My times are in Thy hand!
Pale poverty or wealth,
Corroding care or calm repose,

Spring's balmy breath or Winter's snows,
Sickness or buoyant health,-

Whate'er betide,

If God provide,

'Tis for the best; I wish no lot beside.

My times are in Thy hand!
Should friendship pure illume
And strew my path with fairest flowers,
Or should I spend life's dreary hours

In solitude's dark gloom

Thou art a Friend

Till time shall end;

Unchangeably the same, in Thee all beauties blend.

My times are in Thy hand!

To thee I can intrust

My slumbering clay, till Thy command
Bids all the dead before Thee stand,
Awaking from the dust.
Beholding Thee,

What bliss 'twill be

With all Thy saints to spend eternity!

To spend eternity

In Heaven's unclouded light!
From sorrow, sin, and frailty free,
Beholding and resembling Thee,-
O, too transporting sight!
Prospect too fair

For flesh to bear.

Haste, haste, my Lord, and soon transport me there!

THE NIAGARA OF SIN.

SAVE, Lord, I perish! sin's strong tide,
Smooth, treacherous, rapid, deadly, wide,
Hurries me headlong from Thy side;

Save, or I perish, Lord!

Madly I slept upon the stream,

Gliding along as in a dream;

Waking on hell's dark brink I seem;

Save, or I perish, Lord!

The howling fall I dare not brave,

Yet cannot stem the giant wave;

Helpless, I cry to Thee to save;

Save, or I perish, Lord!

Spirit of Love! I now implore
Thy aid, rejected, scorned before,

To snatch me from the rapids' roar;

Save, or I perish, Lord!

Jesus! I faint, I sink, I die;

Yet, sinking, fix my anguished eye

On Thee, and from the torrent cry,

Save, or I perish, Lord!

Thou canst! Thou wilt! Thy hand I see,
Long slighted, still held forth to me;
I grasp that hand, I cling to Thee;

Save, or I perish, Lord!

THE HOLY SPIRIT OUR HELPER.

"The Spirit also helpeth our infirmities."—Rom. viii. 26.

HOLY SPIRIT! succor me,
Compassed with infirmity!
I am wicked, feeble, blind;
Be my Helper-faithful, kind!

Help me to repent of sin,
Help me to be pure within;
Every lust may I forsake,
Every evil habit break.

Help me patiently to bear
Sorrow, pain, and anxious care;
Help me to be strong in faith,
Trusting all my Savior saith.

Ever may I Him obey,

Never from His foot-marks stray;
My affections fixed above,

May I serve because I love.

HEAVENLY TREASURE.

"Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt."— Matt. vi. 20.

WHY should we lay up treasures here below,
Where moth and rust corrupt? Why fix our heart
On that from which so quickly we must part?
Why on an ocean where such tempests blow
Embark so rich a freight? Why, 'midst the snow
Of so unkind a winter, plant a flower

So fragrant, yet so frail? Why build Hope's tower Where lightnings flash, and whelming torrents flow? But if our highest energies are bent

In God and heaven a portion to insure,

'Midst every change our wealth will be secure ; When the destroying angels forth are sent,

When melts away the starry firmament,

Our bliss, unharmed, shall e'en like God endure.

THE BEST GIFT.

"My son, give me thy heart.” -- Prov. xxiii. 26. "There is none upon earth I desire beside Thee.” Ps. Ixxiii. 25.

WERE I, on God's high altar, to present

All I possess, if, as a sacrifice,

-

I offered up whate'er men chiefly prize-
Yea, if the splendors of the firmament,
The universe itself, if all were sent

As tribute to the Monarch of the skies

Without my heart, such gifts He would despise :
Without such gifts, my heart would Him content.
So, I should still unsatisfied remain,

If riches, honor, fame, and friends were mine-
Of poverty my soul would still complain;

Beyond Thy gifts, for Thee-for Thee I pine-
Without Thyself such gifts would all be vain,
Without such gifts Thyself were endless gain.

TO A FAVORITE CHURCH.

"Surely the Lord is in this place. This is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven." Gen. xxviii. 17.

"Lord, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honor dwelleth." - Ps. xxvi. 8.

TOWARDS yonder temple oft I've bent my way,
And oft those sacred steps my feet have trod;
It was none other than the house of God;
And there I've heard attendant angels say,