tions, disturb their harmony and comfort. Living together as children of the same Heavenly Parent, and travellers towards a better country, may they strive to aid each other's progress in all that is lovely and virtuous, that they may be a mutual blessing, while thou permittest them to pass the time of their sojourning together, and be re-united in a happier world, when the days of their pilgrimage are past. O thou God of consolation, we would affectionately commend to thee all those, who are at this time suffering from the loss of valued friends and relatives snatched from them by death. While they bow in unfeigned submission to thine appointments, do thou heal the anguish of the wounded spirit with the balm of heavenly comfort. Enable them by a strong and lively faith, to lay firm hold on those glorious and consoling promises, which thou hast given by Christ Jesus, to be the support of those that mourn in Zion. May they dry their tears for their present separation from those whom they have loved, by the anticipation of that time when the friends whom death has severed from each other, shall renew those sweet intercourses in which they have delighted here, and perfect the communion of their purified spirits, in thine everlasting presence. Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honour and glory for ever. Amen. ON THE DEATH OF A CHILD. * [* *] THOU, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort; our refuge and our strength; a present help in the time of trouble! Thou knowest what things we have need of before we ask them: and whenever thy children lift up their souls unto thee, thou wilt graciously hear and bless them. Behold, thou hast made our days as a handbreadth, and our age is as nothing before thee. But while man passeth away, like the grass of the field, and all the glory of man, like the flower thereof, we are cheered by the assurance that thou art the living God. Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion shall have no end. We and all that we have are at thy disposal; and it is thine to deal with us as thou pleasest. Thou takest away, who can hinder thee? who will say unto thee, What doest thou? Under the loss of the dearest objects of our affection and our hope, amidst the most trying dispensations of thy providence, enable us to feel that it is our duty to bow in humble submission to thine appointments; being persuaded that, although thy counsels are unsearchable and thy ways past finding out, thou dwellest in mercy, and thy loving-kindness is unbounded and everlasting! We supremely rejoice that thou hast sent thy Son, Jesus Christ, into the world to disperse the gloom that overshadowed the chambers of the grave, and to bring life and immortality to light. We adore thy name that thou hast made him our perfect guide and our all-sufficient Saviour: and we pray that in these moments of deprivation and sorrow, we may be no strangers to the consoling influence of the promises which he has set before us. Sanctify, O Lord! the hearts that mourn in secret over the remembrance of departed joys. Give light to them that sit in darkness; sweeten to them the bitter cup which thou hast put into their hands, and grant that the house of affliction may be the school of wisdom. Convince us, Holiest of beings! that we are born for immortality; that the world is not our home; that we are travelling through these changing, transient scenes to a fairer clime:—and at last bring us to that heavenly Jerusalem, where the strength of the feeble shall be renewed, and the spirit of the weary shall be refreshed;-where the redeemed of the Lord shall meet around thy throne, to swell the anthem of thy praise, and to be separated no more. Hear us, O Father! in these our prayers. We present them in the name of Jesus Christ; and through him we ascribe unto thee the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. HYMNS AND OTHER RELIGIOUS POETRY. GOD THE LIFE OF THE SOUL. [MRS. STEELE.] MY God, my hope! if thou art mine, Why should my soul with sorrow pine! On thee alone I cast my care; O, leave me not in dark despair. Though every comfort should depart, My God, my life! if thou appear, Not all its horrors can affright, PRAISE THROUGH LIFE AND IN DEATH. [DR. DODDRIDGE.] ( OD of my life, through all its days G My grateful powers shall sound thy praise; The song shall wake with opening light, And cheer the dark and silent night. When anxious cares would break my rest, When death o'er nature shall prevail, And all its powers of language fail, But O! when that last conflict's o'er, Soon shall I learn th' exalted strains And emulate, with joy unknown The cheerful tribute will I give |