THE TIME TO MEET,

Tis autumn now;

And as we part,

The dry brown leaf

Is rustling o'er the ground;

Making the sadness sadder, and the cloud
Of the long farewell deeper in its gloom.

Not thus let us meet;

Mid falling leaves

And sere, frost-stricken flowers;

But when the leaf is budding in its freshness,

And the rich blossom putting forth its gladness. Not thus let us meet;

It is too sad;

But when the buried verdure

Is coming up to meet the joyous sun,

When the new spring looks round upon the hills, Full of youth's buoyant promise and bright song, Then let us meet.

THE TIME TO MEET.

191

Yes, when the spring-breeze blows,

And the gay garden blooms,

And the wide forest waves with budding green,
And the freed streamlet warbles through the broom,
And the clear air takes up the happy note

Of skylark singing to the rosy dawn,

Then let us meet;

And meeting, cheer each other's weary heart
With the dear hope of everlasting spring,

And the fair land that spreads beneath the slopes
Of the eternal hills,

Where nothing dies;

Where nothing fades;

But all is without ending or decay,

The sky, the sun, the light,

The peace, the truth, the love,

And above all, the joy!

GONE BEFORE.

THOU art in heaven, and I am still on earth; 'Tis years, long years, since we were parted here, I still a wanderer amid grief and fear,

And thou the tenant of a brighter sphere.

Yet still thou seemest near;

But yesterday it seems,

Since the last clasp was given,

Since our lips met,

And our

eyes

looked into each other's depths.

Thou art amid the deathless, I still here,
Amid things mortal, in a land of graves,
A land o'er which the heavy-beating waves
Of changing time move on, a land where raves
The storm, which whoso braves

Must have his anchor fixed

Firmly within the vail;—

So let my anchor be;

Such be my consolation and my hope!

GONE BEFORE.

Thou art amid the sorrowless, I here

Amid the sorrowing; and yet not long

Shall I remain 'mid sin, and fear, and wrong:
Soon shall I join you in your sinless song.

Thy day has come, not gone,

Thy sun has risen, not set,
Thy life is now beyond

The reach of death or change;

Not ended but begun,

Such shall our life be soon,
And then, the meeting-day,
How full of light and joy!
All fear of change cast out,
All shadows passed away,
The union sealed for ever
Between us and our Lord.

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193

THE ELDER BROTHER.

YES, for me, for me he careth
With a brother's tender care;
Yes, with me, with me he shareth
Every burden, every fear.

Yes, o'er me, o'er me he watcheth, Ceaseless watcheth, night and day: Yes, even me, even me he snatcheth From the perils of the way.

Yes, for me he standeth pleading,
At the mercy-seat above;

Ever for me interceding,

Constant in untiring love.

Yes, in me abroad he sheddeth

Joys unearthly,-love and light;

And to cover me he spreadeth

His paternal wing of might.