All

you that do in Zion stand,
The sacred truth you must defend,

Though you should suffer here;

Like Peter and like Paul be bold,
The cause of Christ with firmness hold,
And preach it without fear.

[And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him.-Mat. 3: 16.]

Down in old Jordan's rolling stream,

Our Saviour was baptized;

Jehovah seeing what he did,

Then owned him from the sky.

Now John the Baptist gave consent,
Unworthiness confest;

The sacred water being moved,
Closed sweetly o'er his breast.

His fairest form was deeply laid
Within the liquid tomb;

Shall we be backward to perform

What Christ the Lord has done?

Young converts go the scriptures search,
For this must be your guide;
From it you should not turn away,
But in its truths confide.

E

An outward form will never save,

But

you must love the Lord:

And walk in wisdom's narrow way,
And love his holy word.

Our Saviour dear we must obey,
While we sojourn below;
And his blest image we must bear,
Where e'er on earth we go.

INVITATION TO THE IMPENITENT.

[But the way of the transgressor is hard.-Prov. 13: 15. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have merey upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.-Is. 55: 7. Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground for it is time to serve the Lord, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.-Hos. 10; 12. Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.Is. 1: 18.]

Awake, O sinful man awake,
And view a Savior God;
His arm of pity he extends,
Go search his holy word.

The way of the trangressor's hard,
Your souls have proved it well;
Unless you do your sins forsake
With God you cannot dwell.

Your guilty conscience cannot sleep,
But now it must awake;

You must repent and turn to God,
Before it is too late.

Why will your souls go starving here,
When Jesus bids you come,
A bounteous feast he has prepared
And yet there still is room.

His board with plenty he doth spread,
And mercy crowns the feast;
Oh, will you enter while there's room
And be a welcome guest.

His pity it doth ever move
When penitence he sees;

He

gave his life that you might live,
And bled and died for thee.

Such pity as your Lord did show,
No mortal could possess ;
His life a ransom he did give
To save your soul from death.

THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM.

[Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews for we have seen his star in the cast and have come to worship him When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Je rusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he de

manded of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judea for thus it is written by the prophet. And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Judea, art not the least among the princes of Judea, for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel. Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go, and search diligently for the young child: and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. When they had heard the king, they departed; and lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they re. joiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshiped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way. And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt and be thou there until I bring thee word; for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and de parted into Egypt.—Mat. 2; 1 to 14.]

In Bethlehem of Judea, a Saviour is born,
The prophets foretold jubilee year long;
Old Simeon desired the King to embrace,
'Tis enouh he exclaimed, on beholding his face.

The shepherds were watching their flocks in the

night. Their souls filled with glory and blessed delight; A convoy of angels flew swiftly along,

Redemption, redemption, salvation their song.

Lo, a star in the east to the wise men appear, Their souls filled with wonder, by hope they are cheer'd.

To see their young King in Bethlehem enthron'd O what was the contrast in a stable alone.

Before the young King then the wise men did fall
Amidst the rude oxen that fed in the stall;
Their gifts of frankincnese and myrrh then they

gave,

Convinced of the truth they in Jesus believed.

The angel of God then to Joseph did speak,
'lo warn him of Herod, for his life he would seek;
Arise with the child and his mother now go,
And flee into Egypt from the scene of sad woe.

The monster unsheathed then, the weapons of death,

The infants he tore from the fond mother's breast; The plains were all covered with innocent blood, The cry of deep anguish ascended to God.

Now Rachel, sad weeps and in agony mourns, Ah, who can relieve the sad mother forlorn; The flint it now swells and utters a sad groan, Even earth heaves a sigh and sends forth a deep

moan.