THE CHILDREN'S CORNER. The Children's Corner. THE YOUNG WATER-DRINKER. A YOUTH who signed the temperance pledge His answer was, "For what I've done My sister Mary's husband oft If he were not a drunken man My sister Susan's husband too To great distress his family brought- My brother James, I'm grieved to see, Surely you need not be displeased I hope that my young readers will For strong drink has on thousands brought Drink water, and you will be safe From that poor drunkard's sadness, But trust in God. Trust not yourself. And strive to follow Him in all Your conduct and behaviour. J. D. "O! MOTHER DEAR, JERUSALEM!” THERE is a little favourite hymn of a few verses, "O! mother dear, Jerusalem! When shall my sorrows have an end? which begins But few, perhaps, are aware that the verses are selected from an old poem, supposed to have been written in Scotland before the Reformation from popery. We give the poem entire, as it appeared in "Hogg's Instructor," a few years ago. The allusions to the Virgin and the saints show that it is of popish origin, but there is, with these exceptions, a tone of plaintive piety about the verses which is pleasing and edifying. Any cautious and intelligent reader will be able, as he reads it, to separate the chaff from the wheat. Some of the lines contain poetic gems of great beauty. Many English words appear to have been substituted for Scotch words in this copy. The author is, and will be now, for ever unknown in this world; but he does not appear to have been a learned person, and yet it is evident that he was familiar with the New Testament. O! MOTHER dear, Jerusalem! O happy harbour of God's saints! In thee no sickness is at all, No grief, no toil, no care; No dimning clouds o'ershadow thee, There lust nor lucre cannot dwell; No hunger, thirst, nor heat are there; "O! MOTHER DEAR, JERUSALEM!" Jerusalem! Jerusalem! Would God I were in thee! No sob, no sigh, no cry is heard; Of God our King alone; Sits there upon the throne. O God, that I Jerusalem, With speed might go behold! Thy houses are of ivory; Thy windows crystal clear; Thy walls are made of precious stones, Within thy gates nothing can come Take me to thy Jerusalem; Place me among thy saints; Who there are crowned with glory great, And see God face to face: They triumph all, and do rejoice; Most happy is their case; But we who are in banishment Continually do roam; We sigh, we mourn, we sob, we w ep, Perpetually we groan. "O! MOTHER DEAR, JERUSALEM !" Our sweetness mixed is with gall; But there they live in such delight, Thy vineyards, and thy orchards, Are furnish'd with all kinds of fruit, Thy gardens, and thy goodly walks, There grow such sweet and pleasant flowers There cinnamon and sugar grow; Along the streets, with pleasant sound The stream of life doth flow; And on its banks, on every side, The tree of life doth grow. These trees each month do yield their fruit, For evermore they spring; And all the nations of the world To thee their homage bring. Jerusalem! God's dwelling-place O that my sorrows had an end, There David stands with harp in hand A thousand times that man was blest "O! MOTHER DEAR, JERUSALEM!” There Mary sings "Magnificat" "Te Deum" doth St. Ambrose sing, Just Simeon and old Zachary Have not their songs to seek. With all blest saints; their harmony Thy joys fain would I see; O write thy name on my forehead, That I may dwell with thee in bliss, O comely queen, with glory clad, All fair art thou, exceeding bright- I long to see Jerusalem, The comfort of us all! In thee, Jerusalem, I say, No darkness dare appear, No night, no shade, nor winter foul; No candles burn, no moon doth shine; A Lamb unspotted, white and pure, |