Observe the rising lily's snowy grace, Observe the various vegetable race; They neither toil nor spin, but careless grow, JAMES THOMSON, 1700-1748. ASPIRATIONS OF YOUTH. HIGHER, higher will we climb That our names may live through time In our country's story; Happy, when her welfare calls, Deeper, deeper let us toil In the mines of knowledge; Delve we there for richer gems B Onward, onward will we press Through the path of duty; Excellence true beauty; Close and closer then we knit Nearer, dearer bands of love To the saints' communion; JAMES MONTGOMERY, 1771-1854. TO A WEARIED WORKER. "REST!"-thou must not seek for rest Until thy task be done; Thou must not lay thy burthen down 1 Thou must not weary of the life, Nor scorn thy lowly lot, Nor cease to work, because such work Thou must not let thy heart grow cold, Nor veil the bright love in thine eye; When others strive, thou too must help, The power to love God gave to thee, "Freedom and Rest" thou wouldest have: Freedom is service meet; And rest of soul is but a name For toil amid life's heat. Unmoved to gaze upon the strife, Is not true liberty; To others thou must minister, In the outward world 'tis vain to seek ANONYMOUS. ABOVE AND BELOW. O DWELLERS in the valley land, Shortens to noon's triumphal hour, — While ye sit idle, do ye think The Lord's great work is idle too? That light dare not o'erleap the brink Of morn, because 'tis dark with you? Though yet your valleys sleep in night, In God's ripe fields the day is cried, And reapers, with their sickles bright, Troop, singing down the mountain-side; Come up, and feel what health there is In the frank dawn's delighted eyes As, bending with a pitying kiss, The night-shed tears of earth she dries! The Lord wants reapers; oh mount up Before night comes, and says, "Too late!" Stay not for taking scrip or cup, The Master hungers while ye wait; 'Tis from these heights alone your eyes The advancing spears of Day can see, Which o'er the eastern hill-tops rise, To break your long captivity. Lone watcher on the mountain height, It is right precious to behold Know also when the day is nigh, Thou hast thine office; we have ours; And when He giveth work to do, To pierce the shield of Error through. But not the less do thou aspire Plunge deep the rowels of thy speech. -American. |