to boil; to make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence! When thou didst terrible things which we looked not for, thou camest down, the mountains flowed down at thy presence. For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, besides thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him. Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness; those that remember thee in thy ways: behold, thou art wroth; for we have sinned: in those is continuance, and we shall be saved. But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee: for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities. But now, O Lord, thou art our Father: we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we are all the work of thy hand. Be not wroth very sore, O Lord, neither remember iniquity for ever: behold, see, we beseech thee, we are all thy people. Thy holy cities are a wilderness, Zion is a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation. Our holy and our beautiful house, where our fathers praised thee, is burnt up with fire: and all our pleasant things are laid waste. Wilt thou refrain thyself for these things, O Lord? wilt thou hold thy peace, and afflict us very sore?-Isaiah lxiv. In the way of thy judgments, O Lord, have we waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee.-Isaiah xxvi. 8. O Lord, be gracious unto us; we have waited for thee: be thou their arm every morning, our salvation also in the time of trouble.-Isaiah xxxiii. 2. O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, that dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth: thou hast made heaven and earth. Incline thine ear, O Lord, and hear; open thine eyes, O Lord, and see. Now, O Lord our God, save us, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know, that thou art the Lord, even thou only.-Isaiah xxxvii. 16-20. Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord; awake, as in the ancient days, in the generations of old. Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the dragon? Art thou not it which hath dried the sea, the waters of the great deep; that hath made the depths of the sea a way for the ransomed to pass over?-Isaiah li. 9, 10. Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness; let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together.Isaiah xlv. 8. Verily thou art a God that hidest thyself, O God of Israel, the Saviour.-Isaiah xlv. 15. MEMOIR OF TWO SONS. (Concluded from page 37.) "Insatiate archer! could not one suffice? "Thy shaft flew twice; and twice my peace was slain, "And twice, e'er thrice yon moon had filled her horn."-Dr. Young. "Were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided."-2 Sam. i. 23. Alfred B. the subject of this short memoir, and his brother J. B. were from infancy constant companions; resided in the same dwelling, slept in the same room, pursued the same studies, attended the same means of grace, and united their voices, and raised their hearts to praise the God of all power and might; they were indeed the delight of a parent's fond heart, and a mutual comfort to each other; but, alas! the sudden stroke which removed J. B. appeared too heavy for his brother's sensible feelings to endure. Scarcely had the bereaved parents sat down to deplore their loss, when an alarm at the danger of losing their second son seizes them. His tender constitution, and delicate nerves, are overpowered by heartfelt trouble. A pallid languor is marked in his countenance; and like the mourning widowed turtle dove, he wanders alone in solitary walks, to pour out the feelings of a wounded spirit, into the ear of that God who will not despise the offering of a contrite and broken heart. The means of grace in which he delighted were the solace he fled to for comfort. Weakness increases; and though he persisted in going to the lectures as usual, yet a father's arm had to support his youthful steps. Happy days when both these sons were glad to accompany their parent, and to promote the interests of the kingdom of God's dear Son! But these earthly gourds are withered, and these happy days will never return. The world became a wilderness to him; and he would remark to his father that he "would far rather follow his deceased brother into eternity (if his evidence of acceptance with God was clear) than remain longer upon earth." In his pensive walks on the Banks of the River Wharf, in the fulness of his heart, he commits his thoughts to paper, for some time unknown to his parents. The following specimen at all events shew the pious state of his mind: ON THE GOODNESS OF GOD: By A. B. after the death of his brother J. B. Oh! that I could my Jesus love, April 12th, 1832 My Jesus crucified for me, Oh! Lord, send down thy heavenly dove, Through storms and tempests here below, May I set thee before my eyes; Teach me, O Lord, with grace to bow My head, for thou, O Lord, art wise. MOURNFUL REFLECTIONS ON THE DEATH OF J. B. BY A. B. I muse on dear, departed, fleeting hours, The hand that first penned these lines is now inactive in a bed of clay, and the painful feelings which affected the heart with these sentiments, are hushed and still; but the above verses are a specimen of the state of soul of the departed youth. His father had fixed the time for taking him to the Lakes, but his illness rapidly increased, and he was confined within doors. He shewed a striking similarity of views and sentiments with those of his deceased brother. Prayer and praises continually dwelt upon his tongue. His conversation was in heaven. His prospects were beyond the grave, and the things of the world had no place in his heart. In the short intervals of ease which he enjoyed in the last tempest of life, he frequently would break forth in singing the praises of God in the sweetest strains, in these words: "Sweet is the work, my God, my King, To praise thy name give thanks and sing." And again: "My God, the spring of all my joys, The glory of my brightest days, The days of his probation being ended, God saw fit to release him from the burden of the flesh, exactly three months after the death of his brother, on the 29th day of June, 1832, aged 15. These two brothers both intended, and felt desirous to be→ come, (had they been spared) ministers of Christ in his church upon earth; but God saw fit to prepare and make them kings and priests at his right hand in glory. May the mourning relatives tread in their steps through this vale of misery and tears, till they are united in eternal bonds of love to part no more for ever. ISAIAH lx. 19. The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the Lord shall be unto thee an ever lasting light, and thy God thy glory. I see, my Saviour Christ! I see Thy glories from afar; Thy beam shoots forth, the shadows flee, We grope in darkness here below Till thou arise to bless; Nor God, nor hope, nor truth we know, We read, and search with anxious mind But no interpreter we find Hail! blessed light! to thine abode And tread the safe and pleasant road Yet, gracious Lord, our view of thee Shine forth, bright Sun of glory! shine! The light of truth and grace divine, IOTA. DAILY TEXTS FOR MAY. Evening. 1 Cor. 11. 31, 32 1 Peter 1. 15 1 Tim 6. 8, 9, 10 1 John 3. 8 2 Thess 2.17 All communications to the Editor, Kirkby Lonsdale, (post paid.) FOSTER, PRINTER, KIRKBY LONSDALE. |