"There walk the saved: yes! they who bore,
While traversing life's stormy shore,
Through tears and blood, the hallow'd Cross;
Who, purged from earth's terrestrial dross,
Received the Saviour's form impressed;
Whose signet, on each hallow'd breast,
Enstamped the mystic Name, unknown
To all but those around the throne:

"Who, calm 'midst earth's tumultuous strife,
Drew from himself that inward life
Which spirits breathe, from sense apart,
While, deep in each devoted heart,
The formless glory dwelt serene,
Of old, in cherub splendour seen;
Prelude of bliss, reserved above,
In perfect light, for perfect love.

"Now, all is heaven! No temple there
Unfolds it gates; no voice of prayer
From that bright multitude ascends;
But holy rapture, reverent bends
Before the mediatorial throne;

Before the Lamb, whose beams alone
Irradiate that eternal sky,

The bursting blaze of Deity!

"Soft is the voice of golden lutes;

Soft bloom heaven's fair ambrosial fruits;

Bright beams the dazzling lustre shed

om radiant gems, in order spread,

From golden streets, from emerald floors,
From crystal floods, and pearly doors,
From rainbow tints, from angel's wings,
And all unutter'd glorious things.

"Yet, not that city's dazzling glow,
Nor limped water's crystal flow,
Nor dulcet harmony, that springs
From golden lyres, nor angel's wings,
Though glistening with intensest dyes,
Reflected from immortal skies,

Completes the palmy bliss of those
On whom heaven's pearly portals close.

"No! 't is with unfilm'd eyes to see
The once incarnate Deity;

Who still, in lamb-like meekness, bears,
Imprinted deep, those glorious scars,
Whence issued wide that crimson flow,

In which their robes were washed below;

Which bought that crown, whose splendour bright,

Now spheres them in a world of light!

"No! 't is not all that heaven can show,
Of great, or fair, unglimpsed below;
Nor converse deep with spirits high,
Who saw those vollied lightnings fly,
Which scathed their bright compeers in bliss,
And hurl'd them down to hell's abyss;
Who mark'd creation rise sublime,

And hymn'd the early birth of time.

"No! not with minds like these to blend,
And feel each angel-form a friend,

But God, their Fount, to know and see;
From all-pervading Deity

To catch the nearer burst of light;

To gain the beatific sight;

Entranced in glory's peerless blaze,

Conform'd to HIM, on HIм to gaze."*

*This beautiful Poem has been extracted from a Memoir of Mrs, Elizabeth Mortimer.

CHAPTER IV.

CONCLUSION.

Do you not, dear reader, wish to be "numbered with the saints in glory everlasting?" Then remember, the necessary preparation is, a holy nature: "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. Marvel not that I said unto thee, ye must be born again."* This is the uncompromising requirement of God, without it we can never be prepared for the society of the redeemed in the regions of immortality. The Apostle Paul, seeing the absolute necessity of holiness of heart and life, prayed for the Thessalonians, when he exclaimed, "And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God, your whole spirit and soul

*John iii. 5, 7.

G

and body, be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."* Το accomplish this, "Christ loved the Church, and gave Himself for it; that He might sanctify and cleanse it, with the washing of water by the word; that He might present it to Himself a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy, and without blemish."*

Christianity strikes at the root of human depravity, and extirpates the leven of iniquity, bringing all the powers of the soul and body under its hallowing influences; hence the fruits of the Spirit are manifested. "With all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love." I cheerfully obey the apostolic injunction, “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: and be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God, for Christ's sake, hath forgiven

* 1 Thessalonians v. 23.

Ephesians iv. 2.

They

Ephesians v. 25, 26.