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New hearts before their Saviour's feet to lay, This is their first, their dearest joy: Their next from heart to heart to clear the way For mutual love without alloy: Never so blest as when in JESUS' roll They write some hero-soul, More pleased upon his brightening road To wait, than if their own with all his radiance glowed.

O happy spirits, marked by God and man Their messages of love to bear, What though long since in Heaven your brows began, The genial amarant wreath to wear, And in th' eternal leisure of calm love Ye banquet there above; Yet in your sympathetic heart We and our earthly griefs may ask and hope a part.

Comfort's true sons! amid the thoughts of down That strew your pillow of repose, Sure 'tis one joy to muse, how ye unknown By sweet remembrance soothe our woes; And how the spark ye lit, of heavenly cheer, Lives in our embers here, Where'er the cross is borne with smiles, Or lightened secretly by Love's endearing wiles:

Where'er one Levite in the temple keeps The watch-fire of his midnight prayer, Or issuing thence, the eyes of mourners steeps In heavenly balm, fresh gathered there; Thus saints, that seem to die in earth's rude strife, Only win double life: They have but left our weary ways To live in memory here, in Heaven by love and praise.


 * Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers.  Malachi iv. 5, 6.

Twice in her season of decay The fallen Church hath felt Elijah's eye Dart from the wild its piercing ray: Not keener burns, in the chill morning sky,