THE BURIAL OF MOSES.

W. B. TAPPAN.

And He buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Beth-peor; but no man knoweth of his sepulchre, unto this day.-DEUTERONOMY XXXiv. 6.

To gorgeous burial goes the monarch,

With scarf, and mute, and nodding plume,-
The glitter, which flashed o'er his cradle,
Settles around his costly tomb.

To burial with a grievous mourning,
The starred and laurelled hero goes ;
And muffled drum and solemn trumpet
Ring out a stricken nation's woes.

And brows of wisdom are uncovered,
And hoary heads in grief are bent,
While he to senseless clay is gathered,
Whose spirit searched the firmament;

And trod the fields, thick sown with planets,
And traced out nature's secret laws;

And followed, in their mighty courses,

Suns, stars, and worlds, to their First Cause.

THE BURIAL OF MOSES.

With simple rite, the village maiden,

Cut down, how like a flower at eve!— In all her loveliness is buried,

And rifled hearts are left to grieve.

There's hollow wo, there's genuine feeling,
When dust is given back to dust;
Some are resigned by sweet Religion,
Some acquiesce, because they must.

Yet of the burial Time has witnessed,
None in simplicity may vie,

None in their state with that of Moses,
Who went up Nebos' top to die.

What lofty obsequies were rendered

That hour when Darkness held the pall! What pomp, where stood, in clouds pavilioned, The silent, present Lord of All!

How blest the man, whose dust Jehovah
Hid in a grave that's yet untrod!
Thrice blessed he, that soul most happy,

Whose LIFE IS HID, with Christ, in God!

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THE REPLY OF RUTH.

AMANDA M. EDMOND.

And Ruth said, "Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God. Where thou diest will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if aught but death part thee and me."-RUTH i. 16, 17.

ENTREAT me not! entreat me not!

I cannot go from thee;

Oh! dreary, dreary is my lot,

If thou art not with me.

Why dost thou ask me? Have I e'er
Been less to thee than true?

I, from whose heart thine image ne'er
A moment's absence knew.

Hast thou forgot that age has set
His seal upon thy brow?
Though beauty's traces linger yet,
To show what once wert thou;
Thy tottering step, thy trembling hand,
Thine eyes he dim hath made:
How wilt thou reach a stranger land

Without thy wonted aid?

THE REPLY OF RUTH.

Hast thou forgotten her who gives
To thee the strength of youth,

As thou hast lived for her, who lives
For thee, thy faithful Ruth?
Hast thou forgotten her who sings
Thy griefs and cares away,
Till tardy moments spread their wings
And speed the closing day?

Thou shalt not wander forth alone
To toil, and beg for bread,

On changeful fortune's bounty thrown
While I am richly fed.

No! where thou goest, I will go,

Where other mountains rise,

And other waters darkly flow,
The world before us lies.

How could I love the light of home,
The hearthstone kindling warm,

And know that thou wert forced to roam,
Exposed to every storm?

Sleep would not come on wings of peace,
With wreaths of balmy flowers;

My soul to seek thee would not cease,
All through the midnight hours.

And where thou livest, I will live,
In some wild mountain's cave,
Where passing storms a tribute give,
And gloomy cedars wave.

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The hand that kindly succours thee,
Shall for my wants provide;

Thy home, though rough and rude it be,
Shall shelter me beside.

And where thou diest I will die,
Within our own sweet land,
Or 'neath a sterner, colder sky,
Or on a burning sand.
Together may our fleeting breath
To Israel's God be given,
Together may we sleep in death,
Together wake in Heaven.

Oh let me share thy weight of wo,
The burden of thy care,
My heart shall never weary grow,
Or shrink its load to bear.
I cannot, cannot part with thee,
Above, below the sod-

Thy people shall my people be,

Thy God shall be my God!