THE PASTOR'S GRAVE.

Southland Times, Issue 611, 28 December 1866, Page 3

THE PASTOR'S GRAVE.

(From " Churchyard Monodies," by John Gt. Paimr.) "Of manners, gentle ; of affections, mild ; In ■wit, a man ; simplicity, a child." Pope, i. This tombstone marks the resting place 0/ one who nobly -wrought, To make the servants of the Cross, i Whose souls were dearly bought ; I The blessed Master to be like, | In deed, and word, and thought. I n * His holy Sabbath Ministry With love did overflow, Compassion for the fallen one, Forgiveness for the foe ; The Grcspel sendeth peace on earth, G-ood will to all below. HI. He cared not for the world's applause, He spurned its pultry gold, He labored like a shepherd true In heat and winter's cold The wandering sheep to gather back Into Ms Master's fold. IT. He rescued many an erring child From Folly's miry maze, And led them on to Virtue's paths To Wisdom's pleasant ways ; And graved upon their hearts the truth Which time can ne'er erase. T. He was the poor man 's counsellor, His advocate — his friend, He km w that what lie gave to him, He to the Lord did lend ; And tenfold blessings from on high Would on his head descend. VI. He loved— and was beloved by all, A pastor tried and true ; His words fell on the mourning soul Like balmy drops of dew ; And clouds of dark adversity They fringed with golden hue. TO. . His life was fraught with lessons sage Of zeal, and love, and grace ; To gain the prize — a crown of life, ! He ran his earthly race, ' With Heaven's blessedness and joy i Deep mirrored in his face. VIII. He lived — like yon proud river Spreadiug blessings all around ; ; He toiled — to free the captive soul | In strong sin-fetters bound ; ! He died — as patriot Christians die, ' Who life in death have found, i IX. 'Twas thus he lived, and toiled, and died, And left a glorious name Emblazon'd 'mong God's sainted ones, In Heaven's high roll of fame Outlasting all the wreck of things, ! The world-dissolving flame.

Saxmon Bojs. — I was lying listlessly one day in summer, 30 feet beneath the surface, beyond the influence of the rapid stream above, in the fathomless pool called the Pot, some half-mile below Mertoun Bridge ; a boat kept in its place by two light oars, floating above me, when the fragment of a conversation reached my ears, which by degress absorbed my attention. A river-keeper was detailing to his employer the circumstances connected with the capturing of a poacher. " Ay sir," he said, but that saumon roe is a sair temptation. Mony a quid man has been beguiled by it. A' ken ane, a bailie —a' took him mysel !" "How came that? Tell us all about it," was the reply. "A' was watching, mebbe six months syne, up in the Pavilion Water ; the fish were thranging eair upon the spawnin' beds, and weel a' kent they were thrang on the bank abune the Wnirlies. A' was hidden in the wee brae just abune the brig, and a' hadna' been there mebbe twa hours, when I sees a man come daintily alang. Lookin' carefully this way an* that, and seeing naebody, he just out wi* the gaff, an' screwing it on to the end of his walking stick, stepped lightly into the water. It wouldna' been muckles abune his knee, an' the back fln o'. mair than ac great fish was plain to be seen on the bank afore him. 'Deed, but he wasted little time in selection, and very ittle ceremony he treated 'em wi/ In a second the gaff was in puir, half-spawned beastie, an', luggin' her ashore, he started aff on foot toward Melrose. A' up an' after him, an' for a weighty man he made muckle runnin'. When he saw me, he drnppit the fish, but no' stoppin' to pick it up, a' just kept on under the railway brig c"ovra the meadows, by Ailwand Foot, under Melro»e Brig, an' there, as he was creepin' up the steep bank, a' grippit haud o' him; a grippit hard, an' he turned an' said, ' Sandy, lad ! dinna grip sac hard, yell rive ma breeks.' — 'Ay, Bailie,' said I 'is that you ? Hoo cam' ye to dot ?' An' he said, quite solemn-like, 'it was neither tne need nor the greed, but just the saumon roe !' l Ech, Bailie/ a' said, a' wadna' hae believed that o' ye, but it will be a dear gaumon-roe to ye.' And sac it proved, for he was fined fire pund, and ither harm cam' or lang sir.