That charity ever faileth, Or doth for a moment despair, Or that there is any danger Too great for her to dare; When John, the beloved disciple, With the faith of the Gospel shod, Went forth in pursuit of the robber, And brought him back to God? O Church, whose strength is the doctrine Of the blessed Evangelist, This doctrine of love undying Which the world can not resist! Put on thy beautiful garments In this sordid and selfish day, And be as of old a glory To turn us from Mammon away; Until to the prayer of thy children, The sweetly simple prayer, That bathed in the light of Heaven Thy courts may grow more fair, There comes the eternal answer Of works that are loving and grand, To remain for the generations The praises of God in the land. O Church, whose strength is the doctrine Of the blessed Evangelist, The doctrine of love undying Which the world can not resist! Go forth to the highways and hedges To gather the sheep that are lost, Conveying the joyful tidings, Their redemption at infinite cost. Proclaim there is hope and a refuge For every wanderer there; For every sin there is mercy-- Yea, even the sin of despair! O, then will thy beautiful garments, As once in the prime of thy youth, Appear in celestial splendor, Thou pillar and ground of the Truth! * * * * * XLII. JOHN PLOUGHMAN AGAIN THE PITH AND MARROW OF CERTAIN OLD PROVERBS. The Rev. C.H. Spurgeon, of London, who has furnished our readers with several specimens of "John Ploughman's Talk," has also published "John Ploughman's Pictures," some of which we present in pen and ink, without any help from the engraver. John thus introduces himself: IF THE CAP FITS, WEAR IT. Friendly Readers: Last time I made a book I trod on some people's corns and bunions, and they wrote me angry letters, asking, "Did you mean me?" This time, to save them the expense of a halfpenny card, I will begin my book by saying-- Whether I please or whether I tease, I'll give you my honest mind; If the cap should fit, pray wear it a bit; If not, you can leave it behind. No offense is meant; but if any thing in these pages should come home to a man, let him not send it next door, but get a coop for his own chickens. What is the use of reading or hearing for other people? We do not eat and drink for them: why should we lend them our ears and not our mouths? Please then, good friend, if you find a hoe on these premises, weed your own garden with it.