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Now triumph, scribe and Pharisee!
Now, Roman, bend the mocking knee!
The cross is reared. The deed is done.
There stands Messiah's earthly throne!

Still from his lip no curse has come,
His lofty eye has looked no doom;
No earthquake burst, no angel brand
Crushes the black, blaspheming hand,
What say those lips by anguish riven?
"God, be my murderers forgiven!"

Croly.

IV.

"There was darkness over all the earth."-Luke xxiii. 44.

ON Judah's hills a weight of darkness hung,
Felt shudderingly at noon : -the land had driven
A Guest divine back to the gates of Heaven,
A life, whence all pure founts of healing sprung,
All grace, all truth: and, when to anguish

wrung,

From the sharp cross th' enlightened spirit fled, O'er the forsaken earth a pall of dread

By the great shadow of that death was flung.

O Saviour! O Atoner! thou that fain

Wouldst make thy temple in each human heart, Leave not such darkness in my soul to reign, Ne'er may thy presence from its depths depart, Chased thence by guilt!-oh! turn not thou

away,

The bright and morning star, my guide to perfect

day!

V.

Mrs Hemans.

"There were also women looking on."- Mark xv. 40.

LIKE those pale stars of tempest hours, whose gleam

Waves calm and constant on the rocking mast, Such by the Cross doth your bright lingering

seem,

Daughters of Zion! faithful to the last!

Ye, through the darkness o'er the wide earth

cast

By the death-cloud within the Saviour's eye,
E'en till away the heavenly spirit pass'd,
Stood in the shadow of his agony.

O blessed faith; a guiding lamp, that hour,
Was lit for woman's heart; to her, whose dower
Is all of love and suffering from her birth;

Still hath your act a voice

- through fear,

through strife,

Bidding her bind each tendril of her life

To that which her deep soul hath proved of holiest worth.

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Towering o'er the wrecks of time, All the light of sacred story

Gathers round its head sublime.

When the woes of life o'ertake me,
Hopes deceive, and fears annoy,
Never shall the cross forsake me,
Lo! it glows with peace and joy!

When the sun of bliss is beaming
Light and love upon my way,
From the cross the radiance streaming
Adds more lustre to the day.

Bane and blessing, pain and pleasure,
By the cross are sanctified;
Peace is there that knows no measure,
Joys that through all time abide.

In the cross of Christ I glory!
Towering o'er the wrecks of time,

All the light of sacred story

Gathers round its head sublime.

J. Bowring.

THE RESURRECTION.

I.

"He is not here, but is risen."— Luke xxiv. 6.

LIFT your glad voices in triumph on high, For Jesus hath risen, and man cannot die. Vain were the terrors that gathered around him And short the dominion of death and the grave; He burst from the fetters of darkness that bound

him

Resplendent in glory, to live and to save.

Loud was the chorus of angels on high, 'The Saviour hath risen, and man shall not die.'

Glory to God, in full anthems of joy;

The being he gave us, death cannot destroy. Sad were the life we must part with tomorrow, If tears were our birthright, and death were our

end;

But Jesus hath cheered the dark valley of sorrow And bade us, immortal, to heaven ascend.

Lift then your voices in triumph on high, For Jesus hath risen, and man shall not die. Henry Ware jun.

II.

"Go your way, - tell his disciples, and Peter, that He goeth before you into Galilee." - Mark xvi. 7.

BUT wherefore Peter? He whose pride
Dream'd on the monarch sea to tread,
Whose traitor tongue with oaths denied
His master, in the hour of dread,
Wherefore to him in accents sweet,
Such words of heavenly solace bear,
And not to those whose firmer feet
Indignant foil'd the Tempter's snare?

Hark! from a risen Saviour's tomb,
The guardian seraph makes reply,
And sweet amid sepulchral gloom
Flows forth the language of the sky,
To teach us how the flame of love,
With silent ministry sublime
May in repentant bosoms move,

And neutralize a mass of crime.

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