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INFANT ST. JOHN.

Her eye grew curious now, to trace
The lineaments of peace and grace,
That mark'd the bud-the infant face
Of him whom Jesus loved.

When lo! a lovely vision smiled
Before me, in a beauteous child,
With aspect sweet, with eye so mild,
So deep, so heavenly bright,
The spirit seem'd, with beams divine
To kindle up, and fill the shrine,
As, through a dew-drop clear, will shine
A ray of morning light.

Though rude my lines, my spirit faint,
And faithless here my hand to paint
The beauties of that infant saint

Which there my vision bless'd,

I knew it was the fisher's son,

By whom such mighty works were done,

Who lean'd on Jesus' breast.

Hannah F. Gould.

Nathanael.

Jesus answered and said unto him, "Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig-tree, believest thou?-ST. JOHN i. 50.

Hold up thy mirror to the sun,

And thou shalt need an eagle's gaze

So perfectly the polish'd stone

Gives back the glory of his rays.

Turn it, and it shall paint as true
The soft green of the vernal earth,
And each small flower of bashful hue
That closest hides its lowly birth.

Our mirror is a blessed book,

Where out from each illumined page

We see one glorious image look,
All eyes to dazzle and engage.

The Son of God: and that indeed
We see Him as He is, we know,
Since in the same bright glass we read

The very life of things below.

312

NATHANAEL.

Eye of God's Word! where'er we turn,

Ever upon us! thy keen gaze
Can all the depths of sin discern,
Unravel every bosom's maze:

Who that has felt thy glance of dread
Thrill through his heart's remotest cells,
About his path, about his bed,

Can doubt what spirit in thee dwells?

"What word is this? Whence know'st thou me?"

All wondering cries the humbled heart,

To hear thee that deep mystery,

The knowledge of itself, impart.

The veil is raised; who runs may read;
By its own light the truth is seen,

And soon the Israelite indeed

Bows down to adore the Nazarene.

So did Nathanael, guileless man,
At once, not shamefaced or afraid,
Owning him God, who so could scan
His musings in the lonely shade;

In his own pleasant fig-tree's shade,
Which by his household fountain grew,
Where at noonday his prayer he made,

To know God better than he knew.

NATHANAEL.

Oh happy hours of heavenward thought!

How richly crown'd! how well improved! In musing o'er the law he taught,

In waiting for the Lord he loved.

We must not mar with earthly praise
What God's approving hand hath seal'd;
Enough, if right our feeble lays

Take up the promise he reveal'd.

"The childlike faith, that asks not sight,
Waits not for wonder or for sign,
Believes, because it loves, aright—
Shall see things greater, things divine.

"Heaven to that gaze shall open wide, And brightest angels to and fro

On messages of love shall glide,

"Twixt God above and Christ below."

So still the guileless man is blest;

To him all crooked paths are straight;

Him, on his way to endless rest,

Fresh ever-growing strengths await.

God's witnesses, a glorious host,

Compass him daily like a cloud; Martyrs and seers, the saved and lost,

Mercies and judgments cry aloud.

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314

NATHANAEL.

Yet shall to him the still small voice,

That first unto his bosom found

A way, and fix'd his wavering choice,
Nearest and dearest, ever sound.

John Keble.