Night is the time to pray;
Our Saviour oft withdrew
To desert mountains far away;

So will his followers do :

Steal from the throng to haunts untrod,
And hold communion there with God.

Night is the time for death;

When all around is peace,
Calmly to yield the weary breath,
From sin and suffering cease;

Think of heaven's bliss, and give the sign
To parting friends; such death be mine!

COMMUNION WITH GOD.

WHEN one that holds communion with the skies
Has filled his urn where these pure waters rise,
And once more mingles with us meaner things,
"Tis e'en as if an angel shook his wings;
Immortal fragrance fills the circuit wide;
That tells us whence his treasures are supplied:

So when a ship, well freighted with the stores The sun matures on India's spicy shores,

Has dropp'd her anchor, and her canvas furl'd,
In some safe haven of our western world,
'Twere vain inquiry to what port she went ;
The gale informs us, laden with the scent.

PRAYER.

PRAYER is the soul's sincere desire,

Utter'd, or unexpress'd,

The motion of a hidden fire,

That trembles in the breast.

Prayer is the burden of a sigh,
The falling of a tear,

The upward glancing of an eye,
When none but God is near.

Prayer is the simplest form of speech,
That infant lips can try ;

Prayer, the sublimest strains that reach,

The majesty on high.

Prayer is the Christian's vital breath,
The Christian's native air,

His watch-word in the hour of death,

He enters heaven with prayer.

Prayer is the contrite sinner's voice,
Returning from his ways,

While angels in their song rejoice,
And say, "Behold he prays!"

In prayer, on earth, the saints are one,
In word, in deed, in mind,
When with the Father and the Son,
Sweet fellowship they find.

Nor prayer is made on earth alone;
The Holy Spirit pleads,

And Jesus, on the eternal throne,
For sinners intercedes!

O Thou! by whom we come to God,
The Life, the Truth, the Way!
The path of prayer thyself hast trod;
Lord! teach us how to pray!

PRAYER.

WHAT Various hind'rances we meet

In coming to a mercy-seat!

Yet who that knows the worth of prayer, But wishes to be often there?

Prayer makes the darken'd cloud withdraw; Prayer climbs the ladder Jacob saw;

Gives exercise to faith and love,

Brings every blessing from above.

Restraining prayer, we cease to fight;
Prayer makes the Christian's armour bright;
And Satan trembles when he sees

The weakest saint upon his knees.

While Moses stood with arms spread wide,
Success was found on Israel's side ;-
But when through weariness they fail'd,
That moment Amalek prevail'd.

Have you no words? ah! think again,
Words flow apace when you complain,
And fill your fellow-creature's ear,
With the sad tale of all your care.

Were half the breath thus vainly spent,
To heaven in supplication sent,

Your cheerful song would oftener be,

"Hear what the Lord hath done for me."

THE HAPPY CHANGE.

How blest thy creature is, O God,
When with a single eye

He views the lustre of thy word,
The day-spring from on high!

Through all the storms that veil the skies,
And frown on earthly things,
The sun of righteousness he eyes,

With healing on his wings.

Struck by that light, the human heart,

A barren soil no more,

Sends the sweet smell of grace abroad,
Where serpents lurk'd before.

The soul, a dreary province once
Of Satan's dark domain,
Feels a new empire form'd within,
And owns a heavenly reign.

The glorious orb, whose golden beams
The fruitful year control,
Since first obedient to thy word,

He started from the goal;