Does sinful pleasure's court invite?
And is her threshold crost?

Ah! then, of us a hand may write

"WEIGHED, WANTING, DOOMED and LOST."

Edmonton.

ANNIE L. H.

THE ABSENT SAVIOUR.

"It was now dark; and Jesus was not come unto them."

THE night of grief has gathered o'er my seal,
And not one star illumes the cheerless sky;
Around my barque the heavy billows roll,
And like a dirge, the wind sweeps mournfully.

In sorrow and in fear I gaze around,

For help and comfort seem so far away;

No voice of love breathes forth its welcome sound;
Oh where art Thou, my Guide, my Friend, my Stay?

Thou hast not come, O Saviour! Thou has left
Thy weak disciple in his hour of need;
And, of Thy presence and Thy smile bereft,
My heart is sad and desolate indeed.

O Lord, why art thou absent ?-absent now
When most I need thy solace and thy care?
The gloom is fast increasing; wilt not Thou
Reveal Thyself, and shield me from despair?

Oh plant Thy footsteps on the troublous wave;
Say to my storm-tossed spirit, "Peace, be still;"
Come in Thy love, omnipotent to save-

With Thee beside me, I shall fear no ill.

I cannot see Thee through the deepening shade,
But even now I feel that Thou art near,

Oh, whisper "It is I, be not afraid!"

And those sweet words shall banish every fear. London.

H. M. W.

THE PAST AND THE FUTURE.

RING out, wild bells, to the wild sky,
The flying clouds, the frosty light;
The year is dying in the night;
Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.

Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells, across the snow :
The year is going—let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.

Ring out the grief that saps the mind,
For those that here we see no more ;
Ring out the feud of rich and poor,
Ring in redress to all mankind.

Ring out the slowly dying cause,
And ancient forms of party strife;
Ring in the nobler modes of life,
With sweeter manners, purer laws.

Ring out the want, the care, the sin,
The faithless coldness of the times;
Ring out, ring out my mournful rhymes,
But ring the fuller minstrel in.

Ring out false pride in place and blood,
The civic slander and the spite;
Ring in the love of truth and right,
Ring in the common love of good.

Ring out old shapes of foul disease,

Ring out the narrow lust of gold; Ring out the thousand wars of old, Ring in the thousand years of peace.

Ring in the valiant man and free,

The larger heart, the kindlier hand; Ring out the darkness of the land, Ring in the Christ that is to be.

"In Memoriam."

ANSWERS TO THE ENIGMA. (Page 96.)

Oh England! hold thy faith!

Still steadfast, pure and free!

Still fixed upon the spotless Lamb,
So shall no power that is but Sham
Retain its hold on thee.

Built on the Living Rock,

The corner-stone of all

The Church of Christ will ever stand;
The Church of Rome is built on sand,
And great will be its fall.

Soon may the Shamrock raise
Its head in joyous hope,

And with the Rose and Thistle 'twine
A lovelier Triple Crown than thine,

Thou proud, pretentious Pope.

ELLICE.

"My kingdom is based on a Rock," says the Pope,
But you all see how Sham his pretension, I hope;
The Shamrock's sad land might be healed of her grief
If she once slipt Rome's yoke, or I am not

Surely each heart will join in prayer
For this loved island of the sea,
That pure religion may reign there
And every form of error flee.

THE FIRST GRIEF.

SERENE and unclouded

Life's morning hath been,
But now grief hath shrouded
Each radiant scene;
Fair joys have departed,-

Sweet visions have flown,-
And sad and faint-hearted,
Thou mournest alone.
Thy grief with the morrow
May fade like thy dreams,
Yet still thy first sorrow
The bitterest seems;
While light falls the shower
On tall forest trees,

It bendeth the flower

That waved in the breeze.

Remembrance of gladness
A shade o'er thee flings,
Yet fold not in sadness

Thy spirit's bright wings;
The pathway before thee
Looks rugged and bare,
But One watcheth o'er thee
With tenderest care.
His bright eye controlleth
The stars in their spheres,
His soft glance beholdeth
The lone orphan's tears!
Oh trust in His power,
Confide in His love!

And in sorrow's dark hour,
Look simply above!

M. A. B.

H. M. W.