If the reader will consider, that my threatening illness has now had a continuance of many months and that to-day closes seventy-six years of my life, he will find reason to conclude, that my thoughts here expressed, although in verse, are utterances in the sincerity of faith and the honesty of truth: and so I bid him farewell, wishing him "a happy New Year" and a blessed Eternity! Jan. 1, 1860. NEW YEAR'S DAY, 1860. I praise thee, God of love! for this Day's light, Which leads the train of days in this new year,―― For months not seeming destin'd to me here, But ah instead thereof a darksome night In the low grave, of all earth's joys the blight.―― I live! And in my thoughts old scenes appear. The mighty Falls, where gazing I stood near In happy youth, rise up in splendor bright, When, as I gaz'd, there met my wond'ring eye Amid the wat'ry strife the beauteous Bow, As if brought down from its high place, the sky, And planted deep in the thick mist below;―― God's bow of promise to the earth beneath,―― Symbol of Peace 'mid Sin and War and Death! * * * * * TRANSCRIBER'S NOTES Punctuation has been standardized. Some alternate spellings have been retained. This book contained an errata page at the end. The errata have been applied to the e-text by the transcriber without further note. p. 24: "Aud" changed to "And" (And with the holy who in glory shine!) p. 71: Missing word inserted: "an" (Remaining more than an hour) p. 94: "shewing" changed to "showing" (showing that the true Supreme God is meant) End of Project Gutenberg's A Book of Christian Sonnets, by William Allen