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NIGHT WATCHING.

SHE sleeps; and none may tell, save those,
Whose souls have prayed for such repose,
The blessings of that sleep;

Still are the pain-drops on her brow,
And every breath tells even now
Of sufferings keen and deep.

She sleeps; and oh ! how fair a bloom,
Death is preparing for the tomb,

In mouldering dust to lie ;

The spirit shines in that sweet face;
In every lineament I trace
Its immortality.

Blow softer yet, ye wandering winds,
In thee my soul communion finds,
Ye seem to mourn with me ;
Thy low sad tones bring strange relief,
Softening the harshness of my grief,
With thy sweet melody.

How calm she sleeps! words could not tell
How long I've loved her and how well,
And now to watch her die!

For earth my flowers of life decay,
Each bud of hope must pass away
To bloom afresh on high.

Death hath been busy--one by one,
How many are already gone

Into the promised rest!

But as my treasures pass from sight,
My heavenly home appears more bright,
With all I loved the best.

Awake! bright faith, subdue these fears,
These troubled thoughts and natural tears,
To meet the chastening rod;

And while all blissful things depart

From earth, may I with trusting heart,

Prepare to meet my God!

Montpelier.

H. D. H.

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THE

YOUTHS' MAGAZINE;

OR,

EVANGELICAL MISCELLANY.

JULY, 1845.

SINAI.

"WE passed Moilah," says the author of 'Scenes and Impressions in Egypt,' "and ran up into the Gulf of Acaba; we sailed for many hours over or among large and beautifully green shoals, and cast our anchor on the shore of Midian it is a silent, unpeopled shore; the very great company' of early ages, has, with them, passed away still, however, from the opposite side of the gulf, the rugged mountains of Arabia the Stony, frown distinctly upon you. Sinai is one of this rude and lofty chain. I know not if its awful summit were seen by us; but where we lay, the fisher in his bark, when the God of Israel, even our God,' spake to his chosen people, must have heard the thunder, and seen the lightning-cloud."

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The term "Sinai" appears to be applied to the whole of this range, and the particular mountain referred to in Exodus xix. 2, 10, 11, 16-20, Deut. xxxiii. 2, Judges v. 5, Psalm lxviii. 8, 17, and elsewhere, remains to this day unknown. Many conjectures have been hazarded as to its precise locality, but none of them are satisfactory. That a spot of such absorbing interest should not have been identified, appears singular; but to the humble student of revelation, it involves a useful lesson, teaching him that no peculiar sanctity attaches to the things, persons, or places, mentioned in Holy Writ, lest the reverence with which they might be regarded, approaching, as in many cases it would do to adoration, should detract from the

supreme regard due to God himself, and lead us to rest in means, instruments, and elements, instead of looking beyond them to the Great First Mover.

Our engraving represents one of the most commanding heights of this group; and if it be not the very Sinai of Scripture, it has as good claims to that distinction as any other representation.

"The foreground in this view," says Mr. Newnham, in his beautiful Illustrations of the Exodus,' whence our engraving is borrowed, "was pointed out to us as the place where the Amalekites where encamped, (Exodus xvii. 8-13,) and whither they were eventually driven back, and defeated by Joshua. This plain continues round to the left of the mountain, where it joins the valley of Rephidim. According to the description given, the Israelites after their victory, pitched some of their tents on this part, from which the line of encampment extended to the right along the valley where the convent stands, and reached nearly to mount Horeb. Our guide accounted for their encamping on the broken ground, since by this means they took advantage of the shade derived from the rocks, as is the custom of the Arabs of the present day."

On the summit of the mountain are the ruins of a chapel and mosque; and to the right of these is the place where tradition that Moses stood when his hands were supported by Aaron and Hur. Exodus xvii. 12.

says,

THE PARSON'S CHOICE MEMORIES.

CHAP VII.-COMFORT IN FAITH.

THE day appointed for our meeting, in the month of July, proved to be so intensely hot, that we all, without consulting each other, set out so late, and lingered so long on the way, that we did not collect at the house of assemblage, which was that of Paternus, until the disk of the sun was very near the horizon.

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