He who made the hearing ear,
Seeing eye, and heart sincere,

His pure word desiring-
Will He not, thy wish fulfilling,
With His love thy spirit filling,

Grant thy soul's requiring?

Yet, if by His absence tried,

Thou shouldst miss Him from thy side,
To His house repairing;

As His parents sought Him, thou

Mayest seek, and find Him now,

Heavenly truth declaring.

Thence returning to thy home,

After Him thou need'st not roam

There with thee He dwelleth.

In a father's fervent blessing,

In a mother's fond caressing,

Of His love He telleth.

Yea, and to thy parents He
Speaketh, little child, by thee,

Of His childhood holy;

Of His fearless, sweet confiding,

In a parent's bosom hiding,

Lowliest of the lowly.

END OF PART I.

CONTENTS OF THE FIRST PART.

Introductory Chapter

Verses: The Exaltation of the Humble and Meek

The Annunciation. Chap. II.

Verses: The Virgin's Way

The Visitation. Chap. III.

Verses: The Two Mothers

The Magnificat

Joseph's Dream. Chap. IV.

Verses: Rest in the Lord

The Journey to Bethlehem and the Nativity. Chap. V.

Verses: The Virgin Mother

An old Christmas Carol

The Purification and the Presentation. Chap. VIII.

Verses: From the "Christian Year"

Penitence and Purity. On the Snowdrop

The Epiphany. Chap. IX.

Verses: The Pilgrims from the East

The Flight into Egypt. Chap. X..
Verses: The Holy Innocents

The Sojourn in Egypt. Chap. XI.
Verses: The Shepherd Boy's Song

Home

The Return to Nazareth. Chap. XII.
Verses: The Holy Family

The Visit to Jerusalem. Chap. XIII.
Verses: The Remembered Picture

THE WREATH OF LILIES.

PART THE SECOND.

P

THE ANNUNCIATION.

Lowliest of women, and most glorified!
In thy still beauty sitting calm and lone,
A brightness round thee grew; and by thy side,
Kindling the air, a form ethereal shone,

Solemn, yet breathing gladness. From her throne
A queen had risen with more imperial eye-
A stately prophetess of victory

From her proud lyre had struck a tempest's tone-
For such high tidings as to thee were brought,
Chosen of Heaven, that hour! But thou, oh, thou,
E'en as a flower with gracious rain o'erfraught,
Thy virgin head beneath its crown didst bow,
And take to thy meek breast the all-holy word,
And own thyself the handmaid of the Lord.

THE SONG OF THE VIRGIN.

Yet, as a sunburst flushing mountain snow,
Fell the celestial touch of fire erelong
On the pale stillness of thy thoughtful brow,
And thy calm spirit lighten'd into song.
Unconsciously, perchance, but free and strong
Flowed the majestic joy of tuneful words,
Which living harps the quires of heaven among
Might well have linked with their divinest chords.
Full many a strain, borne far on glory's blast,
Shall leave, where once its haughty music passed,
No more to memory than a reed's faint sigh;
While thine, O childlike Virgin, through all time
Shall send its fervent breath o'er every clime,
Being of God, and therefore not to die.

(From Mrs. Hemans.)

Mary's Thanksgiving.

"AND Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord," &c.

"I will always give thanks unto the Lord :
His praise shall ever be in my mouth.
My soul shall make her boast in the Lord :
The humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.
Oh, praise the Lord with me:

And let us magnify His name together."

"It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord:
And to sing praises unto Thy name, O Most Highest ;
To tell of Thy loving-kindness early in the morning:
And of Thy truth in the night season."

CHAPTER I.

Having dwelt in the first part of this book upon all that is told us of the blessed Virgin during the infancy and childhood of her Son and Saviour,