He often sought for special grace At mercy’s fountain free, To keep up aye a cheerful face Hard though the heart might be; And by that smile of happiness— That fragrance sweet he found— He helped a holy cheerfulness In all the saints around. He hated all hypocrisies, The silent face of gloom, The moaning and the plaintive sighs That savour of the tomb. But the sweet breath of life he knew Amidst the tainted air; Heart-brokenness that came to view Would have his tender care. ON THE BANKS OF JORDAN. I hear the floods of Jordan roll, My flesh is seized with dread; But shame shall ne’er approach my soul, By hope of heaven led. That hope the Rock of Ages showed To those who went before, Who safely trod the sacred road That leads to Canaan’s shore. My spirit trembles with affright As down to death I go; Around me glide the shades of night, And weary doubtings grow. Before is an eternity Unreckoned by our years; The shoreless and the boundless sea That wakens shrinking fears. But on the Christ my eye doth rest, I trust his gracious power; He succoured me when sore distressed, And He will save that hour. Yea, He a help will yet provide, While I am on this shore; The waters great He will divide, Till Jordan I am o’er. BEYOND JORDAN. That Christian who once fearful stood Where high the waters swell’d Lamenting there before the flood, Corruption still unquell’d, Has entered now into that rest Whose light aye filled his eye; His spirit now in glory drest Surrounds the throne on high. The popular and living character of Macdonald’s preaching genius is everywhere apparent in his hymns. Sweetness, elegance, and genial, broad spiritual-mindedness, have rendered his compositions universally pleasing. He will probably ever remain the chief type of the Highland preacher. REV. DUNCAN MACDOUGALL. The name of this sacred bard was once very popular in the South-West Highlands and Isles, and his memory is still green with many aged Christians particularly in the island of Tiree, where he laboured with success as a Nonconformist minister. His hymns—_Laoidhean Spioradail_—appeared in 1841, and for many years continued to be great favourites in certain circles. Macdougall and Peter Grant belong to the same order of simple bard-evangelists who have always been a spiritually elevating force in humble quarters where more ambitious labours have been failures. Their productions have been sermons in verse which the common people have received with greater gladness than has been accorded to the more elaborate and ambitious utterances of the regular pulpit. JOHN MORRISON.