2

Be vanity afar,

And every evil thought;

O let us think how blest we are,
In being rightly taught.

Nor let us lightly hold

The blessing that is given;
To learn that love that can't be told,
Which angels sing in heaven.
Impress upon our hearts,
Great Spirit, all we read;
And when all other stay departs,
This will be sweet indeed.

L. M.

322 A Blessing asked.
ASSEMBLED in our school once more,
thy blessing we implore;
We meet to read, and sing, and pray,
Be with us, then, through this thy day.
Our fervent prayer to thee ascends,
For parents, teachers, foes and friends,
And when we in thy house appear,
Help us to worship in thy fear.

3 When we on earth shall meet no more, May we above to glory soar;

And praise thee in more lofty strains,
Where one eternal Sabbath reigns.

323

Prayer to God.

WHEN we children bend the knee
Round the mercy-seat of love,

Then our voices rise to thee,

God omnipotent above!

2 Able thou to seek, to save,

Able to forgive and bless;

Grant each blessing that we crave,
Pardon sin we all confess.

7's.

3 Teach us what we ought to seek,
Now all prostrate in thy sight;
We are sinful, poor, and weak,
Thou alone canst lead us right.

324

Prayer.

C. M.

ADMITTED where thy truths are taught,

While pious hearts adore;

Father in heaven! my spirit ought
Thy blessings to implore.

2 Instruct my ignorance, I pray;
My wayward passions tame;
From every folly guard my way,
From every sin reclaim.

3 With humble awe thy power I see,
Thy boundless mercy sing,
Few words become a child like me
Before so great a King.

4 Teach me thy precepts to fulfil,
To trust in Him who died,

To yield submission to his will,
For all is vain beside.

325

Attention at School.

L. M.

DEAR children! have you ever thought
That you will come to school in vain,
Unless you think of what you're taught,
And try instruction to obtain?

2 Allow no idle thought or look,

Let no disturbing sound be heard;
And when you read God's holy book,
Be sure you mind it every word.

3 His holy will is written there,

For our instruction 'tis designed;
Then surely we should never dare
To read it with a thoughtless mind.

CLOSING SCHOOL.

326

ΟΝ

Blessing asked.

what has now been sown,
Thy blessing, Lord! bestów;

The power is thine alone

To make it spring and grow:

Do thou the gracious harvest raise,

P. M.

And thou, alone, shalt have the praise.

327

Directions.

C. M.

NOW, children, to God's house repair,
And with the holy throng

O give your hearts to humble prayer,
And raise the cheerful song.

2 Praise God, whose mercies brought you here,
Whose goodness keeps you still;
Whose grace with joy your souls can cheer,
Whose power subdues your will.

3 Improve the strength you here have gained To do his holy will.

Improve the knowledge here attained,
To love and serve him still.

4 Let not the world have cause to say,
You served your God for nought;
But grow in grace from day to day,
As you have here been taught.

328

C. M.

Reflection.

AND now another hour is past,

Of kind instruction given;

And this, perhaps, may be the last
On this side hiell or heaven.

2 And is it so? How dread the thought,
And yet indeed how true!
If I could feel it as I ought,
This day, what should I do?

3 0, surely prize it more and more,
And pray that God would give
A death of gam, if life be o'er,
And blessing if I live.

THE YEAR.

329

1

WHILE with ceaseless course the sun

Hasted through the former year;

Many souls their race have run,

Never more to meet us here;

Fixed in their eternal state,

They have done with all below;

We a little longer wait,

But how little none can know

2 As the winged arrow flies,
Speedily, the mark to find;
As the lightning from the skies
Darts, and leaves no trace behind;
Swiftly thus our fleeting days

Bear us down life's rapid stream;
Upward, Lord, our spirits raise,
All below is but a dream.

3 Thanks for mercies past receive,
Pardon of our sins renew;
Teach us he ceforth how to live,
With eternity in view.

Bless thy word to young and old,
Fill us with a Saviour's love;
And when life's short tale is told,
May we dwell with thee above.

330

'QU

UICKLY my days have passed away,
How soon, alas, they're gone!
Life's gayest scenes decline in haste,
Just like the setting sun.

2 Always in motion, ne'er at rest,
My minutes onward roll;
Swift to pursue their destined course,
And soon to reach the goal.

3 Eternal pains, or endless joys,
Stand waiting at the door;

The moments past, or those to come,
Are not within my power.

4 God of my strength and of my hope,
In whom I live and move,

Help me by thine instructive grace
The present to improve.