Weeping she stays till He appear―

Her witness first the Church must hear

All joy to souls that can rejoice

With her at earliest call of His dear gracious voice.

Joy too to those, who love to talk

In secret how He died,

Though with seal'd eyes awhile they walk,

Nor see Him at their side;

Most like the faithful pair are they,
Who once to Emmaus took their way,

Half darkling, till their Master shed

His glory on their souls, made known in breaking bread.

Thus, ever brighter and more bright,

On those he came to save

The Lord of new-created light
Dawn'd gradual from the grave:

Till pass'd th' enquiring daylight hour,
And with clos'd door in silent bower

The Church in anxious musing sate,

As one who for redemption still had long to wait.

Then, gliding through th' unopening door,
Smooth without step or sound,

"Peace to your souls,” He said—no more—

They own him, kneeling round.

Eye, ear, and hand, and loving heart,

Body and soul in every part,

Successive made His witnesses that hour, Cease not in all the world to shew his saving power.

Is there, on earth, a spirit frail,

Who fears to take their word,

Scarce daring, through the twilight pale,

To think he sees the Lord ?

With eyes too tremblingly awake

To bear with dimness for His sake?

Read and confess the hand divine

That drew thy likeness here so true in every line.

For all thy rankling doubts so sore,

Love thou thy Saviour still,

Him for thy Lord and God adore,

And ever do His will.

Though vexing thoughts may seem to last,

Let not thy soul be quite o'ercast ;

say

Soon will He shew thee all His wounds, and "Long have I known thy name-know thou my face

66

alway."

THE CONVERSION OF ST. PAUL.

And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. Acts ix. 4, 5.

THE midday sun, with fiercest glare,
Broods o'er the hazy, twinkling air;
Along the level sand

The palm-tree's shade unwavering lies,
Just as thy towers, Damascus, rise
To greet yon wearied band.

The leader of that martial crew

Seems bent some mighty deed to do,

In Exodus xxxiii. 17. God says to Moses, "I know thee by name;" meaning," I bear especial favour towards thee." Thus our Saviour speaks to St. Thomas by name in the place here referred to.

So steadily he speeds,

With lips firm clos'd and fixed eye,
Like warrior when the fight is nigh,
Nor talk nor landscape heeds.

What sudden blaze is round him pour'd,
As though all heaven's refulgent hoard
In one rich glory shone?

One moment-and to earth he falls:
What voice his inmost heart appals ?—
Voice heard by him alone.

For to the rest both words and form
Seem lost in lightning and in storm,
While Saul, in wakeful trance,

Sees deep within that dazzling field
His persecuted Lord reveal'd

With keen yet pitying glance :

And hears the meek upbraiding call

As gently on his spirit fall

As if th' Almighty Son

Were prisoner yet in this dark earth,
Nor had proclaim'd his royal birth,

Nor his great power begun.

"Ah wherefore persecut'st thou me ?" He heard and saw, and sought to free

His strain'd eye from the sight:

But Heaven's high magic bound it there,
Still gazing, though untaught to bear
Th' insufferable light.

"Who art thou, Lord ?" he falters forth :-
So shall Sin ask of heaven and earth
At the last awful day.

"When did we see thee suffering nigh',

"And pass'd thee with unheeding eye?

"Great God of judgment, say

Ah! little dream our listless eyes
What glorious presence they despise,
While, in our noon of life,

To power or fame we rudely press.—
Christ is at hand, to scorn or bless,

Christ suffers in our strife.

י!

And though heaven gate long since have clos'd, And our dear Lord in bliss repos'd

f St. Matthew xxv. 44.