It is the light, the joy, the peace,
Of every human breast.

Sweet Priestess, know ye where or what
This beauteous thing may be?

"Tis found in every pure young heart,—
Named early Piety.

But, Priestess, not unto thy shrine

May I this offering bring;
It goeth up from human souls

To heaven's eternal King.

PRIESTESS. Thou hast spoken truth, Christina. To God belongeth the purest thing of his great universe. And since some boon is merited by thee, for the wisdom of thy choice, I will give thee a ministry over human souls, to work upon them, by the spell of this beautiful thing which thou hast chosen, the gifts which have been desired of me by the sisters who surround the altar. Through the influence of piety they shall see beauty and purity in the flowers and gems, in the insects and birds, in the sea and in the sky, and all around and abroad in the glorious universe; and the purest offerings of every heart shall be brought to the holy altar of the living God.

HEAVENLY FOUNDATIONS.-ORRIE M. GAYLORD.

"And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst."— Rev. xxi: 19, 20.

SISTER QUEEN.

City of God, oh, how bright and how fair

Seem thy pure pearly gates in that heavenly air!

What a flood of clear light from thy jasper walls gleams,
As each foundation-stone in its own beauty beams!

Methinks, as each stone has a light of its own,
So each flash to our hearts bears a magical tone;

And there breathes from each gem a word of good cheer,
Such as flowers in their beauty bring to us here.

I would, my dear sisters, we might by their light,

Their language receive, and translate it aright,

So that we, as our eyes toward those glistening walls turn,
From their beauty may ever some new lesson learn,—
Some glimmer of truth that may light up the way
Our weary feet tread, toward those portals of day.

FIRST Voice.-Jasper.

Methinks the Jasper-first in sight,
Beaming on all with cheery light,
Withholding not a single ray
To others due, yet from the day,
So shrouding its own heart from view,
That not a ray can pierce it through-
Emblems the Great Mysterious One
Who sits upon the jasper throne,
And, shedding light on all around,
Still wrapped in mystery profound,
In ways we cannot comprehend,
Works out His purpose to the end.

SECOND VOICE.-Sapphire.

The second gem's cerulean hue,
The sapphire, with its heavenly blue,
Seems like the heart that finds above
Its noblest joy, its purest love;
Hiding no secret in its breast,

But loving heaven's own hue the best.

THIRD VOICE.-Chalcedony (Cornelian).

The stone that next we see,
Blood-red Chalcedony,
Reminds us that we owe
Our life, our all below,
To Him whose blood alone
Could for our sin atone;
Shall not its language be
To us, humility?

FOURTH VOICE.-Emerald.

Oh, yes, such let it be;

None but the contrite heart
From sinful pride set free,

Can in that blood have part.

And now upon our sight

Mildly the emerald gleams,

As Hope's refreshing light
Upon our pathway beams.

FIFTH VOICE.-Sardonyx.

And blending with its vernal light

The fifth foundation-stone,

With pale rose hue and zones of white,
Breathes love in every tone.

'Twas Love that reared these mansions fair,
"Tis Love that bids us come,

And while it reigns supremely there,

'Tis Love conducts us home.

SIXTH VOICE.-Sardius (Ruby).

Close by there flashes on the sight
The Sardius, with its ruby light;

An emblem, in its regal ray,

Of princely grace and dignity.

Well may its burning brilliance grace

The walls where reigns the Prince of Peace;
And truly fitting is this gem

To deck His royal diadem.

SEVENTH VOICE.-Chrysolite (Diamond).
Clear as the crystal waters are,
Pure as the face of heaven fair,

The seventh foundation beams in sight,
The Diamond, or the Chrysolite.

Truth like this adamantine gem,
Ne'er feels corroding touch of time,
But faithfully reflects each ray
From early dawn till twilight gray.

EIGHTH VOICE.-Beryl.

And now the Beryl's sea green hue
Beside the Diamond gleams in view,
With softened light;

Emblem of knowledge, deep, profound,
Like ocean-depths, no line can sound,
Yet ever bright.

NINTH VOICE.-Topaz.

We, ninthly, in the Topaz trace
The symbol of that kingly grace,
Sweet clemency.

Oh, were not this inscribed above,
Banished for aye from light and love,
How lost were we!

TENTH VOICE.-Chrysoprasus.

And yet, assured of this,

We turn with grateful thought,
The tenth foundation trace,
With grace and beauty fraught.

Its vernal coloring

Minds of green fields and bowers,
And of that promised spring

That wakes immortal flowers.

Precious thoughts, my dear sisters, ye've gathered and brought

That with memories fragrant may ever be fraught;
And like stars on the main, to the mariner lost,

May guide some poor soul on life's sea, tempest-tossed,
To that haven of rest where no angry winds blow,
But the breezes sigh soft, and the still waters flow.
And may we all, too, read these lessons aright,
And ever press on toward the city of light,

Through temptations and trials e'er grasping the hand
Of Jesus, our Guide, our Protector, and Friend.

SCENE I.-Room in the Clayton home. Mr. C. reading paper: Mrs. C. sewing; the children doing various things.

EDWARD. Well, mother, how about your temperance work; I heard you women were going to crusade. Is it so? MRS. CLAYTON. If they do, I think I shall be one of them. Wouldn't I be in the path of duty?

EDWARD. Maybe. But I think a better plan would be to get intoxicating drinks out of your own house first. Everybody knows father keeps a sideboard well filled with choice wines.

MR. CLAYTON. That is my business.

MRS. C. And everybody knows, too, that it is contrary to my wishes. Had I my way, there would be nothing of that kind about the house, and each member of the family would be the possessor of a pledge-card.

CLARA. Why, mamma, some of us have cards. Give us credit. You have only father and Eddie to sign it now.

EDWARD. When father signs one, I will do likewise. MR. C. You cannot get around it that way, my boy. If you want to become a temperance man, don't wait upon me. If there is any danger of your becoming a sot, you had better join the cold-water army.

MRS. C. I do love the cause of temperance, and would like to work for it, but it has thrown quite a damper upon my ardor, when I think that husband and son are on the opposite side, and we are a divided house. And I think, father, you had better take a step forward now, as Edward