A dusky figure, as in prayer,
And joining their appeals.
Their wrists secure and firm are bound
With chain and iron band;
And on each suppliant's crispy head,
Is laid a gentle hand.

My thoughts turu backward, as I gaze,
To those dark days of strife,
When Fratricide recked little, that
It smote a brother's life.
And hanging o'er the tented field,
The promised bow I see,
Whose hues betokened liberty,
In the "Year of Jubilee.'

A transformation slowly steals
O'er the picture in my hands;
I see those chains assunder fall,

And from the wrists, the bands. And all around the central head,

A halo bright, is bent, And in its radiance, Lo! I see,

OUR MARTYRED PRESIDENT !

CHAPTER III.

OUR SAVIOR'S BAPTISM.
St. Matthew, Chapt. iii.

In far Judea's wilderness,

Where flows the Jordan to its sea, A plain man in a plainer dress, Bespoke most wondrous things to be. "Repent ye!" was his stern command "Messiah's kingdom is at hand! Prepare a way, make His path straight!" 'Twas of this man Esaias spake.

That plainly man, of saintly voice,
The multitudes unto him drew;
To listen, was their willing choice—
Old prophecies were coming true.
For was not this the voice of one
Who in God's promised time should come?
He who the tidings glad should bring-
God's herald of the coming King?

"Repent and be baptized-prepare !

For after me, there cometh One
Whose shoes I may not worthy bear;
And who, when He in pow'r doth come,
Will purge His floor, and gather in
His precious wheat into God's bin,
But will the chaff with fire destroy!"-
Thus spake this Heavenly envoy.

"With water I indeed baptize,
But He that cometh after me,
The Holy Ghost-Heaven's richest prize,
In baptism will bestow on thee!"
And all Jerusalem went out,

And Jordan's region, round about,-
The Pharisee and Sadducee
E'en sought the coming wrath to flee.

A hush fell on the waiting throng,

A potent influence filled the air, The birds had ceased their choral song,

Expectant hearts were quivering there; Yet none knew why, till from the press, A manly form of sweet address The herald sought, to meekly crave The baptism he the people gave.

"O Son of God! why comest thou To be this day baptized of me? More fitting far, that I should bow

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To earth, and be baptized of Thee!"''Tis He-Messiah! He is come!"

In thrilling whispers breathed each one; And hearts, awe-stricken, bent in prayer : The gates of Heaven had opened there.

But Christ replied-for it was He; "Nay, suffer it to be so now! Since in this way fulfilled may be

All righteousness, therefore I bow!" And Jordan gained new honor that day, Though He'd no sins to wash away ; Hence sacred is that stream to those Who in His promises repose.

But if amazed at first, the throng,
What wonder filled them as they gazed:
The birds of air brake forth in song,
And as all eyes to Heaven were raised,
Behold! its gates were swung ajar,
And swift descending, like a star,
A spotless dove of purest white,
Came darting down a beam of light.

As panting on His breast it lay,
While from the water He withdrew,
They heard a voice from Heaven say,

"This is My Son, beloved and true! In Him I am well pleased!"—and then There rose one solemn, deep AMEN!That hour the Son of Righteousness Went forth the waiting World to bless.

MOTHER, HOME, HEAVEN.

In beatific strains, these three
Might well engage the minstrelsy,
Of all this mundane sphere.
Inert that heart, and cold indeed,
Whose pulse, responsive, gives no heed,
These sacred words to hear.

My Mother! how that holy name,
Across the chasm of sin and shame,

Which I have placed between ;

Comes to me on the morning air,
And through the sultry noonday glare,
And in my midnight dream.