O Thou who Dry'st the Mourner's Tear.

O mother! it is hard to die,
When e'en but yesternight,
My cheek was red, and in my eyes
Hope lit its cheating light!

I hear the noise of playmate boys
In search of pleasure run:
But, mother! I will not complain-
For let His will be done!

O mother! it is hard to die,
And leave you here to weep,
With none to dry your tears when I
Shall sleep the long deep sleep!
My pillow raise, and let me gaze
On yonder setting sun,

Which I may never see again—
But let His will be done!

143

D Thou who Dry'st the Mourner's Tear.

Psalm cxlvii. 3.

T. MOORE.-Air, Haydn.

Thou who dry'st the mourner's tear,
How dark this world would be,

If, when deceived and wounded here,
We could not fly to thee.

The friends who in our sunshine live,
When winter comes, are flown;
And he who has but tears to give,

Must weep those tears alone.

But Thou wilt heal that broken heart,
Which, like the plants that throw
Their fragrance from the wounded part,
Breathes sweetness out of woe.

When joy no longer soothes or cheers,
And even the hope that threw
A moment's sparkle o'er our tears
Is dimm'd and vanish'd too,

Oh, who would bear life's stormy doom,

Did not Thy Wing of Love

Come, brightly wafting through the gloom

Our peace-branch from above!

Then sorrow, touch'd by Thee, grows bright
With more than rapture's ray;

As darkness shows us worlds of light
We never saw by day!

The Beatitudes.

No. 1. SORROW.

"Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted.”—MATT. v. 4

CHARLES JEFFERYS.—Music by Stephen Glover.

IN this world abideth sorrow;

IN

Rich and poor, and high and low,

Wearied age and early childhood

Must the pangs of sorrow know:
But when earthly griefs are keenest,
Hark what cheering words are said :
They that mourn are blessed ;-blessed,
For they shall be comforted.

The Beatitudes.

If we seek our only solace

In the one pure source above,
Happy is the heart that's chasten'd
By the Father's hand of love.
He who is the Lord of Glory,

Had not where to lay His head-
Thus He sorrow'd, thus He suffer'd,
That we might be comforted.

145

No. 2.-MEEKNESS.

"Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth."-Matt. v. 6.

CHARLES JEFFERYS.--Music by Stephen Glover.

BE meek, be patient: oh, how blest is he

Whose heart is ever ready to forgive;

Who knows, 'mid unresented injury,

That unresisted anger cannot live.

A little spark may rouse a raging fire,

The more opposed, the more will anger burn;
But feed it not, the spark will soon expire ;
So Strife, provoked not, will to Peace return.

Of Adam born, there never lived but One
Who needed not forgiveness, and yet He
Was scorn'd, despised, rejected, left alone
To bear the burden of His misery.

By man betray'd, how tender was the prayer,

In dying whispers, breathed by lips divine:
May we such Patience learn; like Him forbear,
Confide in promised joys, and ne'er repine.

K

No. 3.-MERCY.

"Elessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy."-MATT. v. 7.

CHARLES JEFFERYS.-Music by Stephen Glover.

E merciful, for they are blessed

BE

Who the gifts of Mercy show;

In their need, they shall find that mercy
Which on others they bestow.
To help the friendless, save the erring,
Raise the fallen, cheer the lone,
To win the wayward back to duty,
This, sweet Mercy, is thine own.

Be ever merciful in judging;

Be not cold to Want's appeal-
'Tis better we should err in kindness,
Than let Pity's fount congeal.

If here on earth thou wouldst be happy,
Know that man is nearest heaven
When he freely grants forgiveness,
As he hopes to be forgiven.

No. 4.-PEACE.

"Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God."-MATT. v. 9.

CHARLES JEFFERYS.—Music by Stephen Glover.

"To God be glory in the highest,

Peace on earth, good-will to man'
Thus sang on high the Herald Angels
When Redemption's work began :-

The Bow in the Cloud.

Go forth, proclaim it to the nations,
Hence let strife and warfare cease;
For best of all the Earth's oblations
Are the offerings of Peace.

Peacemakers, ye on earth are blessed,
Children of the Holy One :-
That ye the kingdom shall inherit,
Was the promise of the Son.
Then go, proclaim it to the nations,
Hence let strife and warfare cease;
For purest of all Earth's oblations,
Are the offerings of Peace.

147

The Bow in the Cloud.'

"I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth."-GEN. ix. 13.

J. E. CARPENTER.- Music by Stephen Glover.

NEVER complain, though thy sorrows be many;

Child of affliction, thy lot is to bear!

What are thy sufferings, mortal, to any

He who died for us consented to share?
He whom He loveth He chasteneth, and sorrow
May, for the moment, thy pathway o'ershroud!
Trembler! look up-there is hope for thy morrow,
For has not the Lord set His bow in the cloud?

Sign of His goodness and type of His glory,
Token and promise of peace upon earth,—
Covenant, giving the young and the hoary,
Hope of, hereafter, a holier birth;