Nearer home.

NE sweetly solemn thought
Comes to me o'er and o'er-

I'm nearer home to-day,

Than I ever have been before.

Nearer my Father's house,

Where the many mansions be; Nearer the great white throne; Nearer the crystal sea―

Nearer the bound of life,

Where we lay our burdens down;

Nearer leaving the cross;

Nearer gaining the crown.

But lying darkly between,

Winding down through the night, Is the dim and unknown stream That leads at last to the light.

Closer, closer, my feet

Come to that dark abysm; Closer, death to my lips

Presses the awful chrysm

Saviour, perfect my trust,

Strengthen the might of my faith; Let me feel as I would when I stand

On the rock of the shore of death.

Feel as I would when my feet
Are slipping over the brink;
For it may be, I'm nearer home,

Nearer now than I think.

Carey.

A Death-bed Hymn.

E would see Jesus"-for the shadows lengthen
Across this little landscape of our life;
"We would see Jesus," our weak faith to
strengthen

For the last weariness, the final strife.

"We would see Jesus"-for life's hand hath

rested

With its dark touch upon both heart and brow; And though our souls have many a billow breasted, Others are rising in the distance now.

"We would see Jesus"-the great rock foundation,
Whereon our feet were set by sovereign grace;
Not life, nor death, with all their agitation,
Shall thence remove us, if we see His face.

"We would see Jesus"-other lights are paling, Which for long years we have rejoiced to see; The blessings of our pilgrimage are failing,

We would not mourn them, for we go to Thee.

"We would see Jesus"-yet the spirit lingers

Round the dear objects it has loved so long;

And earth from earth can scarce unclose its fingers,
Our love to Thee makes not this love less strong.

"We would see Jesus"-sense is all too blinding,
And heaven appears too dim-too far away,
We would see Thee, to gain a sweet reminding,
That Thou hast promised our great debt to pay.

"We would see Jesus"-this is all we're needing; Strength, joy, and willingness come with the sight: "We would see Jesus," dying, risen, pleading; Then welcome day! and farewell mortal night.

The Sleep of Death.

ALM on the bosom of thy God,
Fair spirit! rest thee now!

E'en while with us thy footstep trod,
His seal was on thy brow.

Dust, to its narrow house beneath!

Soul, to its place on high!

They who have seen thy look in death
No more may fear to die.

Lone are the paths, and sad the bowers,
Whence thy meek smile is gone;
But oh! a brighter home than ours,

In heaven, is now thine own.

Hemans.

"She is not dead, but sleepeth."

The baby wept;

LUKE viii, 52.

The mother took it from the nurse's arms

And soothed its grief, and stilled its vain alarms, And baby slept.

Again it weeps;

And God doth take it from the mother's arms,
From present pain, and future unknown harms,
And baby sleeps.

Hinds.

Heaven.

H talk to me of heaven, I love

To hear about my home above,

For there doth many a loved one dwell,
In light and joy ineffable.

Oh tell me how they shine and sing,
While every harp rings echoing;
While every glad and tearless eye
Beams like the bright sun gloriously.

Tell me of that celestial calm
Each face in glory weareth,
Tell me of that victorious palm
Each hand in glory beareth.

Oh happy, happy country, where
There enters not a sin,

And death who keeps the portals fair
May never once come in;

No grief can change their day to night,
The darkness of that land is light,
Sorrow and sighing God has sent
Far thence to endless banishment,
O lovely blooming country, there
Flourishes all that we deem fair.

This is the home, the land of birth
Of all we highest prize on earth;

The storms that rack this world beneath

Shall there for ever cease,

The only air the blessed breathe

Is purity and peace.

Oh may

heaven's gate unclose to me,

Oh may I too its glories see,

And my faint, fighting spirit stand
Within that happy, happy land.