And there in the prepared, appointed way,
Listening to hear and ready to obey,
A cross I quickly found of plainest form,
With only words of love inscribed thereon.

With thankfulness I raised it from the rest,
And joyfully acknowledged it the best;
The only one of all the many there

That I could feel was good for me to bear.
And while I thus my chosen one confessed,
I saw a heavenly brightness on it rest,
And as I bent my burden to sustain,
I recognised my own old cross again.
But oh! how different did it seem to be,
Now I had learned its preciousness to see;
No longer could I unbelieving say,
Perhaps another is a better way.

Ah no! henceforth my one desire shall be
That He who knows me best should choose for me,
And so whate'er His love sees good to send,
I'll trust it's best, because He knows the end.

THE STARLESS CROWN.

'They that turn many to righteousness shall shine as the stars for ever and ever."-DANIEL Xii. 3.

WEARIED and worn with earthly cares, I yielded to

repose,

And soon before my raptured sight a glorious vision

rose;

I thought, whilst slumbering on my couch in midnight's

solemn gloom,

I heard an angel's silvery voice, and radiance filled my

room.

A gentle touch awakened me,-a gentle whisper said, "Arise, O sleeper, follow me"; and through the air we fled :

We left the earth so far away that like a speck it seemed,

And heavenly glory, calm and pure, across our pathway streamed.

Still on we went-my soul was wrapt in silent ecstacy; I wondered what the end would be, what next should meet mine eye.

I know not how we journeyed through the pathless field of light,

When suddenly a change was wrought, and I was clothed in white.

We stood before a city's walls most glorious to behold; We passed through gates of glistening pearl, o'er streets of purest gold;

It needed not the sun by day, the silver moon by night; The glory of the Lord was there, the Lamb Himself its

light.

Bright angels paced the shining streets, sweet music. filled the air,

And white-robed saints with glittering crowns, from every clime were there;

And some that I had loved on earth stood with them

round the throne,

"All worthy is the Lamb," they sang, "the glory His alone.".

But fairer far than all beside, I saw my Saviour's face; And as I gazed, He smiled on me with wondrous love and grace.

Lowly I bowed before His throne, o’erjoyed that I at

last

Had gained the object of my hopes; that earth at length was past.

And then in solemn tones He said, "Where is the

diadem

That ought to sparkle on thy brow-adorned with many a gem ?

I know thou hast believed on Me, and life through Me is thine,

But where are all those radiant stars that in thy crown should shine?

Yonder thou see'st a glorious throng, and stars on every

brow,

For every soul they led to Me they wear a jewel now!
And such thy bright reward had been, if such had been

thy deed,

If thou hadst sought some wand'ring feet in paths of peace to lead.

I did not mean that thou should'st tread the way of life

alone,

But that the clear and shining light which round thy footsteps shone

Should guide some other weary feet to My bright home of rest,

And thus, in blessing those around, thou hadst thyself been

blest."

The vision faded from my sight, the voice no longer

spake;

A spell seemed brooding o'er my soul, which long I feared to break ;

And when at last I gazed around in morning's glimmering

light,

My spirit fell o'erwhelmed beneath that vision's awful

might.

I rose and wept with chastened joy that yet I dwelt

below,

That yet another hour was mine my faith by works to

show;

That yet some sinner I might tell of Jesus' dying love, And help to lead some weary soul to seek a home above. And now, while on the earth I stay, my motto this shall be,

"To live no longer to myself but Him who died for me!” And graven on my inmost soul this word of truth divine, "They that turn many to the Lord bright as the stars shall shine."

J. L. HOE.

JUST AS I AM.

A FEW weeks ago a poor little boy came to one of our ward missionaries, and holding up a dirty and worn-out bit of printed paper, said, " Please, sir, father sent me to get a clean paper like that." Taking it from his hand, the missionary unfolded it, and found that it was a page containing that precious lyrical epitome of the Gospel, of which the first stanza is as follows::

"Just as I am, without one plea

Save that Thy blood was shed for me,

And that Thou bidd'st me come to Thee-
O Lamb of God!-I come."

The missionary looked down with interest into the face earnestly upturned to him, and asked the little boy where he got it, and why he wanted a clean one. "We found it, sir," said he, "in sister's pocket, after she died, and she used to sing it all the time while she was sick, and she loved it so much that father wanted to get a clean one, and put it in a frame, to hang it up. Won't you please to give us a clean one, sir?"

This little page, with a single hymn on it, had been cast upon the air, like a falling leaf, by Christian hands, humbly hoping to do some possible good. In some little mission Sabbath-school, probably, this poor girl had thoughtlessly received it, afterward to find in it, we may hope, the Gospel of her salvation. Could she, in any probability, have gone down into death, sweetly singing that hymn of penitence and faith in Jesus, to her latest breath, without the saving knowledge of Him which the Holy Spirit alone imparts? None can tell what these simple lines have done, or are destined to do, for the salvation of the lost.

ANECDOTE OF DOCTOR HEINE.

HEINE, the well-known physician of Berlin, lost once very heavily by the bankruptcy of a mercantile house. Hufeland met him a few days after and expressed his sympathy. "I had rather that you had not reminded me of it," he replied; "thank God, I have got over it." "How have you managed that?" "Well, I was unable to forget it ;-thought upon it night and day. All my money, won so painfully, and lost in a moment! Even my poor innocent patients suffered, for my thoughts were wandering. My domestic pleasures vanished; my good wife, otherwise so cheerful, hung her head; we sat opposite each other at table, dumb and sad; our children that had been so full of joy, looked on with timid fear. I felt that this could not and dare not continue. The money was gone and with it we had lost our peace. I, poor worm of the earth, unable to come out of this distress, took refuge with the Almighty. I hurried to my bedroom, closed the door behind me, and fell on my knees to pray with my whole heart that