OF

HVMN
" Oh

if

she would but come again,

1 think I'd

vex her so

110

more."

3]

HYMNS
FOR

INFANT MINDS.
BY THE AUTHORS
>

OF
" ORIGINAL POEMS," "

RHYMES FOR THE

NURSERY,"

We use

&c.

great plainness of Speech."

FOURTEENTH EDITION.

PUBLISHED BY

B. J.

HOLDSWORTH,

18, 5^. Paul's Chvrch-yard;

SOLD ALSO BY HARVEY AND DARTOX, GRACECHURCH STREET W. OLIPHANTj EDINBURGH }

CHALMERS AND COLLINS, GLASGOW;
AND R. M. TIMS, DUBLIN.
j

1822.

ADVERTISEMENT
TO THE

FIRST EDITION.
THE " DIVINE SONGS"
beautiful,

of Dr. Watts, so

and so universally admired, almost

discourage, by their excellence, a similar at-

tempt, and lead the

way where

temerity to follow:

but as the narrow

it

appears
li-

mits to which he confined himself, excluded

a

number of

useful subjects, the following

Hymns, though with much diffidence, are

presented to the Public. The most obvious
and interesting topics were already engaged;
but

if it

appears that this volume of

HYMNS

ADVERTISEMENT.
INFANT MINDS,

fulfils

its

humble pro-

mise, and adapts evangelical truths to the

wants and

which

it

not be

feelings of childhood, in language

understands, further apology

required.

It

may

has been composed

with a view to different ages and degrees of

intelligence,

but uniformly with the sacrifice

of poetry to simplicity, wherever they stood

opposed.

To some
may

of the pieces the

title

not appear correctly applied

of
;

Hymns
but for

this inaccuracy, the nature of the subject

will,

it is

hoped, apologize.

CONTENTS.
HYMN

PAGE

2
3
4
5

Coming to Jesus
About God who made the Sun and Moon
For a Child who has been very naughty
" Our Father who art in heaven"
,

6
7
8

9
10
11

12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19

Child's

H-am

Early will

Morning
Evening

....
,

"A
A

for little Children

Bible

Against wandering Thoughts

broken and contrite heart,
not despise"
The way to find out Pride
The way to cure Pride

An

...
.

seek thee"

Encouragement

The

of Praise

3
G
7
S
10
11

13

God, thou wilt

14
15
18

Hymn
Hymn

For a Child that feels it has a wicked Heait

Against Anger and Impatience
"Turn off mine eyes from beholding vanity"
For a very little Child

20
22
23
24
26'

31

27
29
30
A
31
About Dying
32
Thou, God, seest me"
34
To a little Sister, on her Birth-day
Sin makes God angry
36
" Jesus Christ came into the world to save Sinners" 38
"Jesus said, Suffer little children to come unto me" 40
Love and Duty to Parents
41
The Day of Life
42
The little Pilgrim
43
.
^
An Evening Hymn for a little Family
45
A Child's Lamentation for the Death of a dear Mo-

32
33

For a Sabbath Evening

Time and Eternity

34
35

Against yielding to Temptation

48
49
50

The Day

51

20
SI
2-2

23
24
25
26
27
28
29

oO

On

.
attending public Worship
child's humble Confession and Prayer

....

...

46

ther

of

Judgment

HYMN
36

Conscience

37

"

38
39
40
41

42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51

52
53
54
55
56
57
..

CONTENTS.

PAGE
53

Though the Lord be

high, yet hath he respect

unto the lowly"

For Children at a Sunday School

A Minute
A Child's Grave
A Child's Prayer

A Hymn

in Sickness

of Praise for Recovery

61

For a very little Child in Sickness

For a very little Child, upon getting well
For a Dying Child

62
.

Summer and Winter

Love to Jesus

God every where

"
Though he was

rich, yet for

is
sorry for a Fault
Instruction from the Heavens
Children encouraged to seek the Lord

Upon Life
Upon Death

59
60
61

Humility
"Set your affections on things above"
For the last Day of the Year

63

The Lily of the Valley

" Then the Lord called
Samuel, and Samuel

the evening

it is

72
73
74
76
78
79

.81

and groweth up
"
cut down and withereth

it

66
67
69
70

our sakes he became

poor"
For a Child that

Against Selfishness

ib.

63
64

" In the
morning

64
65
66
67
68
69
70

Praise for Daily Mercies

The Example of Christ

5$.

&

54
55
57
58
60

flourisheth

in

;
.

said,

89

Speak, for thy servant heareth"

On repeating the Catechism

90
92
93
95

Brotherly Love

The Condescension of God

The Child of Affluence
The Child of Poverty
Praise to God
Heaven and Earth .

82
83
84
85
87

....

96
97
99

HYMNS
FOR

INFANT MINDS.
HM
I.

A CHILD'S

HYMN OF

PRAISE.

THANK the goodness and the grace

Which on my birth have srail'd,
And made me, in these Christian days,
I

A
I

happy English

was not born

child.

as thousands are,

Where Goo was never known

And taught to pray a useless prayer,
To blocks of wood and stone.
j

2
was not born a little

slave,

To labour in the sun,

And wish I were but in the
And all my labour done.
I

grave,

was not born without a home,

Or in some broken shed,

gipsy baby, taught to roam,

And steal my daily bread.

My GOD,
A

thank thee,

who

hast plann'd

better lot forme,

And plac'd me in this happy land,

Where I may hear of thee.

II.

COMING TO JESUS.
JESUS, that condescending King,
Is pleas'd to hear when children sing;

And while our

feeble voices rise,

Will not the humble pray'r despise.

Then keep us, Lord, from every sin

Which we can see and feel within 5
And what we neither feel nor see,
Forgive, for all is known to thee.

We own there's nothing good in us,

To tempt thee to befriend us thus
:

We

cannot think a single thought,

Nor even thank thee, as we ought.

Yet, Lord, we humbly venture nigh,

Because thou earnest down to die
:

And

this is all the plea

we make,

"O save us for thy mercy's

sake !"

III.

ABOUT GOD,
WHO MADE THE SUN AND MOON.
Child.

SAW the glorious sun arise

From yonder mountain grey 3
And as he travelled through the
The darkncbb went uway

skies,

And all around me was

I

wish'd

it

But when

so bright,

would be always

light.

his shining course

was done,

The gentle moon drew nigh,

And stars came twinkling, one by

one,

Upon the shady sky.

Who made the sun to shine so far,
The moon, and every twinkling star 2

Mamma.
'Twas God,

By

his

my

child,

who made them

skill

Almighty
He keeps them, that they do not
And guides them as he will ;

That glorious GOD, who

fall^

lives afar,

In heav'n beyond the highest

star.

Child.

How very great that Gon must be,

Who rolls them through the air S
Too high, Mamma, to notice me,
Or listen to my pray'r
!

all,

0. telfmc, will

To

be a

he condescend

little infant's,

friend

Mamma,

He

will,

my

love

Those wonders

You never need

He
FOP,

for

though he

niatle

in the sky.,

to

he

afraid

should neglect your cry j

as a child may be,

humble

AL child that prays

he loves to

see.

Behold the daisy where you tread,

That little lowly tiling 5
Behold the insects over-head,

That play about

in spring

we may think them mean and

Yet GOD takes notice of them alt

Tho'

And

will not Jesus

A feeble child
Ah, yes

deign to

his care

small,

make

he died for children's sake,

And loves the infant's pray'r.

6oi> made the stars, and daisies too>
And watches over them and you.
B

IV.
FOR A CHILD

WHO

HAS BEEN VERY

NAUGHTY.
LORD,

I confess

How

naughty

before thy face,

I

have been

Look down from heav'n thy dwelling-place,

And pardon this my sin.
Forgive

my

temper, LORD,

My passion and my pride

I pray,
5

The wicked words I dar'd to say,

And wicked thoughts beside.
I

cannot lay me down to rest

In quiet, on my bed,

Until with shame I have confest

The naughty

things I said.

The SAVIOUR answer' d not again,

Nor spoke an angry word,

To

all

the scoffs of wicked men,

Although

He was

their

Lord

And who am

I,

a sinful child,

Such angry words

to say

Make me as mild as he was

And take my pride away.
For JESUS* sake forgive

my

mild,

crime,

And change this stubborn heart t

And grant me grace, another time
-

To

act a better part.

v.

GREAT God, and

To be my

wilt thou condescend

Father and

my Friend

I a poor child, and thou so high,

The Lord

of earth, and

air,

and sky

my Father? Canst thou

To hear my poor imperfect pray'r
Art thou

Or

wilt thou listen to the praise

That such a

little

one can

B2

raise

bear
?

me

Art thou

my

A meek,

obedie.nl child to thee

And

try, in

Father

my

thee as I ought.

Father ?

Ill depend

the care of such a .Friend

Upoa
And only wish

When

all

to thee.

my Father? Then, at last,

my days OR earth are past,

Send down, and take me

Xo be

and be,

to do,

Whatever seemeth good

Art thou

he
j

word, and deed, and thought*

To serve and please

Art thou

Let

in

thy love,
thy better child above.

VI,

" EARLY WILL

SEEK THEE-"

Now that my journey's just

My course so little trod,
I'll stay,

before

begun,

further run,

And ^ive myself

to Go;}*.

lest I

And,

should be ever led

Through sinful paths to stray,

would at once begin to tread
In wisdom's pleasant way.

What
But
I

sorrows

cannot

if

the Lord will be

know

If all

may my
now foretel

my

that all

is

steps attend,
j

my

friend,

well.

earthly friends should die,

And leave me mourning- here;

Since GOD regards the orphan's cry,

what have

I to fear >

am rich, He'll guard my heart,

Temptation to withstand ;

If I

And make me willing to impart

The bounties of his hand.
If I

am

poor,

He

can supply,

Who has my table spread

Who feeds the ravens when
And

fills

his

they cry,

poor with bread.

10
And, Lord, whatever grief or ill
For me may be in store,

Make me submissive to thy wEl,

And 1 would ask no more.
Attend

me

through

\\Tiatever be

And when Tin

still,

me

and grey,

not.

as seasons hasten by,

1 will for

heav'n prepare

That GOD may take

To

youthful way,

feeble, old,

Lord, forsake

Thea

my

my lot

me when

I die,

dwell for ever there.

VII.

ENCOURAGEMENT FOR LITTLE CHILDREN.

is so good that he will hear
Whenever children humbly pray :

He always lends a gracious ear

To what the youngest child can

say.

11

His

own most

He
And

loves

holy book declares

good

little

children

still

that he answers all their prayers,

Just as a tender father will.

lie will not scorn an infant tongue

That thanks him for his mercies giv'n

And when by babes his praise is sung,

Their cheerful songs ascend to heav'n.

Come, then, dear children, trust his word,

And seek him for your friend and guide ;

Your little voices will be heard,

And you shall never be denied.

VIII.
THE BIBLE.
THIS

is

Happy

a precious book indeed !

the child that loves to read

GOD'S own
To shew our souls

'Tis

word, which he has giv'n

the

wav

to heav'n.

12

how the world was made

And how good men the Lord obey'd
Here his commands are written, too,
To teach us what we ought to do.
us

It tells

It bids

us

all

from

sin to fly,

Because our souls can never die

It

where angels dwell,

escape from hell.

points to heaven

And warns

us to

But, what

is

The

Bible

tells us,

This

is its

its

more than

best,

all

beside,

JESUS died

chief intent,

To

lead poor sinners to repent.

Be

thankful, children, that you

Read

may

good Bible every day

'Tis God's own word, which he has giv'n
To shew your souls the way to heav'n.
this

IX.
AGAINST WANDERING THOUGHTS.

WHEN
As I

GOD

daily I kneel

am

to pray,

does not care for what

Unless

Yet

down

taught to do,

I feel it

I say,

too.

my heart beguile
pray or sing,
often thinking all the while
foolish thoughts

And when

Ym

About some other thing.

Some idle play, or childish toy,

Can send my thoughts abroad
Though this should be my greatest joy
To love and seek the Lord.
;

Oh let me never, never dareTo act the trifler's part

Or think that God will hear a.pcay'r
That comes not from mv heart.
!

14

But

if I

make

his

ways
As holy children do,

Then, while

My

my

choice,

seek him with nay voice,

heart will love

him

too,

x.

THOU WILT NOT DESPISE."

THOUGH GOD preserves me every
And feeds me day by day,
I know it is not in my pow'r
His goodness

homr,

to repay.

The poorest child, the greatest king,

Alike must humbly own,

No

worthy present they can bring

To

offer at his throne.

For we, and all our treasures

Are His who reigns above

too,
:

Then is there nothing I can do

To prove my grateful love ?

15

broken heart He'll not

For
This

is

'tis

despise,,

his chief delight

humble

sacrifice,

Well-pleasing in his sight.

Tho' treasures brought before his throne,

Would no acceptance find,,

He

kindly condescends to

A meek
This

is

own

and lowly mind.

an offering

we may

bring,

However mean our store

The poorest child, the greatest king,
Can give him nothing more.
:

XI.
THE WAY TO FIND OUT PRIDE.
PRIDE, ugly Pride, sometimes is seen
By haughty looks, and lofty mien
:

But

oft'ner

it is

found that Pride

Loves deep within the heart

to hide;

16

And while
It sits

the looks are mild and

and does

Now

if

its

fair,

mischief there.

you really wish to

find

If pride be lurking in your mind,

Inquire

Or

if

you can bear a

patiently give

slight,

up your right

Can you submissively consent

To take reproof and punishment,

And feel no angry temper start
In any corner of your heart

Can you at once confess a crime,

And promise for another time }

Or say you've been in a mistake-;

Nor try some poor excuse to make,
But

freely

To argue

own, that
for

it

was wrong

your side so long?

Flat contradiction can

When

you are

right,

you bear,
and know you are

Nor

flatly

But

wait, or modestly explain,

And
Nor

tell

contradict again,

your reasons one by one

think of triumph

when you've done

17
Can you,

in business or in play,

Give up your wishes or your way

Or do a thing, against your will,

For somebody

that's

younger

still ?

And never try to overbear,

Nor say a word that is not fair ?
Does laughing at you in a joke,

No

anger, nor revenge, provoke

But can you laugh yourself, and be

As merry as the company ?
could do
Or, when vou find that you
J
The harm to them they did to you,
Can you keep down the wicked thought,
And do exactly as you ought ?

Put

all

these questions to your heart,

And make it act an honest part

And, when they've each been fairly
$

think you'll

own

that

Some one will suit you,

And force your heart to
But,

Then

if

they

all

you have
as

tried,

Pride.

you go,

tell

you so

should be denied,

you're too proud to

own your

Pride.

18

XII.
THE WAY TO CURE PRIDE.

Now

suppose, that, having tried,

the secret of your Pride,

And found

You wish
And

to drive

it

learn to act an

from your heart,

humbler part. -

Well, are you sorry and sincere

I'll

try to help

And

first,

Is to kneel

you then,

my

dear.

the best, the surest way,

down

at once,

and pray

The lowly SAVIOUR will attend,

And strengthen you, and stand your friend,
Tell him the mischief that you find
For ever working in your mind
And beg his pardon for the past,
And strength to overcome at last.
But then, you must not go your way,
And think it quite enough to pray
5

"]

That

is but
doing half your task 5
For you must watch as well as ask.

19
pray for strength, and that h right
But then, it must be strength to fight

You

For where's the use of being strong,

Unless you conquer what is wrong ?

Then look within

If it be humble as

ask ev'ry thought,

it

ought.
Put out the smallest spark of Pride

The very moment 'tis descried

And do not stay to think it o'er,
;

For, while you wait, it blazes more.

If it should take you by surprise,

And beg you just to let it rise,

And promise not to keep you long,
" No ! the smallest Pride is
wrong."
Say,
when
there's something so amiss,
And
" Take offence at this
That Pride
,-"
says,

Then, if you feel at all inclined

To brood upon it in your mind,

And think revengeful thoughts

And wish it were not wrong to

O stop at once '.for

To wish

if

for sin, that sin

'Twill then be best to

within,
sinj

you dare
is

there

go and pray

That GOD would take your Pride away}

20
Or

if just

then you cannot go,

Pray in your thoughts, and God will know.

And beg

his

mercy

That best of gifts

to impart

a humble heart.

Remember, too, that you must pray,

And watch, and labour, every day
Nor think it wearisome or hard,
:

To be for

No

ever on your guard.

every morning must begin

With resolutions not to sin
And every evening recollect
j

How much you've failed in this respect.

Ask, whether such a guilty heart
Should act a proud, or humble part
Or, as the SAVIOUR was so mild,
Inquire

if

Pride becomes a child

And, when all other means are tried,

Be humble, that you've so much Pride.

21

XIII.
A MORNING HYMN.

MY

FATHER, I thank thee for sleep,

For quiet and peaceable rest
;

thank thee for stooping to keep

An infant from being distrest
:

O how can a poor little

Thy

fatherly kindness

creature repay

by night and by day

My voice would be lisping thy praise,

My heart would repay thee with love.

O teach me to
And
For JESUS

And he

fit

me

said,

walk

in thy

ways,

to see thee above

" Let

little

come nigh

will not despise such an infant as

As long as thou seest it right

That here upon earth I should
I

children

pray thee to guard

And help me
That when

me by

stay,

night,

to serve thee

the days of

all

by day

my

life

shall

have

pass'd,
I

may worship

thee better in heaven at

c3

j"

I.

last.

XIV.
AN EVENING HYMN,
i

LORD,

have pass'd another day,

to thank thee for thy care

And come

my faults in work and play,

And listen to my evening prayer.

Forgive

Thy favour gives me daily bread,

And friends, who all my wants supply 5
And safely now I rest my head,
Preserved and guarded by thine eye.

Look down
Whate'er

in pity,

and forgive
done amiss

I've said or

And help me, ev'ry day I live,

To serve thee better than on

this.

be pleas'd to take
helpless child beneath thy care $

Now,

while

I speak,

And condescend, for JESUS' sake,

To listen to my evening prayer.

23

XV.
FOR A CHILD THAT FEELS

HAS A WICKED

IT

HEART.

WHAT

is

That

there, Lord, a child can do,

feels

with guilt opprest

I never knew

There's evil that

Before within

my

breast.

My thoughts are vain ray

My temper apt to rise
j

heart

is

And when
It

me by

takes

Whene'er

my

guard,

surprise.

commands
broken them

to thy

I find I've

And

seem upon

I turn,

in thy

Holy Scriptures learn,

That God will sin condemn.

And yet, if I begin to pray,

And lift my feeble cry,
Some thought of folly, or of play,
Prevents

me when

try.

hard

24

On many
Of

Sabbaths, though I've heard

JESUS and of heaven,

I've scarcely listen'd to

Or

thy word,
pray'd to be forgiven.

look with pity in thine eye,

Upon a heart so hard

Thou wilt not slight a feeble
Or shew it no regard.
.

1 feel

there

To do

is

no strength

work alone
come and cry

that

But Lord,

To change

in

err,

me

to thee

this heart of stone.

XVI.
AGAINST ANGER AND IMPATIENCE.

WHEN

My
I'll

for

some

little insult

angry passions

think

given,

rise,

how Jesus came from

And bore

his injuries.

heaven,

25
was insulted every day,
Though all his words were kind

lie

But nothing men could do or

say,

Disturb'd his heavenly mind.

Not

all

the wicked scoffs he heard

Against the truths he taught,

Excited one reviling word,

Or one revengeful thought.

And when upon the cross he bled,

With all his foes in view,
" Father,
forgive them," JESUS said
"
They know not What they do."
Dear SAVIOUR, may

My temper to

I learn

amend

of thee

But speak that pard'ning word

Whenever

offend.

for

me

26

XVII.
VANITY.

LORD, hear a

sinful child complain,

Whose little heart is very vain,

And folly dwells within.
What is it for thine eye can see
That

is

That

steals

And

so very dear to

leads

me,

my thoughts away
me into sin ?

from thee>

Whatever gives me most delight,

If

offensive in thy sight,

'tis

would no more pursue

Since nothing can be good for me,

However
That

May

When

pleasant

it

may

be,

displeasing, Lord, to thee,

is

I dislike it

too

attempt to read or pray,

I'm often thinking of my play,

Or some such idle thing.

How happy are the

Who love no sinful
But

all their

To

joy and glory

trifling pleasures

wonder why

I love

to love

my GOD

King

so

blest.

might be

The greatest happiness to me

And may He give me grace to
That

this is not

my

here bclow-

them

They cannot make me

O that

this.,

is,

praise their heavenly

These
I

saints in bliss,

world like

rest

see

XVIII.
FOR A VERY LITTLE CHILD.

THAT

it

To do
Then

let

were

my

the things

me

chief delight
I

ought

try with all

To mind what

am

my

might

taught.

28
Wherever
I'll

Nor

am

told to

cheerfully obey

will I

mind

go

much, although

it

I leave a pretty play.

When

am

Whatever

bid,

I'll

freely bring

have got j
And never touch a pretty thing,
If mother tells me not.

When

she permits me, I

About

But
I

if

my little

toys

may

tell

she's busy, or unwell,

must not make a

noise.

And when I learn my hymns to say,

And work, and read, and spell,
I will

But

not think about

try

and do

it

my

play,

well.

For GOD looks down from heav'n on high,

Our actions to behold

And he is pleas'd when children
To do as they are told.

try

29

XIX.
ON ATTENDING PUBLIC WORSHIP.

WHEN

to the house of GOD we go,

To hear his word, and sing his love,

We

ought to worship him below,

As saints and angels do above.

They stand before

And praise him

his presence

now,

better far than we,

Who

only at his footstool bow,

And love him, though we cannot see.

But GOD

is

present every where,

And watches

all

our thoughts and ways

He marks who humbly join in prayer,

And who sincerely sing his praise.
The

eye can see,

seem
take a part
to
only
move
the
bend the knee,
and
They
lip,
do
not
But
seek him with their heart.
triflers, too, his

Who

30

O may we
Nor
But

never

trifle so,

GOD has given j

lose the days our

learn,

by Sabbaths here below,

To spend

eternity in

heaven

XX.
A CHILD'S HUMBLE CONFESSION AND
PRAYER.

SINNER, Lord, behold

I stand,

In thought, and word, and deed

But JESUS

sits at

For such

From

A
And

thy right hand,

to intercede.

early infancy, I

know,

rebel I have been

daily, as I older

I fear I

grow

grow,

in sin.

But GOD can change this

Can give a holy mind ;

evil heart,

And his own heav'nly grace impart,

Which those who seek shall find.

31

To heaven

can reach the softest word

child's repenting prayer)

For tears are seen, and sighs are heard,

And thoughts regarded

there.

Then let me all my sins confess,

And pard'ning grace implore,
That

may

And

love

love

my

my follies

less,

SAVIOUR more.

XXI.
ABOUT DYING.
Child.

TELL me, Mamma, if I must die

One day, as little baby died
And look so very pale, and lie
j

Down

in the pit-hole

Shall I leave dear

And never
Tell

its

side

Papa and you,

more ?

see you any

me, Mamma,

I did not

by

know

if this is
it

was

true

before.

32

Mamma.
'Tis true,,

my

love, that

you must

die

The GOD who made you says you must

And every one of us shall lie,
Like the dear baby,

in the dust.

These hands, and feet, and busy head,

Shall waste and crumble quite away

But, though your body shall be dead,

There

is

a part which can't decay.

That which now thinks within your heart,

And made you ask if you must die,
That

is

your soul

the better part

Which GOD has made

to live on high.

Those who have lov'd him here below,

And pray'd to have their sins forgiv'n,

And done

his holy will, shall go,

Like happy angels, up to heav'n.

So, while their bodies

Their souls with

moulder here,

GOD himself shall dwell

But always recollect, my dear,

That wicked people go to hell.

There the good GOD shall never smile,

Nor give them one reviving look
-,

For since they chose

He

leaves

them

to

be so

to the

vile,

way they

took.

XXII.
U
AMONG

THOU, GOD, SEEST ME."

the deepest shades of night,

Can there be one who

Yes

-,

God

is

sees

my way

like a shining light,

That turns the darkness

into day.

When ev'ry eye around me sleeps,

May I not sin without control
No for a constant watch Pie keeps
On ev'ry thought of ev'ry soul.
?

If I

could find some cave unknown,

Where human
Yet there

On

feet

had never trod,

could not be alone

ev'ry side there

would be God.

D 3

34

He smiles in heav'n
He fills the air, the
j

he frowns to
earth,,

bell

the sea

must within his presence dwell

I cannot from his anger flee.

he shews me where
I may flee,
To JESUS CHRIST he bids me fly

Yet

And while

seek for pardon there,

There's only mercy in his eye.

XXIII.
TO A LITTLE SISTER ON HER
BIRTH-D.AY.

MY love,
With
I

meet

this

happy day

pleasure and with pain

wish to learn your future way,

But know the wish is vain.

A journey

which can never end

You have
And hand
This

in

little

but just begun ;

hand with many a friend

way have

run.

35
But

friends,

my

how

love,,

vain are they

For one infected breath

May

take the tenderest away,

And

lay

them low

in death.

Then whither should my

In

whom may

There

is

Who

darling
she confide ?

fly

a Friend above the sky,

waits to be her guide.

His eye the path of life can

And has as clear a view

see,

Of hills and valleys yet to be,

As what are past to you.

He knows the

point, the very spot,

Where each of us shall fall,

And whose shall be the earliest
And whose the last of all.
Dear cherish'd child

To

if

lot,

you should have

travel far alone,

And weep by

turns at

many a
own

Before you reach your

grave,
3

36

May He who made you

weep, be nigh

To wipe away your tears,

And point you to a world on

high,

Beyond these mournful years

if it be his holy will,

pray that, hand in hand,
all may travel many a hill

Yet,
I

We

Of this the

With

pilgrim's land

Zion's shining gate in view,

ev'ry danger rise

Through
And form a

family anew,
Unbroken, in the skies.

XXIV.
SIN

How kind,

MAKES GOD ANGRY.

in all his

works and ways,

Must our Creator be

I learn

a lesson of his praise

From

ev'ry thing I see.

37
Ten thousand creatures by his hand
Were form'd at first from clay
:

His

skill their diff'rent

And

He

natures plann'd,

they his voice obey.

condescends to do them good,

And
For

pities

all their

By

when they

cry

wants are understood

his attentive eye.

And can

so kind a Father frown

Will he, wlio stoops to care

For

little sparrows falling down,

Despise an infant's prayer ?

No

he regards the feeblest cry

'Tis only

He

when we

puts the smile of

And

lets his

sin,

mercy by,

frown begin.

'Tis sin that grieves his holy

mind,

And makes his anger rise

And sinners old or young shall
j

No

favour in his eyes.

find

38
But when the broken spirit turns,
And would from sin depart,

The GOD of mercy never spurns

humble, contrite heart.

XXV.
"JESUS CHRIST CAME INTO THE WORLD
TO SAVE SINNERS."
Lo, at noon, 'tis sudden night
Darkness covers all the sky

Rocks are rending

at the sight

Children, can you tell me why

What can all these wonders be ?

Jesus dies at Calvary

Nail'd upon the cross, behold

his tender limbs are torn

How

For a royal crown of gold

They have made him one of thorn
Cruel hands that dare to bind

Thorns upon a brow so kind

39
See

the blood

is

falling fast

From his forehead and his side

Hark he now has breath'd his last
With a mighty groan he died
!

Children, shall I

tell

you why

JESUS condescends to die

He, who was a King above,

Left his kingdom for a grave,

Out of

pity

and of love,

That the guilty he might save

Down to this sad world he flew,

For such

little

ones. as

you

You were wretched, weak, and

You deserved his holy frown

vile

But he saw you with a smile,

And to save you hasten'd down.
Listen, children;

this

JESUS condescends to

Come, then,

children,

Lift your little

is

why

die.

come and

hands

to pray

seej

40
" Blessed JESUS,
pardon me,

"Help
" Since
" Thou

it

a guilty infant/' say

was

for such as

I,

didst condescend to die."

XXVI.
6C

JESUS SAID, SUFFER LITTLE CHILDREN

YOUNG

children once to JESUS came,

His blessing

And

to intreat

may humbly do

the

same

Before his mercy-seat.

For when

their feeble hands

were spread.

And bent each infant knee,

" Forbid them not," the SAVIOUR

And so he says for me.
Though now he

is

said

not here below,

But on his heav'nly

hill,

To him may little children go,

And seek a blessing still.

41

Well pleased those

little

ones to see,

The dear REDEEMER smiled

Oh, then, he will not frown on me,

poor unworthy child.

If babes so

many years ago

His tender pity drew,

He

will not surely let

Without a blessing

Then

me go
too.

while, this favour to implore,

My little hands

are spread

Do thou

thy sacred blessing pour,

Dear JESUS, on my head.

XXVII.
LOVE AND DUTY TO PARENTS.

MY father, my mother, I know

I

But

cannot your kindness repay

I

hope, that, as older

I shall learn

grow,

your commands to obey.

You

me

loved

Who

it

But now

am

know

tell

it

so well,

sorry that ever I should

give you a pain $

I shall learn to

hope

And
But

could

be a dutiful child.

Be naughty, and
I

that I

I should
I

before

was that so tenderly smiled }

so never grieve

lest, after all, I

be good,

you again.

should dare

To act an undutiful part,

Whenever I'm saying my prayer,
I'll

ask for a teachable heart.

XXVIII.
THE DAY OF
THE morning hours
Of
But

all

LIFE.

of cheerful light

the days are best

as they speed their hasty flight,

If ev'ry

hour

We sweetly
And

is spent aright,
sink to sleep at night,

pleasant

is

our

rest.

43

And

life is like

a summer's day,

seems so quickly past

Youth is the morning bright and gay,
And if 'tis spent in wisdom's way,
It

We

meet old age without dismay,

And death

is

sweet at

last.

XXIX.
THE LITTLE PILGRIM.
THERE

is

a path that leads to GOD,

All others

go astray j
Narrow, but pleasant, is the road,

And

Christians love the way.

It leads straight

through

this

world of

And dangers must be pass'd ;

But those who boldly walk therein,
Will get to heav'n at

last.

How shall an

infant pilgrim dare

This dangerous path to tread ?
For on the way is many a snare

For youthful travelers spread

E2

sin

44
While the broad road, where thousands go,
Lies near, and opens fair;

And many turn aside, I know,

To walk with sinners there.
But, lest

my

feeble steps should slide,]

Or wander from thy way,

Lord, condescend to be my guide,
And I shall never stray.

Then I may go without alarm,

And trust his word of old
" The lambs he'll
gather with his arm,
" And lead them to the fold."
j

Thus

may safely

Beneath

And keep

my

venture through,

Shepherd's care

the gate of heav'n in view,

enter there.
I
shall
Till

45

XXX.
AN EVENING HYMN FOR A LITTLE FAMILY.

Now

condescend, Almighty King,

To bless this little throng

And kindly listen while we sing
j

Our

pleasant evening song.

We come to own
That
For

this,

In

the pow'r Divine

watches o'er our days

our feeble voices join

hymns of

cheerful praise.

Before thy sacred footstool, see

We bend in humble

prayer,

A happy little family,

To

ask thy tender care.

May we in
From

safety sleep to-night,

ev'ry danger free

Because the darkness and the light

Are both alike to thee.

E 3

46
And when

the rising sun displays

His cheerful beams abroad,

Then shall our morning hymn of praise
Declare thy goodness, Lord.
Brothers and sisters, hand in hand,

Our lips together move

Then smile upon this little band,
And join our hearts in love.
:

'

XXXI.
A CHILD'S LAMENTATION FOR THE DEATH
OF A 'DEAR MOTHER.

POOR

afflicted child, I

Before

my

kneel

heav'nly Father's seat,

To tell him all the grief I feel,

And spread my sorrows at his
Yet

must weep

These

feet.

cannot stay

tears, that trickle while I

bend,

Since thou art pleas' d to take away

So dear, so very dear a friend.

47
And now I recollect with pain
The many times I grieved her sore.
Oh if she would but come again,
!

vex her so no more.

I think I'd

How

would watch her gentle eye

my play to do her will
!

'Twould be

And she should never have

Again, for

But since

my behaving

she's

And cannot
Let

me

To
Let

gone so

profit

by

this child-like

to sigh
ill

far

away,

my

pains,

duty pay

that dear parent that remains.

me

console his broken heart,

And be his comfort by my care j

That when at last we come to part,
I

may

not have such grief to bear.

48

XXXII.
FOR SABBATH EVENING.

WE'VE pass'd another Sabbath day,

And heard of JESUS and of heaven

We

thank thee for thy word, and pray

That this day's sin may be forgiven.

Forgive our inattention, Lord,

Our looks and thoughts that went astray
Forgive our carelessness abroad,

At home, our idleness and

play.

all we heard and understood,

Be well remember' d through the week,
And help to make us wise and good,
More humble, diligent, and meek.

May

Bless our good minister, we pray,

Who loves to see a child attend

And let us honour and obey

The words of such a holy

>

friend.

49

when our lives are finish* d here,

And days and Sabbaths shall be o'er,

So,

May we along with him appear,

To serve and love thee evermore.

XXXIII.
TIME AND ETERNITY.

How

long, sometimes, a day appears

And weeks, how long are they

Months move as slow as if the years
Would never pass away.
!

It

seems a long, long time ago

was taught to read j

And since I was a babe, I know
That

'Tis very long indeed.

But months and years are passing by,

And soon must all be gone
;

For day by day, as minutes

Eternity comes on.

fly,

50
Days, months, and years must have an end,Eternity has none 5
'Twill always have as long to spend

As when
Great

GOD

it first

begun

an infant cannot

How

tell

such a thing can be

only pray that I may dwell
That long, long time with thee.
:

XXXIV.
AGAINST YIELDING TO TEMPTATION.

MY love,
Which
But, alas

you have met with a trial to-day,

hop'd to have seen you oppose j

I
!

in a

moment your temper gave

way,

And
I

the pride of your

bosom

arose.

saw the temptation, and trembled for

Your good resolutions should fall j

And

soon, by your eye and your colour,

dear,

found you had broken them

all.

fear

my

5)

why did you suffer this troublesome sin

To rise in your bosom again ?
And when you perceived it already within,
O,

O why
As soon

did you let

it

as temptation

And

remain

is

put in your way,

passion
ready to start,
then you must try to subdue
For courage to bid it depart.
is

'Tis

But now you must go

it,

and pray

to the Saviour,

and

seek

His mercy to pardon your

Entreat him to

sin

make you submissive and

meek,

And put a

right spirit within.

xxxv.
THE DAY OF JUDGEMENT.

How

dreadful, Lord, will be the day

When

all

the tribes of dead shall rise

And those who dared to disobey,

Be dragg'd before thine angry

eyes

52
The wicked

child,

who

often heard

His pious parent speak of thee,

fled from ev'ry serious word,

And

Shall not be able then to flee.

No

he

shall see

them

burst the tomb,

And rise, and leave him trembling

To hear his everlasting doom,
With shame, and

terror,

there,

and despair.

Whilst they appear at thy right hand,

With saints and angels round the throne,

He, a poor guilty wretch,

And

No

shall stand,

bear thy dreadful wrath, alone

parent then shall bid him pray

the sinner hears

To him who now

For Christ himself

And shew no
Great

And

GOD

shall turn

to

away,

pity to his tears.

tremble at the thought,

at thy feet for

That when

mercy bend j

judgement

am

brought,

The Judge himself may be my

friend.

53

XXXVI.
CONSCIENCE,

WHEN

a foolish thought within

Tries to take us in a snare,

Conscience

And
If in

tells us,

is

sin/'

entreats us to beware.

something

And

" It

we

transgress,

are tempted to deny,

Conscience says, " Your fault confess

Do not dare to tell a lie."
In the morning,

And would

"

when we

fain

rise,

omit to pray,

Child, consider," Conscience cries

"Should not God be sought to-day

When, within

his holy walls,

Far abroad our thoughts we send,

Conscience often loudly calls,

And

entreats us to attend.

?"

54

When

our angry passions rise,

Tempting to revenge an ill,

"Now

subdue

it,"

Conscience cries

" Do command
your temper

still."

Thus, without our will or choice,

This good monitor within,

With a secret, gentle voice,

Warns us to beware of sin.
But

if

we

While

should disregard,

this friendly voice

would

cal

Conscience soon will grow so hard,

That it will not speak at all.

XXXVII.
THOUGH THE LORD BE HIGH; YET HATH
HE- RESPECT UNTO THE LOWLY."

WHERE

is

the

High and Lofty One

His dwelling

He lives
And

is

afar

beyond the blazing sun,

ev'ry distant star,

55
But GOD, whom thousand worlds obey,
Descends to earthly ground,

And

dwells in cottages of clay,

If there his saints are found.

Js

not the heav'n of heav'ns his

Yes, he

is

Lord of all

own

And there before his awful throne,

The saints and angels fall.
But,

little child,

For,

if

with joy attend

you love

This mighty

God

To come and

him

too,

will condescend

dwell with you.

XXXVIII.
FOR CHILDREN AT A SUNDAY SCHOOL,
LORD, may a few poor children raise
thee a hymn of humble praise ?

To

by thy great compassion we

Are taught to love and worship thee.
'Tis

56

What wicked children we have been

how soon we learn 'd to sin
Alas
But now we learn to read and pray,
And not to break the Sabbath-day.
!

How
To

condescending God must be,

little ones as we

love such

He saw
And

our sin with angry frown,

yet he look'd with pity down.

Oh if we should again begin

To grieve our GOD, and turn to sin,
And let our guilty passions loose,
We now shall be without excuse.
!

Remember, LORD, we

are but dust

'Tis to thy grace alone

we

Do

trust

thou instruct and guide us

That we may

still,

ne'er forget thy will.

57

XXXIX.
MINUTE.

how soon it has flown

And yet, how important it is
God calls ev'ry moment his own,
MINUTE,

For

our existence

all

his

is

And though we may waste them in folly and

He notices each that we squander away.

Why

should

Because

it

we

We know that
And

a minute despise

so quickly
it

is

rapidly

o'er

flies,

therefore should prize

Another, indeed,

may

it

the more.

appear in its stead,

But that precious moment

for ever

is fled.

squander our years

In idleness, folly, and strife j

'Tis easy to

But, oh

no repentance or tears
Can bring back one moment of life

But time,

if

Will render

well spent, and improved as

life

pleasant, and peaceful

F3

it

its

goes,
close.

58

And when all the minutes are

Which God for our portion

past,

has given,
shall certainly welcome the last,

We
If

it

safely conduct us to heaven.

The value of time, then,, may all of us see,

Not knowing how near our last minute ma.y

XL.
A CHILD

WHAT

is

GRAVE.

this little grassy

mound,

Where pretty daisies bloom ?

What is there lying under ground
It is

an infant's tomb.

Alas, poor baby, did

How
To

it

die

dismal that must be

bid this pretty world good-bye,

Seems very sad

to

me.

be,

59

my

Silence,

child

for could

we

hear

This happy baby's voice,

We should not drop another tear,

But triumph and

"

rejoice.

do not ever weep for me,"

The happy soul would say
" Nor
grieve, dear child, that I am
" From that
poor sleeping clay.
}

free

" Mourn not because

my feeble breath
" Was
stopp'd as soon as giv'n
" There's
terrible in death
:

nothing

" To those who come

" No
"

sin,

My

"

I live

no sorrow, no complaints

pleasures here destroy

with

"And

GOD and

endless

is

" While, with the

"
SAVIOUR I

My

"I

to heav'n.

smile upon

my

all his saints,

our joy.

spirits

of the just,

adore,

sleeping dust,

" That now can

weep no more."

60

XLI.
A CHILD

PRAYER

SINCE, mighty God,

And
J

life,

my

IN SICKNESS.
health, and ease,

belong to thee,

might not murmur, shouldst thou please

To take them all from me.

Thou hast a right to use thy rod,

Which I should meekly bear
And yet I may entreat that GOD
;

A sinful
I

child

would

spare.

own the comforts I possess,

And thank thy care of me,

While thousands languish

And

in distress,

pine in poverty.

Yet look

in pity

My little

on

my

pain

strength restore

And grant me life and health again,

To serve thee evermore.

61

XLIL
A HYMN OF PRAISE FOR RECOVERY.
LORD, thou hast heard my humble voice,
For all my pains depart
:

O grant

may now

that I

rejoice

With thankfulness of heart.

Many have

died as

young

as

I,

Though nursed with equal care

But GOD in pity heard my cry,
And
Let

-,

has been pleased to spare.

me

improve the years, or days,

Thy mercy lends me here f

And shew my gratitude and praise,
-

By

living in thy fear.

The kindness
teach

By

that

me

my

friends have shewn,

to repay,

double kindness of

my

own,

In every future day.

need thy rod again,

to impart,
thee
pray
as
or life remain,
health
long

And,
1

As

lest I

thankful,

humble

heart.

62

XLIII.
FOR A VERY LITTLE CHILD IN SICKNESS.

ALMIGHTY GOD, I'm very ill,

But cure me, if it be thy will
For thou canst take away my

pain,

And make me strong and well again/

Let

me

be patient every day,

And mind what those who nurse me

And grant that all I have to take

May do me good

say

for Jesus' sake.

XLIV.
FOR A VERY LITTLE CHILD L'PON GETTING
WELL.
I

THANK the LORD, who

He heard

lives

on high

an infant pray,

And cured me, that I should

And took my pains away.

not die,

03

O let me

thank and love thee too,

As long as

I shall live

And every naughty thing

I

I do,

pray thee to forgive.

XLV.
FOR A DYING CHILD.

MY heav'nly Father,
That

all

Although

soon

And

thy ways
with sore distress,

my

life is

smile upon

And

confess

I faint

And now draw

How

are just,

love

near the dust.

health and strength are fled

nearly past.

my

me

dying bed,

to the last.

Once did the blessed SAVIOUR

" Let little children come

cry,

5"

On

this

Since

kind word
I

am

would

going home.

rely,

64

O take

this guilty soul

That now

of mine,

will soon be gone,

And wash it clean, and make it

With heav'nly garments on.
Be

pleased to grant

If

me

easy death,

'tis

thy holy will,

bid the struggles of my breath

And
And

all

my

Now, LORD,

pains be

still.

heaven hear

my prayer
my dying praise
me quickly meet thee there,
in

Accept

And

shine,

let

A better

song to

raise.

XLVI,
PRAISE FOR DAILY MERCIES.
LORD,

The

would own thy tender

care,

thy love to me
food I eat, the clothes I wear,

And
Are

all

all

bestow' d by thee.

65
"Tis thou preservest

me from

And dangers every hour

I

death

cannot draw another breath

Unless thou give

me

pow'r.

Kind angels guard me ev'ry night,

As round my bed they stay
j

Nor am

absent from thy sight

In darkness or by day.

My

health, and friends, and parents dear,

To me by GOD
I

are giv'n

have not any blessing here

But what

is

sent from heav'n.

Such goodness, Lord, and constant

child can ne'er repay

But may

To

it

be

my

daily prayer,

love thee and obey

care,

60

XLVII.
THE EXAMPLE OF CHRIST.
JESUS CHRIST,

my Lord

Once became a

my

He my

pattern

my

me

whole behaviour

that in

All

and Saviour,

child like

nature

is

still

might

unholy

be.

Pride and passion dwell within

But the LORD was meek and lowly,
:

And was never known

to sin.

While I'm often vainly trying

Some new

pleasure to possess,

He was

always self-denying,
Patient in his worst distress.

Let

me

never be forgetful

Of his

precepts any

Idle, passionate,

As

I've often

and

more j

fretful,

been before,

67
LORD, though now thou art in glory,
We have thine example still
:

can read thy sacred story,

And obey thy holy

will.

Help me by that rule to measure

Every word anil every thought,
Thinking it my greatest pleasure,
There to learn what thou hast taught.
bnc

^noni'i"!

i.

XLVIII.
SUMMER AND WINTER.

WHEN

We

summer's sweet flowers appear,

wish that they always would

last

But winter most shortly be here,

To sweep them away with his blast.
Spring, summer, and autumn, will hasten away
The roses must fade, and the blossoms decay.

Like winter old age will be found

All stripp'd of our blossoms and fruit,
:

08

We

may remain

in the ground.
be
left
but the root r
Though nothing
And wither' d and bare we must ever remain,
still

For spring will not cover our branches again.

Then let us, since time's on the wing,

And death and eternity near,
Endeavour, while yet in our spring,
To prepare for the end of the year ;

That we may not look back with remorse and

dismay,
think how this season was wasted away.

To

And then, when the summer is gone,

Our youth and maturity past,
Old age will come pleasantly on,
And bring us to glory at last j
Nor shall we reflect with a sigh or a tear

On any gay

season of happiness here.

In heaven no winter they know,

To wither their
The plants that

pleasures

away

in Paradise

grow,

Shall blossom, but never decay

69
Then

for these fading pleasures

no longer

we'll

care,

But hope we

spend an eternity there.

shall

XLIX.
LOVE TO JESUS.

WHEN
And
If I

Jesus Christ was here below,

spread his works of love abroad,

had

liv'd so

long ago,
have loved the LORD.

I think I should

Jesus,

who was

so very kind,

Who came to pardon sin in men,

Who heal'd the sick, and cured the blind
O must not I have loved him then
?

But where is Jesus ? Is he dead ?

O no he lives in heaven above.
!

" And blest are

" Who,

they," the SAVIOUR said,

though they have not seen me, love."

c 3

70

He

sees us from his throne

when on

As well

as

And when

to

He
And

feels

if

on high,
earth he dwelt

him poor children cry,

such love as then he felt.

the Lord will grant me grace,

I will love him and adore.

Much

But when

in

'Twill be

heaven

my joy

I see his face,

to love

him more.

L.
GOD EVERY WHERE.

GOD made

the world

in ev'ry land

His love and power abound

All are protected

by

his hand,

As well as British ground.

The Indian hut and English

Alike his care must own ;

cot

Though savage nations know him

But worship wood and stone.

not,

71

He

sees

and governs distant lauds,

And constant bounty pours,

From wild Arabia's burning sands

To

Lapland's frozen shores.

In forest shades, and silent plains,

Where

feet

have never trod,

There in majestic power he reigns,

An ever-present GOD.
All the inhabitants of earth ^

Who

dwell beneath the sun,

Of duTrent nations, name, and

He knows them ev'ry one.

birth,

Alike the rich and poor are known,

The cultured and the wild ;

The lofty monarch on the

And ev'ry little child.

throne,

While he regards the wise and

The noble and the brave,

fair,

Hejlistens to the beggar's pray'r,

And

the poor

Negro

sla\c.

72

He knows

the worthy from the vile,

And sends his mercies down

None are too mean to share his
Or to provoke his frown.
God

Great

My
Teach

And

smile,

and since thy piercing eye

inmost heart can see,
!

me from

every sin to

fly,

turn that heart to thee.

LI.

THOUGH HE WAS RICH, YET FOR OUR SAKES

HE BECAME POOR."
JESUS was once despised and low,
A stranger and distress'd;

Without a home

Or

Now

to

which

pillow where

to rest.

to go,

on a high majestic seat,

above the sky $

He reigns

And angels worship at his

Or at his bidding fly.

feet,

"3
Once he was bound with prickly thorns,
And scoff' d at in his pain
Now a bright crown his head adorns,
:

And he

is

King

again.

But what a condescending King

Who, though he reigns so high,
!

Is pleas'd

And

when

little

children sing,

listens to their cry.

He views/',
them from his heavenly
He watches all their ways,
.

-'!*

'

throne,

And stoops to notice for his own

The youngest child that prays.

LIT.
FOR A CHILD THAT
LORD,

My
O

IS

SORRY FOR A FAULT.

have dar'd to disobey

Thee in heaven.
come and pray

friends on earth and

help

me now

to

For JESUS' sake

to be forgiven.

74
I

cannot say I did not know,

For I've been taught thy holy will

And while my conscience told me

And bade me stop, I did it still.
But thou wast there

to see

my

so,

crime,

And write it in thy judgement-book.

O make me fear, another time,

sinful thought, or

word, or look.

Forgive me, Lord } forgive, I pray,

This naughty thing that I have done

And take my sinful heart away,

And make me holy, like thy Son.

L1II.
INSTRUCTION FROM THE HEAVENS.
STABS, that on your wondrous way
Travel through the evening sky,
nothing you can say
a little child as I ?
such
To

Is there

Tell me, for I long to

Who

has

made you

know,

sparkle so

75
Yes, methinks

hear you say,

race, attend

" Child of mortal

While we run our wondrous way,

Listen ; we would be your friend
Teaching you that

Name

By whose mighty word we

'<

Child, as truly as

Through

we

shine.

roll

the dark and distant sky,

You have an immortal soul,

Born to live when we shall
Suns and planets pass away
Spirits never can decay.

" When some thousand

die.

years, at most,

All their little time have spent,

One by one our

sparkling host

Shall forsake the firmament

We

shall

from our glory

You must

Divine,

live

beyond us

full

all.

" Yes, and GOD, who bade us roll,

GOD, who hung us in the sky,
Stoops to watch an infant's soul,

With a condescending eye

76
And esteems it dearer
More in value, than a

" O,

far,

star

then, while your breath

Let

rise in fervent pray'r

it

is

given,

And beseech the God of heaven

To receive your spirit there
}

Like a living star to blaze

Ever to your SAVIOUR'S praise,"

LIV.
CHILDREN ENCOURAGED TO SEEK THE LORD.

SHALL

presume

A GOD

to venture near

so just and true

sinful as I

am, appear
Or,
Before his piercing view

How oft

grieve his holy eye,

And break his righteous law

And think some thought of vanity
With every breath I draw
;

Yet, LOKD, a sinful child

turn

may

To wisdom's

pleasant ways
For JESUS' sake, thou wilt not spurn
My feeble prayer and praise.

He

died, that sinners such as I

May have their sins forgiven

He died, that sinners, when they
May live with him in heaven.
:

It is for this I

And on
That even

come

die,

to pray,

his grace depend,

at the

judgement-day

The LORD may be

my

friend.

LV.
UPON
LOJID, what

is life

LIFE.

'Tis like a flower,

>

That blossoms, and

We

see

With

it

is

gone

flourish for an hour,

all its

beauty on j
like a wintry day,

But Death comes

And

cuts the pretty flower awny.

H
I

78
LORD, what is life ? 'Tie like the bow
That glistens in the sky r

We love to see

colours glow,

its

But while we look, they

die.

soon

'tis

Life

fails as

To-night, perhaps,

to-day,

Six thousand years have pass'd

Since

here y

'twill disappear.

away

began at first,
And millions, once alive and gay,
Are dead, and in the dust j
For

life,

life

in all its health

Has death

And

still

and pride,

waiting at

its side.

yet this short, uncertain space,

So foolishly we prize,
That heav'n, that lasting dwelling-place,

Seems nothing in our eyes

The worlds of sorrow and of bliss
!

We

disregard,

compared with

this

LORD, what

is life ?
If spent with thee
In duty, praise, and prayer,
However short or long it be,

We

need but

little

care

Because Eternity will last,

When life and death itself are

past.

79

LVI.
UPON DEATH.

WHERE
I

should I be,

must not

if

GOD

should say

another day,
send to take away my breath

And
What

is

live

Eternity

My^body

is

of

and Death

little

worth

'Twould soon be mingled with the earth

For we were made of clay, and must
Again

at

death return to dust.

But where
I

do

not,

my

and

living soul

I cannot

For none were

e'er sent

The joys of heav'n, or

would go,

know

back to

tell

pains of hell.

Yet heav'n must be a world of

bliss,

Where GOD himself for ever is

Where saints around his throne
And never sin, nor suffer more.
j

adore,

And hell's a state of endless wo,

Where unrepenting sinners go
:

Though none

that seek the SAVIOUR'S grace.

Shall ever see that dreadful place.

H 2

80

O let me

then at once apply

To Him who did for sinners die

And this shall be my great reward,
To dwell for ever with the LORD.
!

LVII.
AGAINST SELFISHNESS.
LOVE and kindness we may measure
simple rule alone
our neighbour's pleasure
Just as if it were our own ?

By

this

Do we mind

We

should always care for others,

Nor suppose
Let us love

Twas

ourselves the best.

like friends

and brothers

the SAVIOUR'S last request.

His example we should borrow,

Who

forsook his throne above,

And endured such

pain and sorrow,

Out of tenderness and

love.

81

When the poor are unbefrtezided,

When we will not pity lend,
CHRIST accounts himself offended,
WTio is every creature's friend.
Let us not be so ungrateful,

Thus

his

goodness to reward.

Selfishness, indeed,

is

hateful

In the followers of the Lord.

W hen a selfish thought would

7

And our

seize us,

resolution break,

Let us then remember JESUS,

And

resist it for his sake.

LVIII.
THE MORNING IT FLOUR1SHETH AND
GROWEFH UP I.N THK EVENING IT IS CUT
DOWN AND XVITHBRETH."

IN

TIJB

lilies

of the

field,

That quickly fade away,

May

well to us a lesson yield,

Who

die as soon as they.

ii

82
That pretty blossom see
Decaying on the walk.

storm came sweeping o'er the

And broke its feeble stalk.

tree,

Just like an early rose,

I've seen an infant

bloom

But Death, perhaps, before

Will lay

Then

let

it

in the

it

blows,

tomb.

us think on Death,

Though we

are

young and gay ;

For God, who gave our

life

and breath,

Can take them soon away.

To God, who

loves

them

all,

Let children humbly cry j

And then, whenever Death may

call,

They'll be prepared to die.

LIX.
HUMILITY.
Ix a modest, humble mind,

God

himself will take delight

But the proud and haughty

They

find

arc hateful in his sight.

83
JBSUS CHRIST was meek and mild,
And no angry thoughts allow'd

',

O, then, shall a little child

Dare to be perverse and proud
This, indeed, should never be

LORD, forbid it, we entreat.

Grant that all may learn of thee,

That humility

Make

it

Fill

For a

is

shine in every part

them with
is its

this heav'nly

little infant's

Surely

sweet

grace ;

heart

proper place.

LX.
SET YOUR AFFECTIONS ON THINGS ABOVE."

WHY

should our poor enjoyments here

Be thought so pleasant and so dear,

And tempt our hearts astray
Our brightest joys are fading fast,
The longest life will soon be past
And if we go to heaven at last,
!

We

need not wish to

stay.

84

we come to dwell above,

Where all is holiness and love,
And endless pleasures flow,
Our threescore years and ten will seem

For when

Just like a short and busy dream ;

And oh, how poor we then shall deem

Our best

pursuits

below

Perhaps, the happy saints in bliss

Look down from their bright world

Where once they used to dwell ;
And wonder why we trifle so,
And love these vanities below,
And live as if we did not know
There was a heaven and hell.

to this,

LXI.
FOR THE LAST DAY OF THE YEAR.
THIS year

is

just going

The moments

away

are finishing fast

My heart,

have you nothing to say

Concerning the time that is past

86

Now, while in my chamber alone,

Where GOD will be present to hear ;
I'll

try to

The

remember, and own,

committed this

faults I've

LORD, I'm ashamed

How

year.

to confess

often I've broken thy day

Perhaps have thought of

Or wasted the moments

my

in

dress,

play

And when the good minister tried

To make little children attend,
1

was thinking of something beside,

Or wishing the sermon would end

How

often I rose from

And

Or

if

did not

my

bed,

remember my prayer ;

a few words

have

said,

My thoughts have been going elsewhere

Ill-temper, and passion, and pride,
Have grieved my dear
And seldom I've heartily

parents and
tried

Obedient and gentle to be

But, Lord, thou already hast

Much more of my

folly

known

than

Thee

86
There

is

Too

not 'a fault I can own,

little

for

GOD

to descry

Yet hear me, and help me to feel

How wicked and weak I must be

And let me not try to conceal

The least of my follies from
This year

thee.

is just going away

The moments are finishing fast
Look down in thy mercy, I pray,
To pardon the time that is past
And as soon as another begins,

So help

That

me

may

to

walk

in thy fear,

not with follies and sins

Disfigure and waste a

new

year.

LXII.
THE LILY OF THE VALLEY.
COME,

From

my
a

See the

and do not spurn

flower to learn.

love,

little

lily

on the bed,
its modest head

Hanging down

87
While

it

scarcely can be seen,

Folded in

its

leaf of green.

Yet we love the

For

lily

well

sweet and pleasant smell

its

And would rather call it ours,

Than a many gayer flowers.
Pretty

lilies

Emblems

Come,

seem

my love,

From a

to be

of humility.

little

and do not spujn

flower to learn.

Let your temper be as sweet

A3 the

Be
Be

lily at

your feet

as gentle, be as mild

a modest, simple child.

Tis not beauty

that

we

Like a summer flower

But humility

prize

it

dies.

will last,

when beauty's past.

the SAVIOUR from above

Fair and sweet,

And

Views a humble child with

love.

LXIII.
CC

THEN THE LORD CALLED SAMUEL, AND

SAMUEL SAID, SPEAK, FOR THY SERVANT
HEARETH."

WHEN

little

And heard

Samuel woke,
his MAKER'S voice,

At every word he spoke

How much did he rejoice

O blessed,

happy

The GOD of heaven

If

GOD would
And

so near and kind

speak to me,

say he was

my

friend,

How happy I should be

O how would I attend
The
If

smallest sin I then should fear,

GOD ALMIGHTY were

so near.

And does he never speak

child, to find

yes

for, in his

He bids me come
The GOD

that

word,
and seek

Samuel heard

In almost every page I see,

The GOD of Samuel calls to me.

And

beneath his care

May safely rest tny head

know that GOD is there,
To guard my humble bed.
:

And every sin I well may fear,

Since GOD ALMIGHTY is so near.
Like Samuel,

When'er

"

Speak,

let

say,

read his word,

LORD

" The voice

" And when I
"

me

would obey

that I have heard.

in thy house appear,

Speak, for thy servant waits to hear."

LXIV.
ON REPEATING THE CATECHISM.
As Mary

To

We

sat at Jesus' fee*,

learn her

MAKER'S

will,

in the SAVIOUR'S presence

And hear
Still

his doctrines

meet.

still.

he beholds the wand' ring look,

Each foolish thought discerns

And knows who idles at his book,
And who in earnest learns.
j

90

O for that meek,

attentive mind
Which happy Mary shew'd
!

the " one thing needful" find,

May we

That was oh her bestow'd.

Here we

are taught the sacred

That Jesus

And here

first

convey'd

the doctrines

we

word

have heard,

Are plain and easy made.

here we learn the glorious name
Of GOD, who reigns above
And while we read of sinners' shame,
'Tis

Are taught the SAVIOUR'S love.

Lord

while

That sends

We

still

Her

we thank
this

would

thee for the grace

happy news,

sit in

Mary's place,

better, part to choose.

LXV.
BROTHERLY LOVE.

THE GOD

little

And

of heaven

family agree

is

pleas' d to see

will not slight the praise they bring,

When

loving children join to sing.

91
For love and kindness please him more

Than

if

we gave him all our store

who dwell in love,
;

And

children here,

Are

like his

The

gentle child that tries to please,

happy ones above.

That hates to quarrel, fret, and tease.

And would not say an angry word j
That child is pleasing to the Lord.
Great God

whenever we

forgive,

Forget thy will, and disagree j

And grant that each of us may find

The sweet

delight of being kind.

LXVI.
THE CONDESCENSION OF GOD.
GOD

what a great and awful word

Oh, who can speak his worth ?

By saints in heaven he is adored,

And fear'd by men on earth.

And yet a little child may bend,
And say, My Father and My Friend.
I

92
The glorious sun, that blazes high
The moon, more pale and dim
And all the stars that fill the sky,
Are made and ruled by him
And yet a child may ask his care,
And call upon his name in prayer.

And this large world of ours below,

The waters and the land,
With all the trees and flowers that grow,
Were fashion'd by his hand
:

Yes, and he forms our infant race,

And

bids us early seek his face.

Ten thousand

On

angels sing his praise

high, to harps of gold

But holy angels dare not gaze,

His brightness to behold
:

Yet a poor lowly

Lift

up

its

infant

may

voice to God, and pray.

The saints in heaven before him

And round his throne appear

fall,

Adam, and Abraham, and

Who

all

loved and served him here

93
And

My

I,

a child on earth,

feeble voice in

may

humble

raise

praise.

And all his faithful servants now,

The wise, and good, and just,
Before His sacred footstool bow,

And own they

But what can

are but dust.

presume

to say

Yet he will hearken when

pray

yes; when little children cry,

loves their simple prayer;
His throne of grace is always nigh,

He

And

will venture there.

go depending on his word,

And seek his grace through CHRIST the LORD.
I'll

LXVII.
TIIK

CHILD OF AFFLUHM

K.

How many poor indigent children I see,

Who want^ill the comforts bestow'd upon
I

ine

94
But though I'm preserved from such want and
distress,
I

am

quite as

While

am

unworthy of all

I possess.

partaking a plentiful meal,

the cravings of appetite feel

How many

Poor creatures as young and as helpless as I,

Who yet have no money their wants to supply
If I

were so

How

could

destitute, friendless,

let

has graciously given

And

since I with so

May

it

be

and poor,

such hardship and suff ring endure

be thankful, and humbly adore

me
who
GOD
My
Then

my

me

many comforts am

more.
bless'd,

delight to relieve the distress'd

For God has declared, and his promise is sure,

That blessed are they who consider the poor.

LXVIII.
THE CHILD OF POVERTY.

am poor yet hear my call 3

Afford me daily bread
Give me at least the crumbs that full

LORD,

From

tables richly spread.

95

Thou canst for all my wants provide,

And bless my homely crust.
The ravens cry, and are supplied,
And ought not I to trust ?
Behold the

how

lilies,

they grow,

Though they can nothing do

And will not GOD, who clothes them
!

Afford

me

raiment too

so,

But seeing, Lord, thou dost withhold

The riches some possess,
Grant

Thy

me

what's better far than gold,

grace and righteousness.

O may I heavenly
And choose

me
A meek

a humble, pious mind,

Give

Forgive

treasures find,

the better part

and lowly heart.

my

sins,

my

follies cure,

And grant the grace I need

And then, though I am mean and
:

I shall

be rich indeed.

poor,

90

LXIX.
PRAISE TO GOD.

ALMIGHTY GOD, who thvellest high,

Where mortals cannot gaze,
If

thou wilt

To

listen, I will try

sing a

hymn

of praise.

Angels adore thee, and rejoice

Such praise

to thee belongs

But wilt thou hear

Amid

My

my

feeble voice,

their lofty songs

thoughts are vain, my heart

the thanks I pay.

is

hard,

And poor

O how unworthy
Is all a child

My

feeble

To

thy regard
can say
!

powers can never

praise thee as

For thou

art great,

rise

ought 5
and good, and wise,

Beyond my highest thought.

In heaven thy glories,

LORD, resound,
And children join the song
And O may I at last be found
:

Among

that

happy 'throng

There we

Aud

shall better praige* bring,

raise

our voices higher

Angels will teach us how to sing,

And we shall never tire.

LXX.
HEAVBN AND EARTH.
let us

now

forget our mirth,

And think

that

we must

COME,

What

die.

are our best delights on earth,

Compared with those on high

A sad

and sinful world

Although
But heaven

all

is this,

it

seems so

is

perfect joy and bliss,

For God himself

Here

is

fair

there.

our pleasures soon are past,

Our brightest joys decay

But pleasures there for ever
And cannot fade away.
j

last,

Here many a pain and bitter groan

Our feeble bodies tear
;

But pain and sickness are not known.

And never
Here

sins

shall be, there.

and sorrows

With many

we

deplore,

cares distress' d

But there the mourners weep no more,

And
Our

there the weary rest.

dearest friends,

when death

At once must hence depart

But there we hope

And
Then

to

shall call,

meet them

all,

never, never part.

let

With

And we

us love and serve the

LORD

our youthful powers

shall gain this great reward

all

-,

This glory shall be our's.

1.

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