HOURS

OF

RETIREMENT.

I.

ON FIRST ATTENDING FRIENDS' MEETINGS.

"Their strength is to sit still."

AND have at length my wand'ring feet
Been led to where thy servants meet!

How sweet to sit in silence there,
And offer up the secret prayer!
Oh! soften, Lord, this heart of steel,
And let me thy sweet mercy feel;

Disperse the clouds of every sin,

And love divine reveal within.

B

What though no preacher's voice should sound,

Yet oft a still small voice is found,

To whisper comfort, and impart

Its secret teachings to the heart;
Teachings by which Almighty Grace
Trains up the soul to holiness,-

Bids all our sins and sorrows cease,
And calms the mind with heavenly peace.
Then, silence, solemn silence reign!

Be still, my soul, thy thoughts restrain!
Strength may'st thou find in sitting still,
And thus be taught th' Almighty will.

II.

THE STILL SMALL VOICE.

THE raging wind blew a most terrible blast,
And, as o'er the hills and the valleys it past,
Destruction and waste left behind:

It rent the firm rocks, and the mountains uptore,
While the white foaming ocean did fearfully roar;
But Jehovah was not in the wind.

Then trembled the earth, and it dreadfully shook, With ruin and death man and beast overtook;

But a word from the Lord never came :

Next followed a fire, and all, in amaze,
Whole cities beheld in a terrible blaze;

But Jehovah was not in the flame.

At length there proceeded a small quiet voice,-
No soft melting music could thus so rejoice;
It was the sweet voice of the Lord.

Elijah, enraptured with heavenly grace,

In his wide-spreading mantle then cover'd his face, And Jehovah in silence adored!

III.

CORPUS NON ANIMAM MORS STERNIT:

SPIRITUS INTRAT CŒLUM,

DUM CORPUS TERRA BENIGNA TEGIT.

THOUGH chains of death the body bind,

Unfetter'd is the heaven-born mind:

Down to the earth the mortal tends,
The spirit up to heaven ascends:
While the frail body wastes away,
To mingle with its native clay!

IV.

WRITTEN AFTER MY RETURN FROM ATTENDING THE QUARTERLY MEETING OF FRIENDS AT YORK.

"They that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength."

TURN, turn away from worldly pleasures;
They nought but pain afford:

Seek thou, my soul, for heavenly treasures,
And wait upon the Lord.

How swift the silent moments move,

When all, with sweet accord,

Together meet in sacred love,

To wait upon the Lord!

O then, my soul, from wand'ring cease,
And seek the living Word!

For they shall find true inward peace,

That wait upon the Lord.