FLOWERS. 129 FLOWERS. GOD might have made the earth bring forth The oak-tree, and the cedar-tree, He might have made enough, enough For every want of ours; For luxury, medicine, and toil, And yet have made no flowers. The clouds might give abundant rain, And the herb that keepeth life in man, Then wherefore, wherefore were they made, Springing in valleys green and low, 130 CHILDREN IN CHURCH. Our outward life requires them not, To beautify the earth; To comfort man, to whisper hope For whoso careth for the flowers, MARY HOWITT. CHILDREN IN CHURCH. WHEN to the house of God we go, They stand before his presence now, Who only at his footstool bow, And love him whom we cannot see. But God is present everywhere, And watches all our thoughts and ways: SEEKING GOD. The triflers, too, his eye can see, Who only seem to take a part; They move the lip and bend the knee, O, may we never trifle so, Nor lose the days our God has given; But learn, by Sabbaths here below, To spend eternity in heaven. 131 SUNDAY-SCHOOL HYMNS. SEEKING GOD. WE come in childhood's innocence, Well may we bend, in solemn joy, In joy we wake, in peace we sleep, But in a Father's arms. 132 THE BEST OFFERING. We come not as the mighty come, But as the pure in heart should bend, "Forbid them not," the Saviour said; - We hear the call, we seek thy face, Father, we come! we come! T. GRAY, JR. THE BEST OFFERING. LORD, what offering shall we bring, Soft compassion's feeling soul, By the melting eye expressed; Sympathy, at whose control Sorrow leaves the wounded breast. Willing hands to lead the blind, Bind the wounded, feed the poor; Love, embracing all our kind, THE GOLDEN RULE. Teach us, O thou heavenly King! 133 JANE TAYLOR. THE GOLDEN RULE. THUS said Jesus: "Go, and do Wouldst thou then rejoice to find Wouldst thou, when thy faults are known, Be forgiving then, and do As thou wouldst be done unto. Shouldst thou helpless be, and poor, What thou wouldst they should to thee. |