And soon the rich man also died,
    His death was one of gloom,
  But he was robed in pomp, and laid
    Within a costly tomb.

  In hell he lifted up his eyes,
    And seeing Abraham,
  With Lazarus in his bosom, cried,
    And call’d him by his name,

  And said, “O! father Abraham,
    I am with anguish wrung,
  Send Lazarus, that with water, he
    May cool my parched tongue.”

  But Abraham said, “Remember, son,
    That thou hadst thy good things,
  When thou didst live, and Lazarus
    Had nought but evil things.

  “And now he’s comforted, and here
    He shall forever live,
  But thou art cast away and shall
    Great pain and sorrow have.

  “And there’s the gulf impassable
    ’Tis placed ’twixt thee and me,
  I cannot call thee out from thence,
    Nor send him down to thee.”

  The rich man said, “I therefore pray
    That thou wouldst Lazarus send,
  Unto my brethren five at home,
    To warn them of my end.”

  He answer’d, “No, they have the Law
    And Prophets often read;
  If they’re not warn’d, they’ll not believe
    Though one rose from the dead.”

  How sad it is to live in sin,
    And spend our fleeting breath
  In vanity, so when God calls
    We’re unprepared for death.

  Let us love God with all our hearts,
    And lean upon his Word,
  That after death we all may reign
    Forever with the Lord.

[Illustration:  Missing]

XI.

THE PRODIGAL SON.

  “There’s joy divine,” the Saviour said,
    “Among the bless’d in Heaven,
  When one on earth of sin repents,
    And feels his sin forgiven.”

  There was a man who had two sons;
    The younger to him said,
  “Give me the share that falls to me;”
    And he division made.

  And soon the younger son prepared
    To leave his father’s home,
  And all the comforts he enjoy’d,
    Out o’er the world to roam.

  How many children leave their home
    To wander far and wide,
  To roam o’er hill and desert far,
    Or on the foaming tide.

  But still they feel, whate’er they do
    Wherever they may roam,
  Whatever pleasures they may have,
    There is no place like home.

  The younger son took all he had,
    And soon the whole was spent;
  A famine rising in the land,
    He soon began to want.

  He therefore went and hired himself
    Unto a citizen;
  And out into the field he went
    To feed his master’s swine.

  And he was hungry; hunger came
    So pressing that he fain
  Would have partaken of the husks
    With which he fed the swine.

  And there he came unto himself,
    And thought upon his home,
  “I plenty had when I was there,
    To what am I now come?