Lord hath sent to meet me,

As in the far-off years

Their words oft came to greet me

In yonder land of tears.

The patriarchs' and prophets' noble train,

With all Christ's followers true,

Who bore the cross, and could the worst disdain

That tyrants dared to do;

I see them shine forever,
All glorious as the sun,
'Mid light that fadeth never,

Their perfect freedom won.

And when within that lovely Paradise

At last I safely dwell,

From out my blissful soul what songs shall rise,

What joy my lips shall tell,