While the remembrance of those happy hours
Shall deck the barren path of toil with flowers;
And praying each that as the years roll on,
Laden with pleasures soon forever gone,
Each year shall bring but added virtues forth,
And leave behind the impress of their worth;
Till every heart to innocence be tuned,
Nor sinful pleasures ever dare intrude,
To mar the image God has made and blest,
With means of pleasure, happiness and rest;
That all may find, in holy joys and pure,
Relief from care, for every sorrow cure;
And live to be in holy pleasures blest,
Till earthly toil is changed for heavenly rest.




CHRIST AND DUTY.


It is profitable for us to meditate on such a character as Christ's, if
by dwelling upon it we become even in one respect like him. The more we
know of him, the more we shall love him; for his character is love. We
should imitate the example of Mary, who was first at the door of the
sepulchre where Jesus was laid. She had great love for him, and her
faith in him was as strong as her love. She was not a stranger to the
miracles which he performed while here on earth. She had seen him, and
she knew that in him perfection dwelt. So we should try to be first in
doing any act of kindness or benevolence, not in a spirit of unholy