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488.

When youth a thousand blessings brought,
And every object pleasure gave,
How fair the scenes that fancy wrought!
No wonder that my boyhood thought
But lightly on the grave.

When manhood came my brow was bound
With added cares, but bold and brave;
Alas! I still was thoughtless found:
Then sickness spread his glooms around,
And cried, "The grave!-The grave!"

At last old age, with stern decree,

Drew near, and nought my life could save: As pain and weakness call'd on me,

So now I loudly call to thee,

The grave! The grave!-The grave!

489.

Fourscore were the years of his earthly life,
And he wish'd not to pass them again,
For he found that the days of a lengthen'd life
Are but labour, and sorrow, and pain.

The truth of this portion of Scripture he knew,
And he firmly believ'd in the rest,

And look'd forward through Christ, who is faithful and true,

In the mansions above to be bless'd.

490.

Look round upon this scene of death,
And take a word of warning:
Improve the light, nor leave till night
The business of the morning.

The fool through every passing hour,
Beset with sin and sorrow,
Puts far away his dying day,
Though that may be to-morrow.

The wise man dares not waste his time,
Lest life and health forsake him;
Where'er he goes, full well he knows
That death will soon o'ertake him.

O wouldst thou from the page of truth,
A useful lesson borrow;

Go on thy way, improve to-day,

And bless'd shall be to-morrow.

491.

Though through this wilderness I wander'd blind,
God pour'd the light of truth upon my mind:
His glorious Gospel well supplied my need ;
His grace my soul from doubt and darkness

freed.

"Let there be light," he cried, "and there was light," indeed!

492.

Upheld in gladness and in gloom,
Hope, faith, and joy were given ;
Sure as her dust is in the tomb,
Her soul is gone to heaven.

493.

When, in contemplating the grave, the rich feel themselves to be poor; when the strong are feeble, and the brave tremble;-then the Christian, undismayed, can say, "Though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God."

494.

I lov'd thee, fond partner, and love was thy due

I lov'd thee, fond partner, and tenderly too :
My wish for thy welfare was fervent and free,
And the heart in my bosom beat warmly for

thee.

I cannot forget thee, but cling to the scene Where, in days that are faded, thy footprints have been

Where in moments of joy we have wander'd alone,

And, with all its fond beatings, thy heart was my

own.

When my spirit is sad, and my bosom oppress'd, Thy faith in thy Saviour gives peace to my breast;

I remember thy love, thine affection for me,

And I smile mid my sorrows when thinking of thee.

I smile, though my pathway is shrouded with gloom

I smile, though thy dust is consign'd to the tomb; For I gaze on the skies when most bright they

appear,

As thy heaven and thy home, and I long to be there.

495.

With the bright hope of immortality we commit her mortal remains to the tomb, having full faith in the merits of that Redeemer in whom she wholly trusted, and believing, as she believed, in "the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting."

496.

Think not that earthly bliss can last
To bless the happy-hearted:
O no; the grave must first be pass'd
Ere joy and pain are parted.

For sorrow's tear and rapture's ray
On earth are closely mated,
And disappointment drives away

The dream that hope created.

497.

This mouldering stone, thou passer-by,
Is rais'd to catch thy wandering eye;
To bid thee from thy sins refrain,
And tell thee godliness is gain.

The tenant of this grave below
Felt comfort in this world of woe;
He found in peril, grief, and pain,
The truth that godliness is gain.

If thou wilt fix where troubles roam,
In this rude wilderness thy home,
Thy hope is lost, thy labour vain :
O, Reader, godliness is gain.

But if with humble heart, through grace,
Thou seek'st a heavenly dwelling-place,
Renounce thy fears, thy faith sustain;
Remember, godliness is gain.

Thy life is hurrying fast away;
This world will crumble in decay :
Again, if heaven thou wouldst obtain,
I tell thee, godliness is gain.

498.

O tongue can never tell, nor rhymes impart,
The wild idolatry that mov'd my heart,
When all I sought for, the wide world around,
My conscious breast in one bright being found.

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