FROM THE LIBRARY OF REV. LOUIS FITZGERALD BENSON, D. D. BEQUEATHED BY HIM TO THE LIBRARY OF PRINCETON THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY HrflOnliQ BEK2 / (X tfJL*^ A3)y.^M> \AJL o^^\ \ Hcz7 th^ :lx Cyra Cfyrts A T R E A S U R Y O F Sacred Poetry Edited by II. L. L. I o j ° fV&o T h o m a s Nelso n a n d Sons London, Edinburgh, and New York 1888 :\* ^ OF PUfe ^ MAR 38 1934 LYRA C H R I S T l3^/NrA8E*3£ A Treasury of Sacred Poetry Selected and Ark a n g e d By H. L. L. Author of " Hyiiuis fro>n/tM Land of Luther." T. Nelson and Sons, London, Edinburgh, and New York. 1888. ^refare. My aim as Editor of this volume has been, not to form a collection of Hymns, properly so called, but of Sacred Poetry. Without by any means excluding devotional poems, I have endeavoured to select, chiefly from modern sources, those which not merely breathe a spirit of piety, but also bear, either in ideas or expression, the stamp of poetic feeling and talent. Any person well acquainted with our English hymnology must be sensible how often these qualities are not com- bined, although the time-honoured stanzas will be ever dear to Christian hearts. As to how far I have proved successful, I must leave my readers to judge. In this, as in all departments of literature, individual tastes and vi PREFACE. opinions differ; and doubtless almost every hynm- lover will think the " Lyra Christiana" imperfect, from missing some of his or her special favourites. Yet I hope such disappointment may be consoled by finding in these pages some new treasures, while the old favourites can be returned to elsewhere. The arrangement for a year appeared to me to possess the advantage of being rather unusual, and also of giving opportunity for a variety of subjects in connection with the changing seasons. I desire to return grateful thanks to those friendly writers and publishers who have kindly granted me permission to include their poems in my collection. J H. L. L. Edinburgh, December 1887. deUntcnts. January. 1. Things New and Old, 1 2. Battle Hymn for the New Year, 3 3. "Doe the Nexte Thinge," 4 4. Motto for a New Year, 6 5. "The Right Way," 6 6. The Morning Star, 8 7. Light for the World, 9 8. Glad Tidings, 11 9. The Eternal Work, 14 10. " After Many Days," . . 16 11. Christ the Healer, 18 12. The Measure of the Cure, 19 13. The Olive Tree, 20 14. The Starry Heavens, 22 15. Guiding Stars, 24 16. Hope and Memory, 25 37. Following in Darkness, 27 IS. Our Master, 29 19. On a Dark Winter Day, 31 20. Longings, 34 21. Water turned to Wine, 35 22. Earth's Angels, 36 23. Which is Best? 38 CONTENTS. 24. The " Athlete3 of the Universe," 25. David, the Shepherd, 26. David, the Royal Penitent, 27. Continue in Prayer, 28. Dost Thou not care? 29. Humility, 30. "Till He come," . 31. For Evermore, 1. Anchors of the Soul, 2. Candlemas Day, 3. Love, . . 4. All in Christ, 5. "Hitherto hath the Lord helped Us, 6. Lead, Kindly Light, 7. "Repos Ailleurs," 8. Trustful Service, 9. "Show Me Thy Way," 10. " His Truth shall be Thy Shield," 11. " He is Faithful that Promised," 12. Strength in Prayer, . . 13. "Praying Always," 14. The Angel of Patience, 15. Life, 16. The Long Good-Night, 17. Communion Hymn, 18. The Child set in the Midst, 19. Written after Hearing some in Rome, 20. Vespers, • 21. The Two Seekers, 22. The Unseen Saviour, . . 23. Through Peace to Light, 24. The Calling of Matthew, ul Church Music CONTENTS. 25. Rabbi Simeon's Parable, 26. "Ye did it unto Me," 27. Encouragement, 28. Trust in the Lord, 29. Unusual Days, 83 85 91 93 /Ifcarcb* 1. A Stormy Day in Spring, 2. Dark and Cloudy Days, 3. The Light of the World, 4. " He upbraideth not," 5. "Lord, help Me," 6. "The Lord is My Helper," 7. Comfort One Another, 8. A Pilgrim and Sojourner, 9. "Be of Good Cheer," .. 10. From "The Ladder of St. Augustine, 11. Whence came They ? . . 12. To-Morrow, 13. "He hath done all Things well/' 14. True Resignation, 15. In Adversities, 16. Strive, Wajt, and Pray, 17. Bethany, 18. The Sisters of Bethany after the Death of Lazarus, 19. Ishmael, 20. Sowing in Hope, 21. Life in Earnest, 22. Words in Season to the Weary, 23. "Serve the Lord with Gladness, 24. Lights on the Pathway, 25. The Hermit's Vigil, . . 26. Our School-Time, 27. The Well at Sychar, . . 28. The Desired Haven, . . 94 95 96 97 99 100 101 102 103 105 106 108 109 110 111 112 113 115 116 119 120 121 123 124 125 127 129 130 x CONTENTS. 29. Waiting, . . . . . . . . 132 30. Good Friday, . . . . . . . . . . . . 134 31. Eastese Eve, .. .. .. .. .. .. 136 BpttL 1. Easter Morning, . . . . . . . . . . 139 2. Hallelujah ! Jesus Lives ! . . . . . . . . 140 3. Easter Day in a Mountain Churchyard, . . . . 142 4. Easter Sonnet, . . . . . . . . . . 144 5. The True Vine, . . . . . . . . . . 145 6. Awakenings, .. .. .. .. .. .. 147 7. Spring, .. .. .. .. .. .. 149 8. The Rainbow, . . . . . . . . . . 151 9. "0 Lord, Thou knowest!" .. .. .. .. 152 10. My Psalm, . . . . . . . . . . . . 154 11. Alone with Thee, . . . . . . . . . . 156 12. Godminster Chimes, . . . . . . . . 157 13. "He laid His Hand upon Me." .. .. .. 159 14. Expectation, .. .. .. .. .. .. 161 15. True Thankfulness, . . . . . . . . 162 16. The Glorious Three, . . . . . . . . . . 163 17. A Faithful Servant, . . . . . . . . 165 13. The Everlasting Memorial, . . . . . . . . 166 19. Praise for Earth's Lessons, . . . . . . . . 167 20. Gardening, . . . . . . . . . . . 169 21. "Wilt Thou not revive Us again?" .. .. 170 22. The Unnamed Women, . . . . . . 172 23. Forgiveness, . . . . . . . . . . . . 173 24. "Love as Brethren," .. .. .. .. .. 174 25. Reconciled, . . . . . . . . . . . 175 26. Training, . . . . . . . . . . 177 27. The Footsteps of the Flock, . . . . . . 178 28. The Only Possible, . . . . . . . . 180 29. The Shore of Eternity, . . . . . 181 30. The Pilgrims at Home, . . . . . . 183 CONTENTS. 1. Wonders of Day and Night, 2. Reunion, 3. " i "will give you kest," 4. Rest, 5. Morning in Spring, 6. The Love of God, 7. The Brook, 8. The Church's Song, 9. The Table of the Lord, 10. Ascension Day, 11. The Ascended Saviour, 12. Light in Darkness, 13. Losses, 14. Joy in Believing, 15. Contrasted Prayers, .. 16. The Vineyard Labourer, 17. Work and Contemplation, 18. Bread in the Wilderness, 19. The Boy with the Five Loaves, 20. The Guiding Pillar, 21. Trusting our Guide, 22. The Good Fight, 23. Duties and Trials, 24. Compensation, 25. Divine Compassion, 26. The Two Sides, 27. Departed Friends, 28. Cathedral Hymn, 29. "Bring an Offering," 30. The Last Snow on Ben More, 31. The Day of Death, 185 187 187 189 191 193 194 195 197 198 200 201 202 204 206 207 207 208 210 212 213 214 215 216 218 220 221 223 225 226 229 June. 1. Two Gates, 2. Morning Thoughts, 231 233 CONTENTS. The Hills at Sunrise, Prayer, Dismiss Me not, The RoyAllest Gift, . Sunday Evening, The Little White Rose, Under the Desert Tree, "Arise and Eat," The Cruse that faileth not. Cheerfulness, One by One, . . Satisfied, Kindred Hearts, The Two Alabaster Boxes, The Peace of God, "I Believe in the Forgiveness of Sin The Bow in the Cloud, The River of Life, The Book, Thankfulness, "Lord, what wilt Thou have Me to do? "Faithful and True," Remember Me, From "Cozlo tegitur qui non habet ITrnam Resurrection, Lines written off Madeira. (187 The Death of a Believer, The Family in Earth and Heaven 234 236 237 238 240 242 244 246 247 249 249 251 252 254 255 257 253 260 261 262 263 265 206 268 270 271 273 275 5ul£. 1. Heart Ventures, 2. The Shadow of the Rock — Part I., 3. The Shadow of the Rock — Part II., 4. Early Morning Hymn, 27S 2S0 251 CONTENTS. Xlll 5. A Pillow Prayer, 283 6. Waters in the Deselt, 2S3 7. Changing Moods, 2S6 8. Attraction, 287 9. "Sweet Bird, fly low," .. 288 10. Disappointments, 290 11. My Little Doves, 291 12. Lost and Won, 293 13. "Rise! for the Day is passing," 295 14. Persis, 297 15. Tried by Fire, 298 16. "Made Perfectly Whole," 299 17. "Apart," SOO 18. Calm Me, My God ! 302 19. "Blessed are the Home-Sick, for they shall co^ le Home," 303 20. Stillness, 305 21. "Thy Will be done," 306 22. Obedience, 308 23. A Sonnet. Trust, 309 24. Words, 310 25. " Our Sympathizer," 312 26. The Unchanging Christ, 314 27. The Parting Spirit, 314 28. The Two Voices, 310 29. Trust for To-Morrow, 318 30. Mighty to save, 319 31. The Answer of the Hills, 320 Sugust 1. The River-Path, 2. The Land Beytond the Sea, 3. By-and-By, 4. The Rest that remaineth, 5. Christ and the Little Ones, 323 325 327 328 329 xiv CONTENTS. 6. The Pilgrim Psalm, 331 7. Murmurs, 334 8. The Cradle and the Cross, 335 9. Benedicite, 336 10. The Mountains, 337 11. Living Waters, 339 12. Dark Hours, 341 13. "I will lift up Mine Eyes unto the Hills," . 342 14. The Delectable Mountains, 344 15. The Bread of Life, 346 16. Thanksgiving, 347 17. The Two Sayings, 348 18. Hearing, Watching, Waiting, 349 19. Comforted, 350 20. Lazarus, 352 21. The Dying Christian to his Soul, 353 22. The Sea-Side Well, 354 23. The Kingdom of God, 357 24. Faith's Reward, 358 25. Poor Pilgrim, 360 26. The Missionary's Farewell, 361 27. Walking in Love, 36,3 28. Desires, 365 29. The "Name above every Name," 366 30. Song of the Redeemed, 366 31. Beulah, 368 September. 1. The Second Day of Creation, . .. .. 371 2. Harvest Song, . . . . . . . . . . 373 3. Sabbath Evening Musings, .. .. .. 374 4. On Finding some Pencil Marks in a Book of Devotion, 376 5. Lowly Service, . . . . . . 378 6. Perfect Freedom, CONTENTS. xv 7. Death of Infants, S. "When the Night and Morning meet. 9. "My Days go on," 10. " My Father knows," 11. The Deserted House, 12. "Love never fAileth," 13. The Eternal Goodness, 14. Before the Dawn, 15. Universal Praise, 16. Beneath the Cross, 17. Kyrie Eleison, 18. From "A Song of Joy and Pain," 19. The People of God, 20. After a Quakers' Meeting, 21. The Autumn Songster, 22. The Harvest Fields, 23. My Nest, 24. From the " Century of Couplets," 25. The Swallows of Citeaux, 26. The Desire to depart, 27. A Stray' Sunbeam, 28. The Two Fountains, 29. Veiled Angels, 30. The Celestial City, 380 382 384 3S6 . 387 388 389 391 393 394 395 397 398 399 401 403 405 407 408 410 413 413 415 416 ©ctober. 1. Autumn Voices, 2. The Traveller at Sunset, 3. Knocking, ever Knocking, 4. Desdichado, 5. Last Prayers, 6. The Man at the Gate, 7. Autumn Thoughts, 8. The Merchant, 419 420 422 424 425 426 429 430 XVI CONTEXTS. 9. Milton on his Blindness, 10. The Smoking Flax and Bruised Reed, 11. Conflict, 12. Abide with Us, 13. Resolution, 14. "My Times are in Thy Hand," 15. Repentance and Faith, 16. The Last Sunset, 17. Here and There, 18. " Come unto Me," 19. Consolation, 20. The Child of James Melville, 21. God's Thoughts not as Ours, . . 22. Sabbath Hymn for an Invalid, 23. Friend and Judge, 24. In the Valley-, 25. Up-hill, 26. Hymn Sung at a Funeral, 27. Across the River, 23. A Cloister Legend, 29. The New Desire, 30. The Perfect Day, 31. From "The Grave by the Lake," 432 433 435 437 433 439 440 442 443 446 447 44S 450 451 453 454 455 456 457 459 461 462 463 Iftovember, 1. The Communion of Saints, 2. All Saints, 3. Resurrection Hope, . . 4. Xot lost, but gone before, 5. " He goeth before Them," 6. Early Rising and Prayer, 7. The Worth of Hours, 8. The Eternity of God, 9. The Rest of Faith, 465 466 463 470 471 *73 474 475 47*7 CONTENTS. xvii 10. The Pulley, 478 11. St. Martin's Summer, .. 479 12. Revival, 480 13. November, 481 14. Dependence, .. 483 15. Under Orders, 484 16. Abide with Me, 486 17. Come Home, 487 18. "When my Heart is vexed, I will complain," 489 19. Sister Sorrow, 491 20. The Chamber of Peace, 492 21. How doth Death speak of our Beloved ? 494 22. The Mourner's Text, .. 496 23. Our Adversaries, 497 24. Fallen in the Night, 499 25. Home Love, 500 26. My Birthday, 502 27. Jesus Only, 504 28. Winter Thoughts, 506 29. "Master, where dwellest Thou?" 508 30. The Sea of Galilee, .. 509 December* 1. The Reverie— Part I., 512 2. The Reverie— Part II., 514 3. Nearest and Dearest, 517 4. Alone, 519 5. "Trust in Him at all Times," 520 6. "It remaineth." 522 7. Ordination Hymn, 524 8. Fame, 525 9. "Trouble not the Master," .. 526 10. Rest in the Lord, 527 11. The Home-Call, 529 CONTENTS. 12. At Last, 13. Comfort for the Aged Christian, 14. Farewell of the Soul to the Body, 15. Strength in Weakness, 16. "Faint, yet pursuing," 17. "Take Heart of Grace," 18. Safe in Port, 19. After a Death, 20. The Father's Promises, 21. "Is it so, O Christ in Heaven?" 22. " "Watchman, What of the Xight? 23. The Eve of Departure, 24. A Christmas Carol, 25. His Xame, 26. Funeral Anthem, 27. "Lord, What shall this Man do? 23. The Heavenly Song, 29. Ebenezer, 30. Immanuel's Land, 31. " God is our Eefuge and our Strength 530 531 532 534 536 538 540 541 543 545 546 547 549 550 553 554 556 557 559 561 Tanuarj) 1. THINGS NEW AND OLD. "Ye shall eat old store, and bring forth the old because of the new." — "And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new." — Lev. xxvi. 10; Kev. xxi. 5. WITH the New Year the old, sure Refuge still, Our Father ruling on His throne above ! He guides the nations by His sovereign will, He bears His people on His wings of love. Thy gracious care through all the past we see, The unknown future we can leave with Thee ! With the New Year grant a new blessing, Lord ! Still unexhausted is Thy bounteous hand ; Roses shall blossom, if Thou giv'st the word, And fountains murmur, in the desert land. Thy blessing fills the basket and the store ; Give as Thou seest good — we ask no more. With the New Year old burdens still of care— The year of jubilee is not yet come j (104) 2 THINGS NEW AND OLD. Still must we nerve our hearts, to do or bear, Pilgrims and strangers on the journey home. Not here our rest — to trial yet and toil We must go forward, through life's " little while.'' With the New Year new hopes, for earth and heaven ! Fair Nature's summer beauties shall return, And to us also sunshine shall be given — Our Father's children do not always mourn ; New gifts of love Hope in the future sees, And far beyond them " greater things than these." With the New Year may the old faith remain ! Rise, soldiers of the Cross, to tight once more ! Let the old standard be unfurled again — " In this we conquer" now, as oft of yore ! Still the old battle-cry, the old broad shield — Christ and His host again shall keep the held ! With the New Year renew our hearts, O God ! Renew our strength, to run the heavenly way ; In the old paths, where all Thy saints have trod, O Saviour, lead us ! help us, day by day, Through storm or calm, our journey to pursue, Till the bright morn when all shall be made new ! Carl Gerok. BATTLE HYMN FOR THE NEW YEAR. 3 JFaturars 2. BATTLE HYMN. FOE THE NEW YEAR " Let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breast- plate of faith and love ; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. " — 1 Thess. v. 8. THE old year's long campaign is o'er, Behold a new begun ; Not yet is closed the Holy War, Nor yet the triumph won. Out of his still and deep repose We hear the old year say, — " Go forth again to meet your foes, Ye children of the day ! " Go forth ! firm Faith on every heart, Bright Hope on every helm, Through that shall pierce no fiery dart, And this no fear o'erwhelni ! Go in the Spirit and the might Of Him who led the way ; Close with the legions of the night, Ye children of the day ! " So forth we go to meet the strife, We will not fear nor fly ; We love the holy warrior's life, His death we hope to die ! 4 " DOE THE NEXTE THINGE." We slumber not, that charge in view : " Toil on while toil ye may, Then night shall be no night to you, Ye children of the day ! " Lord God, our Glory, Three in One, Thine own sustain, defend ! And give, though dim this earthly sun, Thy true light to the end ; Till morning tread the darkness down. And night be swept away, And infinite sweet triumph crown Thy children of the day ! Rev. S. J. Stone. Januarjj 3. "DOE THE NEXTE THINGE." " Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might." Eccles. ix. 10. FROM an old English parsonage, down by the sea, There came in the twilight a message to me ; Its quaint Saxon legend, deeply engraven, Hath, as it seems to me, teaching for heaven, And on through the hours, the quiet words ring, Like a low inspiration, — " Doe the nexte thinge." "DOE THE NEXTE THINGE." 5 Many a questioning, many a fear, Many a doubt, hath its quieting here ; Moment by moment, let down from heaven, Time, opportunity, guidance are given. Fear not to-morrows, child of the King ! Trust them with Jesus, — " Doe the nexte thinge." Oh, He would have thee daily more free, Knowing the might of thy royal degree ; Ever in waiting, glad for His call, Tranquil in chastening, trusting through all. Comings and goings no turmoil need bring ; His all thy future, — " Doe the nexte thinge." Do it immediately, do it with prayer, Do it reliantly, casting all care ; Do it with reverence, tracing His hand Who hath placed it before thee with earnest com- mand. Stayed on Omnipotence, safe 'neath His wing, Leave all resultings, — " Doe the nexte thinge." Looking to Jesus, ever serener, Working or suffering, be thy demeanour ! In the shade of His presence, the rest of His calm, The light of His countenance, live out thy psalm. Strong in His faithfulness, praise Him, and sing ; Then, as He beckons thee, " Doe the nexte thinge." Elliott. 6 MOTTO FOR A NEW YEAR. JTanttarg 4. MOTTO FOR A NEW YEAR " I delight to do thy will, O my God." — "As the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart." — Ps. xl. 8; Eph. vi. 6. I ASKED the New Year for some motto sweet, Some rule of life by which to guide my feet; I asked, and paused — reply came, soft and low : " God's will to know ! " "Will knowledge then suffice, New Year'?'5 I cried. But ere the question into silence died, The answer came : " Nay ; this remember too, God's will to do ! " Once more I asked, " Is there still more to tell ? " And once again the answer sweetly fell : " Yes, this one thing all other things above, God's will to love I " Anon. Jamtarg 5. "THE EIGHT WAY." " And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation." — Ps. cvii. 7. ""T^IS not the way that lay so bright before me, \_ When youth stood flushed on Hope's enchanted ground, "THE RIGHT WAY." 7 No cloud in the blue- sky then bending o'er me, No desert spot in all the landscape round. Fair visions, glimmering through the distance, beck- oned My buoyant steps along the sunny way, Sweet voices thrilled me, till I fondly reckoned That life would be one long, glad summer day. This was the path my feet had gladly taken, And, blindly lured by that deceitful gleam, I would have wandered on, by God forsaken, Till death awoke me from the fatal dream. Alas ! in youth by Eden's gate we linger, In its green bowers we fain would make abode, Till the stern angel- warder, with calm finger, Points the feet outward to the desert road ! My pleasant path in sudden darkness ended, My footsteps slipped, my hopes were well-nigh gone ; I could but pray, and as my prayer ascended, Thy face, 0 Father, through the darkness shone. And by that light I saw the cross of trial, The landmark of the way my Saviour went, The upward path of pain and self-denial, And Thou didst point me to the steep ascent. THE MORNING STAR. A way I knew not ! winding, rough, and thorny, — So dark at times that I no path might see ; But Thou hast been my Guide through all the journey. Its steepness has but made me lean on Thee. And onward still I go, in calm assurance That Thou wilt needful help and guidance lend ; That strength will come for every day's endurance, Grace all the way, and glory at the end. J. D. Burns. SFannarj} 6. THE MORNING STAR "When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy." — "I Jesus am the bright and morning star." — "Alight to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel." — Matt. ii. 10 ; Rev. xxii. 16 ; Luke ii. 32. LIGHT of the lonely pilgrim's heart, Star of the coming day ! Arise, and, with Thy morning beams, Chase all our griefs away ! Come, blessed Lord, bid every shore And answering island sing The praises of Thy royal name, And own Thee as their King. LIGHT FOR THE WOULD. Bid the whole earth, responsive now To the bright world above, Break forth in rapturous strains of joy In memory of Thy love. Lord, Lord, Thy fair creation groans, The air, the earth, the sea, In unison with all our hearts, And calls aloud for Thee. Come then, with all Thy quickening power, With one awakening smile, And bid the serpent's trail no more Thy beauteous realms defile. Thine was the cross, with all its fruits Of grace and peace divine ; Be Thine the crown of glory now. The palm of victory Thine ! Sir E. Denny. Jamtarg 7. LIGHT FOR THE WORLD. "Then spake Jesus, saying, T am the light of the world." John viii. 12. L1 IGHT for the dreary vales Of ice-bound Labrador ! Where the frost-king breathes on the slippery sails, And the mariner wakes no more ; 10 LIGHT FOR THE WORLD. Lift high the lamp that never fails To that dark and sterile shore. Light for the forest child ! An outcast though he be From the haunts where the sun of his childhood smiled, And the country of the free. Pour the hope of heaven o'er his desert wild, For what home on earth has he ? Light on the Hindu shed ! On the maddening idol-train ! The flame of the suttee is dire and red, And the fakir faints with pain, And the dying moan on their cheerless bed, By the Ganges laved in vain. Light for the Burman vales ! For the islands of the sea ! For the coast where the slave-ship fills its sails With sighs of agony, And her kidnapped babes the mother wails 'Neath the lone banana tree ! Light for the ancient race, Exiled from Zion's rest ! Homeless they wander from place to place, • Benighted and oppressed ; GLAD TIDINGS. 11 They shudder at Sinai's fearful base, — Guide them to Calvary's breast. Light for the darkened earth ! Ye blessed, its beams who shed, Shrink not, till the day-spring hath its birth, Till, wherever the footstep of man doth tread, Salvation's banner, spread boldly forth, Shall gild the dream of the cradle bed, And clear the tomb From its lingering gloom, For the aged to rest his weary head ! Mrs. Sigourney. iFanuarj) 8. GLAD TIDINGS. "And the angel said, Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people." — Luke ii. 10. WE asked an Indian brother,* a warrior of old, How first among his people the Glad Tidings had been told 1 How first the Morning Star arose on their long heathen night, Till souls who " sat in darkness ;; were rejoicing in the light 1 *John Tschcop, one of the first converts of the Moravian missionaries among the North American Indians.— See Crantz' History. 12 GLAD TIDINGS. And lie answered, " Many a summer has come and gone since then, Yet well I can remember — I can see it all again. " A teacher came among us, from the country of your birth, And told us of the living God, who made the heaven and earth ; — But we asked if he had been a fool, or thought that we were so ; For who among our sons did not the one Great Spirit know 1 "So he left us : — and another told us much of sin and shame, And how for sinners was prepared a lake of quenchless flame ; — But we bade him teach these things at home, among the pale-faced men, And if they learned the lesson right, we too would listen then. "At last another stranger came, of calm and gentle mien, And eyes whose light seemed borrowed from yon blue the clouds between ; Still in my dreams I hear his voice, his smile I still can see, Though many a summer he has slept beneath the cedar tree ! GLAD TIDINGS. 13 " He told us of a Mighty One, the Lord of earth and sky, Who left His glory in the heavens for men to bleed and die ; Who loved poor Indian sinners still, and longed to gain their love, And be their Saviour here, and in His Father's house above. "And when his tale was ended — 'My friends,' he gently said, ' I am weary with my journey, and would fain lay down my head ; ' So beside our spears and arrows he laid him down to rest, And slept as sweetly as the babe upon its mother's breast. " Then we looked upon each other, and I whispered, 1 This is new, — Yes, we have heard glad tidings, and that sleeper knows them true ! He knows he has a Friend above, or would he slumber here, WTith men of war around him, and the war-whoop in his ear ? ' " So we told him, on the morrow, that he need not journey on, But stay and tell us further of that loving, dying One. And thus we heard of Jesus first, and felt the wondrous power Which makes His people willing in His own accepted hour." 14 THE ETERNAL WORK. Thus spoke our Indian brother ; and deeply, while we heard, One cheering lesson seemed impressed, and taught by every word — How hearts, whose echoes, silent long, no words of terror move, May answer from their inmost depths to the soft call of love. O mighty love of Jesus ! what wonders thou hast wrought ! What victories thou yet shalt gain, surpassing human thought ! Let Faith and Hope speed forward unto earth's re- motest bound, Till every tribe and nation shall have heard the joyful sound ! H. L. L. Jammrg 9. THE ETERNAL WORK. "Then came the first servant, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds. And he said unto him, Well, thou good ser- vant : because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities." — Luke xix. 16, 17. I LAY up treasure in the heavens ; My gold accumulates and grows ; I hoard, but not on earth ; my wealth Before me daily goes. THE ETERNAL WORK. 15 My hands, my lips, each power within, I fain would educate for heaven ; Here is the school where we are trained, And here the lessons given. 'Tis for eternity I read, And do, and think, and study here ; Purging and pruning every branch That it may fruitage bear. What God hath given me, that I count Too precious and too great to lose ; And all I have I treasure up For everlasting use. I work that I may fitted be For more than angel's work above, When of this life's strange mystery The meaning I shall prove. By earthly discipline and toil I sharpen these my blunted powers, For nobler work awaiting them In vaster fields than ours. I shall not die at death, nor shall My past of life all useless be : These powers within me, lodged by God, Are for eternity ; 16 "AFTER MANY DAYS." And all this discipline of time — The pain, the weariness, the strife- Tells on my endless usefulness In the unmeasured life. A higher and more useful life Above, shall mine for ever be ; And all that I have learned on earth Shall then be used for Thee. In higher service shall I then These renovated powers employ ; Work without weariness be mine, And everlasting joy. Dr. H. Bonar. From " The Song of tlie New Creation. Jatumrj) 10. "AFTER MANY DAYS." "Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days." — Eccles. xi. 1. THE land was still, the skies were gray with weeping ; Into the soft brown earth the seed she cast. "Oh, soon," she cried, "will come the time of reaping, The golden time, when clouds and tears are past ! " "AFTER MANY DAYS." 17 Then came a whisper through the autumn haze, — " Yea, thou shalt find it, after many days." Hour after hour she marks the fitful gleaming Of sunlight, shining through the cloudy lift ; Hour after hour she lingers, idly dreaming, To see the rain fall and the dead leaves drift. " Oh, for some small green signs of life ! " she prays ; " Have I not watched and waited many days ? " At early morning, chilled and sad, she hearkens To stormy winds that through the poplars blow ; Far over hill and plain the heaven darkens, Her field is covered with a shroud of snow. " Ah, Lord," she sighs, "are these Thy loving ways? " He answers — " Spake I not of many days ? " The snowdrop blooms ; the purple violet glistens On beds of moss, that take the sparkling showers ; Half-cheered, half-doubting yet, she strays and listens To finches singing to the shy young flowers. A little longer still His love delays The promised blessing — " after many days." " Oh, happy world," she cries, " the sun is shining ! Above the soil I see the springing green : I could not trust His word without repining, I could not wait in peace for things unseen. Forgive me, Lord ! my soul is full of praise ; My doubting heart prolonged Thy 'many days.'" J. L. Cotham. (104) 2 18 CHRIST THE HEALER. Tanuarg 11. CHRIST THE HEALER. "And he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick : that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses." — Matt. viii. 16, 17. THROUGH this sad world, where sin and death are stalking On to dry places lower than the grave, Oh, it is well there is a Healer walking In majesty of mercy — strong to save ! He doth not silence the shrill voice of anguish That crieth after Him in open street ; Nor pass unheeding by the couch where languish The palsied forms that fain had sought His feet. With crowds in temple, feast, and mart, He mingles ; Yet ofttimes, as at noon by the lone well, One conscious, throbbing heart His love out-singles, To bare its wound, and of the cure to tell. A touch, a sigh, a look that yearns towards heaven, A word of peace, a gently -thrilling call, Tender anointings to the sightless given — These heal His suppliants ; and He heals them all. Oh that there were a pressing and a thronging Into the presence of the Saviour God ! THE MEASURE OF THE CURE. 10 Oh that earth's sorest need and sickest longing Might find its one true balm — His precious blood ! All-pitying Christ ! Thy heart with love is glowing, Drawn sympathetic to the souls that bleed • Thy mercy to our misery is flowing — ]S"o charm for Thee, Lord, like the sinner's need. Once in a city, when the sun was setting, At Thy blest feet they laid the sick all down ; And ere it sank, all pain and woe forgetting, A murmur of great joy rose through the town. And one day shall the world with mirth be ringing, When from Thy glance its maladies are flown ; The song of joy and health exultant singing, When Thou hast healed its hurt and stilled its moan. 0 Healer ! hasten that sure day of gladness — The whole earth's hallelujah unto Thee ! Hear Faith's deep sighing 'neath these clouds of sadness " When will the dawn break, and the shadows flee?" A. R. Cousin. January 12. THE MEASURE OF THE CURE. "Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you."— Matt. ix. 29. OH, do not unto me, my Saviour, speak As once Thou saidst, before a cure was won, 11 According to thy faith to thee be done." 20 THE OLIVE TREE. Alas ! my faith is all too weak, Thy help by such a rule to seek. Not as my faith, which is so faint and slow, Lord, be Thy gift, or else the boon were small, Or nought at times from Thee received at all. According to Thy love bestow ; Nought can above that measure go ! Lobd Kinloch. AFantwrg 13. THE OLIVE TREE. "Your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. Rather seek ye the kingdom of God ; and all these things shall be added unto you." — Luke xii. 30, 31. SAID an ancient hermit, bending Half in prayer upon his knee, " Oil I need for midnight watching ; I desire an olive tree." Then he took a tender sapling, Planted it before his cave, Spread his trembling hands above it As his benison he gave. " But," he thought, " the rain it needeth, That the root may drink and swell : God, I pray Thee, send Thy showers ! " So a gentle shower fell. THE OLIVE TREE. 21 " Lord, I ask for beams of summer, Cherishing this little child ! " Then the dripping clouds divided, And the sun looked down and smiled. " Send it frost to brace its tissues, O my God ! " the hermit cried. Then the plant was bright and hoary, — But at evensong it died. Went the hermit to a brother Sitting in his rocky cell : " Thou an olive tree possesses t ; How is this, my brother, tell *? " I have planted one, and prayed Now for sunshine, now for rain ; God hath granted each petition, Yet my olive tree hath slain ! " Said the other : "I intrusted To its God my little tree ; He who made knew what it needed Better than a man like me. " Laid I on Him no conditions, Fixed not ways and means — so I Wonder not my olive thriveth Whilst thy olive tree did die.'* S. Baring -Gould. 22 THE STARRY HEAVENS. Jamtarg 14. THE STARRY HEAVENS. "And God said unto Abraham, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them : and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be." — "And they that turn many to right- eousness shall shine as the stars for ever and ever." — Gen. xv. 5 ; Dan. xii. 3. MORE and more stars ! and ever as I gaze Brighter and brighter seen ! Whence come they, father ? trace me out their ways Ear in the deep serene." — My child, these eyes of mine but faintly show One step on earth below ; And even our wisest may but dream, they say, Of what is done on high, by yon empyreal ray. T* 'P *1* t» Yet surely of yon lamps on high we deem As of pure worlds, whereon the floods of mercy stream. Yea, in each keen heart-thrilling glance of theirs Of other stars we read, Stars out of sight, souls for whom Love prepares A portion and a meed In the supernal heavens for evermore, When sun and moon are o'er ; Fixed in the deep of grace and song, as these In the blue skies, and o'er the far-resounding seas. THE STARRY HEAVENS. 23 More and more stars, here in our outward heaven ! More and more saints above ! But to the wistful gaze the sight is given, The vision to meek love, — Love taught of old to treasure and embalm Whate'er in morning calm Or evening soft steals from the gracious skies, The dry ground freshening with the dews of Paradise. More and more stars ! behold yon hazy arch Spanning the vault on high, By planets traversed in majestic march, Seeming to earth's dull eye A breath of gleaming air ; — but take thou wing Of faith, and upward spring — Into a thousand stars the misty light Will part ; each star a world with its own day and night. Not otherwise of yonder saintly host Upon the glorious shore Deem thou. God marks them all, not one is lost ; By name He counts them o'er. Full many a soul, to man's dim praise unknown, May on its glory -throne As brightly shine, and prove as strong in prayer, As theirs, whose separate beams shoot keenest through this air. Keble, "Lyra Innocent i urn." 2-4 GUIDING STARS. JJfaturatjj 15. GUIDING STARS. "Be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises." — Heb. vi. 12. J OY of my life while left me here, And still my love ! How in thy absence thou dost steer Me from above ! A life well led This truth commends ; With quick or dead It never ends. Stars are of mighty use. The night Is dark and long, — The road foul, and w^here one goes right Six may go wrong. One twinkling ray, Shot o'er some cloud, May clear much way, And guide a crowd. God's saints are shining lights : who stays Here long must pass O'er dark hills, swift streams, and steep ways As smooth as glass ; But these all night, Like candles, shed HOPE AND MEMORY. 25 Their beams, and light Us into bed. They are indeed our pillar-fires, Seen as we go ; They are that City's shining spires We travel to. A sword-like gleam Kept man for sin First out ; this beam Will guide him in. Henry Vaughan. J'amtatj) 16. HOPE AND MEMORY. "I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more." — "Patience worketh experience; and experience, hope." — "Be sober, and hope to the end." — Ps. lxxi. 14; Rom. v. 4; 1 Peter i. 13. TWO sisters are there — ever year by year Companions true and dear To meek and thoughtful hearts. Fair Hope is one, With voice of merry tone, With footstep light, and eye of sparkling glance. The other is perchance Even somewhat lovelier, but less full of glee ; Her name is Memory. 26 HOPE AND MEMORY. She wanders near me, chanting plaintive lays Of bygone scenes and days ; And when I turn, and meet her thoughtful eye, She tells me mournfully Of soft, low gurgling brooks, and glistening flowers, And childhood's sunny hours ; And then with tears and melancholy tone She tells me they are gone. Hope gently chides her— bids me not to cast My eyes upon the past. Cheering me thus, she leads me by the hand To view her own fair land ; And soon I see where many pleasures meet, — Some close before my feet, And some, seen dimly through the distant haze, Grow brighter as I gaze. Oh ! both refresh me. Yet not only so ; They teach — where'er I go. One tells of follies past, and one is given To talk to me of heaven. And thus I'll cling to both. Soft Memory, All pensive though she be, Shall bide a comrade cherished to the end ; But Hope shall be my friend. J. S. Howson. FOLLOWING IN DARKNESS. 27 Jamtarjj 17. FOLLOWING IN DARKNESS. Jesus said unto him, Come, take up the cross, and follow me." Mark x. 21. THOU say est, ' c Take up thy cross, O man, and follow Me : " The night is black, the feet are slack, Yet we would follow Thee ; But oh, dear Lord, we cry, That we Thy face could see ! Thy blessed face one moment's space — Then might we follow Thee ! Dim tracts of time divide Those golden days from me ; Thy voice comes strange o'er years of change : How can I follow Thee 1 Comes faint and far Thy voice From vales of Galilee, — Thy vision fades in ancient shades, How should we follow Thee 1 Unchanging law binds all, And Nature all we see ; Thou art a star, far off, too far, Too far to follow Thee ! 28 FOLLOWING IN DARKNESS. Ah, sense-bound heart and blind ! Is nought but what we see ? Can Time undo what once was true ? Can we not follow Thee 1 Is what we trace of law The whole of God's decree ? Does our brief span grasp Nature's plan, And bid not follow Thee i 0 heavy cross — of faith In what we cannot see ! As once of yore, Thyself restore. And help to follow Thee ! If not as once Thou cam'st In true humanity, Come yet as Guest within the breast That longs to follow Thee. Within our heart of hearts In nearest nearness be ; Set up Thy throne within Thine own ; — Go, Lord, we follow Thee ! F. T. Palgrave. OUR MASTER. 29 Jamtarti 18. OUR MASTER. M I am the way, and the truth, and the life : no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." — " That ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge." — John xiv. 6 ; Eph. hi. 17-19. IMMORTAL Love, for ever full, For ever flowing free, For ever shared, for ever whole, A never-ebbing sea ! Our outward lips confess the Name All other names above ; Love only knowetli whence it came, And comprehendeth love. Blowr, winds of God, awake and blow The mists of earth away ! Shine out, O Light Divine, and show How far and wide we stray ! The letter fails, and systems fall, And every symbol wanes : The Spirit over-brooding all, Eternal Love, remains. And not for signs in heaven above Or earth below they look, 30 OUR MASTER. Who know with John His smile of love, With Peter His rebuke. No fable old, nor mythic lore, Nor dream of bards and seers, ISTo dead fact stranded on the shore Of the oblivious years, — But warm, sweet, tender, even yet A present help is He ; And faith has still its Olivet, And love its Galilee. The healing of His seamless dress Is by our beds of pain ; We touch Him in life's throng and press, And we are whole again. Through Him the first fond prayers are said Our lips of childhood frame ; The last low whispers of our dead Were burdened with His name. 0 Lord and Master of us all ! Whate'er our name or sign, We own Thy sway, we hear Thy call, We test our lives by Thine. We faintly hear, we dimly see, In differing phrase we pray ; ON A DARK WINTER DAY. 31 But, dim or clear, we own in Thee The Light, the Truth, the Way ! The homage that we render Thee Is still our Father's own ; Nor jealous claim nor rivalry Divides the Cross and Throne. Apart from Thee all gain is loss, All labour vainly done ; The solemn shadow of Thy cross Is better than the sun. Our Friend, our Brother, and our Lord ! What may Thy service be 1 Nor name, nor form, nor ritual word, But simply following Thee. Whither. SFanuarg 19. ON A DARK WINTER DAY. "I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed... Hath God for- gotten to be gracious ? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies — Ps. lxxvii. 3, 9. IS fair Nature dying 1 This funereal pall, Must it hang for ever Darkly over all 1 32 ON A DARK WINTER DAY. Stormy clouds are hiding All the morning light ; Has the sun forgotten How to conquer night ? Must the frozen streamlet Silent still remain? Shall the Summer blossoms Never smile again? Hush, desponding spirit, Hush the dark surmise ! Light shall spring from darkness, Life from death shall rise. Still the sun is shining Bright behind the cloud ; Only thy dim vision Cannot pierce its shroud. Nature, bound and buried Under Winter's reign, Soon shall burst her fetters, Start to life again. Silent streams, awaking From their icy sleep, Through the vale shall murmur, Down the mountain leap ; ON A DARK WINTER DAY. 33 Thousand buds already, Far beneath the snow, Dream of Spring's soft breezes, Dream of Summer's glow. " Learn, sad heart, our lesson," Now they seem to say ; " Dream of Spring and sunshine Through thy wintry day." Yes, amid thy darkness, Through the gloom and fear, Love Divine is watching, Christ Himself is near. Since in dying anguish Once He bowed His head, Then arose as Victor From amidst the dead— Now His tempted people Need despond no more ; All our foes He conquered, All our sins He bore. Love and power unfailing, Life from death shall bring ; From the grave's dark winter Everlasting spring ! Meta Heusseb. From "Alpine Lyrics." 004) 3 34 LONGINGS. Jmxunxv 20. LONGINGS. " And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove ! for then would I fly away, and be at rest. Lo, then would I wander far off, and remain in the wilderness." — Ps. lv. G, 7. OALL wide places, far from feverous towns ! Great shining seas ! pine forests ! mountains wild ! Rock- bosomed shores ! rough heaths, and sheep -cropt downs ! Yast pallid clouds ! blue spaces undefilecl ! Room ! give me room ! give loneliness and air ! Free things and plenteous, in your regions fair. White dove of David, flying overhead, Golden with sunlight on thy snowy wings, Outspeeding thee my longing thoughts are fled To find a home afar from men and things ; Where in His temple, earth o'erarched with sky, God's heart to mine may speak, my heart reply. O God of mountains, stars, and boundless spaces ! O God of freedom and of joyous hearts ! When Thy face looketh forth from all men's faces, There will be room enough in crowded marts ; Brood Thou around me, and the noise is o'er, Thy universe my closet with shut door. WATER TURNED TO WINE. 35 Heart, heart, awake ! the Love that loveth all Maketh a deeper calm than Horeb's cave, God in thee, can His children's folly gall ? Love may be hurt, but shall not love be brave ?. Thy holy silence sinks in dews of balm, Thou art my solitude, my mountain-calm. George Macoonald. J'anitaru 21. WATER TURNED TO WINE. "There was a marriage in Cana of Galilee : and both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage." — John ii. 1, 2. DEAR Friend, whose presence in the house. Whose gracious word benign, Could once, at Cana's wedding-feast, Change water into wine, — Come, visit us ! and when dull work Grows weary, line on line, Revive our souls, and let us see Life's water turned to wine. Gay mirth shall deepen into joy, Earth's hopes grow half divine, When Jesus visits us, to make Life's water edow as wine. 36 EARTH'S ANGELS. The social talk, the evening fire, The homely household shrine, Grow bright with angel visits when The Lord pours out the wine. For when self-seeking turns to love, 2S ot knowing mine or thine. The miracle again is wrought. And water turned to wine. J. F. Clarke. Januatn 22. EARTHS ANGELS. '; When the ear heard me, then it blessed me ; and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me. ...The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy." — Job xxix. 11, 13. WHY come not spirits from the realms of glory To visit earth, as in the days of old — The times of ancient writ and ancient story ? Is heaven more distant, or has earth grown cold ? To Bethlehem's air was their last anthem given, When other stars before the One grew dim ? Was their last presence known in Peter's prison, Or where exultant martyrs raised their hymn ? And are they all within the veil departed ! There gleams no wing along the empyrean now, EARTH'S ANGELS. 37 And many a tear from human eye has started, Since angel-touch has calmed a mortal brow. Yet earth has angels, though their forms are moulded But of such day as fashions all below ; Though harps are wanting, and bright pinions folded, We know them by the love-light on their brow. I have seen angels by the sick one's pillow, — Theirs was the soft touch and the soundless tread \ Where smitten hearts were drooping like the willow, They stood " between the living and the dead." And if my sight, by earthly dimness hindered, Beheld no hovering cherubim in air, I doubted not, for spirits know their kindred, They smiled upon the wingless watchers there. I have seen angels in the gloomy prison, — In crowded halls, — by the lone widow's hearth ; And when they passed, the fallen have ujorisen, The giddy paused, the mourners' hope had birth. I have seen one, whose eloquence commanding Roused the rich echoes of the human breast, The blandishments of wealth and ease withstanding, That hope might reach the suffering and oppressed ; And by his side there moved a form of beauty, Strewing sweet flowers along his path of life, 38 WHICH IS BEST? And looking up with meek and love-lent duty, — I call her angel, but he called her wife. Oh, many a spirit walks the world unheeded, That when its veil of sadness is laid down, Shall soar aloft, with pinions unimpeded, And wear its glory like a starry crown. From "Lyra Anglicana." Jamtaru 23. WHICH IS BEST? "What I shall choose I wot not. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ ; which is far better/'— Phil. i. 22, 23. I KNOW not which to choose ; whether to live A little longer here, or to depart : That would be sweet, to be at rest, to toil !S"o more ; no more feel pain, to have no griefs, No anxious fears, nor for myself nor others, — That would be sweet ; and sweeter still to have Ko more of sin, in action or desire. But to be near, and feel that nearness near Unto my Lord ! to have a thrilling sense Of blessedness, the eternity of joy At hand yet greater, safe, for ever safe ! So to be resting would be sweet. And yet To live for Christ, to live to do His pleasure, THE "ATHLETES OF THE UNIVERSE:' 39 To fight the fight, clad in His panoply, Knowing that He looks on the while, and smiles, By love unfathomable ever moved ; To go and tell to others of His grace, The bliss unutterable of the life That is in Him ! Which shall I choose 1 — living, to live to Christ ; Or dying, die to Him — which shall I choose 1 Which of the twain shall to Thy glory be, That, Lord, I pray Thou wilt appoint for me. H. Swinnet. January 24. THE "ATHLETES OF THE UNIVERSE."* ' ' We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed ; we are per- plexed, but not in despair ; persecuted, but not forsaken ; cast down, but not destroyed." — "As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich ; as having nothing, and yet pos- sessing all things."— "Of whom the world was not worthy."— 2 COR. iv. 8, 9 ; vi. 10 ; Heb. xi. 38. THEIR names are names of kings Of heavenly line, The bliss of earthly things Who did resign. Chieftains they were, who warred With sword and shield ; * An expression of St. Chrysostom. 40 THE " ATHLETES OF THE UNIVERSE:' Victors for God the Lord On fought en field Sad were their days on earth, 'Mid hate and scorn ; A life of pleasure's dearth, A death forlorn. Yet blest that end in woe. And those sad days ; Only man's blame below — Above, God's praise ! A city of great name Was built for them, Of glorious golden fame — Jerusalem. Redeemed with precious blood From death and sin, Sons of the Triune God, They entered in. So did the life of pain In glory close : Lord God, may we attain Their grand repose ! Rev. S. J. Stone. DAVID, THE SHEPHERD. 41 JTamravu 25. DAVID, THE SHEPHERD. "And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep."— 1 Sam. xvi. 11. HE is the youngest, and he herds the sheep ; He goes before them through the dreary wild, Their voices answer him from steep to steep, And silence echoes round the fearless child. His songs of hope and courage never fail, His mountain harp is strung with chords of joy : He fears no evil in the dusky vale, And God is with the lonely shepherd boy. The lamb, loud bleating in its helpless faith, Soon sees him bounding to regain the prey : The lion stretches out his limbs in death ; The bear, with angry growlings, skulks away. The rosy morning meets him on the hill, At noon he rests in pastures green and calm, His evening footsteps haunt the quiet rill, And midnight listens to his constant psalm. O cease thy song of wonder and delight ! Where hast thou won that harp of many strings ? 42 DAVID, THE ROYAL PE XI TENT. Some angel surely dropped it in his flight, And brushed the sleeping wires with golden wings. From Bethlehem's quiet valleys, like a chime, That mountain music rings along the sky ; Caught back, it echoes down the steeps of time, And coming pilgrims still repeat the cry. Lost in the magic of his various lay, The exploits vanish of the proud and brave ; "We long to take the crown and sword away. And leave the harp upon the shepherd }s grave. From "Hebrew Children." J'anuarg 26. DAVID, THE ROYAL PENITENT. " And David said unto Xathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Xathan said unto David, The Lord also hath put away thy sin ; thou shalt not die." — 2 Sam. xii. 13. OUR childish things are deeper than they seem ; There is a magic in them, and a truth : The breeze that first dispelled his fatal dream Comes laden with the memories of his youth. He hears in Nathan's low, pathetic tale. Old pastoral echoes indistinct and sweet ; DAVID, THE ROYAL PENITENT. 43 That little, cherished ewe-lamb's dying wail Recalls his young ones pressing to his feet. His sun declines in shadow ; wild and gray The storm-clouds hurry o'er his weary breast, Impervious to the sad and struggling ray, Until they brighten in the crimson west. Yet ere ye raise the cry of wrath and shame, Let each one commune with himself apart, And him whose conscious thought is free from blame Cast the first stone at this repentant heart. The saddened cadence of the wailing lyre, The burning tears that stain the father's face, The sobs that rend the warrior's heart of fire, Proclaim salvation, not of works, but grace. The Cross first raised beside a dying thief, Flings its kind arms round David and round Paul : God has included all in unbelief, And then He will have mercy upon all. We seek no further to explore the cloud, — Faith, in her blindness, turns to weep and pray ; The Hand that rent for Earth her funeral shroud Will roll the burden of her sins away. From " Hebreiv Children" 44 CONTINUE IN PEA YER-DOST THOU NOT CJBE? Jpanuarg 27. CONTINUE IN PRAYER "Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving. *J Col. iv. 2. IF we with earnest effort could succeed To make our life one long connected prayer, As lives of some perhaps have been and are, — If, never leaving Thee, we had no need Our wandering spirits back again to lead Into Thy presence, but continued there, Like angels standing on the highest stair Of the sapphire throne, — this were to pray indeed But if distractions manifold prevail, And if in this we must confess we fail, Grant us to keep at least a prompt desire, Continual readiness for prayer and praise, An altar heaped and waiting to take fire With the least spark, and leap into a blaze. R. C. Trench. Januitru 28. DOST THOU NOT CARE? " And they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? " — " Mine eyes fail with looking upward : O Lord, I am oppressed ; undertake for me."— Mark iv. 38; Isa. xxxviii. 14. LOVE, and love not ; Lord, it breaks my heart To love, and not to love. I DOST THOU NOT CAEE? 45 Thou veiled within Thy glory, gone apart Into Thy shrine, which is above, Dost Thou not love me, Lord, or care For this mine ill ? — / love thee here or there ; I will accept thy broken heart : lie still. Lord, it was well with me in time gone by That cometh not again, When I was fresh and cheerful, who but I ? I fresh, I cheerful ; — worn with pain Now, out of sight and out of heart ; 0 Lord, how long? — / ivatch thee as thou art ; 1 will accept thy fainting heart : be strong. "Lie still," "be strong," to-day; but, Lord, to- morrow, What of to-morrow, Lord ? Shall there be rest from toil, be truce from sorrow, Be living green upon the sward Now but a barren grave to me, — Be joy for sorrow 1 Did I not die for thee 1 Do I not live for thee? leave Me to-morrow. Christina Rosetti. 46 HUMILITY. Januani 29. HUMILITY. "The meek shall inherit the earth ; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace." — Ps. xxxvii. 11. OH ! learn that it is only by the lowly The paths of peace are trod • If thou wouldst keep thy garments white and holy. Walk humbly with thy God. The man with earthly wisdom high uplifted Is in God's sight a fool ; But he in heavenly truth most deeply gifted Sits lowest in Christ's school. The lowly spirit God hath consecrated As His abiding rest ; And angels by some patriarch's tent have waited, When kings had no such guest. The dew that never wets the flinty mountain. Falls in the valleys free ; Bright verdure fringes the small desert-fountain. But barren sand the sea Round lowliness a gentle radiance hovers. A sweet, unconscious grace, Which, even in shrinking, evermore discovers The brightness in its face. HUMILITY. 47 Where God abides, contentment is and honour, — Such guerdon meekness knows ; His peace within her, and His smile upon her, Her saintly way she goes. Through the strait gate of life she passes stooping, "With sandals on her feet, And pure-eyed Graces, hand in hand, come trooping Their sister fair to greet. The Saviour loves her, for she wears the vesture With which He walked on earth ; And through her childlike glance, and step, and gesture, He knows her heavenly birth. He now beholds this seal of glory graven On all whom He redeems ; And in His own bright City, crystal-paven, On every brow it gleams. The white-robed saints, the throne-steps singing under, Their state all meekly wear ; Their praise w^ells up from hidden springs of wonder That grace has brought them there. J. D. Burns. 48 "TILL HE COME." Januatti 30. "TILL HE COME." "For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry." — "Ye do shew the Lord's death till he come." — Heb. x. 37 ; 1 Cor. xi. 26. TILL He come "—0 let the words Linger on the trembling chords ! Let the " little while" between In their golden light be seen ; Let us think how heaven and home Lie beyond that "till He come." When the weary ones we love Enter on their rest above, Seems the earth so poor and vast, All our life-joy overcast ? Hush, be every murmur dumb ; It is only " till He come. " Clouds and conflicts round us press ; — Would we have one sorrow less ? All the sharpness of the cross, All that tells the world is loss, Death, and darkness, and the tomb, Only whisper, " Till He come." See, the feast of love is spread, — Drink the wine, and break the bread : FOR EVERMORE. 49 Sweet memorials — till the Lord Call us round His heavenly board, Some from earth, from glory some, Severed only "till He come." BlCKERSTETH. Januart) 31. FOH EVERMORE. " Thou wilt shew me the path of life : in thy presence is fulness of joy ; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore." — Ps. xvi. 11. HEX the day of toil is done, "When the race of life is run, Father, grant Thy wearied one Best for evermore ! W When the strife of sin is stilled, When the foe within is killed, Be Thy gracious word fulfilled, — " Peace for evermore." When the darkness melts away At the breaking of Thy day, Bid us hail the cheering ray, — Light for evermore. When the heart by sorrow tried Feels at length its throbs subside, Bring us, where all tears are dried, Joy for evermore. (io4) 4 50 FOR EVERMORE. When for vanished days we yearn, Days that never can return, Teach us in Thy love to learn Love for evermore. When the breath of life is flown, When the grave must claim its own, Lord of life, be ours Thy crown, — Life for evermore ! Ellerton. ^FUbntarj) 1. ANCHORS OF THE SOUL. ''Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day." — Acts xxvii. 29. THE night is dark, — but God, my God, is here and in command, And sure am I, when morning breaks, I shall be " at the land." And since I know the darkness is to Him as sunniest ray, I'll cast the anchor Patience out, and wish, but wait, for day. Fierce drives the storm ; but winds and waves within His hand are held, And trusting in Omnipotence, my fears are sweetly quelled. If wrecked, I'm in His faithful grasp ; I'll trust Him though He slay, — So, letting go the anchor Faith, I'll wish, but wait, for day. 52 CANDLEMAS DAY. Still seem the moments dreary, long 1 I rest upon the Lord : I muse on His eternal years, and feast upon His word ; His promises, so rich and great, are my support and stay : I'll drop the anchor Hope ahead, and wish, but wait, for day. 0 Wisdom Infinite! O Light and Love supreme, divine ! How can I feel one fluttering doubt, in hands so dear as Thine 1 1 lean on Thee, my gracious Lord, my heart on Thine I stay, And casting out the anchor Love, I'll wish, but wait, for day. Anon. "Jr.ebvuanj 2. CANDLEMAS DAY. "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven/' — "The things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal." — Eccles. iii. 1 : 2 Cor. iv. 18. YES, take the greenery away That smiled to welcome Christmas day ; Untwine the drooping ivy spray. The holly leaves are dusty all, AVhose glossy darkness robed the wall, And one by one the berries fall. CANDLEMAS DAY. 53 Take down the yew ; for with a touch The leaflets drop, as wearied much "With light and song, unused to such. Poor evergreens ! why proudly claim The glory of your lovely name, So soon meet only for the name 1 Another Christmas day will show Another green and scarlet glow, A fresh array of mistletoe ; And this new beauty, arch or crown, Will stiffen, gather dust, and brown, And in its turn be taken down. To-night the walls will seem so bare ! Ah, well ! look out, look up, for there The Christmas stars are always fair ! They will be shining, just as clear, Another and another year, O'er all our darkened hemisphere. So Christmas mirth has floated fast, The songs of time can never last, And all is buried with the past ;— But Christmas love and joy and peace Shall never fade, and never cease, Of God's goodwill the rich increase. F. R. Havergal. 54 LOVE. IKtbrtmrjj 3. LOVE. " We have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love." — 1 John iv. 16. SEEMETH not Love at times so occupied For thee, as though it cared for none beside? Love found me in the wilderness, at cost Of painful quests, when I myself had lost. Love lit the lamp and swept the house all round, Till the lost money in the end was found. Love the King's image there would stamp again, Effaced in part, and soiled with rust and stain. 'Twas Love, whose quick and ever watchful eye The wanderer's first step homeward did espy ; From its own wardrobe Love gave word to bring What things I needed — shoes, and robe, and ring. Love set me up on high \ when I grew vain Of that my height, Love brought me down again. Love weeps, but from its eyes these two things win The largest tears — its own, its brother's sin. ALL IX CHRIST. 55 Once o'er this painful earth a Man did move, The Man of Griefs, because the Man of Love. Hope, Faith, and Love, at God's high altar shine, Lamp triple-branched, and fed with oil divine : Two of these triple lights shall once grow pale ; They burn without, but Love within the veil. O merchant at heaven's mart for heavenly ware, Love is the only coin which passes there. The wine of Love can be obtained of none Save Him who trod the wine-press all alone. R. C. Trench. 3r.cbnrarg 4. ALL IX CHRIST. "Refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul. I cried unto thee, O Lord : I said, Thou art my refuge." — Ps. cxlii. 4, 5. IX Thee my heart, Lord Jesus, finds repose ; Thou bringest rest to all that weary are. Until that Dayspring from on high arose, I wandered through a night without a star ; My feet had gone astray Upon a lonely way, Each guide I followed failed me in my need, Each staff I leaned on proved a broken reed. 56 ALL IN CHRIST. Then, when in mine extremity to Thee I turned, Thy mercy did prevent my prayer : From that entangling maze it set me free, And quickly loosed my heavy load of care ; Gave me the lofty scope Of a heaven-centred hope ; And led me on with Thee, a gentle Guide, Thither, where pure immortal joys abide. Thy presence is the never-failing spring Of life and comfort, in each darkest hour ; And through Thy grace, benignly ministering, Grief wields a secret, purifying power. 'Tis sweet, O.Lord, to know Thy kindredness with woe ; Sweeter to walk with Thee on ways apart, Than with the world, w^here heart is shut to heart ! For Thee eternity reserves her hymn ; For Thee earth has her prayers and heaven her vows ; Thy saints adore Thee, and the seraphim Under Thy glory veil their starry brows. Oh may that light divine On me still clearer shine — A power, an inspiration from above, Lifting me higher to Thy perfect love ! Anon. 'HITHERTO HATH THE LORD HELPED US:' 57 Jr.cbruanj 5. " HITHERTO HATH THE LORD HELPED US." "Forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize."— Phil. iii. 13, 14. LIFELOXG our stumbles, lifelong our regret, Lifelong our efforts failing and renewed, While lifelong is our witness, " God is good : " Who bore with us till now, bears with us yet, Who still remembers and will not forget, Who gives us li And Imlah the shepherd avoucheth us Concerning the dappled thing : — One day. As it watched from a crag the flocks at play, As yonder disporting thus, " From its rocky haunts, and its bleating dam's Udder unweaned, it straightway sjDed Down to the pastured plain, and fed As a lamb among the lambs. " And at folding-time, when the day is o'er, Wild-natured still, and as shy as erst, It follows the flock, and is ofttimes first To enter the wattled door. " And therefore doth Imlah the shepherd shield It even with yet a gentler care Than any his cherished weanlings share, As he leadeth them all afield. " YE DID IT UNTO ME." 85 " He hath cherished them alway ; they have left No wilderness mates, no coverts grown Wonted by reason of use — alone To break from their native cleft, " And join them with strangers. Hearken ye Now unto my parable's lesson : God, Who guideth His chosen with staff and rod Where fairest the pastures be, " Doth welcome the alien who, to dwell • Among them, all other ties hath riven, With love that is passing tender — even As the shepherd yon brown gazelle." Margaret J. Preston. "Ktbrnarg 26. "YE DID IT UNTO ME." " And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." — Matt. xxv. 40. A POOR wayfaring man of grief Hath often crossed me on my way, Who sued so humbly for relief, That I could never answer, Nay I had not power to ask his name, Whither he went, or whence he came ; 86 " YE DID IT UNTO ME." Yet there was something in his eye That won my love, I knew not why. Once, when my scanty meal was spread, He entered ; not a word he spake — Just perishing for want of bread. I gave him all ; he blessed it, brake, And ate ; but gave me part again : Mine was an angel's portion then ; For, while I fed with eager haste, That crust was manna to my taste. I spied him, where a fountain burst Clear from the rock ; his strength was gone ; The heedless water mocked his thirst, , He heard it, saw it hurrying on. I ran to raise the sufferer up ; — Thrice from the stream he drained my cup, Dipt, and returned it running o'er ; I drank, and never thirsted more. 'Twas night ; the floods were out ; it blew A winter hurricane aloof. I heard his voice abroad, and flew To bid him welcome to my roof ; I warmed, I clothed, I cheered my guest, Laid him on my own couch to rest ; Then made the hearth my bed, and seemed In Eden's garden while I dreamed. " YE DID IT UNTO ME:' 87 Stript, wounded, beaten, nigh to death, I found him by the highway-side : I roused his pulse, brought back his breath, Revived his spirit, and supplied "Wine, oil, refreshment ; he was healed. I had myself a wound concealed • But from that hour forgot the smart, And peace bound up my broken heart. In prison I saw him next, condemned To meet a traitor's death at morn ; The tide of lying tongues I stemmed, And honoured him 'midst shame and scorn. My friendship's utmost zeal to try, He asked if I for him would die ? The flesh was weak, my blood ran chill, But the free spirit cried, "I will." Then in a moment to my view The Stranger darted from disguise ; The tokens in His hands I knew — My Saviour stood before mine eyes ! He spake, and my poor name He named — " Of Me thou hast not been ashamed : These deeds shall thy memorial be ; Fear not : thou didst them unto Me." James Montgomery. 88 ENCOURAGEMENT. ^Ecbruaru 27. ENCOURAGEMENT. " Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees." — " For his anger endureth but a moment : in his favour is life : weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morn- ing."— Heb. xii. 12; Ps. xxx. 5. YOUR harps, ye trembling saints, Down from the willows take ; Loud to the praise of love divine, Bid every string awake ! Though in a foreign land, We are not far from home ; And nearer to our house above We every moment come. His grace will to the end Stronger and brighter shine ; Nor present things, nor things to come. Shall quench the spark divine. Fastened within the veil, Hope be your anchor strong ; His loving Spirit the sweet gale That wafts you smooth along. Or, should the surges rise, And peace delay to come, ENCOURAGEMENT. 89 Blest is the sorrow, kind the storm. That drives us nearer home. The people of His choice He will not cast away ; Yet do not always here expect On Tabor's mount to stay. When we in darkness walk, Nor feel the heavenly flame, Then is the time to trust our God, And rest upon His name. Soon shall our doubts and fears Subside at His control ; His loving-kindness shall break through The midnight of the soul. No wonder, when His love Pervades your kindling breast, You wish for ever to retain The heart-transporting Guest. Yet learn, in every state, To make His will your own ; And, when the joys of sense depart, To walk by faith alone. By anxious fear depressed, AY hen from the deep ye mourn, 90 ENCO URA GEM EXT. " Lord, why so hasty to depart, So tedious in return '? " Still on His plighted love In all events rely • The very hidings of His face Shall train thee up to joy. Wait, till the shadows flee ; Wait thy appointed hour : Wait, till the Bridegroom of thy soul Reveal His love with power. The time of love will come, When thou shalt clearly see, Not only that He shed His blood, But that it flowed for thee ! Tarry His leisure, then, Although He seem to stay : A moment's intercourse with Him Thy grief will overpay. Blest is the man, 0 God, That stays himself on Thee ! Who wait for Thy salvation, Lord, Shall Thy salvation see ! Augustus Topladt. TRUST IN THE LORD. 91 JHcbnmni 28. TRUST IN THE LORD. " Thy shoes shall be iron and brass; and as thy days, so shall thy strength be." — Deut. xxxiii. 25. O FELLOW-CHRISTIAN ! whosoe'er thou art, This is for thee and me, — This wine of Trust, that maketh glad the heart In its adversity : Drink, therefore, and so bear a braver part ; For as thy days, thy strength shall be. " Thy days" may be a Kfe-long battle-field, A warrior's history, Where every weapon Satan's arm can wield Shall each be aimed at thee : But strive in Trust, and thou shalt never yield ; For as thy days, thy strength shall be. " Thy days n may be a voyage full of fear Over a stormy sea, And thou the sleepless helmsman sworn to steer The good ship warily — The sharp rocks there, — the roaring whirlpool here, — Yet as thy days, thy strength shall be. " Thy days " may be a dull and vacant range, A long captivity, — Nought brightly wonderful or sweetly strange To quicken time for thee ; 92 TRUST IN THE LORD. Less pain or more the only interchange : Yet as thy days, thy strength shall be. ' Thy days " may be a long continuance Of much perplexity ; The light it longs for, amid clouds so dense, Thy mind may scarcely see. Then on thy Father cast thy confidence ; And as thy days, thy strength shall be. O burdened sufferer in a world of woe, Thy sorrow's mystery Shall pass ; believe, and one day thou shalt know. Above thine eyes shall see ; Be not impatient of the veil below ; And as thy days, thy strength shall be. O wakeful toiler in a world of pain, A long rest waiteth thee ! Seek it not here, but bravely lift again Tired hand and feeble knee. If thou wilt trust, thy Master will sustain ; And as thy days, thy strength shall be. Amen ! until there shall be no more " days," Until the shadows flee, Until the cloud be lifted from our gaze, Until in Certainty Trust dies, and Faith in Sight, and Prayer in Praise, In God's Eternitv ! Rev. S. J. Stone. UNUSUAL DAYS. 93 Jr.ebnmrn 29. UNUSUAL DAYS. " And this day shall be unto you for a memorial." — Ex. xii. 14. THERE come unusual days, which, on life's plain, Stand out for memory's gaze — days of rare joy, Or startling incident, or unhoped gain, Alas ! too oft of more than wonted pain, Or woe that breaks the heart. Such days destroy The sameness of life's course, and add one more To the year's units, heaping hence our store Of good or evil. Ne'er can we maintain The calendar unbroken, but must meet The change which is corrective1. Lord, when Thou Put'st in my time a day, as Thou dost now, Unknown in other years, grant, I entreat, Such grace illume it, that, whate'er its phase, It add to holiness, and lengthen praise. Lord Kinlock. PHlnxch 1. A STORMY DAY IX SPRING. ' ' While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease." —Gen. viii. 22. THOU art not yet the conqueror, O Spring ! Still Winter seeks to re-assert his reign, Strives his old forces on the field to bring, And sends his stormy blasts around again. But well we know the strife will not be long ; Thy baffled enemy must yield the day ; Soon shall the breath of flowers, the voice of song, Sunshine and calm, proclaim thy gentle sway. Yes, ever has the victory been thine, In the old conflict year by year renewed ; And still in future must the foe resign His icy sceptre, by thy power subdued. And from the type we take the comfort given — Life's wintry storms shall not for ever last ; How welcome the repose, the joy of heaven, When all the toil and tears of earth are past ! Leonhard Meisser. (TV. H. L. L.) DARK AXD CLOUDY DAYS. 95 XHarch 2. DARK AND CLOUDY DAYS. "My days are like a shadow that declineth; and I am withered like grass." — "Hear the word of the Lord, I will turn their mourn- ing into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow. " — Ps. cii. 11; Jer. xxxi. 10, 13. HOW weary and how worthless this life at times appears ! What days of heavy musings, what hours of bitter tears ! How dark the storm-clouds gather along the wintry skies ! How desolate and cheerless the path before us lies ! And yet these days of dreariness are sent us from above ; They do not come in anger, but in faithfulness and love; They come to teach us lessons which bright ones could not yield, And to leave us blest and thankful when their purpose is fulfilled. They come to draw us nearer to our Father and our Lord, More earnestly to seek His face, to listen to His word, And to feel, if now around us a desert land we see, Without the star of promise, what would its darkness be ! They come to break the fetters which here detain us fast, And force our long-reluctant hearts to rise to heaven at last ; 96 THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. And brighten every prospect of that eternal home Where grief and disappointment and fear can never come. Then turn not in despondence, poor weary heart, away, But meekly journey onwards through the dark and cloudy day : Even now the bow of promise is above thee tinted bright, And soon a joyful morning shall dissipate the night. Thy God hath not forgot thee, and, when He sees it best, Will lead thee into sunshine, will give thee bowers of rest ; And all thy pain and sorrow, when the pilgrimage is o'er, Shall end in heavenly blessedness and joys for evermore ! Spitta. (2V. H. L. L.) march 3. THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. •'Then spake Jesus saying, I am the light of the world.'' — "Shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light/'— John viii. 12; 1 Peter ii. 0. SAVIOUR, Thou art my light, Yet light with earthly shade ; Day, interspersed with night, My coarse appointed made. "HE VPBHAIDETH NOT." 97 I walk in gloom awhile ; And then, like break of dawn, There comes from Thee a smile, And gloom is all withdrawn. Thy light is still enough To guide me safely on, And show, though path be rough, The way is rightly gone. Thy light conducts me back, When error farthest bore, And shows, on weariest track, A sight of heaven before. My wisdom and my might A feeble child display ; But still, a child of light, I grow to perfect day. Lord Kinloch. PCinxch 4. "HE UPBRAIDETH NOT.'' " God giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not." — "I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions, and will not re- member thy sins." — James i. 5; Isa. xliii. 25. R' ECEIYE me, Lord ! to Thee I fly, Defeated and dismayed, Thou only refuge from the sound Of voices that upbraid ! (104) 7 98 "HE UPBRAIDETH NOT." There is no day from out the past But has its bitter cry, — No friend, but I may sometimes read Reproaches in his eye. Nature through every changing mood Has a low chiding tone, Telling of uncompleted works, And of occasions flown. The very father of all lies Speaks truth, as he recalls Transgressions, failings numberless, Infirmities, and falls. Against Thee only have I sinned, And all this evil done ; Yet Thou alone dost not upbraid, 0 meek and spotless One ! No weak reproaches full of self Thou makest me endure, For stronger even than my sin Is Thy great power to cure And when Thy work is all complete. Then Thou wilt call it mine ; And I shall hear Thee say, " Well done, Henceforth My joy is thine."' C. M. Noel. "LORD, HELP ME." 99 XaClarch 5. "LORD, HELP ME." "We have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities. ...Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." — Heb. iv. 15, 16. THOU, O elder Brother, who In Thy flesh our trial knew, Thou who hast been touched by these Our most sad infirmities, Change the dream of me and mine, For the truth of Thee and Thine, And through chaos, doubt, and strife, Interfuse Thy calm of life. If I may not, sin-defiled, Claim my birthright as a child, Suffer it that I to Thee As an hired servant be ; Let the lowliest task be mine, Grateful, so the work be Thine. If there be some weaker one, Give me strength to help him on ; If a blinder soul there be, Let me guide him nearer Thee. Clothe with life the weak intent, Let me be the thing I meant ; 100 " THE LORD IS MY HELPER:' Let me find in Thine employ Peace that dearer is than joy ; Out of self to love be led, And to heaven acclimated, Until all things sweet and good Seem my natural habitude. Whittier. PQiwch 6. "THE LORD IS MY HELPER." 11 1 am continually with thee : thou hast holden me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. ?'— Ps. lxxiii. 23, 24. I KNOW not if or dark or bright Shall be my lot ; If that wherein my hopes delight Is best or not. My bark is wafted to the strand By breath divine ; And on the helm there rests a hand Other than mine. One who has known in storms to sail I have on board ; Above the raging of the gale I hear my Lord. He holds me when the billows smite — I shall not fall ; COMFORT ONE ANOTHER. 101 If sharp, 'tis short ; if long, 'tis light, — He tempers all. Safe to the land, safe to the land, The end is this ; And then with Him go hand in hand Far into bliss. Dean Alford. X2£larxh 7. CO&FORT ONE ANOTHER. "Comfort yourselves together,... comfort the feeble-minded, sup- port the weak, be patient toward all men." — " Comfort one another with these words."— 1 Thess. v. 11, 14 ; iv. 18. COMFORT one another, With the hand -clasp close and With the sweetness love can render, [tender, And looks of friendly eyes. Do not wait with grace unspoken While life's daily bread is broken, — Gentle speech is oft like manna from the skies. Comfort one another ! There are words of music ringing Down the ages, sweet as singing Of the happy choirs above. Ransomed saint and mighty angel Lift the grand deep-voiced evangel, Where for ever they are praising the Eternal Love. 102 A PILGRIM AND SOJOURNER. Comfort one another By the hope of Him who sought us In our peril — Him who bought us, Paying with His precious blood ; By the faith that will not alter, By the strength that will not falter, Leaning on the One divinely good. Comfort one another ! Let the grave-gloom lie behind you, While the Spirit's words remind you Of the home beyond the tomb, Where no more is pain nor parting, Fever-flush or tear-drop starting, But the presence of the Lord, and for all His people room. Sangstek. {ElZTch 8. A PILGRIM AND SOJOURNER. 1 'They confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth."— Heb. xi. 13. I BEAR the pilgrim's heart, If so be this consist Of joys and comforts missed, Of weariness and smart In one from home apart. "BE OF GOOD CHEER." 103 But not within my breast Is felt, alike in force, The wish for onward course, The impulse ne'er to rest, The haste of passing guest. I linger on the way Like one who home forgets; I seem like one who sets His dwelling up to stay, Distaste it as he may. My God, in me complete The part I should sustain I Let weariedness and pain Make, as earth less is sweet, The race to heaven more fleet ! Lord Kinloch. £Elarrh 9. "BE OF GOOD CHEER." "Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed : thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation." — Ex. xv. 13. ONCE out of Egypt, once set free, Fear nothing more that may come to thee ; Fear not Egypt's following host, Fear not Pharaoh's scornful boast. 104 "BE OF GOOD CHEER.'' He may follow, but just to see The God of the Hebrews fight for thee- To see the enclosing waves divide, And Israel safe on the other side. What though then the road may lie Where sands are burning and streams run dry ? What though mirage be the fairest view ? Palms of victory grow there too ! Not alone through the desert waste. With staff in hand we go in haste : The presence of men may not be found ; The presence of God is all around. I cannot see Him, but day by day He goeth before me on the way. To seek for me, wherever I'm sent, A place whereon I may pitch my tent. The barren sands are rich with bread, The wilderness sees a table spread ; The flinty rock gives out a spring, Making the desert bloom and sing. Our shoes of peace will never grow old ; Our staff of strength can the world uphold; And ever new is our pilgrim's dress, Made of the Lord's own righteousness. FROM "THE LADDER OF ST. AUGUSTINE:' 105 Finclest thou not in the hottest day A shadow of cloud upon thy way % Seest thou not in the darkest night A gleam from the guiding pillar of light % So press on, till the river is near. And the hills of Canaan rise bright and clear ; Gather to-day from the desert sand, But to-morrow the new corn of the land ! Anna Warner. (Elxxch 10. FROM "THE LADDER OF ST. AUGUSTINE." " So run, that ye may obtain." — 1 Cor. ix. 24. WE have not wings, we cannot soar • But we have feet to scale and climb By slow degrees, by more and more, The cloudy summits of our time. The mighty pyramids of stone That, wedge-like, cleave the desert airs, When nearer seen, and better known, Are but gigantic flights of stairs. The heights by great men reached and kept Were not attained by sudden flight ; 106 WHENCE CAME THEY? But they, while their companions slept, Were toiling upwards in the night. Standing on what too long we bore With shoulders bent and downcast eyes, We may discern — unseen before — A path to higher destinies. Nor deem the irrevocable past As wholly wasted, wholly vain, If, rising on its wrecks, at last To something nobler we attain. Longfellow. XXlatrfi 11. WHENCE CAME THEY? "And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit clown in the kingdom of God."— Luke xiii. 29. NOT from Jerusalem alone To heaven the path ascends ; As near, as sure, as straight the way That leads to the celestial day, From farthest realms extends, Frigid or torrid zone. From the balm-breathing, sun-loved isles Of the bright Southern Sea, WHENCE CAME THEY? 107 From the dead North's cloud-shadowed pole, We gather to the gladsome goal, One common home in thee, City of sun and smiles ! As from the green lands of the vine, So from the snow-wastes pale, We find the ever open road To the dear City of our God ; From Russian steppe, or Burman vale, Or terraced Palestine. Not from swift Jordan's sacred stream Alone we mount above ; Indus or Danube, Thames or Rhone, Rivers un sainted and unknown, From each, the home of love Beckons with heavenly gleam. Not from Jerusalem alone The Church ascends to God ; Strangers of every tongue and clime, Pilgrims of every land and time, Throng the well-trodden road That leads up to the throne. Dr. Bonae. 108 TO-MORROW. matrix 12. TO-MORROW. " He is faithful that promised." — " Though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come." — " He that believeth shall not make haste." — Heb. x. 23; Hab. ii. 3; Isa. xxviii. 16. " ~\/"ES, to-morrow, love," I fondly said ; X " Yes, to-morrow it shall be, When the sun is shining overhead, And the birds sing merrily." But she cried, in blank dismay, " Not to-morrow ! now, to-day ! " In vain I spoke of the stormy night, And in vain of brighter skies ; And then I saw that in childhood's sight All hope in the present lies. Still my little maid would say, " Not to-morrow ! now, to-day ! " Ah me ! I thought, when our Father's love Speaks of to-morrow to us, And tells of the brighter joys above, How often we answer thus, Filled with earth-born, sad dismay, " Not to-morrow ! now, to-day ! " Lord, forgive Thy children's sin in this ! Lord, forgive our wayward cries ! "HE HATH DONE ALL THINGS WELL." 109 Give us faith to trust Thee for the bliss Which Thy wisdom here denies, Till in heaven's pure light we say, " Not to-morrow ! now, to-day ! " S. L. F. XHarclt 13. "HE HATH DONE ALL THINGS WELL' " And they were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well."— Mark vii. 37. HE hath done all things well ! Here rest, thou weary heart, When prone to murmur or rebel, Weak, weary as thou art. He hath done all things w^ell ! The bitter and the sweet, The light that cheered, the shades that fell, Are tempered as is meet. He hath done all things well \ Things that seem strange and dim Are working ends thou canst not tell, In clearest light to Him. J. D. Burns. (Written shortly before his death.) 110 TRUE RESIGNATION. XHarrh 14. TRUE RESIGNATION. " My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him : for whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth." — Heb. xii. 5, 6. INHERE are who, darkling and alone, Would wish the weary night were gone, Though dawning morn should onlv show The secret of their unknown woe ; Who pray for sharpest throbs of pain To ease them of doubt's galling chain, — " Only disperse the cloud," they cry, '; And if our fate be death, give light and let us die ! "' Unwise I deem them, Lord, unmeet To profit by Thy chastenings sweet ; For Thou wouldst have us linger still Upon the \erge of good or ill, That on Thy guiding hand unseen Our undivided hearts may lean, And this our frail and foundering bark Glide in the narrow wake of Thy beloved ark. * * * * So be it, Lord ; I know it best : Though not as yet this wayward breast Beats quite in answer to Thy voice, Yet surely I have made my choice ; IN ADVERSITIES. Ill I know not yet the promised bliss, Know not if I shall win or miss, — So doubting, rather let me die, Than close with aught beside, to last eternally ! Keble. £Qarch 15. IN ADVERSITIES. " I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy : for thou hast considered my trouble ; thou hast known my soul in adversities.''— Ps. xxxi. 7. BEIXG perplexed, I say, Lord, make it right I Night is as day to Thee, darkness is light. I am afraid to touch Things that involve so much — My trembling hand may shake, My skilless hand may break ; — Thine can make no mistake. Being in doubt, I say, Lord, make it plain ! Which is the true, safe way 1 which would be vain ? I am not wise to know, Nor sure of foot to go ; — My blind eyes cannot see What is so clear to Thee : Lord, make it clear to me ! Being in fear, I say, Lord, show Thy face ! Shine on my daily path, lighting each place. 112 STRIVE, WAIT, AND PRAY. Little will matter then How death comes, where or when ; Little, what life may be ; Little, what griefs I see ; — All shall be well, with Thee. Being in straits, I cry, Lord, make a way ! Open a door for me, help me, I pray ! Gold Thou hast, endless store ; Strength, all I want, and more. All hearts are in Thy hand, Nothing can Thee withstand ; — Lord, look, and give command ! Anna Warner. marrh 16. STRIVE, WAIT, AND PRAY. " Rejoicing in hope ; patient in tribulation ; continuing instant in prayer." — Rom. xii. 12. STRIVE ! yet I do not promise The prize you dream of to-day "Will not fade when you think to grasp it, And melt in your hand away ; But another and holier treasure You would now perchance disdain, Will come when your toil is over And pay you for all your pain. BETHANY. 113 Wait ! yet I do not tell you The hour you long for now Will not come with its radiance vanished, And a shadow upon its brow. Yet far through the misty future, With a crown of starry light, An hour of joy you know not Is winging her silent flight. Pray ! though the gift you ask for May never comfort your fears, May never repay your pleading, Yet pray, and with hojjeful tears. An answer, not that you long for, Bat diviner, will come one day ; Your eyes are too dim to see it, — Yet strive, and wait, and pray ! Adelaide Procter. Pniiixch 17. BETHAX Y. " Jesus went out of the city into Bethany ; and he lodged there." — "Bethany, the town of Mary and her sifter Martha Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus."— Matt. xxi. 17 ; John xi. 1, 5. O PEACEFUL hamlet, where oft, as guest, My weary Saviour found welcome rest, 114 BETHANY. With verdant meadows and pomegranate grove, And sacred Mount Olivet rising above — Fair Bethany ! Could I but fly from this vain turmoil, And choose my refuge, with joyful toil How soon would my humble abode be made, Under thy palm trees' cool, grateful shade, Fair Bethany ! Alas ! they tell me thou liest low In dust and ruins, since long ago ; — Has rest then forsaken this world of ours ? Has peace vanished quite, with thy faded bowers. Fair Bethany ? Ah no ! wherever the Lord will stay, To brighten joy and wipe tears away, Whether cottage or palace that home may be, In the East or the West, we shall find it like thee, Sweet Bethany ! Where at her post faithful Martha stands, With prayerful heart and with busy hands. There, in daily labour, in nightly rest, By Christ's loved presence the home is blest Like Bethany. And wherever Mary, at Jesus' feet, Listens and bends in communion sweet, THE SISTERS OF BETHANY. 115 There, far from folly's tumultuous noise, Rests thy Sabbath peace, thy celestial joys, Sweet Bethany ! Where from sad hearts, in a darkened room, The prayer of faith goes up through the gloom, " Lord, he whom Thou lovest is sick" — oh, then, The Master shall come with His comfort again, As at Bethany. And where a loving heart longs to bring To Christ her treasured thank-offering, The spikenard's fragrance spreads far and wide, — The soul shall get close to the Saviour's side, As at Bethany. Come, Master, and bless our dwelling here ! In sorrow or joy be Thou ever near. Abide with us, Lord ! and then shall our home, Our pilgrim tent, even here become Like Bethany ! Carl Gerok. (TV. H. L. L.) £Rarch 18. THE SISTERS OF BETHANY AFTER THE DEATH OF LAZARUS. " Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him : but Mary sat still in the house." — John xi. 20. ONE grief, on< Was in your one faith, O sisters of the dead ! your bosoms — thou, whose steps, made fleet 116 ISHMAEL. By keen hope fluttering in the heart which bled, Bore thee, as wings, the Lord of Life to greet ; And thou, that duteous in thy still retreat Didst wait His summons, then with reverent love Fall weeping at the blest Deliverer's feet, Whom e'en to heavenly tears thy woe could move. And which to Him, the All-seeing and All-just, Was loveliest — that quick zeal, or lowly trust ? Oh ! question not, and let no law be given To those unveilings of its deepest shrine, By the wrung spirit made in outward sign : Free service from the heart is all in all to Heaven. Mrs. Hemans. fElnxch 19. I8HMAEL " And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live be- fore thee ! And God said, As for Ishmael, I have heard thee. " —Gen. xvii. 18, 20 ; read ch. xvi. 7-12. THE day-dreams of the archer-boy Are full of wild, imperious joy ; Beneath the stars, in calmer moods, He dreams of desert solitudes. In every forest wind he hears The rush of banners and of spears ; ISHMAEL. 11" He sees, above, heaven's crystal field Bend o'er him like a warrior's shield. The spiky corn lies reaped and bound In arrowy heaps upon the ground ; The mirthful harvest song he leaves, And weeps among the golden sheaves. The sun goes down, the dews fall cold, The flocks come bleating to the fold ; The still, small voice of peace and rest Awakes no answer in his breast. Oh for a larger, louder life ! For scenes of passion, change, and strife ! His pastoral home, its quiet joy, They only chafe the archer-boy. And it shall come, impatient child ! Thy tent is pitched upon the wild ; Thy restless foot shall wander free. Each mortal hand opposing thee. Thy fleet and dusky children wait In thousands at Life's mystic gate ; God's promises are firm and true To Isaac, and for Ishmael too. Thy dark-browed sons, from age to age, Shall keep their shifting heritage ; 118 ISHMAEL. Thy spear and quiver, as before, Their title-deeds for evermore. But wait a while, — nor grudge to dwell In peace one hour, young Ishmael, Where Abraham's strong prayers arise For thee, beyond the silent skies. He hears them not ; — but they are heard, The azure deeps of heaven are stirred ; A Hand of power, by night and day, Is pledged to guide his devious way. The first-born son will bear a part Till life's last hour, in Abraham's heart, — His soul, in silent love and grief, Will yearn upon his Desert Chief. Yet to Jehovah's righteous will The prayer of faith can trust him still, — Look calm across earth's misty veil, And still believe when visions fail. And Hagar, as she marks the wild Impetuous fancies of her child, — Hagar would tremble ; but she hears The fountain's murmur through her tears. From "Hebrew Children. SOWING IN HOPE. 119 X2aarrh 20. SOWING IN HOPE. " That both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice to- gether."— " They that sow in tears shall reap in joy." — John iv. 36 ; Ps. cxxvi. 5. SO AY with a generous hand ; Pause not for toil or pain • Weary not through the heat of summer, Weary not through the cold spring rain ; But wait till the autumn comes For the sheaves of golden grain. Scatter the seed, and fear not \ A table will be spread. What matter if you are too weary To eat your hard-earned bread? Sow, while the earth is broken, For the hungry must be fed. Sow ! while the seeds are lying In the warm earth's bosom deep, And your warm tears fall upon it, They will stir in their quiet sleep : And the green blades rise the quicker, Perchance, for the tears you weep. Then sow, for the hours are fleeting, And the seed mast fall to-day ; 120 LIFE IN EARNEST. And care not what hands shall reap it, Or if you shall have passed away Before the waving cornfields Shall gladden the sunny day. Sow ! and look onward, upward, Where the starry light appears — Where, in spite of the coward's doubting, Or your own heart's trembling fears, You shall reap in joy the harvest You have sown to-day in tears. Adelaide Procter. rni^xck 21. LIFE IN EARNEST. " Not slothful in business ; fervent in spirit ; serving the Lord.: -Rom. xii. 11. HE liveth long who liveth well ! All other life is short and vain • He liveth longest who can tell Of living most for heavenly gain. He liveth long who liveth well ! All else is being flung away : He liveth longest who can tell Of true things truly done each day. Waste not thy being ; back to Him, Who freely gave it, freely give ; WOBDS IJST SEASON TO THE WEARY. 121 Else is that being but a dream, — JTis but to be, and not to live. Be what thou seemest ; live thy creed : Hold up to earth the torch divine ; Be what thou prayest to be made ; Let the great Master's steps be thine. Fill up each hour with what will last ; Buy up the moments as they go • — The life above, when this is past, Is the ripe fruit of life below. Sow love, and taste its fruitage pure ; Sow peace, and reap its harvest bright; Sow sunbeams on the rock and moor, And find a harvest-home of light. Dr. Bonak. march 22. WORDS IX SEASON TO THE WEARY. "And the Lord said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face?" — "Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ."— Joshua vii. 10; 2 Tim. ii. 3. TIRED ! "— Well, what of what ? Didst fancy life was spent on beds of ease* Fluttering the rose-leaves scattered by the breeze ? 122 WORDS IN SEASON TO THE WEARY. Come, rouse thee ! work while it is called to-day ; Coward, arise ! go forth upon thy way ! " Lonely ! "—And what of that i Some must be lonely ! 'tis not given to all To feel a heart responsive rise and fall, To blend another's life into our own ; — Work may be done in loneliness. Work on i « Dark ! "—Well, what of that I Didst fondly dream the sun would never set1? Dost fear to lose thy way 1 Take courage yet ! Learn thou to walk by faith, and not by sight ;— Thy steps will guided be, and guided right. « Hard ! "—Well, what of that 1 Didst fancy life a summer holiday, With lessons none to learn, and naught but play 1 Go, get thee to thy task ! Conquer or die ! It must be learned. Learn it then, patiently. " No help ! " — Nay, 'tis not so ! Though human help be far, thy God is nigh ; Who feeds the ravens, hears His children's cry. He's near thee wheresoe'er thy footsteps roam, And He will guide thee, light thee, help thee home/"' Anon. "SERVE THE LORD WITH GLADNIl 123 Xllarck 23. " SERVE THE LORD WITH GLADNESS." "Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding." — Luke xii. 35, 36. i E sober, then, be vigilant ; forbear To hope, or covet aught beyond thy sphere. Only be strong to labour, and allow Thy Father to appoint thee where and how. Serve God ! and winter's cold, or summer's heat, The breezy mountain, or the dusty street, — Time, season, circumstance, alike shall be The welcome ministers of joy to thee. His kingdom is within thee ; rise, and prove A present earnest of the bliss above] Heaven knows no disappointment ; earth alone Mourns washes unfulfilled, and hopes o'erthrown. Pass but the golden gates, — distrust and doubt, The brood of guilt and sin, are left without Once bathe thine eyes in heaven's essential light, Which casts no shadow, and expects no night, And all God's mighty works and wondrous ways Shall wake no thought that shall not speak in praise; For thou shalt see Him as He is — and then Shalt own that " God is love." Amen ! amen ! Hankinsox. 124 LIGHTS ON THE PATHWAY. march 24. LIGHTS OX THE PATHWAY. "0 house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the Lord." — " The Lord will lighten my darkness.*' — ISA. ii. 5; 2 ►Sam. xxii. 29. THE clouds are driven across the skies ; But high above them, in the blue, I see the silent stars, like eyes Of holy watchers shining through. The cloud has come — the cloud has gone — And gone the shadows cold and gray; But the calm stars are shining on, And keep their everlasting way. So to the pilgrim's eye ye shine, Ye bright realities of heaven ! So gleams your clear and radiant sign, Through clouds across our pathway driven, T)reary and dark the way would be, And sad the hearts that o'er it roam, E in your light we could not see It is the way that leads us home. J. D. Burns, THE HERMIT'S VIGIL. 125 xaaawh 25. THE HERMIT'S VIGIL. "He [Christ] is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them." — "Jesus said, Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out." — Heb. vii. 25; John vi. 37. HERE is the ancient legend I was reading From the black-letter vellum page last night ; Its yellow husk holds lessons worth the heeding, If we unfold it right. The tome is musty with dank superstition, From which we shrink, recoiling to th' extreme Of an unfaith, that, with material vision, Accounts as myth or dream Problems too subtle for our clumsy fingers, High truths that burn beyond our reach, as far As o'er the firefly in the grass that lingers Burns yonder quenchless star. Give rather back the old hallucination, The ecstasies, the transport, terror, grief, Of faith so human, than the drear negation Of dumb, dead unbelief ! But hear the story now : — Within a forest By black morasses girt, a hermit dw^elt; 126 THE HERMIT'S VIGIL. And as, one midnight, when the storm raged sorest. In his lone hut he knelt In ghostly penance, sounds of fiendish laughter Smote on the tempest's lull with hideous jar. That sent the gibbering echoes pealing after, Through windy wolds afar. " Christ bring ye ban I "; he cried, the door wide flinging: " Speed ye some whither with perdition's dol( ;; We go" (from out the wrack a shriek came ringing) " To seize the emperor's soul, " Who lies this hour death-stricken," Execration . Thereat still louder tilled the sulphurous air. Before the rood the hermit sank, — " Salvation Grant. Lord, in his despair ! " And agonizing thus, with lips all ashen He prayed : till back, with ghastlier rage and roar. The demon rout rushed, strung to fiercer passion, And crashed his osier door. " Speak, fiend ! I do adjure thee ! Came repentance Too late \ " With hissing curse was answer made : " Heaped high within the judgment scales for sentence The emperor's sins were laid. '•'And downward, downward, with a plunge descended Our scale, till we exulted, — when a moan, OUR SCHOOL-TIME. 127 ' Save, Christ, 0 save me ! ; from liis lips was rended Out with his dying groan. "Quick in the other scale did Mercy lay it ; Lo ! it outweighed Ids guilt ! " — " Ha ! baffled ! braved !'" The hermit cried ; " hence, fiends ! nor dare gainsay it — The emperor's soul is saved ! ;; Margaret J. Preston. fMl&tth 26. OUR SCHOOL-TIME. "I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go." — Is a. xlviii. 17. THIS life is but a school-time, In which we learn to love The friends we see around us, The unseen God above. Some learn by active service, Others in grief and pain ; Some seem to reap in gladness, The rest to toil in vain. The one thing is, to study To seek our Lord in all ; His great love to remember Whatever may befall. 128 OUR SCHOOL-TIME. We know the blessed story Of how He came to save. And lived as man amongst us, From childhood to the grave. And earth has now her tok That He lias touched with light, - Memorials of His kinds Are ever in our sight The stars are all the dearer For that one wanderer bright That shone of old at Bethlehem Upon the wise men's sight. The jewelled lights of sun- The glory of the dawn. The snowy clouds of heaven, The dew upon the lawn, The wild sea's tossing splendour Of green and crested waves, The firmly-planted mountain. The silent rocky a The voice of sighs and weeping. The bier where lies the dead, — All speak to us of Jesus, Of words that He has said. i THE WELL AT SYCHAR. 129 The boats upon the water, The fishers on the shore, — These things remind us of Him. These, and a thousand more. And pain and weakness make Him Nearer and dearer seem, Till life becomes a story Of which He is the theme. Anon. marrh 27. THE WELL AT SYCHAR. OX FINDING IT FILLED UP BY THE ARABS. "Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well." — John iv. 6. THEY have stopped the sacred well which the patriarchs dug of old, "Where they watered the patient flocks at noon, from the depths so pure and cold ; Where the Saviour asked to drink, and found at noon repose ; — But the living spring He opened then no human hands can close. (104) 9 130 THE DESIRED HAVEN. They have scattered the ancient stones, where at noon He sat to rest ; None ever shall rest by that well again, and think how His accents blessed ; — But the Rest for the burdened heart, the Shade in the weary land, The riven Rock with its living streams, for ever un- moved shall stand. Earth has no Temple now, no beautiful House of God; Or earth is all one temple-floor which those sacred feet have trod. But in heaven there is a Throne, a Home, and a House of Prayer : Thyself the Temple, Thyself the Sun ; our pilgrimage endeth there ! Mrs. Charles. (Mutch 28. THE DESIRED HAYEK " He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. ...So he bringeth them unto their desired haven." — Ps. cvii, 29, 30. " T ORD, the waves are breaking o'er me and J j around ; Oft of coming tempests I hear the moaning sound ; THE DESIRED HAVEN. 131 Here there is no safety, rocks on either hand, — ?Tis a foreign roadstead, a strange and hostile land. Wherefore should I linger ? others gone before Long since safe are landed on a calm and friendly shore : Now the sailing orders in mercy, Lord, bestow, — Slip the cable, let me go ! " Lord, the night is closing round my feeble bark, — How shall I encounter its watches long and dark ] Sorely worn and shattered by many a billow past, Can I stand another rude and stormy blast 1 Ah ! the promised haven I never may attain, Sinking and forgotten amid the lonely main ; Enemies around me, gloomy depths below, — Slip the cable, let me go ! " Lord, I would be near Thee, with Thee where Thou art ; Thine own word hath said it, 'tis ' better to depart,5 There to serve Thee better, there to love Thee more, With Thy ransomed people to worship and adore. Ever to Thy presence Thou dost call Thine own ; Why am I remaining, helpless and alone ? Oh, to see Thy glory, Thy wondrous love to know ! — Slip the cable, let me go ! " Lord, the lights are gleaming from the distant shore, Where no billows threaten, where no tempests roar. 132 WAITING. Long-beloved voices calling me I hear, — Oh, how sweet tlieir summons falls upon my ear ! Here are foes and strangers, faithless hearts and cold ; There is fond affection, fondly proved of old ! Let me haste to join them, may it not be so? — Slip the cable, let me go ! " Hark, the solemn answer ! — hark, the promise sure ! " Blessed are the servants who to the end endure ! Yet a little longer hope and tarry on, Yet a little longer, weak and weary one ! More to perfect patience, to grow in faith and love, More My strength and wisdom and faithfulness to prove ; Then the sailing orders the Captain shall bestow, — Slip the cable, let thee go ! " H. L. L. PUdXch 29. WAITING. " Whom the Lord loveth he chasten eth... for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness." — Heb. xii. 6, 10. LORD of my nights and days ! Let my desire still be, Not to be rid of earth, But nearer Thee. WAITING. 133 If I may nearer draw Through lengthened grief and pain, Then to continue here Must be my gain ; Till I have strengthened been, To take a wider grasp Of that eternal life I long to clasp ; Till I am so refined I can the glory bear, Of that excess of joy I thirst to share Sorrow's long lesson o'er, Death's discipline gone through, Thou wilt unfold to me What joy can do ! Glad souls are on the wing, From earth to heaven they flee ; At last Thine hour will come To send for me. Reveal the mighty love That binds Thy heart to mine ; Thy counsels and my will Should intertwine. 134 GOOD FRIDAY. Lord of my heart and hopes ! Let my desire still be, Not to be rid of earth, But nearer Thee. I C. M. Noel. XMiarrh 30. GOOD FRIDAY. " And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." — Phil. ii. 8. S it not strange, the darkest hour That ever dawned on sinful earth Should touch the heart with softer power For comfort than an angel's mirth 1 ' That to the Cross the mourner's eye should turn, Sooner than where the stars of Christmas burn? Sooner than where the Easter sun Shines glorious on yon open grave, And to and fro the tidings run, " Who died to heal, is risen to save " ? Sooner than where upon the Saviour's friends The very Comforter in light and love descends ? Yet so it is : for duly there The bitter herbs of earth are set, GOOD FRIDAY. 135 Till tempered by the Saviour's prayer, And with the Saviour's life-blood wet, They turn to sweetness, and drop holy balm, Soft as imprisoned martyr's death-bed calm. O shame beyond the bitterest thought That evil spirit ever framed, That sinners know what Jesus wrought, Yet feel their haughty hearts untamed — That souls in refuge, holding by the Cross, Should wince and fret at this world's little loss ! Lord of my heart, by Thy last cry, Let not Thy blood on earth be spent — Lo, at Thy feet I fainting lie, Mine eyes upon Thy wounds are bent, Upon Thy streaming wounds my weary eyes Wait like the parched earth on April skies. Wash me, and dry these bitter tears ; O let my heart no further roam ; 'Tis Thine by vows, and hopes, and fears, Long since — 0 call Thy wanderer home, To that dear home, safe in Thy wounded side, Where only broken hearts their sin and shame may hide. Keble. 136 EASTER EVE. march 31. EASTER EYE. "And Joseph rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed. And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre." — Matt, xxvii. 60, 01. AXIGHT of silence and of gloom ; My Master lietli in the tomb — Mine was the sin and His the doom ! So on this awful eventide, My self-trust gone, my wealth of pride All spent and lost, I fain would hide. And where 3 Lo, on this eve, alone I come with contrite prayer and moan And lay me down before the Stone. -f* 5jc >f. yf. And the deep stillness hath a cry Reaching my soul, and none are by To drown it with their blasphemy. It saith, " 0 ingrate heart, for thee The passion in Gethsemane ; For thee the scourge, the mockery, " The scarlet robe, the thorny wreath : For thee the load He sank beneath ; For thee the Cross, the cry, the death ! EASTER EVE. 137 " Yea, all for thee ! and having learned How great that love was, hast thou spurned The due of gratitude it earned 1 " Thankless and cold ! thy broken vow Of love and service asks thee now, Here at His tomb, what doest thou ] " JTis true — yet am I fain to come • In grief I have no other home But near Him, though 'tis near His tomb. * * * * So on this holy eventide I lay me down as at His side, And pray to die as He has died, That I may rise to meet the strife With this dead heart renewed, and rife With impulses of love and life. But can it be, with one so vain, So weak, so fearful of disdain 1 " It can be ! by the right of pain, " And curse, and cross, and this dark night ! Thou shalt endure through all the fight, And as thy clays shall be thy might," Then, blessed Master ! only Friend ! Be near, inspire, sustain, defend ; In prayer I battle till the end, 138 EASTER EVE. Till on this Lenten night forlorn There breaks the final Easter morn, And the unsetting sun is born. * * * * So on this blessed eventide Here at Thy tomb, here at Thy side, I lift one prayer, Abide, abide ! The old, sweet prayer so earnestly Prayed one sad eve, and heard of Thee — Abide with me, abide with me ! Rev. S. J. Stone. M-VtU 1. EASTER MORNING. " I am the first and the last, and the Living one ; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive for evermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades." — Rev. i. 17, 18 {Revised Version). "\\T ELCOME, happy morning ! " age to age shall Hell to-day is vanquished, heaven is won to-day ! Lo ! the Dead is living, God for evermore ! Him, their true Creator, all His works adore ! Earth with joy confesses, clothing her for Spring, All good gifts returning with her returning King. Bloom in every meadow, leaves on every bough, Speak His sorrows ended, hail His triumph now. Months in due succession, clays of lengthening light, Hours and passing moments praise Thee in their flight ; Brightness of the morning, sky, and fields, and sea, Vanquisher of darkness, bring their praise to Thee ! Maker and Redeemer, Life and Health of all, Thou from heaven beholding human nature's fall, 140 HALLELUJAH ! JESUS LIVES/ Of the Father's Godhead true and only Son, Manhood to deliver, manhood didst put on. Thou, of life the author, death didst undergo, Tread the path of darkness, saving strength to show. Come then, True and Faithful, now fulfil Thy word : 'Tis Thine own third morning ! Rise, 0 buried Lord ! Loose the souls long prisoned, bound with Satan's chain. All that now is fallen raise to life again ; Show Thy face in brightness, bid the nations see ; Bring again our daylight, day returns with Thee ! " Welcome, happy morning ! " age to age shall say : Hell to-day is vanquished, heaven is won to-day ! Ellerton. M.vxxi 2. HALLELUJAH! JESUS LIVES! "Now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept."— 1 Cor. xv. 20. HALLELUJAH ! Jesus lives ! He is now the Living One. From the gloomy house of death Forth the Conqueror has gone, Bright Forerunner to the skies Of His people, yet to rise. HALLELUJAH! JESUS LIVES! 141 Jesus lives ! let all rejoice ! Praise Him, ransomed ones of earth ! Praise Him, in a nobler song, Cherubim of heavenly birth ; Praise the Victor King, whose sway Sin, and death, and hell obey. Jesus lives ! why weepest thou ? Why that sad and frequent sigh ? He who died our Brother here, Lives our Brother still on high, — Lives for ever, to bestow Blessings on His Church below. Jesus lives ! and thus, my soul, Life eternal waits for thee : Joined to Him, thy living Head, Where He is thou too shalt be ; With Himself, at His right hand, Victor over death shalt stand. Jesus lives ! to Him my heart Draws with ever new delight : Earthly vanities, depart ! Hinder not my heavenward flight ! Let this spirit ever rise To its magnet in the skies. Hallelujah ! angels, sing, Join us in our hymn of praise ! 142 EASTER DAY IN A MOUNTAIN CHURCHYARD. Let your chorus swell the strain Which our feebler voices raise : Glory to our God above, And on earth His peace and love ! C. B. Garve. (TV. H. L. L.) M-pAl 3. EASTER DAY IN A MOUNTAIN CHURCHYARD. " If we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him." — 1 Thess. iv. 14. THOU hast wept mournfully, 0 human love ! Even on this greensward ; night hath heard thy cry, Heart-stricken one ! thy precious dust above ; Night, and the hills, which sent forth no reply Unto thine agony ! But He who wept like thee, thy Lord, thy Guide, Christ hath arisen, 0 love ! thy tears shall all be dried. Dark must have been the gushing of those tears, Heavy the unsleeping phantom of the tomb On thine impassioned soul, in elder years, When, burdened with the mystery of its doom, Mortality's thick gloom Hung o'er the sunny world, and with the breath Of the triumphant rose came blending thoughts of death. EASTER DAY IN A MOUNTAIN CHURCHYARD. 143 But that dark night is closed ; and o'er the dead, Here, where the gleamy primrose tufts have blown, And where the mountain-heath a couch has spread, And, settling oft on some gray lettered stone, The redbreast warbles lone, And the wild-bee's deep drowsy murmurs pass, Like a low thrill of harp-strings, through the grass, — Here, 'midst the chambers of the Christian's sleep, We o'er death's gulf may look with trusting eye ; For Hope sits, dovelike, on the gloomy deep, And the green hills wherein these valleys lie Seem all one sanctuary Of holiest thought — nor needs their fresh, bright sod, Urn, wreath, or shrine, for tombs all dedicate to God. Ch rist hath arisen ! 0 mountain peaks ! attest — Witness, resounding glen and torrent wave ! The immortal courage in the human breast Sprung from that victory — tell how oft the brave To camp, 'midst rock and cave, Nerved by those words, their struggling faith have borne, Planting the Cross on high above the clouds of morn ! * ^ * * Those days are past — the mountains wear no more The solemn splendour of the martyr's blood : And may that awful record, as of yore, Never again be known to field or flood ! E'en though the faithful stood 144 FASTER SONNET. A noble army, in the exulting vsight [right ! Of earth and heaven, which blessed their battle for the But many a martyrdom by hearts unshaken Is yet borne silently in homes obscure ; And many a bitter cup is meekly taken : And, for the strength whereby the just and pure Thus steadfastly endure, Glory to Him, whose victory won that dower, Him, from whose rising streamed that robe of spirit- power ! Glory to Him ! Hope to the suffering breast ! Light to the nations ! He hath rolled away The mists, which, gathering into deathlike rest, Between the soul and heaven's calm ether lay ; — His love hath made it day With those that sat in darkness. Earth and sea, Lift up glad strains for man by truth divine made fi^ee ! Mrs. Hemaxs. .PLpril 4. EASTER SOXXET. "Jesus saith unto her, Mary ! ""— " Fear not : for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine."'— John xx. 16 : Isa. xliii. 1. HE said unto her, "Mary !" With one cry. And in one moment, she was at His feet. Oh, to her desolate, thirsting soul how sweet THE TRUE VINE. 145 The calling ! as to those in days gone by His voice on the dark waters, " It is I !" O great Good Shepherd ! so He came to meet One sheep that cried to find Him — so to greet Her for whose need He was unseen so nigh. He knows His sheep, and calls them all by name; They hear not others, but His voice they know : She heard and knew the calling sweet and low, And to His feet in reverent rapture came. O my great Master ! thus and evermore Thee would / seek and find, love and adore. Rev. S. J. Stone. Jiprit 5. THE TRUE VINE. "And they came unto the brook of Eshcol, and cut down from thence a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bare it between two upon a staff." — "I am the true vine."— Num. xiii. 23 ; John xv. 1. WHEN Israel lay in Kaclesh, where Paran's wilds expand, Into the north twelve mighty men were sent to spy the land ; Each tribe gave in its kingliest, before the hosts of light Rose up all in Jehovah's name to spoil the Amorite. Down in the fertile valley, where Eshcol's waters roll, They felled the lordly cedar-tree and wrought it to a pole, (104) 1 0 146 THE TRUE VI XE. And then they turned them south again, and bore to Israel's line The first-fruits of the gift of God, the first-ripe of the vine. And what to us. the world exclaims, that Vine branch borne of two ? O fools and blinded, is it not a figure of the True \ It is the sum of all things ; yea, that deed of prescience done Speaks of two Dispensations, and the Gift that made them one. They who were grace -expectant, they who lived and died in grace, — They who saw Christ far off, and they who see, though veiled, His face. — Those went before ; these follow ; they are all one Brotherhood, And in the midst the True Vine hangs upon the holy rood. Oh, come, ye heavy laden, and henceforth restful be : Oh, come, your weary weight of sin long since was laid on Me, — This is Thy call. 0 Merciful ; to all who will is given To eat the living Bread and drink the mystic wine of heaven. Ah, in our bosom's Hebron the son of Anak dwells, Mid pride-built Avails, embattled towers, and heaven- hidi citadels ! A WA KENINGS. 147 More faithless than the faithless ten, we will not break that sway ; We think to win the pleasant land, but not the Cross's way. Oh, first with grace preparing, then with gift no tongue can show, Lion of Juclah, visit us ! true Joshua, smite our foe ! Come from Thy heaven to our hearts, our health, our food to be, And cast imaginations down, and subject all to Thee. Then, not alone our fathers Thy Presence shall bring nigh ; Angels, archangels, sing with us, and all heaven's com- pany ; And now, what reck we ills to come ? They cannot mar our rest ; Our Love is ours, and we are His ; we want not, we are blest. Alexander. Jipril 6. AWAKENINGS. "Thou visitest the earth, and waterest it: thou blessest the springing thereof." — " Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust : for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead."— Ps. lxv. 9, 10 ; Isa. xxvi. 19. F ROM thy long winter sleep, Nature, arise ! " 148 AWAKENim Thus speaks the Voice divine From yonder skies. Then murmurs soft and low Answer the call, — Voices of bird and bee, And fountain's fall. The balmy breezes come, The gentle rain ; All over vale and hill Life wakes again. " From sin's long deadly sleep, Poor soul, arise ! " Thus sounded Mercy's voice From yonder skies. Then Satan's captive woke, And burst his chain : The dreams of midnight fled, All false and vain. The mighty Friend drew near, Faithful and true : Old things had passed away. All was made new : " From sorrow's heavy sleep, Sad heart, arise ! " So spoke the voice of Love From yonder skies. Then through fast falling tears Hope's rainbow stole ; SPRING. 149 Her soothing song was heard Within my soul, — " His promise hath not failed Through the sad past ; Weeping has long endured, Joy comes at last ! " " From death's long winter sleep, My people, rise ! n Soon shall that summons sound From yonder skies. Then from far severed graves, O'er land and sea, How gladly shall we haste, 0 Lord, to Thee ! Soon shall that morning dawn, This night be gone ; — Beloved ones ! till then In hope rest on ! H. L. L. Mjpxl 7. SPRING. *'Lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; the flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come/' — Song of Sol. ii. 11, 12. VOICES of Spring, with what gladness I hear you again ! Praises to Heaven ascending from mountain and plain I 150 SPBIXG. I too would raise Humbly, an anthem of praise, Joining in Nature's glad strain. Listen, my soul, to the chorus on earth and in air ; \U things created the praise of their Maker declare ! Shalt thou alone, Silent, refuse to make known All the rich grace thou dost share? Hath not the heavenly spring-time of hope come to thee. From the long winter of error and sorrow set free I While its soft light, Stealing across the dark night Ev'n of the grave, thou canst see ! O Thou almighty, all-merciful Saviour and Lord ! Would that each feeling, each thought of my soul, could All the deep love, [record Which, from Thy fulness above, Into this heart Thou hast poured ! Xow let me praise Thee ! Thou knowest how blindly and long All Thy kind dealings I read and interpreted wrong, Murmured and Avept, Wilfully wandered and slept In my rebellion so strong. But as the cold frosts of winter dissolve and give way, WThen on their surface the sunshine and soft breezes play, J THE RAINBOW. 151 So from the heart Coldness and darkness depart Under Thy love's cheering ray. Give me a harp ! from the valley of tears let me join Those who are singing above in the Presence Divine : Anthems of heaven — Praise from a sinner forgiven — Sweetly the echoes combine ! META HEUSSER. From "Alpine Lyrics." ~~o-*-^p^^&*-^ — ■ M-Vtil 8. THE RAINBOW. "And God said, I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth." — Gen. ix. 12, 13. STILL young and fine ! but what is still in view We slight as old and soiled, though fresh and new. How bright wert thou when Shem's admiring eye Thy burnished, flaming arch did first descry ! When Terah, Nahor, Haran, Abram, Lot, The youthful world's gray fathers, in one knot Did with intentive looks watch every hour For thy new light, and trembled at each shower ! When thou dost shine, darkness looks white and fair3 Storms turn to music, clouds to smiles and air ; Rain gently spends his honey-drops, and pours Balm on the cleft earth, milk on grass and flowers. 152 "0 LORD, THOU KNOWESTl" Bright pledge of peace and sunshine ! the sure tie Of my Lord's hand, the object of His eye ! When I behold thee, though my light be dim, Distant, and low, I can in thine see Him Who looks upon thee from His glorious throne, And minds the covenant 'twixt all and One. Henry Vaughax. JgLjml 9. "O LORD, THOU KNOWEST! " O God, thou knowest my foolishness ; and my sins are not hid from thee." — "And the Lord said, I know their sorrows." — "O Lord, thou knowest : remember me." — Ps. lxix. 5 ; Ex. hi. 7 ; Jee. xv. 15. THOU knowest, Lord, the weariness and sorrow Of the sad heart that comes to Thee for rest ; Cares of to-day, and burdens for to-morrow, Blessings implored, and sins to be confessed ; I come before Thee at Thy gracious word, And lay them at Thy feet — Thou knowest, Lord. Thou knowest all the past, — how long and blindly On the dark mountains the lost wanderer strayed, — How the Good Shepherd followed, and how kindly He bore it home, upon His shoulders laid, And healed the bleeding wounds, and soothed the pain, And brought back life, and hope, and strength again. "0 LORD, THOU KNOWEST! ' 153 Tliou knowest all the present, — each temptation, Each toilsome duty, each foreboding fear ; All to myself assigned of tribulation, Or to beloved ones, than self more dear ! All pensive memories, as I journey on, Longings for vanished smiles, and voices gone ! Thou knowest all the future, — gleams of gladness, By stormy clouds too quickly overcast, — Hours of sweet fellowship, and parting sadness, And the dark river to be crossed at last. Oli, what could confidence and hope afford To tread that path, but this, — Thou faioicest, Lord. Thou knowest, not alone as God, all-knowing,— As man, our mortal weakness Thou hast proved ; On earth, with purest sympathies o erflowing, O Saviour ! Thou hast wept, and Thou hast loved ! And love and sorrow still to Thee may come, And find a hiding-place, a rest, a home. Therefore I come, Thy gentle call obeying, And lay my sins and sorrows at Thy feet, On everlasting strength my weakness staying, Clothed in Thy robe of righteousness complete : Then rising and refreshed, I leave Thy throne, And follow on to know as I am known ! H. L. L. 154 MY PSALM. J5-}>rU 10. MY PSALM. "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever." — Ps. xxiii. 6. MOURN no more my vanished years ; Beneath a tender rain, An April rain of smiles and tears, My heart is young again. I The west winds blow, and, singing low, I hear the glad streams run ; The windows of my soul I throw Wide open to the sun. No longer forward, nor behind, I look in hope or fear, But, grateful, take the good I find, The best of now and here. I break my pilgrim staff, I lay Aside the toiling oar ; The angel sought so far away I welcome at my door. The airs of spring may never play Among the ripening corn, Nor freshness of the flowers of May Blow through the autumn morn, MY PSALM. 165 Yet shall the blue-eyed gentian look Through fringed lids to heaven ; And the pale aster in the brook Shall see its image given. The woods shall wear their robes of praise, The south wind softly sigh, And sweet, calm days in golden haze Melt down the amber sky All as God wills, who wisely heeds To give or to withhold, And knoweth more of all my needs Than all my prayers have told. Enough that blessings undeserved Have marked my erring track ; That wheresoe'er my feet have swerved His chastening turned me back. That more and more a Providence Of love is understood, Making the springs of time and sense Sweet with eternal good ; That death seems but a covered way Which opens into light, Wherein no blinded child can stray Beyond the Father's sight ; That care and trial seem at last, "Through memorv's sunset air, 156 ALONE WITH THEE. Like mountain ridges overpast, In purple distance fair ; That all the jarring notes of life Seem blending in a psalm. And all the angles of its strife Slow rounding into calm. And so the shadows fall apart, And so the west winds play, And all the windows of my heart I open to the day. W hither. ALONE WITH THEE. "When I awake, I am still with thee." — "Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps? ' — " Your life is hid with Christ in God." — Ps. cxxxix. 18; Job xxxi. 4; Col. iii. 3. INTO my closet fleeing, as the dove Doth homeward flee, I haste away to ponder o'er Thy love. Alone with Thee ! In the dim wood, by human ear unheard, Joyous and free, Lord ! I adore Thee, feasting on Thy word, Alone with Thee ! GODMINSTER CHIMES. 157 Amid the busy city, thronged and gay, But One I see ; Tasting sweet peace, as unobserved I pray Alone with Thee ! Oh, sweetest life ! life hid with Christ in God ! So making me At home, and by the wayside, and abroad, Alone with Thee ! Prentiss. jg^ril 12. GODMINSTER CHIMES. "Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons : but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him." — Acts x. 34, 35. GODMINSTER ! Is it Fancy's play ? I know not, but the word Sings in my heart, nor can I say Whether 'twas dreamed or heard ; Yet fragrant in my heart it clings As blossoms after rain, And builds of half-remembered things This vision in my brain. Through aisles of long-drawn centuries My spirit walks in thought, 158 GODMINSTER CHIMES. And to that symbol lifts its eyes Which God's own pity wrought. From Calvary shines the altar's gleam. The Church's East is there : The ages one great minster seem. That throbs with praise and prayer. And all the way from Calvary down, The carven pavement shows Their graves who won the martyr's crown, And safe in God repose And as the mystic aisles I pace By aureoled workmen built. Lives ending at the Cross I trace Alike through grace and guilt Moravian hymn and Roman chant In one devotion blend, To speak the soul's eternal want Of Him, the inmost Friend. One prayer soars cleansed with martyr's fire, One choked with sinners tears. — - In heaven both meet in one desire, And God one music hears. While thus I dream, the bells clash out Upon the Sabbath air, — Each seems a hostile faith to shout. A selfish form of prayer : "HE LAID HIS HAND UPON ME:' 159 My dream is shattered ; yet who knows But that in heaven so near These discords find harmonious close In God's atoning ear \ Oh, chime of sweet Saint Charity, Peal soon that Easter morn When Christ for all shall risen be, And in all hearts new-born ! That Pentecost when utterance clear To all men shall be given, When all shall say My brother here, And hear My son in heaven ! Lowell. ^»^>^P^<-s — J^Lpril 13. "HE LAID HIS HAND UPON ME." "And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not ; I am the first and the last." — Rev. i. 17. LAY Thy Hand upon me When I fall asleep, Through the silent hours Close beside me keep ; Then the Prince of Darkness, Ruler of the air, Will not dare to touch me, If Thy Hand be there. 160 "HE LAID HIS HAND UPON MB." Lay Thy Hand upon me, Tenderly restrain All too eager longings, Every impulse vain ; Calm my spirit's chafing, Restless with long care ; Murmurs melt in silence When Thy Hand is there. Lay Thy Hand upon me When I rashly stray Into paths forbidden, Choosing my own way. Ah ! how much correction, Lord, I have to bear ! Yet must take it meekly, For Thy Hand is there. Thou didst lead a blind man In Thine earthly clays, Didst lead him long and gently, And show him light's pure rays ; Oh, through all life's journey To its farthest strand, Surely he remembered How he clasped that Hand ! Lead me now and always, Even to the last, EXPECTATION. 161 Till the way is ended. And the darkness past ; Till I reach the glory I was born to share, — This its crown and centre That my Lord is there ! C. M. Noel. J3Lpril 14. EXPECTATION. M He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things ? r — Rom. viii. 32. WHEN, long ago, I took Thee at Thy word, My sins were washed away : Now for all else I claim Thy promise, Lord, As mine for every day ! Be mine the stream from everlasting hills Thy Spirit's boundless grace ; Be mine the peace which lowliest temple fills Where Thou hast dwelling-place. Be mine with rich provision to show forth The bounty of my King : Full stores of grace should tell His matchless worth Whose royal love I sing. (104) 11 162 TRUE THANKFULNESS. Oh, for receiving that shall glorify The Lord whom I implore ! My listening soul entreats Him to draw nigh, And waits with open door. Elliott, ^LyrH 15. TRUE THANKFULNESS. "My cup runneth over." — "I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies. ': — Ps. xxiiL 5; Gen. xxxii. 10. OLOOK, my soul, and see How thy cup doth overflow ! Think of the love so free Which fills it for thee so ! Let fall no tears therein Of self-will or of doubt ; There may be tears for sin, But sinful tears keep out. What lies within \ Life, health, Friends — here, or gone before ; Promise of heavenly wealth, Of earthly, some small store ; Power to act thy part In earth's great labour-field ; THE GLORIOUS THREE. 163 Grace which should make thy heart An hundred-fold to yield. The drops that overflow Shine in the morning sun, And catch the evening glow, When each day's work is done. And if there mingle there Some drops of darker hue, What colour would all bear If all were but thy due ? What God's own wisdom planned, Is it not right and meet 1 Shall aught come from His hand, And not to thee seem sweet 1 Anon. J3Ljrol 16. THE GLORIOUS THREE. "Now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three ; but the greatest of these is charity."— 1 Cor. xiii. 13. FAITH, who sees beyond the portal Of far heaven with eagle eyes j Hope foretasting life immortal ; Charity, in meekest guise — 164 THE GLORIOUS THREE. Now abide the glorious three, But the first is Charity. Faith abideth, there are mountains She must day by day remove ; By the fair refreshing fountains Hope abideth ; and sweet Love Standeth crowned, the twain between, Very lowly, yet the queen. So, in view of things eternal, Bocks of time are overhurled ; So, behold, a beauty vernal Bobes the winter of the world. But where Charity hath trod Is the path of very God. Those shall vanish ; she remaineth When their work and life are o'er ;— As below, above, she reigneth, So she shall reign evermore. Heaven and earth shall pass away — Love goes ruling on for aye. Faith and preaching find an ending, Hope and prayer together cease, Love and praise, together blending, Know no changing save increase ; When that cry is past — " How long ? '5 Love takes up an endless song. A FAITHFUL SERVANT. 165 Now the old world is a-dying, — " Soon," cries Faith, " will Christ appear ! " Hope with rapture is replying, " Then the reign of Love is near ! n Willing both to fade away, Star-like, at her perfect day. Rev. S. J. Stone. A FAITHFUL SERVANT. " The Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave to every man his work." — Mark xiii. 34. THAT God hath need of even me, I know : Afar He plans His palaces, that rise In stately splendour to the shining skies, And day by day more grand, more perfect grow ; While I, in life's dark quarries, toiling slow, Hew the unshapely stones that yet no guise Of beauty wear to my dim, weary eyes — 'Neath my rude touch no grace or glory show. Elsewhere shall hands more skilful carve and gild My rough-hewn blocks, till they are meet to be A part of those bright walls that He doth build. Therefore, O soul, be all thy murmurs stilled — A place to work for Him He giveth thee, And to thy poor toil immortality. Spalding. 166 THE EVERLASTING MEMORIAL. M-VXli 18. THE EVERLASTING MEMORIAL. "The righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance." — Ps. c::ii. 6. UP and away, like the dew of the morning, Soaring from earth to its home in the sun, So let me steal away, gently and lovingly, Only remembered by what I have done. My name and my place and my tomb all forgotten, The brief race of time well and patiently run, So let me pass away, peacefully, silently, Only remembered by what I have done. Xeeds there the praise of the love-written record, The name and the epitaph graved on the stone 1 The things we have lived for, let them be our story, We ourselves but remembered by what we have done. I need not be missed, if my life has been bearing (As its summer and autumn moved silently on) The bloom, and the fruit, and the seed of its season — I shall still be remembered by what I have done. T need not be missed, if another succeed me, To reap down those fields which in spring I have sown ; He who ploughed and who sowed is not missed by the reaper, He is only remembered by what he has done. PRAISE FOR EARTH'S LESSONS. 167 Not myself, but the truth that in life I have spoken. — ■ Not myself, but the seed that in life I have sown, Shall pass on to ages ; all about me forgotten, Save the truth I have spoken, the things I have done. Dr. Boxar. J^pril 19. PRAISE FOR EARTH'S LESSONS. "And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good." — Gen. i. 31. OH, beautiful Art thou, earth, albeit worse Than in heaven is called good ! Praised be the mosses soft In thy forest pathways oft ; And the thorns, that make us think Of the thornless river-brink Where the ransomed tread. Praised be thy sunny gleams, And the storm, that worketh dreams Of calm unfinished. , Praised be thine active clays, And thy night-time's solemn need, When in God's dear Book we read, J\ro night shall be therein. 168 PRAISE FOR EARTH'S LESSONS. Praised be thy dwellings, warm By household fagots' cheerful blaze, Where, to hear of pardoned sin, Pauseth oft the merry din, Save the babe's upon the arm, Who croweth to the crackling wood. Yea, and better understood, Praised be thy dwellings cold, Hid beneath the churchyard mould, Where the bodies of the saints, Separate from earthly taints, Lie asleep, in blessing bound, Waiting for the trumpet's sound To free them into blessing, none Weeping more beneath the sun ; Though dangerous words of human love Be graven very near, above, Earth, we Christians praise thee thus. Even for the change that comes With a grief from thee to us ; For thy cradles and thy tombs, For the pleasant corn and wine, And summer heat, — and also for The frost upon the sycamore And hail upon the vine. E. B. Browning. GARDENING. 169 M-VXll 20. GARDENING. "Thou shalt be like a watered garden." — "Awake, O north wind ; and come, thou south ; blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out." — Isa. lviii. 11 ; Song of Sol. iv. 1G. SEEST thou yon woodland child, How, amid flowerets wild, Wilder himself, he plies his pleasure-task ] That ring of fragrant ground, With its low woodbine bound, He claims ; no more, as yet, his little heart need ask. There learns he flower and weed To sort with careful heed ; He waits not for the weary noontide hour. There with the soft night air Comes his refreshing care ; Each tiny leaf looks up, and thanks him for the shower. Thus faithful found awhile, He wins the joyous smile Of friend or parent ; glad and bright is he, When for his garland gay He hears the kind voice say, " Well hast thou wrought, dear boy ; the garden thine shall be." And when long years are flown, And the proud word, Mine own, 170 " WILT THOU NOT REVIVE US AGAINV Familiar sounds, what joy in field or bower To view by memory's aid Again that garden glade, [hour ! And muse on all the lore there learned in each bright Is not a life well spent A child's play-garden, lent For Heaven's high trust to train young heart and When in yon field on high [limb ? Our hard- won powers we try. Will no mild tones of earth blend with the adoring hymn ? Oh, fragrant, sure, will prove The breath of patient Love, Even from these fading sweets by memory cast. As deepening evermore To Him our song we pour "Who lent us Earth, that He might give us Heaven at last. Keble, '' Lvra Innocentium."' Jlpril 21. " WILT THOU XOT REVIVE US AGAIN V " But I am poor and sorrowful : let thy salvation, O God, set me up on high."— "Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee?" — Ps. lxix. 29 : lxxxv. 6. T VHE spring-tide hour Brings leaf and flower, With son^s of life and love ; " WILT THOU NOT REVIVE US AGAIN V IT I And many a clay Wears out the lay In many a leafy grove. Bird, flower, and tree Seem to agree Their choicest gifts to bring ; But this poor heart Bears not its part, — In it there is no spring. Dews fall apace, The dews of grace, Upon this soul of sin, And love divine Delights to shine Upon the waste within ; Yes, year by year, Fruits, flowers, appear, And birds their praises sing; But this poor heart Bears not its part, — Its winter has no spring. Lord, let Thy love, Fresh from above, Soft as the south wind blow ; Call forth its bloom, Wake its perfume, And bid its spices flow ! 172 THE UNNAMED WOMEN. And when Thy voice Makes earth rejoice, And the hills laugh and sing, Lord ! make this heart To bear its part, And join the praise of spring ! MONSELL. Mjxti 22. THE UNNAMED WOMEN. " And Jesus said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. Thy faith hath saved thee ; go in peace." — " And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more." — Luke vii. 48, 50; John viii. 11. THE hand that might have drawn aside The veil, which from unloving sight Those shrinking forms avails to hide, With tender care has wrapped it tight. He would not have the sullied name Once fondly spoken in a home, A mark for strangers' righteous blame, Branded through every age to come. And thus we only speak of them As those on whom His mercies meet, " She whom the Lord would not condemn,'' And " She who bathed with tears His feet." FORGIVENESS. 173 Trusted to no evangelist, First heard where sins no more defile, Read from the Book of Life by Christ, And consecrated by His smile. Mrs. Charles. Jipril 23. FORGIVENESS. "Jesus said, Be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee." — "Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness : by whose stripes ye were healed." — Matt. ix. 2 ; 1 Peter ii. 24. FORGIVENESS may then yet be mine, The sinless lips have said "Forgiven;" Pardon is then a right divine, And love indeed the law of heaven. " But can the sullied snow grow white 1 What spell can seal the memory fast? What has been ever must have been, The Almighty cannot change the past. " His eyes, though piercing as the light, In pity may refuse to see ; But what can make my memory white? What veil can hide myself from me?" Oh raise thy downcast eyes to His, And read the blessed secret there ; 174 "LOVE AS BRETHREN. The pardoning love from guilt that frees, By loving thee shall make thee fair Thy guilt and shame on Him must lie : Then search the past thy guilt to see ; Instead, this sight shall meet thine eye, — Thy Saviour on the cross for thee ! Mrs. Charles. jgLpril 24. "LOVE AS BRETHREN. " And Joseph said unto them, See that ye fall not out by the way." — " Be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous." — Gex. xlv. 24 ; 1 Peter iii. 8. FALL not out upon the way ; Short it is, and soon will end ; Better far to fly the fray Than to lose the friend. If thy brother seemeth slow; Jeer not, but thy quickness slack ; Rather than divided go, Keep the wearier track. Quit not, as for shorter line, Ancient ways together trod ; Joy to read at once the sign Pointing on to God. RECONCILED. 175 Teach each other, as ye walk, How to sing the angels' song ; Fill the time with homeward talk, Then 'twill not be long. Gently deal with those who roam, Silent as to wanderings past ; So, together at your home, All arrive at last. Lord Kinloch. JJLjml 25. RECONCILED. "And the contention was so sharp between them, that they de- parted asunder one from the other." — "Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me Take Mark, and bring him with thee : for he is profitable to me for the ministry." — Acts xv. 39 ; 2 Tim. iv. 9, 11. i H ! who shall dare in this frail scene On holiest, happiest thoughts to lean, On Friendship, Kindred, or on Love ? Since not apostles' hands can clasp Each other in so firm a grasp, But they shall change and variance prove. Yet deem not on such parting sad Shall dawn no welcome dear and glad : Divided in their earthly race, O' 176 RECOSCILED. Together at the glorious goal. Each leading many a rescued soul, The faithful champions shall embrace. For e'en as those mysterious Four, Who the bright whirling wheels upbore By Chebar in the fiery blast, So, on their tasks of love and praise The saints of God their several ways Right onward speed, yet join at last. And sometimes e'en beneath the moon The Saviour gives a gracious boon, When reconciled Christians meet, And face to face, and heart to heart, High thoughts of holy love impart In silence meek, or converse sweet. Companion of the saints ! 'twas thine To taste that drop of peace divine, "When the great soldier of thy Lord Called thee to take his last farewell, Teaching the Church with joy to tell The story of your love restored. Oh then the glory and the bliss, When all that pained or seemed amiss Shall melt with earth and sin away ! When saints beneath their Saviour's eye, Filled with each other's company. Shall spend in love the eternal day ! Kefie. TRAINING. 177 J3Lpril 26. TRAINING. "Jesus answered and said unto Peter, What I do thou knowest not now ; but thou shalt know hereafter." — John xiii. 7. THE ills we see— The mysteries of sorrow deep and long, The dark enigmas of permitted wrong — Have all one key : This strange, sad world is but our Father's school; All chance and change His love shall grandly overrule. How sweet to know, The trials which we cannot comprehend Have each their own divinely purposed end. He traineth so For higher learning, ever onward reaching For fuller knowledge yet. and His own deeper teaching. He traineth thus, That we may teach the lessons we are taught ; That younger learners may be further brought, Led on by us : AVell may we wait, or toil, or suffer long, For His dear service so to be made fit and strong ! Nor only here The rich result of ail our God doth teach His scholars, slow at best, until we reach A nobler sphere ; (104) 12 178 THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE FLOCK. Then, only then, our training is complete, And the true life begins for which He made us meet. Are children trained, Only that they may reach some higher class? Only for some few school-room years that pass Till growth is gained ? Is it not rather for the years beyond To which the father looks with hopes so fair and fond ! Bold thought, flash on Into the far depths of eternity ! When Time shall be a faint star-memory So long, long gone ; — Only not lost to our immortal sight, Because it ever bears Redemption's quenchless light ! F. R. Havergal M-ptU 27. THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE FLOCK. ''I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.. ..My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they folbw me : and I give unto them eternal life." - - Johx x. 14, 27. 28. N" OT always, Lord, in pastures green The sheep at noon Thou feedest, Where in the shade they lie Within Thy watchful eye ; — THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE FLOCK. 179 Not always under skies serene The white-fleeced flock Thou leadest. On rugged ways, with bleeding feet They leave their painful traces ; Through deserts drear they go, Where wounding briers grow, And through dark valleys, where they meet No quiet resting-places. Not always by the waters still, Or lonely wells palm-hidden, Do they find happy rest, And in Thy presence blest Delight themselves, and drink their fill Of pleasures unforbidden. Their track is worn on Sorrow's shore Where windy storms beat ever, Their troubled course they keep Where deep calls unto deep ; So going till they hear the roar Of the dark -flowing river. But wheresoeer their steps may be, So Thou their path be guiding, Oh be their portion mine ! Show me the secret sign, That I may trace their way to Thee, In Thee find rest abiding ! 180 THE ONLY POSSIBLE. Slowly they gather to the fold Upon Thy holy mountain ; There, resting round Thy feet, They dread no storm nor heat, And slake their thirst where Thou hast rolled The stone from Life's full fountain. J. D. Burns. JJ-prU 28. THE ONLY POSSIBLE. "For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh : and these are contrary the one to the other ; so that ye cannot do the things that ye would." — Gal. v. 17. I CANNOT clear this troubled breast Of cares, which every day molest ; Only I can remember Thine, 0 Saviour, and the less repine. 1 cannot drive this sin away. Which makes me still anew its prey ; I can but to Thy cross repair, To hear Thee speak my pardon there. I cannot love as I desire, With bosom for Thy grace on fire ; I can but view Thy love to me, And humbled feel, so loved to be. THE SHORE OF ETERNITY. 181 I cannot rise, as fain I would, To perfect right, or perfect good ; I can but think of Thee on high, O Saviour, and be glad to die ! In vain are all my efforts made, Myself to save, or lift, or aid : The only possible for me, O Saviour, is to cling to Thee ; In time of dread, Thy hand to hold ; In loss, Thy charter to unfold ; On Thee to lean, when apt to fall, And, sought in Thee, in Thee have all. Lord Kixloch. JgLprii 29. THE SHORE OF ETERNITY. " I go whence I shall not return, even to the land of darkness, and the shadow of death. *' — " Do not I fill heaven and earth ? saith the Lord.'* — "Fear thou not ; for I am with thee : be not dismayed : for I am thy God." — Job x. 21 ; Jer. xxiii. 24 ; Isa. xli. 10. ALOXE ! to land alone upon that shore ! With no one sight that we have seen before, — Things of a different hue, And the sounds all new, — Xo forms of earth our fancies to arrange, But to begin alone that mighty change I 182 THE SHORE OF ETERNITY. Alone ! to land alone upon that shore ! Knowing so well we can return no more ; No voice or face of friend, None with us to attend Our disembarking on that awful strand, But to arrive alone in such a land ! Alone ! to land alone upon that shore ! To begin alone to live for evermore ; To have no one to teach The manners or the speech Of that new life, or put us at our ease,— Oh that we might die in pairs or companies ! Alone ? No ! God hath been there long before, Eternally hath waited on that shore For us who were to come To our eternal home ; And He hath taught His angels to prepare In what way we are to be welcomed there. Alone ? The God we trust is on that shore, The Faithful One whom we have trusted more, In trials and in woes, Than we have trusted those On whom we leaned most in our earthly strife,— Oh, we shall trust Him more in that new life ! Alone ? The God we love is on that shore, Love not enough, yet whom we love far more. THE PILGRIMS AT HOME. 183 And whom we've loved all through, And with a love more true Than other loves ; yet we shall love Him more — True love of Him begins upon that 'shore ! So not alone we land upon that shore ; 'Twill be as though we had been there before ; We shall meet more we know Than we can meet below, And find our rest, like some returning dove, And be at home at once with our Eternal Love ! Faber. jgLpril 30. THE PILGRIMS AT HOME. ' " Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple : and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them." — Rev. vii. 15. H APPY the souls released from fear And safely landed there ! Some of the shining number once I knew, And sojourned with them here. Nay some, my elder brethren now, Set later out for heaven, my junior saints below. Long after me they heard the call of grace Which waked them unto righteousness ; — How have they got beyond ! Converted last, yet first with glory crowned ! 184 THE PILGRIMS AT HOME. Little once I thought that these AVould first the summit gain, And leave me far behind, slow journeying o'er the plain Loved while on earth, nor less beloved though gone, Think not I envy you your crown ! Xo, if I could, I would not call you down ! Though slower is my pace, to you I'll follow on, Leaning on Jesus all the way. The shinings of His grace, The sweet un veilings of His face, Make me, at times, near half as blest as you ! Toplady. ma8 1. WONDERS OF DAY AND NIGHT. " 0 Lord, how manifold are thy works ! in wisdom hast thou made them all." — Ps. civ. 24. SO wide, so richly stored Thy universe, O Lord ! We need a double view, Each night and morning new. Behold the sun arise — What glories meet our eyes ! Around, on either hand, What forms of beauty stand ! This wondrous earth of ours, Its forests and its flowers, The rivers rushing free, The mountains and the sea — We say, with one accord, Great are Thy works, O Lord ! Who can the whole explore, Or trace from shore to shore 1 186 WONDERS OF DAY AND NIGHT. Now comes the silent night : One scene is lost to sight ; Another, strange and new, Shines in the vault of blue. Star rises after star, Worlds gleaming from afar ' We cry, with one accord, Great are Thy works, 0 Lord ! And filled with deep amaze, In silence still we gaze, Bewildered by the thought Of all our God hath wrought. Oh, when the soul would soar These regions to explore, Amid the starry host How thought itself is lost ! Yet mindless, unimpressed, How many near us resr, Within the misty round In which themselves are found ! But tve, with glad accord, Extol Thy name, O Lord ! And trace below, above, Thy wisdom and Thy love. From the German of Lange. (Tr. H. L L.; REUNION.— "I WILL GIVE YOU BEST." 187 REUNION. " If we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him." — 1 Thess. iv. 14. GOD does not give us new flowers every year : When the spring winds blow o'er the pleasant places, The same dear things lift up the same fair faces, — The violet is here ! It all comes back, — the odour, grace, and hue ; Each sweet relation of its life repeated : No blank is left, no longing-for is cheated ; It is the thing we knew. So after the death-winter must it be — God will not set strange signs in heavenly places ; The old love will look out from the old faces ; — My own ! I shall have thee ! S. A, H. (3Qaj) 3. '•I WILL GIVE YOU REST/' " Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." — Matt. xi. 28. "W E are so tired," we say ; our eyelids ache With wistful lonoino* for the kingdom fair 188 "J WILL GIVE YOU REST." When shall the glory of the morning break Across the shadows 1 when shall we awake To perfect knowledge of the fulness there ? Oh for one look on Him, our King confessed, That, seeing, we might rest ! " So tired ! " we say ; our hearts are wearied sore, Bowed with the weight of their own weaknesses ; We make them strong for warfare as of yore, And suddenly a waif from memory's store, A night of stars, a spring dawn's tenderness, Unbinds our strongholds, till by pain oppressed We can but plead for rest. Is there no answer? Hark, the voice of One Whose eyes look through eternity, yet keep All their remembrance of earth's watchings lone \ Whose burnished feet through all the ages gone Have worn the scars of pain once graven deep ; Whose yearning heart thrills through its fond request, " Come unto Me, and rest ! " Oh, sorrowing eyes that wait the distant years When doubtful paths shall all be understood, Mine have seen further than your utmost fears, I, too, have sorrowed even unto tears, Nay, mingled with the night-dews drops of blood; — I plead with you by all My love confessed, Come unto Me, and rest ! REST. 189 " Oh, weary feet that all too soon have known Such restless aching, Mine was greater yet \ I climbed the awful Calvary steps as One Treading the winepress there alone, alone, That through the anguish on that pathway set For you might shine this haven sweet and blest — Come unto Me, and rest ! " Here and hereafter ! oh, beloved of old, God's afterward, though infinite it be, Such wealth of blessings thought can scarcely hold, — This one, o'erflowing from My love untold, I fain would give to all who come to Me. Here and hereafter ; oh, redeemed and blest, Come unto Me, and rest ! " Mary Rowles. REST. ;' We which have believed do enter into rest." — "The Lord shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear. " — Heb. iv. 3 ; Isa. xiv. 3. REST, weary soul ! The penalty is borne, the ransom paid, For all thy sins full satisfaction made ; Strive not thyself to do what Christ has done, Claim the free gift, and make the joy thine own. 190 HEST. No more by pangs of guilt and fear distrest, Rest, sweetly rest ! Rest, weary heart ! From all thy silent griefs and secret pain, Thy profitless regrets, and longings vain \ Wisdom and love have ordered all the past, All shall be blessedness and light at last ; Cast off the cares that have so long opprest, — Rest, sweetly rest ! Rest, weary head 1 Lie down to slumber in the peaceful tomb ; Li^ht from above has broken through its gloom. Here, in the place where once thy Saviour lay, Where He shall wake thee on a future day, Like a tired child upon its- mother's breast, Rest, sweetly rest ! Rest, spirit free ! In the green pastures of the heavenly shore, Where sin and sorrow can approach no more ; With all the Mock by the Good Shepherd fed, Beside the streams of life eternal led, For ever with thy God and Saviour blest, — Rest, sweetly rest ! H. L. L. From ''Thoughtful Hows.' MORNING IN SPRING. 191 MORNING IN SPRING. " As the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morn- ing without clouds." — 2 Sam. xxiii. 4. H OW nature wakes around ! How the low rays of light Glitter in dew-drops bright ! What music in each sound ;— Streams in their silver flow, Birds warbling clear and low,— And now, behold the monarch of the skies, In his full glory, from his eastern couch arise ! How fresh this fragrant air ! New life to all it brings, As if from hidden springs, And I with nature share ; Through every pulse I feel New life, new vigour steal : Oh that my soul with yon light clouds could fly, Above all beauty here, to its great Source on high ! Yes, all has come from Thee, Lord of all power and might ! To chaos' silent night Thou spakest — " Let there be ! " And, answering to each name, Light, life, and beauty came. 192 MORNING IN SPRING, And still the work of power does love maintain, Revive, renew, through all Thy universal reign. At length a morn shall come, When the last " Let there be ! " Is spoken — and we see This earth a glorious home, A temple, where no sin Xor death shall enter in, "Where Christ's redeemed ones, serenely blest, In the new heavens and earth for ever safe shall rest. And now things fair and bright Are shadows, sent before, Of better things in store, When these have sunk in night. Pass, shadows of to-day ! Bright visions, fade away ! We mourn you not — let planets disappear, When the red glowing east proclaims the Sun is near, For me that Sun shall rise ; — And loved ones, mourned in vain, Its liolit shall brine ao-ain To bless my longing eyes. Then faint not, drooping heart, Ours is the better part : Bloom on, fair Nature ! fading are thy flowers. But things which perish not, in Christ are surely ours. Rudolph Stieb, THE LOVE OF GOD. 193 XHai) 6. THE LOVE OF GOD. "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. " — 1 John iv. 10. OLOYE of God, how strong and true ! Eternal, and yet ever new, Uncomprehended and unbought, Beyond all knowledge and all thought ! O love of God, how deep and great ! Far deeper than man's deepest hate ; Self-fed, self-kindled like the light, Changeless, eternal, infinite ! O wide-embracing, wondrous love, We read thee in the sky above, We read thee in the earth below, In seas that swell and streams that flow ! We read thee in the flowers, the trees, The freshness of the fragrant breeze, The song of birds upon the wing, The joy of summer and of spring. We read thee best in Him who came To bear for us the cross of shame, Sent by the Father from on high, Our life to live, our death to die (104) 13 194 THE BROOK. 0 love of God, our shield and stay Through all the perils of our way ! Eternal love, in thee we rest, For ever safe, for ever blest ! Dr. Bonar. THE BROOK. "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth." — "Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth." — "They that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing. " — Matt. vi. 19 ; Col. hi. 2 ; Ps. xxxiv. 10. FAIR stream of the peaceful valley, Murmuring soft and low, Have they robbed thee of all thy treasures, That thou art wailing so ] Ah ! what pictures of perfect beauty Once in thy calm mirror slept !— The graceful birches and alders, The willow that waved and wept, — The cool, deep-shaded places, Where the wild-fowl loved to rest, — The squirrel among the branches, The linnet low in her nest ! But the sound of axe and hatchet Came down the quiet dell ; i THE CHURCH'S SONG. 195 Then the birch and the alder vanished, The willow sighed and fell. Now all is bare and dreary \ — Over the cold gray stone Thou goest, mourning and seeking For loved companions gone. Yet see ! — the blue heaven is mirrored There, where the shadows lay ; The moon and the stars at midnight, The glorious sun by day. Flow on thy course to the ocean.. Fair stream, and lament no more ! Thou hast gained more abiding treasures Than all those possessed before. I, too, may pursue my journey, And lament not nor repine, — What matter though Earth be lonely. If Heaven at last be mine ! META HEUSSEB. (Free translation. ) From "Alpine Lyrics.' XaElafi 8. THE CHURCH'S SONG. 'My beloved is mine, and I am his."— Song of Sol. ii. 16. I AM Thine ; I stand before Thee, Jesus, evermore Thine own ; 196 THE CHURCH'S SONG. Not by merit, but by glory Of Thy grace, elect alone ; Thy beloved, Unto men and angels shown. Thou art mine ; I did not choose Thee, Only came when Thou didst call • Now, oh never let me lose Thee, From Thy favour never fall ! My Beloved, First and Last, and all in all ! I am Thine ; Thy word remaineth. That no creature, far or nigh, Where the lord of evil reigneth In deep hell or haunted sky, Shall for ever Part of love the mystic tie. Thou art mine ; although Thy vision Fills not yet my longing sight, Though the doubting world's derision Holds my honour in despite, — Mine in darkness, Surely as at last in light ! I am Thine ; in tribulation From Thy parted heavens above Comes divinest consolation, Lighting as the Holy Dove, THE TABLE OF THE LORD. 197 With the message Of Thine everlasting love. Thou art mine ; in bliss and sorrow. In the shade as in the shine \ Yesterday, to-day, to-morrow, To the age of ages, — mine. Yea, my Master, Mine Thou art, for I am Thine 1 Rev. S. J. Stone. — i^-^ip^^. — mm 9» THE TABLE OF THE LORD. "Now when the even was come, he sat down with the twelve." Matt. xxvi. 20. AROUND a Table, not a Tomb, He willed our gathering to be, When, going to prepare our home, Our Saviour said, " Remember Me." We kneel around no sculptured stone, Marking the place where Jesus lay ; Empty the tomb, the angels gone, The stone for ever rolled away. The sculptured stone is for the dead, — Thy three dark days of death are o'er i Thou art the Life, the living Head, Our living Light for evermore. 198 ASCENSION DAY. Of no fond relics sadly dear, O Master, are Thine own possest, The crown of thorns, the cross, the spear, The purple robe, the seamless vest. Nay ! relics are for those who mourn The memory of an absent friend ; Not absent Thou, nor we forlorn — Art Thou not with us to the end \ Then round Thy Table, not Thy Tomb, We keep Thy sacred feast with Thee, Until within the Father's home Our endless gathering-place shall be. Mrs. Charles. 10. ASCENSION DAY. "While they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight." — Acts i. 9. HE is gone ! beyond the skies A cloud receives Him from our eyes. Gone beyond the highest height Of mortal gaze or angel's flight ; Through the veils of time and space Passed into the holiest place, — All the toil, the sorrow done, All the battle fought and won ASCENSION DAY. 199 He is gone ! and we remain In this world of sin and pain ; In the void which He has left, On this earth, of Him bereft, We have still His work to do, We can still His path pursue, Seek Him both in friend and foe, In ourselves His image show. He is gone ! but we once more Shall behold Him as before, In the heaven of heavens the same As on earth He went and came. In the many mansions there, Place for us He will prepare ; In that world unseen, unknown. He and we may yet be one. He is gone ! but not in vain ; Wait until He comes again. He is risen ! He is not here ; Far above this earthly sphere, Evermore, in heart and mind, There our peace in Him we find ; To our own eternal Friend Thitherward let us ascend. Dean Stanley. 200 THE ASCENDED SAVIOUR. THE ASCENDED SAYIOUR. ''And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven." — Luke xxiv. 51. HAIL the day that sees Him rise, Ravished from our wishful eyes ! Christ, awhile to mortals given, Re-ascends His native heaven. There for Him high triumph waits : Lift your heads, eternal gates ! Wide unfold the radiant scene ! Take the King of Glory in ! Circled round with angel powers, Their triumphant Lord and ours, Conqueror over death and sin, Take the King of Glory in ! Him though highest heaven receives, Still He loves the earth He leaves ; Though returning to His throne, Still He calls mankind His own. See ! He lifts His hands above ; See ! He shows the prints of love : Hark ! His gracious lips bestow Blessings on His Church below ; Still for us His death He pleads • Prevalent, He intercedes ; LIGHT IN DARKNESS. 201 Near Himself prepares our place, — Harbinger of human race. Lord, though parted from our sight. High above yon azure height, Grant our hearts may thither rise, Following Thee beyond the skies. There we shall with Thee remain, Partners of Thine endless reign \ There Thy face unclouded see, Find our heaven of heavens in Thee ! C. Wesley. XHau 12. LIGHT IN DARKNESS. "If a man die, shall he live again?" — "Jesus said, I am the resurrection, and the life." — Job xiv. 14; Johx xi. 25. BREEZES of spring, all earth to life awaking, — Birds swiftly soaring through the sunny sky, — The butterfly its lonely prison breaking, — The seed upspringing, which had seemed to die, — Types such as these a word of hope have spoken, Have shed a gleam of light around the tomb : But weary hearts longed for a surer token, A clearer ray, to dissipate its gloom. 202 LOSSES. And this was granted ! See the Lord ascending, On crimson clouds of evening calmly borne, With hands outstretched, and looks of love still bending On His bereaved ones, who no longer mourn, " I am the resurrection," hear Him saying; " I am the life j He who believes in Me Shall never die, — the souls My call obeying, " Soon, where I am, for evermore shall be." Sing Hallelujah ! light from heaven appearing, The mystery of life and death is plain ; Now to the grave we can descend unf earing, In sure and certain hope to rise again ! UnBEKANNTES. (IV. H. L. LJ LOSSES. "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul ? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul ?'- Matt. xvi. 26. UPON the white sea-sand There sat a pilgrim band. Telling the losses that their lives had known, While evening waned away From breezy cliff and bay. And the strong tides went out with weary moan. LOSSES. 203 One spake, with quivering lip, Of a fair-freighted ship, With all his household, to the deep gone down. But one had wilder woe For a fair face, long ago, Lost in the darker depths of a great town ! There were who mourned their youth With a most loving truth, For its brave hopes and memories ever green • And one upon the West Turned an eye that would not rest For far-off hills whereon its joy had been. Some talked of vanished gold, Some of proud honours told, Some spake of friends that were their trust no more, And one of a green grave, Beside a foreign wave, That made him sit so lonely on the shore. But when their tales were done, There spake among them one, A stranger, seeming from all sorrow free — " Sad losses have ye met ; But mine is heavier yet, For a believing heart is gone from me." " Alas ! " those pilgrims said, " For the living and the dead, 204 JOY IN BELIEVING. For fortune's cruelty, for love's sure cross, For the wrecks of land and sea ! But, howe'er it came to thee, Thine, stranger, is life's last and heaviest loss." Frances Browne. mau 14. JOY IN BELIEVING. " I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day."— 2 Tim. i. 12. HALLELUJAH ! I believe ! Now the giddy world stands fast ; Now ray soul has found an anchor Till the night of storm is past. All the gloomy mists are rising, And a clue is in my hand, Through earth's labyrinth to guide me To a bright and heavenly land. Hallelujah ! I believe ! Sorrow's bitterness is o'er, And affliction's heavy burden Weighs my spirit down no more. On the cross the mystic writing Now revealed before me lies, While I read the words of comfort, " As a father, I chastise." JOY IN BELIEVING. 205 Hallelujah ! I believe ! Now no longer on my soul All the debt of sin is lying, — One great Friend has paid the whole ! Ice-bound fields of legal labour I have left, with all their toil ; While the fruits of love are growing From a new and genial soil. Hallelujah ! I believe ! Xow life's mystery is gone ; Gladly through its fleeting shadows, To the end I journey on. Through the tempest, or the sunshine, — Over flowers or ruins led, Still the path is homeward hasting, Where all sorrow shall have fled. Hallelujah ! I believe ! Xow, O Love, I know thy power : Thine no false or fragile fetters, Not the rose-wreaths of an hour ! Christian bonds of holy union, Death itself does not destroy : Yes, to live, and love for ever, Is our heritage of j o v ! Heixeich Mowes. 206 CONTRASTED PRAYERS. man i5. CONTRASTED PRAYERS. "And Jonah wished in himself to die, and said, It is better for me to die than to live." — " And he called his ten servants, and de- livered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come." —Jonah iv. 8 ; Luke xix. 13. TWO hands upon the breast, And labour's done ! Two pale feet crossed in rest, — The race is won. Two eyes with coin-weight shut, And all tears cease ; Two lips where grief is mute And wrath at peace ! So pray we oftentimes, mourning our lot : God, in His kindness, answereth not. Two hands for work addressed Aye for His praise, — Two feet that never rest, Walking His ways \ Two eyes that look above Still, through all tears ; Two lips that breathe but love. Nevermore fears ! So cry we afterwards, low on our knees ; Pardon those erring prayers ; Father ! hear these ! Anon. I THE VINEYARD LABOURER. 207 man 16. THE VINEYARD LABOURER. "The kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vine- yard,...and said unto them, Go ye into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way. " — Matt. xx. 1. 4. ASK not freedom, Lord, But that Thy grace afford Strength for the task Thou giv'st on earth to do : And, when with toil oppressed, Some short and broken rest, From which to start, and straight my work pursue. My days an hireling's are, And one from home afar ; — The hire Thy grace bestows I ask not here. I am content, 0 Lord, That Thou the whole shoulclst hoard, And pay at once, the home I reach to cheer. Lord Kixloch. £Qap 17. WORK AND CONTEMPLATION. " Redeeming the time, because the days are evil singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord" — Eph. v. 1G, 19. THE woman singeth at her spinning-wheel A pleasant chant, ballad or barcarolle ; She thinketh of her song, upon the whole, 208 BREAD IN THE WILDERNESS. Far more than of her flax, and yet the reel Is full, and artfully her fingers feel With quick adjustment, provident control, The lines, too subtly twisted to unroll, Out to a perfect thread. I hence appeal To the dear Christian Church — that we may do Our Father's business in these temples mirk, Thus swift and steadfast, thus intent and strong : While thus, apart from toil, our souls pursue Some high, calm spheric tune, and prove our work The better for the sweetness of our song. E. Barrett Browning. XHau 18. BREAD IN THE WILDERNESS. " From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness ? " — " He satisfieth the longing soul, and nlleth the hungry soul with goodness. " — Mark viii. 4 ; Ps. cvii. 9. G< O not away, thou weary soul : Heaven has in store a precious dole Even on Bethsaida's cold and darksome height, Where over rocks and sands arise Proud Sirion in the northern skies, And Tabor's lonely peak, 'twixt thee and noon-day light And far below, Gennesaret's main Spreads many a mile of liquid plain (Though all seem gathered in one eager bound), BREAD IX THE WILDERNESS. 209 Then narrowing cleaves yon palmy lea, Towards that deep sulphureous sea Where live proud cities lie, by one dire sentence drowned. Landscape of fear ! yet, weary heart, Thou neecVst not in thy gloom depart, ]STor fainting turn to seek thy distant home : Sweetly thy sickening throbs are eyed By the kind Saviour at thy side ; For healing and for balm e'en now thine hour is come, ISTo fiery wing is seen to glide, No cates ambrosial are supplied, But one poor fisher's rude and scanty store Is all He asks (and more than needs) Who men and angels daily feeds, And stills the wailing sea-bird on the hungry shore. The feast is o'er, the guests are gone, And over all that upland lone The breeze of eve sweeps wildly as of old — But far unlike the former dreams, The heart's sweet moonlight softly gleams Upon life's varied view, so joyless erst and cold So when the tones of rapture gay On the lorn ear die quite away, The lonely world seems lifted nearer heaven : Seen daily, yet unmarked before, Earth's common paths are strown all o'er With flowers of pensive hope, the wreath of man forgiven. (104) 1 ± 210 THE BOY WITH THE FIVE LOAVES. The low sweet tones of Nature's lyre No more on listless ears expire, Nor vainly smiles along the shady way The primrose in her vernal nest, Nor unlamented sink to rest Sweet roses one by one, nor autumn leaves decay. There's not a star the heaven can show, There's not a cottage-hearth below, But feeds with solace kind the willing soul — Men love us, or they need our love ; Freely they own, or heedless prove The curse of lawless hearts, the joy of self-control. Then rouse thee from desponding sleep, Nor by the wayside lingering weep, Nor fear to seek Him further in the wild, Whose love can turn earth's worst and least Into a conqueror's royal feast : Thou wilt not be untrue, thou shalt not be beguiled. Keble. mm i9. THE BOY WITH THE FIVE LOAYES. " There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes : but what are they among so many ?" — John vi. 9. W HAT time the Saviour spread His feast For thousands on the mountain's side, THE BOY WITH THE FIVE LOAVES. 211 One of the last and least The abundant store supplied. Haply, the wonders to "behold, A boy mid other boys he came, A lamb of Jesus' fold, Though now unknown by name. Or for his sweet obedient ways The Apostles brought him near, to share Their Lord's laborious days, His frugal basket bear Well may I guess how glowed his cheek, How he looked down, half pride, half fear ; Far off he saw one speak Of him in Jesus' ear. " There is a lad — five loaves hath he, And fishes twain ; — but what are they Where hungry thousands be ? " Nay, Christ will find a way. In order, on the fresh green hill The mighty Shepherd ranks His sheep By tens and fifties, still As clouds when breezes sleep. Oh, who can tell the trembling joy, Who paint the grave, endearing look, When from that favoured boy The wondrous pledge He took? 212 THE GUIDING PILL A E. Keep thou, clear child, thine early word ; Bring Him thy best : who knows but He For His eternal board May take some gift of thee ? Keble, "Lyra Innocentium." THE GUIDING PILLAR. "And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way ; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light : he took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people." — Ex. xiii. 21, '22. THE " Exodus M was only the beginning Of countless tender mercies by the way ; God went before the people He had chosen With lire by night, and in a cloud by day. He took it not away, that cloudy Pillar, Although they oft provoked Him so to do ; Ungrateful though they were for all His kindness, That Pillar led them all their journey through Just what they needed ! Wonderfully fitted To meet the varying wants of every hour ; But oh, how little did they prize the token Of His unerring Wisdom, Love, and Power ! God's leadings often crossed their inclinations ; — The Pillar went too fast, or went too slow ; TRUSTING OUR GUIDE. 213 It stayed too long to suit their restless temper, Or when they wished to stay it bade them go. It kept them so uncertain of the future ! It wrote " if God permit " on every plan ; It seemed to mock the wisdom of the wisest, And made a child of every full-grown man And so they murmured, — murmured very often ; Their sullen hearts rebelled against the light : Had not their God been strong and very patient, They never would have found their way aright. ; Now these things happened to them for ensamples,'3 We find them "written for our learning" here. 0 Israel ! Israel ! how can / condemn thee 1 Thy condemnation were my own, I fear ! Yet, God of Israel, do not Thou condemn me ! Oh do not answer any wilful prayer ! But lead me safely to the land of promise, To heaven itself, and I will praise Thee there ! Author of " The Old, Old Story" fM*& 21. TRUSTING OUR GUIDE. " For thy name's sake lead me, and guide me.;'- Ps. xxxi. 3. KNOW not the way I am going, I But well do I know my Guide ; 214 THE GOOD FIGHT. With a childlike trust I give my hand To the mighty Friend at my side. The only thing I say to Him As He takes it is — " Hold me fast ! Suffer me not to lose my way, And bring me home at last ! " As often the weary wanderer Alone in a stranger land, Tells the guide his destined place of rest, And leaves all else in his hand, — So 'tis home, 'tis home, we fain would reach ! He who guides us may choose our way ; Little we reck what path we take, If nearer home each day ! Douglas. mas 22- THE GOOD FIGHT. "So fight I, not as one that beateth the air." — "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." — 1 Cor. ix. 26; Eph. vi. 12. I CAME, and saw, and hoped to conquer, As the great Roman once had done ; His was the one hour's torrent shock of battle, My field was harder to be won. I came and saw, but did not conquer, — The foes were fierce, their weapons strong ; i DUTIES AND TRIALS. 215 I came, I saw, but yet I did not conquer — For me the fight was sore and long. They said the war was brief and easy — A word, a look, would crush the throng ; To some it may have been a moment's conflict, To me it has been sore and long. And yet I know that I shall conquer, Though sore and hard the fight may be ; I know, I know I shall be more than victor, Through Him who won the fight for me. I fight, not fearful of the issue, My victory now sure and near ; Yet not the less with hand and eye all watchful Grasp I my buckler and my spear. For I must fight, if I would conquer, — 'Tis not by flight that fields are won ; And I must conquer, if I would inherit The victor's joy, and crown, and throne. Dr. Bonae. mm 23- DUTIES AND TRIALS. "Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee."— Ps. lv. 22. EACH trial has its weight, which whoso bears Knows his own woe and need of succouring The martyr's hope half wipes away the trace [grace : 216 COMPENSA TION. Of flowing blood ; the while life's humblest cares Smart more, because they hold in Holy Writ no place. This be my comfort, in these days of grief Which is not Christ's, nor forms heroic tale — Apart from Him if not a sparrow fail, May He not pitying view, and send relief AVhen foes or friends perplex, and peevish thoughts prevail ? Then keep good heart ; nor take the self-wise course Of Thomas, who must see ere he would trust. Faith will fill up God's word, not poorly just To the bare letter, heedless of its force, But walking by its light amid earth's sun and dust, Newman. matj 24. COMPENSATION. " In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other." — Eccles. vii. 14. OH the compensating springs ! Oh the balancings of life, Hidden away in the workings under the seeming strife ! Slowing the fret and the friction, weighting the whirl and the force, Evolving the truest power from each unconscious source. COMPENSATION. 217 How shall we gauge the whole, who can only guess a part ? How can we read the life, when we cannot spell the heart 1 How shall we measure another, we who can never know From the juttings above the surface the depth of the vein below? Even our present way is known to ourselves alone, Height and abyss and torrent, flower and thorn and stone ; But we gaze on another's path as a far-off mountain scene, Scanning the outlined hills, but never the vales between. Ah ! if we knew it all we should surely understand That the balance of sorrow and joy is held with an even hand, That the scale of success or loss shall never overflow, And that compensation is twined with the lot of high and low. Then hush ! oh, hush ! for the Father knows what thou knowest not, The need and the thorn and the shadow linked with the fairest lot ; Knows the wisest exemption from many an unseen snare, Knows what will keep thee nearest, knows what thou couldst not bear. 218 DIVINE COMPASSION. Hush ! oh, hush ! for the Father portioneth as He will To all His beloved children; and shall they not be still? Is not His will the wisest, is not His choice the best ? And in perfect acquiescence is there not perfect rest ? Hush ! oh, hush ! for the Father, whose wa}Ts are true and just, Knoweth and careth and loveth, and waits for thy per- fect trust ; The cup He is slowly filling shall soon be full to the brim, And infinite compensations for ever be found in Him. Hush ! oh, hush ! for the Father hath fulness of joy in store, Treasures of power and wisdom, and pleasures for ever- more ; Blessing and honour and glory, endless infinite bliss : — - Child of His love and His choice, oh, canst thou not wait for this 1 F. R. Havergal. £ElaB 25. DIVINE COMPASSION. "Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame ; he remembereth that we are dust." — Ps. ciii. 13, 14. W HAT can we do, with whom the unbeholden Hanss in a nio;ht with which we cannot cope? DIVINE COMPASSION. 219 What but look sunward, and with faces golden Speak to each other softly of a hope 1 Can it be true, the grace He is declaring ? Oh let us trust Him, for His words are fair ! Then, what is this, and why art thou despairing 1 God shall forgive thee all but thy despair. Truly He cannot, after such assurance, Truly He cannot, and He will not fail ; Xay, they are known, the hours of thine endurance, Daily thy tears are added to the tale. Not as one blind and deaf to our beseeching, Neither forgetful that we are but dust, Not as from heavens too high for our up-reaching, Coldly sublime, intolerably just, — Xay, but Thou knowest us, Lord Christ, Thou knowest! Well Thou rememberest our feeble frame, Thou canst conceive our highest and our lowest, Pulses of nobleness, and aches of shame. Then though our sad and limitless transgression Grows with our growing, with our breath began. Raise Thou the arms of endless intercession, Jesus, divinest when Thou most art man ! F. W. H. Myers. 220 THE TWO SIDES. XUng 26. THE TWO SIDES. " Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy." — James v. 11. A GLOOMY cross stood on the path I trod, I needs must lift it would I onward go ; — On it was written clear, " The Will of God " Gazing, I wept and trembled, bending low. For much I dreaded what might be behind, Till Faith came forward, with her words of cheer. " Why weepest thou, O thou of doubtful mind 1 Arise and take thy cross ! What dost thou fear ? w She raised me up and pointed, when, behold ! The cross that terrified had passed away, And there, with " Love " inscribed in burnished gold. Another stood, which shone resplendently. Awhile I carried it, with wondering awe ; Its glory shone, a light upon my road ; Till looking at the other side, I saw The words which I had feared, — " The Will of God." I looked at Faith ; she smiled, — " I did but move The cross around and show the other name ; Behind the Will there always lies the Love : The Will and Love with God are but the same. DEPARTED FRIENDS. 221 " Thou wast afraid of what thou didst not see ; — They are most blessed, and they best fulfil God's gracious purpose for them perfectly, Who trust the unseen Love, and do the Will." Clara A. Tuckett. gHxv 27. DEPARTED FRIENDS. "The throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: and they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads." — Rev. xxii. 3, 4. THEY are all gone into a world of light, And I alone sit lingering here ! Their very memory is fair and bright, And my sad thoughts doth cheer. It glows and glitters in my cloudy breast Like stars upon some gloomy grove, Or those faint beams in which the hill is drest After the sun's remove. I see them walking in an air of glory Whose light doth trample on my days ; My days, which are at best but dull and hoary, Mere glimmering and decays Dear, beauteous death, the jewel of the just ! Shining nowhere but in the dark ; 222 DEPARTED FRIENDS. What mysteries do lie beyond thy dust, Could man outlook that mark ! He that hath found some fledged bird's nest may know At first sight if the bird be flown • But what fair dell or grove he sings in now, That is to him unknown. And yet, as angels in some brighter dreams Call to the soul when man doth sleep, So some strange thoughts transcend our wonted themes And into glory peep. If a star were confined within a tomb, Her captive flames must needs burn there ; But wThen the hand that locked her up gave room, She'd shine through all the sphere. 0 Father of eternal life, and all Created glories under Thee ! Resume my spirit from this world of thrall Into true liberty ! Either disperse these mists, which blot and fill My perspective still as they pass, Or else remove me hence into that hill Where I shall need no glass. V A UGH AN. CATHEDRAL HYMN. 223 XUsS 28- CATHEDRAL HYMN. " Mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people."—. " 0 thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come." — ISA. lvi. 7 ; Ps. lxv. 2. FATHER, which art on high ! Weak is- the melody Of harp or song to reach Thine awful ear. Unless the heart be there, Winging the words of prayer, With its own fervent faith or suppliant fear. What griefs that make no sign, That ask no aid but Thine, Father of mercies ! here before Thee swell ! As to the open sky, All their dark waters lie To Thee revealed, in each close bosom cell. The sorrow for the. dead, Mantling its lonely head From the world's glare, is in Thy sight set free ; And the fond aching love Thy minister, to move All the wrung spirit, softening it for Thee. And doth not Thy dread eye Behold the agony In that most hidden chamber of the heart. 224 CATHEDRAL HYMN. Where darkly sits remorse, Beside the secret source Of fearful visions, keeping watch apart ? How dreadful is this place ! The glory of Thy face Fills it too searchingly for mortal sight ; Where shall the guilty flee 1 Over what far off sea 1 What hills, what woods may shroud him from that light ? Not to the cedar shade Let his vain flight be made ; Nor the old mountains, nor the desert sea ; What but the Cross can yield The hope, the stay, the shield 1 Thence may the Atoner lead him up to Thee ! * * * # And if amidst the throng, Linked by the ascending song, There are, whose thoughts in trembling rapture soar, Thanks, Father ! that the power Of joy, man's early dower, Thus, even midst tears, can fervently adore ! Thanks for each gift divine ! Eternal praise be Thine, Blessing and love, 0 Thou that nearest prayer ! " BRING AN OFFERINGS 225 Let the hymn pierce the sky, And let the tombs reply ! For seed, that waits the harvest-time, is there ! Mus. Hkmans. — 3^0^^^^^- — mau 29. "BRING AN OFFERING." "Bring an offering, and come into his courts. O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness." — Ps. xcvi. 8, 9. HOLY offerings, Lord, we bear, Offerings of praise and prayer. Purer life, and purpose high, Clasped hands, uplifted eye, Lowly acts of adoration To the God of our salvation — On Thine altar laid we leave them : Christ, present them ! God, receive them ! Promises in sorrow made, Left, alas ! too long unpaid ; Fervent wishes, anxious thought, Never into action wrought — Long withheld, we now restore them, On Thy holy altar pour them, There in trembling faith to leave them : Christ, present them ! God, receive them ! 004) 15 226 THE LAST SNOW ON BEN MORE. Brighter joys and tenderer tears, Firmer faith, more faithful fears, Lowlier penitence for sin, More of Christ our souls within ; Love, which when its life was newer, Burned within us deeper, truer, — Lost too long, while we deplore them, Jesus, plead for — God, restore them 1 To the Father, and the Son, And the Spirit, Three in One, Though our mortal weakness raise Offerings of imperfect praise, Yet with hearts bowed down most lowly. Crying, Holy, Holy, Holy ! On Thine altar laid we leave them : Christ, present them ! God, receive them ! Anon m*s so. THE LAST SNOW ON BEN MORE. "Praise the Lord from the earth... fire, and hail; snow, and vapour; stormy wind fulfilling his word." — Ps. cxlviii. 7, 8. STILL it lingers, lingers yonder, in that long ravine's dark shade, With its depths by ancient earthquake and rent preci- pices made, [surveyed. Which no eye of living creature, save the eagle's, has THE LAST SNOW ON BEN MORE. 227 Still the snow-wreath lingers yonder, — while we breathe this summer air, Seeking shelter in the birch-wood from the noontide's burning glare, All around us life and sunshine, singing birds and blossoms fair. All is sunshine in the valley, summer reigns in earth and sky, — Yet a strange attraction draws me to those mountain cliffs on high, Looking up at their memento of the winter storms gone by. And I think of midnight tempests, blinding drift and sullen roar, Leaving wrecks of desolation far and wide on sea and shore — Leaving yonder icy footprint on the forehead of Ben More ! And I think of storms yet wilder, which through human hearts have passed, — With their wrecks of early promise, broken vows and hopes o'ercast, Leaving desolated traces, in all future life to last. Who knows not some secret sorrow, some long silent fount of tears, Hid in Memory's desert places, and when all else calm appears, [of parted years ? Springing up with sudden freshness, through the mists 228 THE LAST SNOW ON BEN MORE. And the higher, nobler natures, longest, deepest, will retain Traces left by early conflict, by youth 's bitter grief and pain. Gone the snows from lesser mountains — on Ben More they still remain ! But I feel that all around me in the valley seems more fair, All the brighter is the sunshine, and more soft the sum- mer air, When I look up to the mountain, and the storm memento there. And the peace must be the sweetest given by Jesus to His own, When it reigns within a bosom which has weary con- flicts known, Looking back to days of darkness, and on idols over- thrown ! Shall it be so still hereafter, in His presence when we stand, Fear and sorrow far behind us, one united, ransomed band, Yet recalling each the journey through the stormy pilgrim land 1 Leave the past — and trust the future to our Father's heart of love ; Forward, onward, more His mercy and His faithfulness to prove ! Ebenezer ! Ebenezer ! labour here and rest above ! H. L. L. J THE DAY OF DEATH. 229 XH™ 31. THE DAY OF DEATH. '• It is appointed unto men once to die.*' — " This day I am going the way of all the earth."— Heb. ix. 27 ; Joshua xxiii. 14. THOU inevitable clay, When a voice to me shall say, " Thou must rise and come away ; All thine other journeys past, Gird thee, and make ready fast For thy longest and thy last." Day, deep hidden from our sight In impenetrable night, Who may guess of thee aright ? Art thou distant, art thou near? Wilt thou seem more dark or clear ? Day with more of hope or fear? "Wilt thou come, not seen before Thou art standing at the door, Saying light and life are o'er ? Or with such a gradual pace As shall leave me largest space To regard thee face to face 1 Shall I lay my drooping head On some loved lap, round my bed Prayers be made, and tears be shed ? 230 THE DAY uF DEATH. Or, at distance from my own. Name and kin alike unknown. Make my solitary moan ? Will there yet be things to leave, Hearts to which this heart must cleave. From which parting, it must grieve i Or shall life's best ties be o'er, And all loved ones gone before To that other happier shore I Shall I gently fall on sleep, Death like slumber o'er me creep, Like a slumber sweet and deep 1 Or the soul long strive in vain To get free, with toil and pain, From its half-divided chain ? Little skills it where or how, If thou comest then or now. With a smooth or angry brow, — Come thou must, and we must die. Jesus, Saviour, stand Thou by When that last sleep seals our eye ! R. C. Trench. Jmxt 1. TWO GATES. "Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray." — "Man goeth forth unto Jiis work and to his labour until the evening. "— Ps. lv. 17 ; civ. 23. OPEN the East Gate now, And let the clay come in — - The day with unstained brow, Untouched by care or sin. For her we watch and wTait, Wait for the birds and dew ; — Open the Eastern Gate, And let the daylight through. Uplift thy daily toil With brain as fresh and clear, Strong hands that have no soil, And heart untouched by fear. Marching unto thy noon, Marching unto thy west, — When shadows lengthen, soon Comes calm and peaceful rest. 232 TWO GATES. Open the Western Gate, And let the daylight go, In pomp and royal state, In rose and amber glow. It is so late, so late, — The birds sing sweet and low ; Open the Western Gate, And let the daylight go ! Lay down thy daily toil, Glad of thy labour done, Glad of the night's assoil, Glad of thy wages won. With hearts that fondly wait, With grateful hearts aglow, Pray at the Western Gate, And let the daylight go. Pray at the Eastern Gate, For all the day can ask , Pray at the Western Gate, Holding thy finished task. It waxeth late, so late, The night falls cold and gray ; — But through Life's Western Gate Dawns Life's Eternal Day. Mary A. Barr. MORNING THOUGHTS. 233 June 2. MORNING THOUGHTS. "Thou makest the outgoings of the morning to rejoice."— '* Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun."— Ps. lxv. 8; Eccles. xi. 7. THE summer sun is shining Upon a world so bright ! The dew upon each grassy blade, The golden light, the depth of shade, All seem as they were only made To minister delight. From giant trees, strong branched, And all their veined leaves ; From little birds that madly sing ; From insects fluttering on the wing • Ay, from the very meanest thing, My spirit joy receives. I think of angel-voices When the birds' songs I hear ; Of that celestial City, bright With jacinth, gold, and chrysolite, When, with its blazing pomp of light, The morning doth appear ! I think of that great River That from the Throne flows free ; 234 THE HILLS AT SUNRISE. Of weary pilgrims on its brink, Who, thirsting, have come clown to drink ; — Of that unfailing Stream I think, When earthly streams I see. I think of pain and dying As that which is but nought, When glorious morning, warm and bright, With all its voices of delight, From the chill darkness of the night, Like a new life, is brought. I think of human sorrow But as of clouds that brood Upon the bosom of the day, And the next moment pass away ; And with a trusting heart I say, " Thank God, all things are good ! " Mary Howitt. Jrmxt 3. THE HILLS AT SUNRISE. " Thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart." — Deut. viii. 2. OROSY hills, I know you ! did I not travel o'er you, And painfully explore you, with sad, reproachful eyes 1 THE HILLS AT SUNRISE. 235 I've trod your dreary spaces, your steep and toilsome places, I wonder that I know you now, enwrapped in fair sunrise ! I strove to pass beyond you, but still ye rose before me, Your shadows darkening o'er me from dim and cloudy skies ; With many a painful stumble ye taught me to be humble, But still ye kept me climbing on to meet the fair sunrise. And now that I have crossed you, I look on you in wonder • — What valley, wrapped in thunder, within your bosom lies? Yet long ago I knew it, in darkness I came through it, The same that seems so rosy now, entranced in fair sunrise. But ye were always friendly, though long ye did enthral me, Though oft ye did appal me, and cost me many sighs. ^Vith lofty brows still hoping, ye stood while I was groping; And now my brow is rosy too, lit up with fair sunrise ! A few more toilsome climbings, and clouds of thund'rous thickness, A little more heart-sickness, beneath Love's pitying eyes ; 236 PRA YER. Then sunny hands will cover the past with light all over — I know that I shall see it all in golden-fair sunrise ! If earth is made so lovely by tips of sunny fingers, If every cloud that lingers must light a grand surprise, Till every piled-up storey calls glory unto glory — Oh, who shall paint the heavenly hills in Love's divine sunrise ! Mrs. Merrylees. June 4. PRAYER "Lord, teach us to pray." — Luke xi. 1. WHEN prayer delights thee least, then learn to say, " Soul, now is greatest need that thou shouldst pray." ^ * Vr % But what is prayer, when it is prayer indeed ? The mighty utterance of a mighty need. The man is praying, who doth press with might Out of his darkness into God's own light. White heat the iron in the furnace won, Withdrawn from thence 'tis hard and cold anon. The greenest leaf divided from its stem, To speedy withering doth itself condemn. DISMISS ME NOT. 237 The largest river from its fountain-head Cut off, leaves soon a parched and dusty bed. All things that live from God their sustenance wait, And sun and moon are beggars at His gate. All skirts extended of thy mantle hold, at R, C. Tbench. When angel-hands from heaven are scattering gold. Jxmz 5. DISMISS ME KOT. u O thou my God, save thy servant that trusteth in thee... Give thy strength unto thy servant." — Ps. lxxxvi. 2, 16. DISMISS me not Thy service, Lord, But train me for Thy will ; For even I in fields so broad Some duties may fulfil • And I will ask for no reward, Except to serve Thee still. How many serve, how many more May to the service come ! To tend the vines, the grapes to store, Thou dost appoint for some ; Thou hast Thy young men at the war, Thy little ones at home. 238 THE ROYALLEST GIFT. All works are good, and each is best As most it pleases Thee ; Each worker pleases when the rest He serves in charity ; And neither man nor work unblest Wilt Thou permit to be. Our Master all the work has done He asks of us to-day \ — Sharing the service, every one Share, too, His sonship may. Lord, I would serve and be a son, — Dismiss me not, I pray ! T. T. Lynch. June 6. THE ROYALLEST GIFT. "And Jesus looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury. And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites. And he said, Of a truth I say unto you. that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all." — Luke xxi. 1-3. OXG centuries since, in the Rhine-land, There reigned a valorous king, "Who, out of his war- won treasures, Vowed unto his Lord to bring L< Some token of fair requital ; — " A fane," he said, " that shall seem THE ROYALLEST GIFT. 239 In its marvel of stone- work frostings, Like the cunningest craftsman's dream. " I'll lavish my rich abundance With open, unreckoning hand ; And still be the richest monarch That rules in this Western land. " Albeit from base to roof -cope My grandeur shall mark the whole, There still is the unseen rubble My vassals have leave to dole. " Then hearken and heed, good people ! Bring hither your tithings all, For I will reject no pittance Ye offer, howe'er so small." Thereafter the work went forward Right nobly ; and each did bring Out of their meagre hoardings Some slenderest offering. As the statuecl walls rose skyward, And blossoms bloomed out from stone, It chanced that a rude-clad woman As she watched, one day, made moan, — " If one of these workers love Thee As I, — Thou, Lord, dost know ! And yet I am empty-handed Of witness to prove it so ! 240 SUNDAY E VEXING. " Even yonder the straining oxen That drag at the heavy beam, Are toiling in Thy sweet service ; — How spent with their work they seem ! " Dear Lord, since for Thee they labour, Hard-wrought on the king's highway, What hinders that I should give them The corn I have gleaned to-day ! "'" "When, grand in its towered glory, The beautiful minster shone, The eyes of the wondering people Saw graved on a mystic stone The name of " the royallest giver " Whose largess had crowned the fane. Behold ! 'twas an unknown woman's ! And they searched for the king's in vain. Margaret J. Pbeston. June 7. SUNDAY EVENING. "Call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord." — "I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day." — ISA. lviii. 13; Rev. i. 10. *r I AIS Sunday eve in summer's sweetest time, JL The sun just sinking 'neath the purple hills ; A strange, hushed calm my inmost spirit fills As here I listen to the old church-chime SUNDAY EVENING. 241 Surely all nature owns the Sabbath hour, Else why this peace so sweetly hovering round, This silence, eloquent, yet so profound, That holds us in its deep, mysterious power 1 0 Evening flushed with gladness ! how I love Thy peaceful benediction \ like the dew Baptizing earth, and making all things new, Thou liftest lower thoughts and hopes above ! 1 think of Eden and its sinless bowers, Of God Himself walking in cool of day, Where yet no trail of deadly serpent lay, And gladdening Adam through the restful hours. I think of Joseph's garden, and its cave Rock-hewn, from whence the mighty Conqueror rose, The Lord of life, who vanquished all our foes, And flung a ray of brightness o'er the grave ! But most I think me of that sunlit shore Where tempests beat not, and no shadows fall ; Where God and His dear love are all in all, And we shall falter, sin, and weep no more. That Rest remaineth ; yet these days of peace Are foretastes sweet of that glad Home above, Where all His, perfected in light and love, At last shall meet, and every sigh shall cease. (104) 16 242 THE LITTLE WHITE ROSE. Lord of the Sabbath ! whom our hearts adore, Accept the feeble anthem of our praise. And fit us holier, loftier hymns to raise In Thy great Temple — blest for evermore ! Rev. R. H. Bayxes. From "Lyra AnglieanaJ Jxxnc 8. THE LITTLE WHITE ROSE. "Be content with such things as ye have." — "Godliness with contentment is great gain. " — Heb. xiii. 5 ; 1 Tim. vi. 6. IT was peeping through the brambles — That little, wild, white rose, Where the hawthorn hedge was planted My garden to enclose. All beyond was fern or heather, On the breezy open moor : All within was sun and shelter. And the wealth of beauty's store. But I did not heed the fragrance Of floweret or of tree, For my eyes were on that rosebud, And it grew too high for me. In vain I strove to reach it, Through the tangled mass of green, — THE LITTLE WHITE ROSE. 243 It only smiled and nodded Behind its thorny screen. Yet through that summer morning I lingered near the spot ; Oh ! why do things look sweeter If we possess them not ? My garden buds were blooming, But all that I could see Was that mocking little white rose Hanging — just too high for me ! So, in life's wider garden, There are buds of promise too. Beyond our reach to gather,— But not beyond our view ; And like the little charmer That tempted me astray, They steal out half the brightness Of many a sunny day. Oh ! hearts that fail with lonoino- For some forbidden tree, Look up and learn a lesson From my white rose and me ! Tis wiser far to number The blossoms at our feet, Than ever to be sisdiino- o o For just one bud more sweet. My sunbeams and my shadows Fall from a pierced Hand ; 244 UNDER THE DESERT TREE. I can better trust His wisdom Since His heart I understand. And maybe in the morning When His blessed face I see, He will tell me why my white rose Grew just too high for me ! Anon. Tunc 9. UNDER THE DESERT TREE. "But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree : and he requested for himself that he might die ; and said, It is enough ; now, 0 Lord, take away my life... And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him. and said unto him, Arise and eat." — 1 Kings xix. 4, 5. UNDER the desert tree the fainting prophet lies, With weary heart and spirit, with heavy, closing eyes ; All the low west horizon glows with departing day, And hope and life seem sinking, like sunset-light, away. " It is enough, O Lord ! now may the conflict cease ! The weary struggle over, let me depart in peace ! From cruel, fell pursuers, I can no longer flee — Recall the life Thou gavest, I yield it up to Thee ! " It is enough, O Lord ! enough of toil and pain, Of bitter disappointment, of hopes deferred and vain. i UNDER THE DESERT TREE. 245 Yes, willingly I laboured ; but now the end lias come, The evening shadows lengthen— call the tired servant home ! " Under the desert tree — oh ! many a drooping head Has rested, since the prophet's, beneath that longed-for shade \ And many a weary spirit Elijah's God has heard Repeat in sad despondence, " It is enough, O Lord ! " But He who changeth not, the same for evermore, Is still the God of mercy and compassion as of yore ; And still His angel messengers are sent to soothe and bless, As to the sleeping prophet in the lone wilderness. Under the desert tree — O man of God, not there Should end thy mortal journey according to thy prayer! The car of flame, the angel-guards, thy dim eyes could not see ; Yet was that triumph waiting, another day, for thee ! Elijah's God, and ours ! look with a pitying eye On us, Thy feeble servants, and hear us when we cry ! Thou knowest all our sorrows, Thou nearest every moan, When in the desert places we sink and weep alone. The journey is too great — we are too weak and frail ; We faint in disappointments, and faith and courage fail. Give us the Living Water, the Bread of Life, again, For all our work and warfare to strengthen and sustain ! 246 "ARISE AND EAT." O Christ, forsake us not ! revive us with Thy grace ! Then shall we run with patience the whole appointed race ; And a new song of praise and trust shall yet ascend to Thee, When Thou hast met and blessed us — under the desert tree ! H. L. L. jFtttte 10. "ARISE AND EAT."' "And the angel of the Lord came again the second time, and touched him [Elijah], and said, Arise and eat ; because the journey is too great for thee.?' — 1 Kings xix. 7. CHRISTIANS", did no one, thinkest thou, behold thee, What time thou faintedst in the noonday heat? Heardst thou no angel's voice, which sweetly told thee, u The journey is too great ; arise and eat." An angel's voice ? Nay, 'twas thy God that spake it. In sweeter tones than angel could repeat ; Himself the Food, His own the Hands that brake it, His own the words that bade thee " Rise and eat ; " This is the Bread of Life which came from heaven, And now for thee is on My table spread ; This is My Body, which for thee was given, And this My Blood, which for thy sins was shed,;; THE CRUSE THAT FAILETH NOT. 247 0 fainting, faltering wanderer, art thou able Still to refuse thy suppliant God's request 1 — " Be filled, ye hungry, from My bounteous table ; And come, ye weary, I will give you rest." Oh, may His gracious, oft-urged invitation Subdue thee with its tones so soft and sweet ; Mayst thou, at length, with heartfelt adoration, And tearful penitence, arise and eat. Another banquet is for thee preparing ; Another feast thy longing eyes shall greet ; — An angel's voice shall break thy rest, declaring, " Behold, all things are ready ; rise and eat ! " Axon. June 11. THE CRUSE THAT FAILETH NOT. "Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive."' — Acts xx. 35. IS thy cruse of comfort wasting 1 rise and share it with another, And through all the years of famine it shall serve thee and thy brother \ Love divine will fill thy storehouse, or thy handful still renew ; Scanty fare for one will often make a royal feast for two. 248 THE CRUSE THAT FAILETH NOT. For the heart grows rich in giving ; all its wealth is living grain ; Seeds, which mildew in the garner, scattered, fill with gold the plain. Is thy burden hard and heavy ? do thy steps drag wearily ? Help to bear thy brother's burden ; God will bear both it and thee. Numb and weary on the mountains, wouldst thou sleep amidst the snow ? Chafe that frozen form beside thee, and, together, both shall glow. Art thou stricken in life's battle ? many wounded round thee moan ; Lavish on their wounds thy balsams, and that balm shall heal thine own. Is the heart a well left empty 1 Xone but God its void can fill ; Nothing but a ceaseless Fountain can its ceaseless long- ings still. Is thy heart a living power 1 self-entwined, its strength sinks low ; It can only live in loving, and by serving love will grow. Mrs. Charles. CHEERFULNESS.— ONE BY ONE. 249 June 12. CHEERFULNESS. "Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord." — Ps. xxxi. 24. I THINK we are too ready with complaint In this fair world of God's. Had we no hope Indeed, beyond the zenith and the slope Of yon gray blank of sky, we might grow faint To muse upon eternity's constraint Round our aspirant souls ; but since the scope Must widen early, is it well to droop, For a few days consumed in loss and taint 1 O pusillanimous heart, be comforted ! And, like a cheerful traveller, take the road, Singing beside the hedge. What if the bread Be bitter in thine inn, and thou unshod To meet the flints ] At least it may be said, " Because the way is short, I thank Thee, God ! ;' E. Barrett Browning. June 13. ONE BY ONE. " Take therefore no thought for the morrow : for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." — Matt. vi. 34. O NE by one the sands are flowing. One by one the moments fall ; 250 ONE BY ONE. Some are coming, some are going, — Do not strive to grasp them all. One by one thy duties wait thee, Let thy whole strength go to each ; Let no future dreams elate thee, Learn thou first what these can teach. One by one, bright gifts from Heaven, Joys are sent thee here below ; Take them readily when given, Ready, too, to let them go. One by one thy griefs shall meet thee, Do not fear an armed band ; One will fade as others reach thee, Shadows passing through the land. Do not look at life's long sorrow, See how small each moment's pain ; God will help thee for to-morrow, Every day begin again. Every hour that fleets so slowly Has its task to do or bear ; Luminous the crown and holy, If thou set each gem with care. Do not linger with regretting, Or for passing hours despond ; SATISFIED. 251 Nor, the daily toil forgetting, Look too eagerly beyond. Hours are golden links, God's token Reaching heaven ; but one by one Take them, lest the chain be broken Ere the pilgrimage be done. Adelaide Procter. June U. SATISFIED. " As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness : I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness." — " My people shall be satisfied with my goodness, saith the Lord." — Ps. xvii. 15; Jer. xxxi. 14. THERE is a land, where every pulse is thrilling With rapture earth's sojourners may not know ; Where heaven's repose the weary heart is stilling, And peacefully life's time-tossed currents flow. Far out of sight, while yet the flesh infolds us, Lies the fair country where our hearts abide : And of its bliss is naught more wondrous told us Than these few words, — " I shall be satisfied." Satisfied ! satisfied ! the spirit's yearning For sweet companionship with kindred minds, 252 KIXDRED HEARTS. The silent love that here meets no returning, The inspiration which no language finds, — Shall thev be satisfied ] — the soul's vasfue longing, — The aching void which nothing earthly fills ? Oh, what desires upon my soul are thronging As I look upward to the heavenly hills ! Thither my weak and weary feet are tending ; — Saviour and Lord, with Thy frail child abide ! Guide me toward home, where, all my journey ending, I shall behold Thee, and "be satisfied ! " Axon. June 15. KINDRED HEARTS. "The heart knoweth his own bitterness: and a stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy." — "Thine own friend, and thy father's friend, forsake not.'"— Prov. xiv. 10; xxvii. 10. OH ! ask not, hope not thou too much Of sympathy below ; Few are the hearts whence the same touch Bids the sweet fountains now. Few — and by still conflicting powers Forbidden here to meet — Such ties would make this life of ours Too fair for aught so fleet. KINDRED HEARTS. 253 It may be that thy brother's eye Sees not as thine, which turns With such deep reverence to the sky, Where the rich sunset burns ; It may be that the breath of spring, Born amidst violets lone, A rapture o'er thy soul can bring — A dream, to his unknown. The tune that speaks of other times — A sorrowful delight ! The melody of distant chimes, The sound of waves by night, The wind, that with so many a tone Some chord within can thrill — - These may have language all thine own, To him a mystery still. Yet scorn thou not, for this, the true And steadfast love of years ; The kindly, that from childhood grew, The faithful to thy tears ! If there be one that o'er the dead Hath in thy grief borne part, And watched in sickness by thy bed, — Call his a kindred heart. But for those bonds all perfect made Wherein bright spirits blend, 254 THE TWO ALABASTER BOXES. Like sister flowers of one sweet shade, With the same breeze that bend. For that full bliss of thought allied, Never to mortals given, — Oh ! lay thy lovely dreams aside. Or lift them unto heaven. Mrs. Hemans. June 16. THE TWO ALABASTER BOXES. 11 And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, brought an alabaster box of ointment, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.'' — "And there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious ; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head." — Luke vii. 37, 3S : Mark xiv. 3. WHEX Thou, in patient ministry, Didst pass a stranger through Thy land, Two costly gifts were offered Thee, And each was from a woman's hand. To Thee, who madest all things fair, Twice fair and precious things they bring — Pure, sculptured alabaster clear; Perfumes, for earth's anointed King. Man's hasty lips would both reprove. — One for the stain of too much sin — THE PEACE OF GOD. 255 One for the waste of too much love ; Yet both availed Thy smile to win. The saint who listened at Thy feet, The sinner sinners scorned to touch, Adoring in Thy presence meet, Both pardoned, and both loving much. Thus evermore to all they teach Man's highest style is " much forgiven,'" And that earth's lowest yet may reach The highest ministries of heaven. They teach that gifts of costliest price From hearts sin-beggared yet may pour : And that love's costliest sacrifice Is worth the love, and nothing more. Mrs. Charles. Jfttttt 17. THE PEACE OF GOD. " The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. " — Phil. iv. 7. WE ask for peace, O Lord ! Thy children ask Thy peace ; Not what the world calls rest, That toil and care should cease, 256 THE PEACE OF GOD. That through bright, sunny hours, Calm life should fleet away, And tranquil night should fade In smiling day, — It is not for such peace that we would pray. We ask for peace, 0 Lord ! Yet not to stand secure, Girt round with iron pride, Contented to endure, Crushing the gentle strings That human hearts should know, Untouched by others' joy Or others* woe ; Thou, 0 dear Lord, wilt never teach us so. We ask Thy peace, 0 Lord ! Through storm, and fear, and strife, To light and guide us on Through a long, struggling life, While no success or gain Shall cheer the desperate fight, Or nerve what the world calls Our wasted might, — Yet pressing through the darkness to the light. It is Thine own, O Lord, Who toil while others sleep ; Who sow with loving care What other hands shall reap ; "J BELIEVE IN THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS." 257 They lean on Thee entranced In calm and perfect rest, — Give us that peace, O Lord, Divine and blest, Thou keepest for those hearts who love Thee best ! Adelaide Procter. JttlW 18. "I BELIEVE IN THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS." " Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much : but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little." — Luke vii. 47. WEARY of earth, and laden with my sin, I look at heaven and long to enter in ; But there no evil thing may find a home, And yet I hear a voice that bids me come. So vile I am, how dare I hope to stand In the pure glory of that holy land? Before the whiteness of that throne appear ? Yet there are hands stretched out to draw7 me near. The while I fain would tread the heavenly way, Evil is ever with me day by day ; Yet on mine ears the gracious tidings fall, " Repent, confess, thou shalt be loosed from all." It is the voice of Jesus that I hear ; His are the hands stretched out to draw me near, (104) 17 258 THE BOW IN THE CLOUD. And His the blood that can for all atone, And set me faultless there before the throne. 'Twas He who found me on the deathly wild, And made me heir of heaven, the Father's child, And day by day, whereby my soul may live, Gives me His grace of pardon, and will give. 0 great Absolver, grant my soul may wear The lowliest garb of penitence and prayer, That in the Father's courts my glorious dress May be the garment of Thy righteousness ! Yea, Thou wilt answer for me, righteous Lord ! Thine all the merits, mine the great reward ; Thine the sharp thorns, and mine the golden crown ; Mine the life won, and Thine the life laid down. Nought can T bring, dear Lord, for all I owe, Yet let my full heart what it can bestow : Like Mary's gift let my devotion prove, Forgiven greatly, how I greatly love. Rev. S. J. Stone. Jmxt 19. THE BOW IX THE CLOUD. "Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee." — Ps. cxvi. 7. WE journey in a vale of tears ; But often from on high THE BOW IN THE CLOUD. 259 The glorious bow of God appears, And brightens all our sky. Then through the breaking clouds of heaven Far distant visions come, And sweetest words of grace are given To cheer the pilgrim home. Then doubt and darkness flee away, And shadows all are gone, — Oh, if such moments would but stay, This earth and heaven were one ! Too soon the vision is withdrawn, — There's only left, " He saith ; " And I, a lonely pilgrim, turn To live and walk by faith. Yet, even for glimpses such as these, My soul would cheerful bear All that in darkest days it sees — The toil, the pain, the care. For through the conflict and the race, Whatever grief my lot, When Jesus shows His gracious face All troubles are forgot. My quickened soul, in faith and love, Mounts up on eagles' wings, And at the City gates above Exulting sits and sings ! 260 THE RIVER OF LIFE. Tis through Thy sufferings, O my Lord, I hope that world to see, And through these gates, at Thy sweet word, To enter in to Thee ! Anon. June 20. THE RIVER OF LIFE. " And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb." — Rev. xxii. 1. THERE is a pure and tranquil wave That rolls around the throne of love, Whose waters gladden as they lave The peaceful shores above. While streams, which on that tide depend, Steal from these heavenly shores away, And on this desert world descend, O'er weary lands to stray. The pilgrim faint, and nigh to sink Beneath his load of earthly woe, Refreshed beside their verdant brink Rejoices in their flow. There, O my soul, do thou repair, And hover o'er the hallowed spring, To drink the crystal wave, and there To lave thy wearied wing. THE BOOK. 261 There droop that wing, when far it flies From human care, and toil, and strife, And feed by those still streams that rise Beneath the Tree of Life. It may be that the breath of love Some leaves on their pure tide have driven, Which, passing from the shores above, Have floated down from heaven. So shall thy wounds and woes be healed By the blest virtue that they bring, So thy parched lips shall be unsealed Thy Saviour's praise to sing ! William Ball. June 21. THE BOOK. "From a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus."— 2 Tim. iii. 15. GALLERY of sacred pictures manifold, A minster rich in holy effigies, And bearing on entablature and frieze The hieroglyphic oracles of old. Along its transept aureoled martyrs sit ; And the low chancel side-lights half acquaint The eye with shrines of prophet, bard, and saint, Their golden tablets traced in holy writ ! 262 THANKFULNESS. But only when on form and word obscure Falls from above the white supernal light, We read the mystic characters aright, And light informs the silent portraiture, Until we pause at last, awe-held, before The one ineffable Face, love, wonder, and adore. Whittier. June 22. THANKFULNESS. " What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me? I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving." — Ps. cxvi. 12, 17. ORD, in this dust Thy sovereign voice First quickened love divine ; I am all Thine, Thy care and choice- My very praise is Thine. L( I praise Thee, while Thy providence In childhood frail I trace, For blessings given, ere dawning sense Could seek or scan Thy grace ; Blessings in boyhood's marvelling hour, Bright dreams and fancies strange ) Blessings, when reason's awful power Gave thought a bolder range. Blessings of friends, which to my door Unasked, unhoped, have come ; 'LORD. WHAT WILT THOU HAVE ME TO DOT' 263 And choicer still, a countless store Of eager smiles at home. Yet, Lord, in memory's fondest place I shrine those seasons sad, When, looking up, I saw Thy face In kind austereness clad. I would not miss one sigh or tear, Heart-pang, or throbbing brow \ Sweet was the chastisement severe, And sweet its memory now. Yes ! let the fragrant scars abide, Love-tokens in Thy stead, Faint shadows of the spear-pierced side, And thorn-encompassed Head. Newman. Jxxm 23. " LORD, WHAT WILT THOU HAVE ME TO DOT' "Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it." — "Teach me to do thy will ; for thou art my God."— John ii. 5 ; Ps. cxliii. 10. MY Master and my Lord ! I long to do some work, some work for Thee ; I long to bring some lowly gift of love, For all Thy love to me ! 264 "LORD, WHAT WILT TltOU HAVE ME TO DOV The harvest fields are white, — Send me to gather there some scattered ears ; I have no sickle bright, but I can glean, And bind them in with tears. I would not choose my work ; The field is Thine, my Father and my Guide. Send Thou me forth, oh ! send me where Thou wilt, So Thou be glorified ! I need Thy strength, O Lord, I need the quiet heart, the subject will j I need the patient faith that " makes no haste,'' The love that follows still. And, if Thou wilt not send, Then take my will, and bend it to Thine own, Till, in the peace no restless thought can break, I wait, with Thee alone. The darkness is not light, — The " chastening is not joy ; " — it is Thy word, O Saviour, one with us in tears and pain. Our Brother and our Lord. Yet choose Thou still for me ; — The harvest toil, amid the noon-clay heat, Where I may gather fruit that shall not die, And lay it at Thy feet, — "FAITHFUL AND TRUE." 265 Or the slow, silent hours, When I must wait, and suffer, and be still, And, in the patience which I learn from Thee, Accept Thy perfect will. H. Bowman. — ^^^^p^i-^ — June 24. "FAITHFUL AND TRUE.55 "Buy the truth, and sell it not." — "Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth." — "Be strong and of a good courage : for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest." — Prov. xxiii. 23 ; Eph. vi. 14 ; Joshua i. 9. SPEAK thou the truth. Let others fence And trim their words for pay ; In pleasant sunshine of pretence Let others bask their day. Guard thou the fact, though clouds of night Down on thy watch-tower stoop, Though thou shouldst see thine heart's delight Borne from thee by their swoop. Face thou the wind, though safer seem In shelter to abide, — We were not made to sit and dream, " The rope must first be tried.55 Where God hath set His thorns about, Cry not, " The way is plain." 266 REMEMBER ME. His path within for those without Is paved with toil and pain. Show thou thy light. If conscience gleam, Set not the bushel down : The smallest spark may send its beam O'er hamlet, tower, or town. Be true to every honest thought, And as thy thought thy speech. What thou hast not by suffering bought Presume thou not to teach. Hold on, hold on ! thou hast the Rock, Thy foes are on the sand ; The first world-tempest's ruthless shock Scatters their shifting strand, While each wild gust the mist shall clear We now see darkly through, And justified at last appear The Truth, in Him that's True. Alford. &-*^v£P*^< Jxxnt 25. REMEMBER ME. "This do in remembrance of me."— Luke xxii. 19. WHEX the Paschal evening fell Deep on Kedron's hallowed dell, REMEMBER ME. 267 When around the festal board Sat the Apostles with their Lord, Then His parting word He said, Blessed the cup and broke the bread — : This whene'er ye do or see, Evermore remember Me." Years have passed ; in every clime, Changing with the changing time, Varying through many forms, Torn by factions, racked by storms, Still the sacred table spread, Flowing cup and broken bread With that parting word agree — ' Drink and eat; remember Me." When by treason, doubt, unrest, Sinks the soul, dismayed, opprest ; When the shadows of the tomb Close us round with deepening gloom ; Then bethink us at that board Of the sorrowing, suffering Lord, Who, when tried and grieved as we, Dying, said, " Remember Me. " When diverging creeds shall learn Towards their central Source to turn ; When contending churches tire Of the earthquake, wind, and fire ; 268 FROM "CCELO TEGITUR QUI NON HABET UBNAM.1 Here let strife and clamour cease At that still, small voice of peace — " May they all united be, In the Father and in Me." When, as rolls the sacred year, Each fresh note of love we hear ; When the Babe, the Youth, the Man. Full of grace divine we scan : When the mournful way we tread Where for us His blood He shed, — When on Easter morn we tell How He conquered Death and Hell ; When we watch His Spirit true Heaven and earth transform anew,- Then with quickened sense we see Why He said, "Remember Me." Dean Stanley. June 26. FROM "COELO TEGITUR QUI NON HABET UKNTAM." " And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write. Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord." — Rev. xiv. 13. AT noon-tide came a voice, " Thou must away : — Hast thou some look to give, some word to say, Or hear, of fond farewell ?" — I answered, " Nay, FROM "COSLO TEGITUR QUI NON HABET URN AM:' 269 " My soul hath said its farewell long ago, — How light, when summer comes, the loosened snow Slides from the hills ! yet tell me, tvhere I go, " Doth any wait for me ? " Then like the clear Full drops of summer rain, that seem to cheer The skies they fall from, soft within mine ear, And slow, as if to render through that sweet Delay a blest assurance more complete, " Yea," only " yea," was whispered me, and then A silence that was unto it, Amen. " Doth any love me there," I said, " or mark Within the dull, cold flint the fiery spark One moment flashing out into the dark ri " My spirit glowed, yet burned not to a clear Warm, steadfast flame, to lighten or to cheer !" — The sweet voice said, " By things which do appear " We judge amiss. The flower which wears its way Through stony chinks, lives on from day to day, Approved for Jiving, let the rest be gay " And sweet as summer ! Heaven within the reed Lists for the flute-note, in the folded seed It sees the bud, and in the Will the Deed." Dora Greenwell. 270 RESURRECTION. June 27. RESURRECTION. " God hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus." — Eph. ii. 6. NOT alone the victors free Standing by the Crystal Sea Sing the song of victory ! Buried are Thine own with Thee, Risen are Thine own with Thee ! We may share it, even we. One our life with those above, One our service, one our love ; Not at death that life begins, Though a fuller strength it wins, Freed from all that bounds its flight, Freed from all that cramps its might. We upon these lower slopes, Dim with fears, and fitful hopes, — They upon the eternal heights, Glorious in undying lights, Radiant in the cloudless sun • — Yet their life and ours is one, Yet on us their Sun hath shone, Yet for us their Day begun. And these lowly paths we tread, Are the same where they were led ; LINES WRITTEN OFF MADEIRA. 271 Very sacred grown and sweet, Trodden by immortal feet, — Trodden once, oh best of all ! By the Feet at which they fall. And each service kind and true Which to any here we do, Linked in one immortal chain Makes their service live again — Brings us to the service nigh Which they render now, on high : For the highest heavens above Nothing higher know than love. Mrs. Charles. — s-">->e£^^- — jfttite 28. LINES WRITTEN OFF MADEIRA. (1879.) "Be of good cheer: it is I ; be not afraid.'' — "So he bringeth them unto their desired haven." — Mark vi. 50; Ps. cvii. 30. OUR ship had anchored near the land, — On deck, pale, woeworn figures come, Where stands a happy little band Of fair young children, going home. Dark their green island seemed to be, And wild the surf that beat its strand ; But more than this the children see — To them it is familiar land. 272 LINES WRITTEN OFF MADEIRA. The lightnings flashed, and torrents fell ; But now a friend they loved had come, And clustering round, the children tell How glad they are at getting home. Scarce trembling at the storm, they wait, Till gently lowered to the bark Which was to bear its precious freight Across that sea, so wild, so dark. In vain we strove, by sight or sound. To catch their welcome on the shore ; Only the billows boomed around, And lightnings flickered as before. Thus may God's children, when the close Of this their stormy life has come, Forget its sickness and its woes In the deep joy of going Home. As, one by one, they launch away, To hear their welcome home we long, — And sometimes, on a summer day, We catch the echo of a song ! O glorious and eternal Home ! Though far off, ever keep in sight, That I may know thee when I come, Be it in darkness, storm, or night ! THE DEATH OF A BELIEVER. 273 O blessed Jesus, let my heart Upon Thy face such welcome see, That when from ship and friends I part I may rejoice to sail with Thee ! S. L. F. J'Xtnz 29. THE DEATH OF A BELIEVER. u And, behold, the angel of the Lord came, and a light shined in the prison : and he smote Peter on the side, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands." — Acts xii. 7. THE Apostle slept — a light shone in the prison, — An angel touched his side. " Arise," he said ; and quickly he hath risen, His fettered arms untied. The watchers saw no light at midnight gleaming, — They heard no sound of feet : The gates fly open, and the saint still dreaming Stands free upon the street. So, when the Christian's eyelid droops and closes In Nature's parting strife, A friendly angel stands where he reposes To wake him up to life. He gives a gentle blow, and so releases The spirit from its clay ; (104) 18 274 THE DEATH OF A BELIEVER. From sin's temptations, and from life's distresses, He bids it come away. It rises up, and from its darksome mansion It takes its silent flight, And finds its freedom in the large expansion Of heavenly air and light. Behind, it hears Time's iron gates close faintly, — It now is far from them, For it has reached the City of the saintly, The New Jerusalem. A voice is heard on earth of kinsfolk weeping The loss of one they love ; But he is gone where the redeemed are keeping A festival above. The mourners throng the ways, and from the steeple The funeral bell tolls slow \ But on the golden streets the holy people Are passing to and fro, And saying as they meet, " Rejoice ! another, Long waited for, is come ! The Saviour's heart is glad, a younger brother Hath reached the Father's home !" J. D. Burns. THE FAMILY IN EARTH AND HEAVEN. 275 June 30. THE FAMILY IN EARTH AND HEAYEN. " The Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named. ); — Eph. iii. 14, 15. COME, let us join our friends above, Who have obtained the prize, And on the eagle-wings of love To joys celestial rise. Let saints on earth unite to sing With those to glory gone ; For all the servants of our King In earth and heaven are one. One family, we dwell in Him, One Church, above, beneath, Though now divided by the stream, The narrow stream, of death. One army of the Living God, To His command we bow ; Part of His host have crossed the flood, And part are crossing now. What numbers to their endless home This solemn moment fly ! And we are to the margin come And we expect to die \ His militant embodied host, With wishful looks we stand, 276 THE FAMILY IN EARTH AND HEAVEN. And long to see that happy coast, And reach that heavenly land. Our old companions in distress We haste again to see, And eager long for our release And full felicity : Even now by faith we join our hands With those that went before, And greet the blood-besprinkled bands On the eternal shore. Our spirits, too, shall quickly join, Like theirs with glory crowned, And shout to see our Captain's sign, And hear His trumpet sound. O that we now may grasp our Guide ! Then, when the word is given, Come, Lord of hosts, the waves divide, And land us safe in heaven ! C. Wesley. July 1. HEART VENTURES. "Boast not thyself of to-morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth/' — "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.*' — Prov. xxvii. 1; Rev. ii. 10. I STOOD and watched my ships go out, Each, one by one, unmooring free, What time the quiet harbour filled With flood-tide from the sea. The first that sailed, — her name was Joy ; She spread a smooth and ample sail, And eastward strove, with bending spars, Before the singing gale. Another sailed, — her name was Hope ; Xo cargo in her hold she bore, Thinking to find in western lands Of merchandise a store. The next that sailed, — her name was Love; She showed a red flag at the mast, — A flag as red as blood she showed, And she sped south right fast. 278 THE SHADOW OF THE ROCK. The last that sailed, — her name was Faith ; Slowly she took her passage forth, Tacked and lay to — at last she steered A straight course for the north. My gallant ships they sailed away Over the shimmering summer sea ; I stood at watch for many a day, But only one came back to me. For Joy was caught by Pirate Pain ; Hope ran upon a hidden reef ; And Love took fire, and foundered fast In 'whelming seas of grief. Faith came at last, storm-beat and torn ; She recompensed me all my loss, For as a cargo safe she brought A Crown, linked to a Cross ! Anon. Julij 2. THE SHADOW OF THE POCK. PART I. "A man shall be as an hiding-place from the wind; as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land."— Isa. xxxii. 2. THE shadow of the Pock ! Stay, pilgrim, stay ! Night treads upon the heels of day ; There is no other resting-place this way. THE SHADOW OF THE ROCK. 279 The Rock is near, The well is clear — Rest in the shadow of the Rock. The shadow of the Rock ! The desert wide Lies round thee like a trackless tide, In waves of sand forlornly multiplied. The sun is gone, Thou art alone — Rest in the shadow of the Rock. The shadow of the Rock ! All come alone ; All, ever since the sun hath shoire, Who travelled by this road have come alone. Be of good cheer, A home is here — Rest in the shadow of the Rock. The shadow of the Rock ! Night veils the land, — How the palms whisper as they stand ! How the well tinkles faintly through the sand ! Cool water take Thy thirst to slake, — Rest in the shadow of the Rock. The shadow of the Rock ! Abide ! abide ! This Rock moves ever at thy side, Pausing to welcome thee at eventide. Ages are laid Beneath its shade — Rest in the shadow of the Rock ! Fabeb. 280 THE SHADOW OF THE ROCK. Jub 3. THE SHADOW OF THE ROCK. PART II. "When my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the Rock that is higher than I."— Ps. lxi. 2. THE shadow of the Rock ! To angels' eyes This Rock its shadow multiplies, And at this hour in countless places lies. One Rock, one shade, O'er thousands laid — ■ Rest in the shadow of the Rock. The shadow of the Rock ! To weary feet That have been diligent and fleet, The sleep is deeper and the rest more sweet. O weary, rest ! Thou art sore pressed — Rest in the shadow of the Rock. The shadow of the Rock ! Thy bed is made ; Crowds of tired souls like thine are laid This night beneath the self -same placid shade. They who rest here Wake with heaven near — Rest in the shadow of the Rock. The shadow of the Rock ! Pilgrim, sleep sound ! In night's swift hours, with silent bound, This Rock will put thee over leagues of ground, EARLY MORNING HYMN. 281 Gaining more way By night than day — Rest in the shadow of the Rock ! The shadow of the Rock ! One day of pain, Thou scarce wilt hope the Rock to gain, Yet there wilt sleep thy last sleep on the plain, And only wake In heaven's day -break — Rest in the shadow of the Rock ! Faber. Julu 4. EARLY MORNING HYMN. "The Lord's mercies are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness."— Lam. iii. 22, 23. BEHOLD, O Lord ! Thy radiant sun, Led forth by Thine almighty hand, Obedient, joyful, has begun Another course at Thy command. Our pilgrim path enters another day; Help us to journey onwards in Thy love, we pray ! That sunshine, type and emblem blest Of Thine unchanging love and power, Cheers the small bird upon her nest, Revives the fragile, fading flower ; But from Thyself alone must come all light For sad and weary hearts, in sin or sorrow's night. 282 EARLY MORNING HYMN 0 Christ ! this time of early prayer Was blessed and hallowed once of old, When herald angels in the air Of our redemption morning told ; Leaving the farewell, as they soared above, — " Glory to God in heaven ! on earth His peace and love ! " Father ! when evening shadows fall, The latest hour of life's brief day, When all grows dark, and silent all, — Even words of prayer have passed away, — O Father \ Brother ! Husband of Thine own ! Remember, leave us not in that dread hour alone ! Aurora of celestial day, Whose sun shall never know decline, Beyond the grave we watch thy ray In higher heavens already shine. Through our long night Faith can thy glories see ; As we believe in God, so we believe for thee. And even now, in darkest hours, A dewy freshness fills the air • Our weary souls, immortal flowers Drooping in mists of grief and care, Turn lovingly towards the eastern skies, Where the Eternal Sun at length shall surely rise ! From the French. (Tr. H. L. L.) A PILLOW PRAYER. 283 JiUd 5. A PILLOW PRAYER. "I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety." — Ps. iv. 8. THE clay is ended. Ere I sink to sleep, My weary spirit seeks repose in Thine, Father ! forgive my trespasses, and keep This little life of mine. With loving-kindness curtain Thou my bed, And cool in rest my burning pilgrim-feet ; Thy pardon be the pillow for my head — ■ So shall my sleep be sweet. At peace, dear Lord, with all the world and Thee, No fears my soul's unwavering faith can shake ; All's well ! whichever side the grave for me The morning light may break ! Anon. Jul 5 6. WATERS IN THE DESERT. "When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the Lord will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them. ...I will make the wilderness a tjooI of water, and the dry land springs of water." — ISA. xli. 17, 18. A XD wilt Thou hear the fevered heart To Thee in silence cry 1 284 WATERS IN THE DESERT. And as th' inconstant wildfires dart Out of the restless eye, Wilt Thou forgive the wayward thought, By kindly woes yet half untaught A Saviour's right, so dearly bought. That Hope should never die ? Thou wilt ; for many a languid prayer Has reached Thee from the wild, Since the lorn mother, wandering there, Cast down her fainting child, Then stole apart to weep and die, Xor knew an angel-form was nigh. To show soft waters gushing by And dewy shadows mild. Thou wilt ; for Thou art Israel's God, And Thine unwearied arm Is ready yet with Moses' rod, The hidden rill to charm Out of the dry unfathomed deep Of sands, that lie in lifeless sleep, Save when the scorching whirlwinds heap Their waves in rude alarm. These moments of wild wrath are Thine — Thine too the drearier hour When o'er the horizon's silent line Fond hopeless fancies cower, WATERS IN THE DESERT. 285 And on the travellers listless way Rises and sets th' unchanging day, No cloud in heaven to slake its ray, On earth no sheltering bower. Thou wilt be there, and not forsake To turn the bitter pool Into a bright and breezy lake, The throbbing brow to cool : Till, left a while with Thee alone, The wilful heart be fain to own That He, by whom our bright hours shone, Our darkness best may rule The scent of water far away Upon the breeze is flung : The desert pelican to-day Securely leaves her young, Reproving thankless man, who fears To journey on a few lone years, Where on the sand Thy step appears, Thy crown in sight is hung. Thou, who didst sit on Jacob's well The weary hour of noon, The languid pulses Thou canst tell, The nerveless spirit tune. Thou, from whose cross in anguish burst The cry that ow^ned Thy dying thirst, To Thee we turn, our Last and First, Our Sun and soothing Moon. 286 CHANGING MOODS. From darkness, here, and dreariness We ask not full repose ; Only be Thou at hand, to bless Our trial hour of woes. Is not the pilgrim's toil o'erpaid By the clear rill and palmy shade ? And see we not, up Earth's dark glade, The gate of Heaven unclose ? Keble. Jltig 7. CHANGING MOODS. 1 ' I delight in the law of God after the inward man : but I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind." —Rom. vii. 22, 23. WE are a shadow and a shining, we ! One moment nothing seems but what we see, Nor aught to rule but common circumstance — Naught is to seek but praise, to shun but chance ; A moment more, and God is all in all, And not a sparrow from its nest can fall But from the ground its chirp goes up into His hall. I know at least which is the better mood. When on a heap of cares I sit and brood, . ATTRACTION. 287 Like Job upon his ashes, sorely vexed, I feel a lower thing than when I stood The world's true heir, fearless, as on its stalk A lily meeting Jesus in His walk ; I am not all mood — I can judge betwixt. George Macdonald. Jul}) 8. ATTRACTION. " Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love : therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee." — " Draw me, we will run after thee." — "Jesus said, I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." — Jer. xxxi. 3 ; Song of Sol. i. 4 ; John xii. 32. WE all do fade — we wither and decay, Dust unto dust we give ; In sin and sighs we pine and pass away, Ah, how then shall we live 1 Our place is sought for, and it is not found With utmost care and cost ; We are as water spilt upon the ground, That sinks absorbed and lost. Lost ? Nay ! the sun can gather up again To shrines of pearly sky ; The fallen, spent, irrevocable rain May be exhaled on high. 288 "SWEET BIRD, FLY LOW." Each drop that seemed as it had run to waste May win a dazzling glow, By noon's strong beam attracted, and embraced Within the glittering bow. The soul sunk deepest, tinged with darkest taint May be allured from loss, — May rise to shine, a radiant sun-like saint, Attracted by the Cross. A. R. Cousin. Jnlj) 9. "SWEET BIRD, FLY LOW." "Though the Lord be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly." — "Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time." — Ps. cxxxviii. 6; 1 Peter v. 6. ONE day, when a summer storm Had shadowed the landscape o'er, From its swoop so dark, an affrighted lark Flew in at the greenhouse door. There, safe among smiling flowers, He waited a calmer sky ; But ah, wing-proof was the crystal roof Through which he had thought to fly. " Alas," said he, "no rest for me Until these bars be riven ! " Said I, " Not so ; sweet bird, fly low To find the way to heaven." "SWEET BIRD, FLY LOW* 289 On him, though the sun shone forth A terror of darkness fell, And seemed to rush o'er the crimson flush Of the flowers he had loved so well. Quick fluttered the heaving heart In the hush of the noontide heat, And like sounding rain, on the mocking pane, How swiftly the small wings beat ! " O cruel sky, I faint, I die, - Oh let these bars be riven ! " " Sweet bird, not so ; fly low, fly low, And find the way to heaven." How sudden a silence fell ! I saw the sweet bird no more ; But he sank down then, to revive again, And creep through the open door. — And many a human heart In wonder of vain regret, In its passionate pain, as it strives in vain, Beats on in its blindness yet ; — With quivering cry, " I faint, I die, Oh let these bars be riven ! " " Dear heart, not so ; fly low, fly low. To find the way to heaven." Oh joy ! I have found the way ! But neither by strength nor art : For I sank undone, at the feet of One — The lowly and meek of heart. (104) 19 290 DISAPPOINTMENTS. Now freedom and bliss are mine ; In vain had I toiled and striven, For as Wisdom planned, it was Love's own hand That lifted me into heaven. 0 hearts that cry, " I faint, I die, These bars they must be riven ! " Love says, "Not so ; fly low, fly low, And I will give you heaven." Mrs. Merrylees. J-ttlD 10. DISAPPOINTMENTS. " 1 am God, and there is none like me... My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure." — " Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven."— Isa. xlvi. 9, 10 ; Matt. vi. 10. ALL round the rolling world, both night and day. A ceaseless voice ascends from those who pray : ' • Thy will be done on earth, as now in heaven ; Unto our souls a perfect choice be given." All round the rolling world, both night and clay, A ceaseless answer comes to those who pray ; By shattered hopes, crossed plans, and fruitless pains, Thy heavenly Master thine allegiance trains. Guessing some portion of His great design, Thou seek'st to forward it by ways of thine ; MY LITTLE DOVES. 291 He who the whole disposes as is meet, Sees a necessity for thy defeat. Yet to the faithful there is no such thing As disappointment ; failures only bring A gentle pang, as peacefully they say, : His purpose stands, though mine has passed away. " All is fulfilling, all is working still, To teach thee flexibility of will ; To great achievements let thy wishes soar, Yet meek submission pleases Christ still more. When Love's long discipline is overpast, Thy will too shall be done with His at last When all is perfected, and thou dost stand, Robed, crowned, and glorified at His right hand. C. M. Noel Julp 11. MY LITTLE DOVES. " Yet the Lord will command his loving-kindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me." — Ps. xlii. 8. MY little doves have left a nest Upon an Indian tree, Whose leaves fantastic take their rest Or motion from the sea ; 292 MY LITTLE DOVES. For, ever there the sea- winds go With sunlit paces to and fro My little doves were ta'en away From that glad nest of theirs, Across an ocean rolling gray, And tempest-clouded airs — My little doves, who lately knew The sky and wave by warmth and blue. Soft falls their chant, as on the nest Beneath the sunny zone ; For love, that stirred it in their breast, Has not aweary grown, And 'neath the city's shade can keep The well of music clear and deep So teach ye me the wisest part, My little doves ! to move Along the city-ways with heart Assured by holy love, And vocal with such songs as own A fountain to the world unknown. Twas hard to sing by Babel's stream, More hard in Babel's street ; But if the soulless creatures deem Their music not unmeet For sunless walls — let us begin. Who wear immortal win^s within ! LOST AND WON. 293 To me fair memories belong Of scenes that used to bless, For no regret, but present song And lasting thankfulness, And very soon to break away, Like types, in purer things than they. I will have hopes that cannot fade, For flowers the valley yields ; I will have humble thoughts instead Of silent, dewy fields ; My spirit and my God shall be My seaward hill, my boundless sea ! E. B. Browning. J-nl2 12. LOST AND WOK " Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof.'' — "Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life." — Eccles. vii. 8; James i. 12. 1 HE left her moorings, oh how brave ! With sails and pennons gay, And proudly breasting every wave, That golden summer clay ; s1 While from the crowd that lined the pier, All watch ins: as she goes, 294 LOST AND WON. Loud, eager shouts, cheer upon cheer, Tumultuous]}- arose. One ancient seaman stood ahead, Silent, and little moved, — "I'll shout when she returns," he said, " I'll shout when she is proved ! " And did she then return the same ? — Dismantled, and forlorn, Just drifting into port, she came One cloudy winter's morn. Then loudly shouted this old man, " Ropes, ropes, boys ! ropes ahoy ! " And with the best he dragged, he ran, As if himself a boy. I asked him, " Was she worth this stir, With so much to renew 1 " " She's only lost her rigging, sir, — A good ship and a true ! " In truth," these were his parting words, — " I fear gay, painted things ; For all the world they're just like birds That never tried their wings. " But she has fought the ocean now — Yes, sir, and she has won ! The ship is sound from stern to bow, She'll have mv lad next run ! " "MSE/ FOB THE DAY IS PASSING." 295 And, even thus, I thought that night, — Thus, in the great award, They who have suffered in the fight Are dearest to our Lord. We think they lost ; but they have won. When heaven comes in view, And when they hear that strange " Well done ! My servants tried and true." What matter all their wrongs or ills ? " Much tribulation " then Is but the deepest note that thrills Their loud and glad " Amen ! " S. L. F. "RISE! FOU THE DAY IS PASSING." " Be of good courage, and let us play the men for our people, and for the cities of our God : and the Lord do that which seemeth him good." — "The night cometh, when no man can work." — 2 Sam. x. 12 ; John ix. 4. RISE ! for the day is passing, And you lie dreaming on ; — The others have buckled their armour And forth to the field have gone. A place in the ranks awaits you, Each man has some part to play ; 296 "RISE/ FOB THE DAY IS PASSING." The past and the future are nothing In the face of the stern to-day. Rise from your dreams of the future — Of gaining some hard-fought field, Of storming some airy fortress, Or bidding some giant yield. Your future has deeds of glory, Of honour (God grant it may !) But your arm will never be stronger, Or the need more great, than to-day. Rise ! if the past detains you, Her sunshine and storms forget ; No chains so unworthy to hold you As those of a vain regret. Sad or bright, she is lifeless for ever ; Cast her phantom arms away, Nor look back, save to learn the lesson Of a nobler strife to-day. Rise ! for the day is passing ; The low sound you scarcely hear, Is the enemy marching to battle — Arise, for the foe is near ! Stay not to sharpen your weapons, Or the hour will strike at last, When, from dreams of a coming battle, You may wake to find it past ! Anon. PERSIS. 297 PERSIS. 1 Salute the beloved Persis, which laboured much in the Lord. " Rom. xvi. 12. SHE laboured much ! From age to age That record from the holy page Gleams out in colours rare and dim, Soft glowing with the touch of Him Whose blessing falls, with tenderest grace, To glorify the lowliest place. She laboured much ! We may not know If lofty was her lot, or low ; If love met hers from kindred eyes, If girded round by sweetest ties, Or from a home, like nest all torn, Left to the bitter wind forlorn, She went, her sorrow hid the while Beneath an unrevealing smile, On other brows the pain to read None careth on her own to heed ; Taught by a grief that will not sleep, True comfortings for them that weep. We cannot tell ; we only know That from these days of long ago 298 TRIED BY FIRE. There comes to us a fragrant breath, Like rose-leaves falling fair in death : A memory — earth has few of such — Of one who loved and laboured much. . She laboured much ! Two women stand With pure, true faces hand-in-hand, Persis, beloved ; and she, the one Who meekly " what she could M hath done ) With voices loving still, and clear, Floating o'er many a silent year. Bidding their sisters evermore Follow where they have gone before. H. Bowman. Juh) 15. TRIED BY FIRE. ' The fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is." 1 Cor. iii. 13. WHAT, what is tried in the fires of God ? And what are the fires that try i — All, all is tried in the fires of God, And many the fires that try. And what is burned in the fires of God 1 — All but the fine, pure gold ; The treasures we offer for praise and pride, Or for pride and self withhold ; "MADE PERFECTLY WHOLE." 299 And we, as far as our souls are wrapt In the garment that waxeth old. And when will the fires of God be lit ? — They are burning every day ; They are trying us all, within and without, The gold and the potter's clay. But what is lost in the fires of God ? — Nothing that is not dross ; No tiniest grain of the golden sands, No wood of the true, true Cross ; No smallest seed of the lowliest deed Of faith and hope and love, The precious things that abide earth's fires, And for ever abide above. Yes ! nought is lost in the fires of God That is not waste or dross, — That we would not choose, could we see, to lose, And say, this was gain, not loss ! Mrs. Charles. ITixlB 16. "MADE PERFECTLY WHOLE." " They brought unto Jesus all that were diseased ; and besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment : and as many as touched were made perfectly whole." — Matt. xiv. 35, 36. I CANNOT rest, my God, content With this slow Christian pace ; 300 "APART:* This ceaseless lapse to native bent, This halting in the race ; By turns, this pride for duty meant, For duty missed, disgrace. Fain would I every whit be whole Of sin's so sharp disease, And feel perfection in my soul Advancing by degrees ; I would be struggling near the goal, Not resting on my knees. O Saviour ! only from Thy touch, Cure, as of old, we meet ! On earth to be beside Thee much Is healing, kind and sweet : And heaven's nearness will be such As shall make all complete. Lord Kinloch. "APART." ' ' And Jesus said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while. " — Mark vi. 31. " V^^OME ye yourselves apart, and rest awhile : " V_y So spake the gracious Lord, with gracious smile. What soul-refreshing thoughts the words suggest — " Come ye yourselves apart" with Me, " and rest ! " "APART." 301 " Come ye yourselves apart," and tell Me all That you have done and taught since that last call — Since last I sent you forth to work for Me Amid the haunts of sin and misery. " Come ye yourselves apart," and do not fear To tell Me all your thoughts ; I love to hear ! Begin where you left off; leave nothing out ; Tell Me each word and work, each hope and doubt. " Come ye yourselves apart," and listen, too ; For I have many things to say to you You cannot learn them all in one short day, But something may be learnt if you will stay. " Come ye yourselves apart : " I care for you, Not for the sake of aught that you can do \ Your work is very poor and weak at best, But ye yourselves are dear ; then come, and rest ! " Come ye yourselves apart ; " renew your strength, That you may better go prepared, at length, By holy leisure spent alone with Me, To work the work prepared for thee — for thee ! And when the closing hour of life's short day Shall tell of earthly work all passed away, I will draw near, and say, with loving smile, — Fear not ; but come apart, and rest awhile ! Rest, rest with Me, awhile, in Paradise, Till He who bade thee rest shall bid thee rise ; 302 CALM ME, MY GOD! Then rise, with quickened powers, to spend for Me That blessed leisure-time. Eternity ! Author of " The Old, Old Story." Tub IS. CALM ME. MY GOD! " In returning and rest shall ye be saved ; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength." — "And Jesus arose, and re- buked the wind: and there was a calm." — I^a. xxx. 15; Luke viii. 24. CALM roe, iny God, and keep me calm : While these hot breezes blow. Be like the night-dew's cooling balm Upon earth's fevered brow. Calm me, my God, and keep me calm. Soft resting on Thy breast : Soothe me with holy hymn and psalm. And bid my spirit rest. Calm me, my God, and keep me calm : Let Thine outstretched wing Be like the shade of Eliin's palm Beside her desert-spring. Yes ! keep me calm, though loud and rude The sounds my ear that greet ; Calm in the closet's solitude, Calm in the bustling street : "BLESSED ARE THE HOMESICK:1 303 Calm in the hour of buoyant health, Calm in my hour of pain ; Calm in my poverty or wealth. Calm in my loss or gain ; Calm in the sufferance of wrong, Like Him who bore my shame ; Calm 'mid the threatening, taunting throng, Who hate Thy holy name ; Calm as the ray of sun or star Which storms assail in vain • Moving unruffled through earth's war The eternal calm to gain. Dr. Bonar. JWg 19. "BLESSED ARE THE HOME-SICK, FOR THEY SHALL COME HOME" i; But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly." Heb. xi. 16. THE stranger land is lovely, But still it looks strange ; Its skies are fair and smiling. But swiftly they change. Its morning dew is fleeting. Its fiery noon kills, 304 ''BLESSED ARE THE HOME-SICKr Its suns haste toward their setting Behind the dark hills. Its moonlight sheds a sorrow, Its star-beams shine cold ; — And the pilgrim feels a pining That ne'er may be told ; Crying, " Oh for my country ! How long must I roam ? " Now blessed are the home-sick. For they shall come home ! The stranger land hath summers That ripen and shine, It hath sheaves of the valley And fruits of the vine ; But the glory swift departeth, The light will not last, The summer soon is ended, The harvest soon past. A drought is on the beauty, It dims and grows old, — And the pilgrim feels a pining That ne'er may be told ; Crying, " Oh for my country ! The land without the tomb ! " Now blessed are the home-sick, For they shall come home ! The stranger land hath fond hearts That beat and that burn, STILLNESS. 305 Soft bosoms o'er their treasure That clote and that yearn ; But their longing, still defeated, Must evermore crave, And Love is oftenest seated Beside a green grave. And bootless is all bright store Of glory and gold ; And the pilgrim feels a pining That ne'er may be told, — Crying, " Oh, for my country, Beyond the death-doom ! " Now blessed are the home-sick, For they shall come home ! A. R. Cousin. Tub 20. STILLNESS. "So he giveth his beloved sleep." — Ps. cxxvii. 2. GOD sends sometimes a stillness in our life, The bivouac, the sleep, When on the silent battle-field the strife Is hushed to slumber deep ; When wearied hearts exhausted sink to rest, Remembering not the struggle nor the quest. We know such hours, when the dim. dewy night Bids day's hot turmoil cease ; (104) 20 306 "THY WILL BE DONE." When star by star steals noiselessly in sight, With silent smiles of peace ; When we lay down our load, and half forget The morrow comes, and we must bear it yet. We know such hours, when after days of pain, And nights when sleep was not, God gives us ease, and peace, and calm again, Till, all the past forgot,. We say, in rest and thankfulness most deep, " E'en so, He giveth His beloved sleep." Deep in the heart of pain, God's hand hath set A hidden rest and bliss ; Take as His gift the pain, the gift brings yet A truer happiness. God's voice speaks, through it all, the high behest That bids His people enter into rest. Lucy Fletcher. Jwlv 21. "THY WILL BE DONE." "O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done." — Matt. xxvi. 42. FOUR little words, — no more, — Easy to say ; But thoughts that went before, Can words convey 1 "THY WILL BE DOXE." 307 The struggle, only known To one proud soul, And Him, whose eye alone Has marked the whole, — Before that stubborn will At last was broke, And a low " Peace, be still ! " One soft Voice spoke. The pang, when that sad heart Its dreams resigned, Ajid strength was found, to part Those bonds long twined. — To yield that treasure up, So fondly clasped, — To drain that bitter cup, So sadly grasped ! But all is calm at last, — " Thy will be done ! " Enough — the storm is past, The field is won. Now for the peaceful breast, The quiet sleep, — For soul and spirit rest, Tranquil and deep ; Rest, whose full bliss and power They only know, 308 OBEDIENCE. Who knew the bitter hour Of restless woe. The rebel will subdued, The fond heart free ; " Thy will be done,"— all good That comes from Thee. All weary thought and care, Lord, we resign ; Ours is to do — to bear, — - To choose is Thine. Four little words, — no more,- Easy to say ; But what was felt before, Can words convey ? H. L. L. Julg 22. OBEDIENCE. " I will walk at liberty : for I seek thy precepts." — Ps. cxix. 45. VIME was I shrank from what was right, From fear of what was wrong ; I would not brave the sacred fight, Because the foe was strong. T But now I cast that finer sense And sorer shame aside ; A SONNET. TRUST. 309 Such dread of sin was indolence, Such aim at Heaven was pride. So, when my Saviour calls, I rise And calmly do my best ; Leaving to Him, with silent eyes Of hope and fear, the rest, I step, I mount, where He has led ; Men count my haltings o'er ; I know them ; yet, though self I dread, I love His precepts more. Newman. Julg 23. A SONNET. TRUST. " What man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone ? or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?... How much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him ! " — Matt. vii. 9-11. CONSIDER : were it filial in a child To speak in such wise ? — " Father, though I know How strong your love is, having proved it so Since earliest memory, — and though you have piled Store upon store, with care that has beguiled You oft of needed ease, thus to bestow Comforts upon me when your head lies low, — Yet in my heart are doubts unreconciled. 310 WORDS. To-morrow, when I hunger, can I be Right sure, for bread you will not give a clod, Letting me starve what time you hold in fee (O'erlooking lesser wants) the acres broad Won for me through your life-long toil ? " Yet we, In just such fashion, dare to doubt of God ! Margaret J. Preston. T^Ig 24. WORDS. " Death and life are in the power of the tongue." — ".Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth ; keep the door of my lips." — Prov. xviii. 21 ; Ps. cxli. 3. WORDS are lighter than the cloud -foam Of the restless ocean spray ; Yainer than the trembling shadow That the next hour steals away \ By the fall of summer raindrops Is the air more deeply stirred, And the rose-leaf that we tread on Will outlive a word ; — Yet, on the dull silence breaking With a lightning flash, a word Bearing endless desolation On its wings, I heard. Earth can forge no keener weapon, Dealing surer death and pain, WORDS. 311 And the cruel echo answered Through long years again. I have known one word hang starlike O'er a dreary waste of years, And it only shone the brighter Looked at through a mist of tears ; While a weary wanderer gathered Hope and heart on life's dark way, By its faithful promise, shining Clearer day by clay. I have known a spirit calmer Than the calmest lake, and clear As the heaven that gazed upon it, With no wave of hope or fear : But a tempest swept across it, And its deepest depths were stirred, Never, never more to slumber, Only by a word. I have known a word, more gentle Than the breath of summer air ; In a listening heart it nestled, And it lived for ever there. Xot the beating of its prison Stirred it ever, night or day, Only with the heart's last throbbing Could it fade away. 312 ''OUR SYMPATHIZE!!. Words are mighty, words are living — Serpents with their venomous stings, Or bright angels, crowding round us, With heaven's light upon their wings. Every word has its own spirit. True or false, that never dies, Every word our lips have uttered Echoes in God's skies. Adelaide Procter. Tail) 25. "OUR SYMPATHIZER."' "Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows." Isa. liii. 4. WHEN gathering clouds around I view. And days are dark, and friends are few, On Him I lean who, not in vain, Experienced every human pain ; He sees my grief, allays my fears, And counts and treasures up my tears. If aught should tempt my soul to stray From heavenly wisdom's narrow way, To fly the good I would pursue, And do the thing I would not do, Still He, who felt temptation's power. Shall guard me in the dangerous hour. "OUR SYMPATHIZERS 313 If wounded love my bosom swell, Despised by those I prized too well, He shall His pitying aid bestow Who felt on earth severer woe, At once betrayed, denied, or fled, By those who shared His daily bread. When vexing thoughts within me rise, And, sore dismayed, my spirit dies, Yet He, who once vouchsafed to bear The sickening anguish of despair, Shall sweetly soothe, shall gently dry The throbbing heart, the weeping eye. When mourning o'er some stone I bend, Which covers all that was a friend, And from his voice, his hand, his smile, Divides me for a little while, Thou, Saviour, markst the tears I shed, For Thou didst weep o'er Lazarus dead. And, oh ! when I have safely past Through every conflict but the last, Still, still. unchanging watch beside My dying bed, for Thou hast died ! Then point to realms of cloudless day, And wipe the latest tear away ! Grant. 314 THE UNCHANGING CHRIST. Julo 26. THE UNCHANGING CHRIST. "Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work... that all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father."— John v. 17, 23. O CHRIST, who didst appear in Judah land, Thence by the Cross go back to God's right hand, Plain history, and things our sense beyond, In Thee together come and correspond ; How rulest Thou from the undiscovered bourne The world-wise world that laughs Thee still to scorn 1 'Tis heart on heart Thou rulest. Thou art the same At God's right hand as here exposed to shame, And therefore workest now as Thou didst then, — Feeding the faint divine in humble men. Through all Thy realms, from Thee goes out heart-power, Working the holy, satisfying hour, When all shall love, and all be loved again. George Macdonald. Jltlj) 27. THE PARTING SPIRIT. " The city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it : for the glory of God did lighten it. "—Rev. xxi. 23. "F A RE WELL, thou vase of splendour, I need thy light no more ; THE PARTING SPIRIT. 315 No radiance canst thou render The world to which I soar. " Nor sun nor moonbeam brightens Those regions with a ray ; But God Himself enlightens Their one, eternal day. iC Farewell, sweet Nature, ever So dear to this fond heart, From all thy long-loved treasure I do not weep to part. " The land to which I'm going- Has fairer flowers than thine, Life's river ever flowing, And skies that ever shine. " Farewell, each dearest union That blest my earthly hours, We yet shall hold communion In amaranthine bowers. " The love that seems forsaken, When friends in death depart, In heaven again shall waken, And repossess the heart.'" So sang the parting spirit, While round flowed many a tear ; Then spread her wings, to inherit Her home in yonder sphere. Edmeston. 316 THE TWO VOICES. Jul}) 28. THE TWO VOICES. "There shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain : for the former things are passed away." — Rev. xxi. 4. TWO solemn Voices, in a funeral strain, Met, as bright sunbeams and dark bursts of rain Meet in the sky : " Thou art gone hence !" one sang ; " our light is flown, Our beautiful, that seemed too much our own Ever to die ! u Thou art gone hence ! — our joyous hills among Never again to pour thy soul in song When spring-flowers rise ; Never the friend's familiar step to meet With loving laughter, and the welcome sweet Of thy glad eyes ! " " Thou art gone home, gone home ! " then, high and clear, Warbled that other Voice. " Thou hast no tear Again to shed ; Never to fold the robe o'er secret pain ; Never, weighed down by memory's clouds, again To bow thy head. "Thou art gone home ! oh, early crowned and blest, Where could the love of that deep heart find rest In an o-ht below ? THE TWO VOICES. 317 Thou must have seen each dream in turn decay, All the rich rose-leaves drop from life away, Thrice blest to go 1 " Yet sighed again that breeze-like Yoice of grief, — " Thou art gone hence ! alas, that aught so brief So loved should be ! Thou tak'st our summer hence, — the flower, the tone, The music of our being, all in one Depart with thee ! k* Fair form, young spirit, morning vision fled ! Canst thou be of the dead, the silent dead, The dark unknown 1 Yes ; to the dwelling where no footsteps fall, Xever again to light up hearth or hall, Thy smile is gone ! " " Home, home ! " once more the exulting Yoice arose ; " Thou art gone home ! — from that divine repose Never to roam ■ Never to say farewell, to weep in vain. To read of change in eyes beloved again, — Thou art gone home ! •v By the bright waters now thy lot is cast, — Joy for thee, happy friend ! thy bark hath past The rough sea's foam ; Now the long yearnings of thy soul are stilled ; Home, home ! thy peace is won, thy heart is filled, — Thou art gone home ! " Mrs. Hemaxs. 318 TRUST FOR TO-MORROW. JuId 29. TRUST FOR TO-MORROW. '■ Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass." — " Take therefore no thought for the mor- row."— Ps. xxxvii. 5; Matt. vi. 34. "TT J HAT shall I do ?" asks the anxious soul, V V Looking on to future days ; " The skies that are now so blue and fair Will be darkened soon, and then grief and care Will come to my shadowed ways." '* What will God do?" asks the trustful heart, " When the summer days are gone I When the autumn comes, with its falling leaves, He will surely give me some precious sheaves, As I toil in the harvest sun." " What shall I do '? " asks the troubled soul ; " I think I am His ; but how Can one so helpless hold fast, nor faint J The snares and the dangers who can paint ? And beyond they are worse than now ! ?" " What will God do ? " asks the trustful heart \ '"Be faithful to death,' He said ; He will give me strength, He will hold me fast, He. will guide my steps, and I know at last I shall be comforted." MIGHTY TO SAVE. 319 " What shall I do?" sighs the anxious soul, " When I reach that dark, dark spot Where the wild waves toss as I look before, And behind, with a thundering awful roar, Conies the foe who pities not 1 " " What will God do '( " asks the trustful heart, " When I reach that fearful place '] He will part the waves — they shall backward turn ; He will conquer the foe ; and all shall learn The might of His power and grace." O troubled soul, cast thy burden down, And rest in His promised grace ; For the child who is carried in strong, kind arms, Feels no weight of care, knows no wild alarms, As he looks in his Father's face. Julia E. Ball. Julg 30. MIGHTY TO SAVE. " Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many : and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation." — Heb. ix. 28. THE Lord of might, from Sinai's brow, Gave forth His voice of thunder ; And Israel lay on earth below Outstretched in fear and wonder. 320 THE ANSWER OF THE HILLS. Beneath His feet was pitchy night, And at His left hand and His right The rocks were rent asunder ! The Lord of love, on Calvary, A meek and suffering stranger, Upraised to Heaven His languid eye In nature's hour of danger : For us He bare the weight of woe, For us He gave His blood to now, And met His Father's anger. The Lord of love, the Lord of might, The King of all created, Shall back return to claim His right On clouds of glory seated ; With trumpet sound and angel song, And hallelujahs loud and long, O'er Death and Hell defeated ! Jfttlg 31. THE ANSWER OF THE HILLS. " The mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed." — " The creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corrup- tion into the liberty of the glory of the children of God. " — Isa. liv. 10 ; Rom. viii. 21 {B.ciiscd Version). THE shining hills before me lay — My musing heart was fain to say, Heber. THE ANSWER OF THE HILLS. 321 " I mourn, ye hills, the stern decree That saith, ' Ye shall no longer be, On that dread day When heaven and earth shall pass away ! ' " The shining hills made calm reply, That fell upon my foolish cry Like words that silence, gravely mild, The fretful accents of a child, — " Beneath, on high, Gods work is good, and shall not die. " Though heaven above and earth below Shall share the universal woe, That doom of lire shall but destroy All that not ministers to joy ; Yea, even so Full life and beauty shall we know. " That end true glory shall begin, That doom is but the death of sin, That night is mother of the morn In travail ere the light is born ; That woe shall win A world that Life can reisn within...... " Yea, trust that He who all began Hath for the end His perfect plan ; His good gifts are for evermore ! Creation, that in common bore (104; 21 322 THE ANSWER OF THE HILLS. The wof ul ban, Shall fail not of the bliss, of man. " God's pity left her to the race He would win back into His grace, His poet sweet, His prophet true ! He shall her youth with man's renew. And each tear's trace Wipe ever from her glorious face ! " Then shall ye see the field, the flood, The restful vale, the placid wood, All that ye loved in all the land ; And we, whose ' strength is His,' shall stand As erst we stood, As when of old He called us good. " Then come ! for supreme joy in woe, Last triumph in last overthrow ! In all thy grace, in all thy power, Come, O thou sweet tremendous hour ! Come even so, For heaven above and earth below ! " Rev. S. J. Stone. JgLitgiist 1. THE RIVER-PATH. " It shall be one day which shall be known to the Lord, not day, nor night : but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light."— Zech. xiv. 7. NO bird-song floated down the hill, The tangled bank below wras still ; No rustle from the birchen stem, No ripple from the water's hem. The dusk of twilight round us grew, We felt the falling of the dew^, For from us, ere the day was done, The wooded hills shut out the sun. But on the river's farther side We saw the hill-tops glorified, — A tender glow, exceeding fair, A dream of day without its glare. With us the damp, the chill, the gloom ; With them the sunset's rosy bloom ; While dark, through willowy vistas seen, The river rolled in shade between. 324 THE PdVER-PATH. From out the darkness where we trod We gazed upon those hills of God, Whose light seemed not of moon or sun, — We sjDoke not, but our thought was one. We paused, as if from that bright shore Beckoned our dear ones gone before, — And stilled our beating hearts to hear The voices lost to mortal ear ! Sudden our pathway turned from night ; — The hills swung open to the light ; Through their green gates the sunshine showed A long, slant splendour downward flowed. Down glade and glen and bank it rolled, It bridged the shaded stream with gold, And, borne on piers of mist, allied The shadowy with the sunlit side. " So," prayed we, "when our feet draw near The river dark, with mortal fear, And the night cometh, chill with dew, O Father ! let Thy light break through ! So let the hills of doubt divide, So bridge with faith the sunless tide ! So let the eyes that fail on earth On Thy eternal hills look forth ; And in Thy beckoning angels know The dear ones whom we loved below ! " Whittier. THE LAND BEYOND THE SEA. 325 j^Lugitsi 2. THE LAND BEYOND THE SEA. " Thine eyes shall behold the land that is very far off." ISA. xxxiii. 17. T SHE Land beyond the Sea ! When will life's task be o'er 1 When shall we reach that soft blue shore O'er the dark strait, whose billows foam and roar 1 When shall we come to thee, Calm Land beyond the Sea? The Land beyond the Sea ! How close it often seems, When flushed with evening's peaceful gleams ; And the wistful heart looks o'er the strait, and dreams ! It longs to fly to thee, Calm Land beyond the Sea ! The Land beyond the Sea ! Sometimes distinct and clear It grows upon the eye and ear, And the gulf narrows to a thread-like mere ; We seem half-way to thee, Calm Land beyond the Sea ! 326 THE LAND BEYOND THE SEA. The Land beyond the Sea ! Oh, how the lapsing years Mid our not unsubmissive tears, Have borne, now singly, now in fleets, the biers Of those we love, to thee, Calm Land beyond the Sea ! The Land beyond the Sea ! When will our toil be done ? Slow-footed years ! more swiftly run Into the gold of that unsetting sun ! Home-sick we are for thee, Calm Land beyond the Sea ! The Land beyond the Sea ! Why fadest thou in light? Why art thou better seen towards night ? Dear Land ! look always plain, look always bright, That we may gaze on thee, Calm Land beyond the Sea ! The Land beyond the Sea ! Sweet is thine endless rest, But sweeter far the Father's Breast Upon thy shores eternally possest ; For Jesus reigns o'er thee, Calm Land beyond the Sea ! Fabeb. BY- AND- BY. 327 Jlitgttst 3. BY -AND -BY. " So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom." — " One thing is needful." — Ps. xc. 12 ; Luke x. 42. WHAT will it matter, by-and-by, Whether my path below was bright, Whether it wound through dark or light, Under a gray or a golden sky, When I look back on it, by-and-by 1 What will it matter, by-and-by, Whether, unhelped, I toiled alone, Dashing my foot against a stone, Missing the charge of the angel nigh, Bidding me think of the by-and-by ? What will it matter, by-and-by, Whether with cheek to cheek I've lain Close by the pallid angel, Pain, Soothing myself through sob and sigh, " All will be elsewise, by-and-by " ? What will it matter ? — Nothing, if I Only am sure that the way I have trod, Gloomy or gladdened, leads to God ; Questioning not of the how or why, If I but reach Him, by-and-by. 328 THE REST THAT REMAINETH. What will I care for the unshared sigh, If, in my fear of lapse or fall, Close I have clung to Christ through all, Mindless how rough the road might lie, Sure He will smooth it, by-and-by. What will it matter, by-and-by ? Nothing but this, That Joy or Pain Lifted me upward — helped to gain, Whether through storm, or smile, or sigh, Heaven — Home — All in All — by-and-by ! Margaret J. Preston. THE REST THAT REMAINETH. " Go thou thy way till the end be : for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days." — "My flesh also shall rest in hope." — "There remaineth a rest to the people of God." — Dan. xii. 13; Ps. xvi. 9; Heb. iv. 9. WHEN the rest of faith is ended, and the rest in hope is past, The rest of love remaineth, Sabbath of life at last. No more fleeting hours hurrying down the day, But golden stillness of glory, never to pass away. Time with its pressure of moments, mocking us as they fell, With relentless beat of a footstep, hour by hour the knell CHRIST AND THE LITTLE ONES. 329 Of a hope or an aspiration, then shall have passed away, Leaving a grand, calm leisure, leisure of endless day. Leisure that cannot be measured by touch of time or place. Finding its counterpart measure only in infinite space ; Full, and yet ever filling ; leisure without alloy, Eternity's seal on the limitless charter of heavenly joy. Leisure to fathom the fathomless, leisure to seek and to know Marvels and secrets and glories eternity only can show ; Leisure of holiest gladness, leisure of holiest love, Leisure to drink from the Fountain of infinite peace above ! F. R. Havergal. j^Lugust 5. CHRIST AND THE LITTLE ONES. " And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not : for of such is the kingdom of God. And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them." — Mark x. 13, 14, 16. " r I ^HE Master has come over Jordan," J_ Said Hannah the mother one day ; " He is healing the people who throng Him, With a touch of the finger, they say. " And now I shall carry the children — Little Rachel, and Samuel, and John, 330 CHRIST AND THE LITTLE ONES. I shall carry the baby Esther, For the Lord to look upon/'' The father looked at her kindly, But he shook his head and smiled : " Now who but a doting mother Would think of a thing so wild I " If the children were tortured by demons, Or dying of fever — 'twere well • Or had they the taint of the leper, Like many in Israel." " Xay, do not hinder me, Nathan : I feel such a burden of care, If I carry it to the Master, Perhaps I shall leave it there. " If He lay His hand on the children, My heart will be lighter, I know ; For a blessing for ever and ever Will follow them as they go." So over the hills of Judah, Along by the vine-rows green, WTith Esther asleep in her bosom, And Rachel her brothers between, 'Mong the people who hung on His teaching, Or waited His touch and His word, Through the row of proud Pharisees listening, She pressed to the feet of the Lord. THE PILGRIM PSALM. 331 " Now why shouldst thou hinder the Master,"' Said Peter, " with children like these ? Seest not how from morning till evening He teacheth, and healeth disease ? " Then Christ said, " Forbid not the children, Permit them to come unto Me ! " And He took in His arms little Esther, And Rachel He set on His knee ; And the heavy heart of the mother Was lifted all earth-care above, As He laid His hand on the brothers, And blest them with tenderest love ; As He said of the babes in His bosom, " Of such is the kingdom of heaven " — And strength for all duty and trial That hour to her spirit was given. Julia Gill. jgLngust 6. THE PILGRIM PSALM. 'The Lord is my shepherd ; I shall not want." — Ps. xxiii. 1. kAY it after me, little child, < The Lord is my Shepherd ! ' :; "S- And straightway the little child replies, With face upturned to the holy eyes — " The Lord is my Shepherd," 332 THE PILGRIM PSALM. No fear for the future lieth hid In the lamb's confiding : " I shall not want/' is its heart's belief ; What does it know of dangers or grief; Led by the Shepherd's guiding 1 Guided to pastures of tender grass, Where still water floweth, And what though the nether springs be dry ? With Hirn is the fountain of supply, And the source he knoweth. Childhood is over, a lamb no more, Far, far it is straying — The mire of sin on its snowy fleece, A stranger now to the paths of peace, Its childhood's Guide betraying ! But see, the Shepherd follows still, Though the worst He knoweth ; The hands that were pierced stretch out to aid,- Fallen one, grasp them, be not afraid, Pardon His touch bestoweth. Ajid a new glad song of praise is heard, Borne on love's grateful wings — " He restoreth my soul, He sets my feet In paths of righteousness new and sweet," — This is the son" he sings. THE PILGRIM PSALM. 333 " Yea, though I walk through the valley's gloom, Dark with shadowy dread, Peopled with all that a man most fears, Phantoms of sickness, and death, and tears, Hiding the sky o'erhead, " Yet will I fear not, for Thou art there, That valley was trod by Thee ; Not willingly does Thy rod descend, Its wounds are the chastenings of a friend, Therefore it comforts me." The heat of battle is over now, The soldier is weak and old ; But a double glory lights his days — Earth's setting sun, and the dawning rays That stretch from the land of gold. Enemies stand in powerless rage, Seeing his table spread ; The cup of Love, in his trembling hold, Brimmeth with mercies manifold, And God's oil shines on his head. The goodness that held his childhood's hand, The mercy then that found him, Shall surely follow him all his days, Till the great "for ever's " ceaseless praise In God's own House surround him. J. L. Pitcairn. 334 MURMURS. MUEMURS. "And when the people complained, it displeased the Lord."— " Come near before the Lord : for he hath heard your murmur- ings."— Num. xi. 1; Ex. xvi. 9. WHY wilt thou make bright music Give forth a sound of pain ? Why wilt thou weave fair flowers Into a weary chain ? Why turn each cool gray shadow Into a world of fears ? Why say the winds are wailing ? Why call the dew-drops tears ? The voices of happy nature, And the heaven's sunny gleam, Reprove thy sick heart's fancies, Upbraid thy foolish dream. Listen, and I will tell thee The song Creation sings, From the humming of bees in the heather To the nutter of angels' wings. An echo rings for ever, The sound can never cease \ It speaks to God of glory, It speaks to earth of peace. THE CRADLE AND THE CROSS. 335 Not alone did angels sing it To the poor shepherds' ear ; But the sphered heavens chant it, While listening ages hear. Above thy peevish wailing Rises that holy song, Above earth's foolish clamour, Above the voice of wrong. No creature of God is too lowly To murmur peace and praise ; When the starry nights grow silent, Then speak the sunny days. So leave thy sick heart's fancies, And lend thy little voice To the silver song of glory That bids the world rejoice. Adelaide Procter. JgLngufft 8. THE CRADLE AND THE CROSS. : But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart." Luke ii. 19. THE cradle which the world had drest, To be her Lord's first place of rest, Is this poor manger hard and rude, The little Child sleeps on the wood, — What dost thou ponder, Mary? 336 BENEDICITE. The Lord of Glory's dying bed, Two rafters that are crossways laid ; One touches earth, but points the skies, While right and left the other lies, — - Why art thou weeping, Mary ? To thee this wondrous Child was born, From thee this sinless Son was torn ; Yet, had the Babe for thee not smiled, Yet, had the Cross not claimed thy Child, What wert thou now, O Mary ? From the German of Spttta. J9Lugu0t 9. BENEDICITE. "The Lord bless thee, and keep thee; the Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee ; the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace." — Num. vi. 24-26. GOD'S love and peace be with thee, where Soe'er this soft autumnal air Lifts the dark tresses of thy hair ! Where'er I look, where'er I stray, Thy thought goes with me on my way, And hence the prayer I breathe to-day Thou lack'st not Friendship's spell-word, nor The half-unconscious power to draw All hearts to thee, by Love's sweet law • THE MOUNTAINS. 337 With these good gifts of God is cast Thy lot, and many a charm thou hast To hold the blessed angels fast If, then, a fervent wish for thee The gracious heavens will heed from me, What should, dear heart, its burden be ? The sighing of a shaken reed, — What can I more than meekly plead The greatness of our common need ? God's love — unchanging, pure, and true — The Paraclete white-shining through His peace — the fall of Hermon's dew ! With such a prayer, on this sweet day, As thou may'st hear and I may pray, I greet thee, dearest, far away ! Whittier. j^ugtt0t 10. THE MOUNTAINS. " Which by his strength setteth fast the mountains ; being girded with power." — "Thy righteousness is like the great mountains." — "As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about his people from henceforth, even for ever." — Ps. lxv. 6 ; xxxvi. 6 ; cxxv. 2. " A I ^HE everlasting hills ! " how calm they rise, _!_ Bold witnesses to an Almighty Hand ! (104) 22 338 THE MOUNTAINS. We gaze with longing heart and eager eyes, And feel as if short pathway might suffice From those pure regions to the heavenly land. At early dawn, when the first rays of light Play like a rose-wreath on the peaks of snow ; And late, when half the valley seems in night, Yet still around each pale majestic height The sun's last smile has left a crimson glow ; — Then the heart longs, it calls for wings to fly, Above all lower scenes of earth to soar, Where yonder golden clouds arrested lie, Where granite cliffs and glaciers gleam on high As with reflected light from heaven's own door. Whence this strange spell, by thoughtful souls confest Ever in shadow of the mountains found 1 'Tis the deep voice within our human breast, Which bids us seek a refuge and a rest Above, beyond what meets us here around ! Ever to men of God the hills were dear, Since on the slopes of Ararat the dove Plucked the wet olive-pledge of hope and cheer : Or Israel stood entranced in silent fear, While God on Sinai thundered from above And once on Tabor was a vision given Sublime as that which Israel feared to view, LIVING WATERS. 339 When the transfigured Lord of earth and heaven, Mortality's dim curtain lifted, riven, Revealed His glory to His chosen few. On mountain heights of Galilee He prayed, While others slept, and all beneath was still ; From Olivet's recess of awful shade Thrice was that agonized petition made, " O that this cup might pass, if such Thy will ! " And on Mount Zion, in the better land, Past every danger of the pilgrim way, At our Redeemer's feet we hope to stand, And learn the meanings of His guiding hand Through all the changes of our earthly day. Then hail, calm sentinels of heaven, again ! Proclaim your message, as in ages past ! Tell us that pilgrims shall not toil in vain, That Zion's mount we surely shall attain, Where all home longings find a home at last ! Meta Heusser i^Lugust 11. LIYIXG WATERS. "Jesus stood and cried, saying. If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink." — John vii. 37. THERE are some hearts like wells, green-mossed As ever summer saw, [and deep 340 LIVING WATERS. And cool their water is, yea, cool and sweet \ But you must come to draw. They hoard not, yet they rest in calm content, And not unsought will give ; They can be quiet with their wealth unspent, So self-contained they live. And there are some like springs, that bubbling burst To follow dusty ways, And run with offered cup to quench his thirst Where the tired traveller strays ; That never ask the meadows if they want What is their joy to give ; Unasked, their lives to other life they grant, So self -bestowed they live. And One is like the ocean, deep and wide, Wherein all waters fall ; That girdles the broad earth, and draws the tide, Feeding and bearing all. That breeds the mists, that sends the clouds abroad, That takes again to give ; — Even the great and loving heart of God, Whereby all love doth live. Anon. DARK HOURS. 341 i^Litgust 12. DARK HOURS. " I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried." — Zech. xiii. 9. OMY tired soul, be patient. Roughest winds Blow over sweetest fruitage; heaviest clouds Rain the most ample harvests on the fields. The grass grows greenest where the wintry snows Have fallen deepest ; and the fairest flowers Spring from old, dead decay. The darkest mine Yields the most flashing jewels from its cell, And stars are born of darkness, day of night. O my tired soul, be patient ! Yet for thee Goes on the secret alchemy of life. God, the One-giver, grants no boon to Earth That He withholds from thee ; and from the dark Of thy great sorrow shall evolve new7 light, New strength to do and sutler, new resolves, Perchance new gladness too, and freshest hopes. Oh, there are times that I can no more weep That I have suffered, for I know great strength Is born of suffering ; and I trust that still, Wrapped in the dry husks of my outer life, Lie warmer seeds than ever yet have burst From its dull covering. Stronger purposes Stir consciously within, and make me great "With a new life — a life akin to God's, 342 "J WILL LIFT UP MINE EYES." Which I must nurture for the holy skies. Help me, Thou great All-patient ! for the flesh Will sometimes falter, and the spirit fail ; Add to my human Thy diviner strength, That out of darkness I may see great light And follow where it ever leads — to Thee. Axon. JgLitgitst 13. "I WILL LIFT UP MINE EYES UNTO THE HILLS." "My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?" — "I stretch forth my hands unto thee." — Ps. xlii. 2; cxliii. 6. I AM pale with sick desire, — For my heart is far away From this world's fitful lire And this world's waning day ; In a dream it overleaps A world of tedious ills To where the sunshine sleeps On the everlasting hills. — Say the saints, There angels ease us, Glorified and white. They say, We rest in Jesus, Where is not day or night. "I WILL LIFT UP MINE EYES.' 343 My soul saith, I have sought For a home that is not gained ; I have spent yet nothing bought, Have laboured but not attained : My pride strove to mount and grow, And hath but dwindled down ; My love sought love, and lo ! Hath not attained its crown. — Say the saints, Fresh souls increase us, None languish or recede. They say, We love our Jesus, And He loves us indeed. I cannot rise above, I cannot rest beneath, I cannot find out love Or escape from death ; Dear hopes and joys gone by Still mock me with a name, My best beloved die, And I cannot die with them. — Say the saints, No deaths decrease us, Where our rest is glorious. They say, We live in Jesus, Who once died for us. O my soul, she beats her wings, And pants to fly away Up to immortal things In the heavenly clay. 344 THE DELECTABLE MOUNTAINS. Yet she flags and almost faints ; — Can such be meant for me ? Come and see, say the saints. Saith Jesus, Come and see. Say the saints, His pleasures please us Before God and the Lamb. Come and taste my sweets, saith Jesus — Be with Me where I am. Christina Rosetti. jgLugu0t 14. THE DELECTABLE MOUNTAINS. "Their soul shall be as a watered garden: and they shall not sorrow any more at all." — " How long are ye slack to go to possess the land, which the Lord God of your fathers hath given you ? " — Jer. xxxi. 12 ; Joshua xviii. 3. "And then, said they, we will, if the day be clear, show you the Delectable Mountains So he looked, and, behold, at a great distance he saw a most pleasant mountainous country, very delec- table to behold and it is as common, said they, as this hill is, to and for all the pilgrims. And when thou comest there, from thence thou mayest see to the gate of the Celestial City." — Bunyax. I SEE them far away, — In their calm beauty, on the evening skies, Across the golden west their summits rise, Bright with the radiance of departing day. And often, ere the sunset light was gone, Gazing and longing, I have hastened on, THE DELECTABLE MOUNTAINS. 345 As with new strength, all weariness and pain Forgotten in the hope those blissful heights to gain. Heaven lies not far beyond, — But these are hills of earth, our changeful air Circles around them, and the dwellers there Still own mortality's mysterious bond. The ceaseless contact, the continued strife Of sin and grace, which can but close with life, Is not yet ended, and. the Jordan's roar Still sounds between their path and the celestial shore. But there, the pilgrims say, On these calm heights, the tumult and the noise Of all our busy cares and restless joys Have almost in the distance died away ; — All the past journey "a right way" appears; Thoughts of the future wake no faithless fears \ And through the clouds, to their rejoicing eyes, The City's golden streets and pearly gates arise. Look up, poor fainting heart ! These happy ones, in the far distance seen, Were sinful wanderers once, as thou hast been — Weary and sorrowful, as now thou art. Linger no longer on the lonely plain ; Press boldly onward, and thou too shalt gain Their vantage-ground, and then with vigour new All thy remaining race and pilgrimage pursue. 346 THE BREAD OF LIFE. Ah ! far too faint, too poor Are all our views and aims — we only stand Within the borders of the promised land, Its precious things we seek not to secure ; And thus our hands hang down, and oft unstrung Our harps are left the willow trees among. Lord, lead us forward, upward, till we know How much of heavenly bliss may be enjoyed below ! H. L. L. JgLugitst 15. THE BREAD OF LIFE. '"Man did eat angels' food: he sent them meat to the full."— 1 ' Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life : he that cometh to me shall never hunger." — Ps. lxxviii. 25 ; John vi. 35. ,'rTHvWAS August, and the fierce sun overhead X Smote on the squalid streets of Bethnal Green, And the pale weaver, through his windows seen In Spitalfields, looked thrice dispirited. I met a preacher there I knew, and said, " 111 and o'er worked, how fare you in this scene?" " Bravely ! " said he, " for I of late have been Much cheered with thoughts of Christ, the Living Bread."— O human soul ! as long as thou canst so Set-up a mark of everlasting light Above the howling senses' ebb and flow, THANKSGIVING. 347 To cheer thee, and to right thee if thou roam — Not with lost toil thou labourest through the night ! Thou malrst the heaven thou hopest for thy home. M. Arnold. JgLugitst 16. THANKSGIVING. " Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." — Eph. v. 20. THANKS be to God ! to whom earth owes Sunshine and breeze, The heath-clad hill, the vale's repose, Streamlet and seas, The snow-drop and the summer rose, The many-voiced trees. Thanks for the gladness that entwines Our path below ; Each sunrise that incarnadines The cold, still snow ; Thanks for the light of love, which shines With brightest earthly glow. Thanks for the sickness and the pain, Which none may flee ; For loved ones standing now before The crystal sea ; 348 THE TWO SAYINGS. And for the weariness of heart, Which only rests in Thee. Thanks for Thine own thrice blessed word And Sabbath rest ; Thanks for the hope of glory, stored In mansions blest ; Thanks for the Spirit's comfort poured Into the trembling breast. Thanks, more than thanks, to Him ascend, Who died to win Our life, and every trophy rend From Death and Sin, Till, when the thanks of earth shall end, The thanks of heaven begin ! F. R. Havergal. JgLttgtt0t 17. THE TWO SAYINGS. "Jesus wept."— "And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter." John xi. 35 ; Luke xxii. 61. TWO sayings of the Holy Scriptures beat Like pulses in the Church's brow and breast; And by them we find rest in our unrest, And, heart-deep in salt tears, do yet entreat God's fellowship as if on heavenly seat. HEARING, WATCHING, WAITING. 349 The first is, " Jesus wept," — whereon is pressed Full many a sobbing face that drops its best And sweetest waters on the record sweet ; And one is when the Christ, denied and scorned, "Looked upon Peter." Oh, to render plain, By help of having loved a little and mourned, That look of sovereign love and sovereign pain, Which He, who could not sin yet suffered, turned On him who could reject but not sustain ! E. Barrett Browning. j^Lugust 18. HEARING, WATCHING, WAITING. "Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors." — Pro v. viii. 34. O CHILD of God, so weary with earth's toil And ceaseless strife, The Master chooseth thee, for high behest, And fruitful life. Oh, gladly wait, Beside the portal of the Master's gate, To do His bidding, for the day grows late. Take thou His message, and then hasten back To His dear feet, And He will greet thee with His tender love, And comfort sweet. 350 COMFORTED. Then gladly wait Beside the portal of the Master's gate, For the next message, as the day grows late. And mourn not sorely, if thine errand seems All fruitless now, — The message was the Master's, and His mark Is on thy brow ; And thou clidst wait Beside the portal of the Master's gate, As the shades gathered, and the day was late. Not now the time of reckoning, it will come To thee at last ; And thou wilt smile to think of many hours All then gone past, When thou didst wait Beside the portal of the Master's gate, To do His bidding, ere it was too late. Anon. JgLugust 19. COMFOBTED. " My heart is sore pained within me ; and the terrors of death are fallen upon me." — " What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee."— Ps. lv. 4; lvi. 3. THEBE are who tell me I should be So firm of faith, so void of fear, So buoyed by calm, courageous cheer, COMFORTED. 351 (Assured through Christ's security There is a place prepared) that I Should dare not be afraid to die. Who holds it cowardice to shrink Before the fearful truth — that none Of all Time's myriads — never one Whose feet have crossed the fatal brink, Has ever come to breathe our breath Again, and tell us what is death ? Who knows ? — God only \ on His word I wholly rest, I solely lean ; The single voice that sounds between The Eternities ! ]STo soul hath heard One whisper else, one mystic breath That can reveal the why of death. I think of all who've passed the strife : Pale women, who have failed to face With bravery of common grace Their daily apprehensive life, Who yet, with straining arms stretched high Through ecstasy, could smile, and die ;— Of little children, who would scare To walk beneath the dark alone, Unless some hand should hold their own, Who met the Terror unaware ; ISTor knew, while breathing out their breath. The angel whom they saw was Death ! 352 LAZARUS. And I am comforted ; because The love that bore these tremblers through Can fold its strength about me too, And I may find my quailing was As theirs, a phantom that will fly, Dawn-smitten, when I come to die. Therefore I cleave with simple trust Amid my hopes, amid my fears, Through the procession of my years, The years that bear me back to dust, — And cry, — " Ah, Christ, if Thou be nigh, Strong in Thy strength, I dare to die !" Margaret J. Preston. LAZARUS. 1 c Jesus cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth. " — John xi. 43, 44. WHEN Lazarus left his charnel-cave, And home to Mary's house returned, Was this demanded — if he yearned To hear her weeping by his grave ] " Where wert thou, brother, those four days '?" There lives no record of reply, Which, telling what it is to die, Had surely added praise to praise. THE DYING CHRISTIAN TO HIS SOUL. 353 From every house the neighbours met, The streets were tilled with joyful sound, A solemn gladness even crowned The purple brows of Olivet. Behold a man raised up by Christ ! The rest remaineth unrevealed ; He told it not, or something sealed The lips of that Evangelist. Tennyson. J3atgust 21. THE DYING CHRISTIAN TO HIS SOUL. 14 0 death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?*' 1 Cor. xv. 55. VITAL spark of heavenly flame ! Quit, O quit this mortal frame ! Trembling, hoping, lingering, flying, Oh the pain, the bliss of dying ! Cease, fond nature ! cease thy strife, And let me languish into life ! Hark, they whisper — angels say, " Sister-spirit, come away !" What is this absorbs me quite, Steals my senses, shuts my sight, Drowns my spirits, draws my breath 1 — Tell me, my soul ! can this be death 1 lw) 23 354 THE SEA- SIDE WELL. The world recedes ! — it disappears ! — Heaven opens on my eyes ! — my ears With sounds seraphic ring : Lend, lend your wings ! I mount ! I fly ! O grave ! where is thy victory ? O death ! where is thy sting ? Pope. jgLltgiT0t 22. THE SEA-SIDE WELL. ON FINDING A SPRING OF FRESH WATER WITHIN TIDE-MARK ON THE COAST OF ARGYLESHIRE. " Waters flowed over mine head ; then I said, I am cut off. I called upon thy name, O Lord. Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee : thou saidst, Tear not." — Lam. hi. 54, 55, 57. ONE day I wandered where the salt-sea tide Backward had drawn its wave, And found a spring as sweet as e'er hill-side To wild flowrers gave. Freshly it sparkled in the sun's bright look, And mid its pebbles strayed, As if it thought to join a happy brook In some green glade. But soon the heavy sea's resistless swell Came rolling in once more ; Spreading its bitter o'er the clear sweet well And pebbled shore. THE SEA-SIDE WELL. 355 Like a fair star thick buried in a cloud, Or life in the grave's gloom, The well, enwrapped in a deep watery shroud, Sunk to its tomb. As one who by the beach roams far and wide Remnant of wreck to save, Again I wandered when the salt-sea tide Withdrew its wave. And there, unchanged, no taint in all its sweet, No anger in its tone ; Still, as it thought some happy brook to meet, The spring flowed on. While waves of bitterness rolled o'er its head, Its heart had folded deep Within itself, and quiet fancies led, As in a sleep. Till, when the ocean loosed its heavy chain, And gave it back to day, Calmly it turned to its own life again, And gentle way. Happy, I thought, that which can draw its life Deep from the nether springs, Safe 'neath the pressure, tranquil mid the strife Of surface things. Safe— for the sources of the nether springs Up in the far hills lie ; 356 THE SEA-SIDE WELL. Calm — for the life its power and freshness brings Down from the sky. So, should temptations threaten, and should sin Roll in its 'whelming flood, Make strong the fountain of Thy grace, within My soul, O God ! If bitter scorn, and looks, once kind, grown strange, With crushing dullness fall, From secret wells let sweetness rise, nor change My heart to gall. When sore Thy hand doth press, and waves of Thine Afflict me like a sea — Deep calling deep — infuse from source Divine Thy peace in me. And when death's tide, as with a brimful cup, Over my soul doth pour, Let hope survive — a well that springeth up For evermore. Above my head the waves may come and go, Long brood the deluge dire, But life lies hidden in the depths below, Till waves retire; Till death, that reigns with overflowing flood, At length withdraw its sway, And life rise sparkling in the light of God And endless day. Dr. John Ker. THE KINGDOM OF GOD. 357 THE KINGDOM OF GOD. ; Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?" — Rom. viii. 35. I SAY to thee, do thou repeat To the first man thou may est meet In lane, highway, or open street — That he, and we, and all men move Under a canopy of loye As broad as the blue sky above ; That doubt and trouble, fear and pain, And anguish, are but shadows vain, That death itself shall not remain. That weary deserts we may tread, A dreary labyrinth may thread, Through dark ways underground be led ; Yet, if we will one Guide obey, The dreariest path, the darkest way Shall issue out in heavenly day ; And we, on divers shores now cast, Shall meet, our perilous voyage past, All in our Father's house at last. And ere thou leave him, say thou this, Yet one word more — they only miss The winning of that final bliss, 358 FAITH'S REWARD. Who will not count it true, that Love, Blessing, not cursing, rules above, And that in it we live and move. And one thing further make him know, — That to believe these things are so, This firm faith never to forego, Despite of all that seems at strife With blessing, all with curses rife, That this is blessing, this is life. R. C. Trench. jgLugust 24. FAITH'S REWARD. " Nathanael answered and saith, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God ; thou art the King of Israel. Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou ? thou shalt see greater things than these. " — John i. 49, 50. SO did Nathanael, guileless man, At once, not shamefaced or afraid, Owning Him God, who so could scan His musings in the lonely shade ; In his own pleasant fig-tree's shade Which by his household fountain grew, Where at noonday his prayer he made To know God better than he knew. FAITH'S REWARD. 359 Oli ! happy hours of heavenward thought ! How richly crowned ! how well improved ! In musing o'er the Law he taught, In waiting for the Lord he loved The childlike faith, that asks not sight, Waits not for wonder or for sign, Believes, because it loves, aright — Shall see things greater, things divine. Heaven to that gaze shall open wide, And brightest angels to and fro On messages of love shall glide, Twixt God above and Christ below. So still the guileless man is blest, — To him all crooked paths are straight ; Him on his way to endless rest Fresh, ever-growing strengths await. God's witnesses, a glorious host Compass him daily like a cloud ; Martyrs and seers, the saved and lost, Mercies and judgments cry aloud : Yet shall to him the still small voice, That first into his bosom found A way, and fixed his wavering choice, Nearest and dearest ever sound. Keble. 360 POOR PILGRIM, JgLttgtwrt 25. POOR PILGRIM. "We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak." — " When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, There is lifting up." — Rom. xv. 1 ; Job xxii. 29. AT noon a wayfarer I met, And pitied, as my steps drew near ; He bore no heavy burden, yet Seemed weighted down by grief or fear. As I overtook him, " Friend," I asked, " Where do you go 1 Is your way mine *? " (I thought to point one overtasked To help Almighty and Divine.) " I am a pilgrim," he replied ; " A pilgrim through this desert land ; I have been sorely, sorely tried, And dread the night so near at hand." " A pilgrim ! surely no," I said ; " Most surely no ! For why assume A felon's garb, and downcast head Of pris'ner going to his doom ? " But when I saw his patient face, I mourned my harsh and cruel tone ; Slack'ning my ardour to his pace, I drew his arm within my own. THE MISSIONARY'S FAREWELL. 361 " Pardon, dear pilgrim ! but your roll, — Has it been lost, and your lamp broke ? " " No, no ! from winds beyond control I hid them underneath this cloak." " Poor pilgrim ! let me trim your lamp, Until it shows you how God sends Myriads of holy ones to camp, From morn to night, around His friends." So we went on. He raised his head, Nor ever knew that it was night. " Brother, I did mistake," he said, " The evening time is very light." Known but to me and his dear Lord, I laid my poor, tired pilgrim down ; And tears that fell for my harsh word Fell on the shadow of a crown. S. L. F. J^LxxQxxst 26. THE MISSIONARY'S FAREWELL. " How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher ? and how shall they preach except they be sent?" — "I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us ? Then said I, Here am I ; send me." — Rom. x. 14, 15 ; Isa. vi. 8. STILL on the shores of home my feet are standing, But home itself even now behind me lies ; 362 THE MISSIONARY'S F ABE WELL. Still my ship's anchor holds — but fast are breaking Round this sad heart the dearest, strongest ties. Slowly and painfully those bonds are parting, Now only known to clasp so close, so strong ; — Fain would the tree grow on, nor bear transplanting From the loved soil where it has stood so long ! Yonder, where I must go, the earth and heaven Another aspect will appear to wear, A fiercer sun will shine in noonday splendour, And stars unknown light up the darkness there. The cradle-song, which soothed my childhood's slumbers, The words of love and prayer, will sound no more ; All harsh will seem the unfamiliar accents Which greet the stranger on that distant shore. " Remain, remain ! " I hear my dear ones calling, " Remain among us, loved and loving, still ! Tempt not the wild waves of the stormy ocean, Tempt not the blinded heathen's wilder will ! " Yes, I would stay, did I not hear another, A heavenly call, which tells me to depart : His voice, who lingered not, when love and pity For helpless, hopeless sinners filled His heart — His voice I hear ; and theirs, the lost, the dying, — The wail of heathen anguish o'er the sea ! They must not perish thus, unheard, unheeded ; The slaves of Satan must be yet set free ! WALKING IN LOVE. 363 Lord, I obey ; I go, where Thou appointest, A willing servant, to the harvest field. Nor will I turn again, my post forsaking, Though only thorns and briers the toil should yield. The signal waves — Adieu, my own, my dearest ! Remember in your prayers the absent one ; And mourn me not — ye know the Friend Almighty, All-wise, All-loving, who has with me gone ! Heinrich Mowes. (Tr. H. L. L.) JgLngitst 27. WALKING IN LOVE. "Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God." — " Walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us."— 1 John iv. 7 ; Eph. v. 2. WHEN we seek, with loving heart, Each to act a childlike part, Daily duty, daily care, For our Lord to do or bear, — All His pleasure to fulfil, Do or suffer all His will ; Serve Him here with earnest love, Till we dwell with Him above, — When the ransomed look before, View by faith the heavenly shore, 364 WALKING IN LOVE. Catcli the echoes of the song They shall join in there, ere long, — Then, of small account appear Every mortal toil or tear ; Homeward hasting day by day, What are trials by the way ? He, the great High Priest, draws nigh, Brings for every want supply ; Healing oil, and cheering wine, Living water, bread divine. Then together all rejoice, Singing praise with heart and voice ; Finding, ere our work be done, Present heaven on earth begun. Often, by our Saviour blest With a sweet sabbatic rest, Every burden we can bear To His heart, and leave it there. And arising, onward haste, When that blessed hour is past ; Ready, with uplifted hands, For the Master's next commands. Ready, at His midnight call, Joyfully to part from all — Then, with Him, the festal door Enter, to go out no more ! Moravian, DESIRES. 365 J^Hgust 28. DESIRES. "Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart." — Ps. xxxvii. 4. I WOULD fain all power exert With the ease of will, Take in all enjoyment part, With no sense of ill ; Through Creation's wonders dart, Yet be calm and still ; Bear affection's warmest heart, Nor have check nor chill. But a voice replieth near, " ;Tis not here, 'tis not here ! This is found in higher sphere." I would fain all duty do, Nor a fragment leave ; Press to lofty aim in view, Nor an error grieve ; Only objects right pursue, Only pure perceive, Trust, because myself am true ; Love, because believe. But a voice replieth near, " 'Tis not here, 'tis not here ! This is won in holier sphere." Lord Kinloch. 366 THE "NAME ABOVE EVERY NAME.\ JELugitst 29. THE "NAME ABOVE EVERY NAME." " Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name : that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow. "—Phil. ii. 9, 10. IN One Name I have found the All in all ; It is enough, and it will never fail. Here on the height, or there within the vale, In this my strength I shall not greatly fall. If on the dark hills here thy fears appal, O thou mine enemy ! or there assail My fainting heart, yet shall they not prevail, For on the Name thou dreadest I will call. Oh then rejoice not ! for I shall arise, And heavenly light shall stream across the gloom, And heavenly music drown the voice of doom, And a most blissful prospect cheer mine eyes, — All from that Name beloved and adored, Thy sweet great Name, 0 Jesus Christ my Lord ! Rev. S. J. Stone. jgatgust 30. SONG OF THE REDEEMED. • What are these which are arrayed in white robes ? and whence came they? These are they which came out of great tribulation." —Rev. vii. 13, 14. W E came not in with broad Full canvas swelling to a steady breeze, SONG OF THE REDEEMED. 367 With pennons flying fair, with coffers stored : For long against the wind, mid heavy seas, With cordage strained and splintered masts, we drave; And o'er our decks had dashed the bitter wave, And, lightening oft our lading, life to save, Our costly ventures to the deep were given. Yes ! some of us were caught, and homewards driven Upon the storm-wind's wings ; and some, rock-riven Among the treacherous reefs at anchor flung, Felt the good ship break under them, and clung Still to some plank or fragment of its frame Amid the roaring breakers ; — yet Ave came. We came not in with proud, Firm, martial footstep, in a measured tread, Slow pacing to the crash of music loud ; No gorgeous trophies went before, no crowd Of captives followed us with drooping head ; No shining laurel sceptred us, nor crowned, Nor with its leaf our glittering lances bound With faces darkened in the battle flame, Through wind, and sun, and showers of bleaching rain, With many a wound upon us, many a stain, We came with steps that faltered ; — yet we came, sp ^ sjc ^< And as we came to Thee, a sound of war Rose after us from distant fields, a cry Confused and harsh, that rolled to " Victory ! " 368 BEULAH. And seemed upon the darkening heavens to cease ; For as we neared the City, morning broke, And all along the lofty ramparts woke One word of greeting, flooding all the ear And all the heart with solemn music, clear As of a trumpet talking with us — " Peace ! " Dora Green well. iSLugust 31. BEULAH. " How wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?*' — " When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee ; and through the rivers, the}' shall not overflow thee." — " Then ye shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan on dry land. " — Jer. xii. 5 ; Isa. xliii. 2 ; Joshua iv. 22. THE river close beside, — The deep, dark flood, each pilgrim must pass No Moses' rod these waters to divide ; [through ! No bridge, no bark of safety now in view ! Shall we not turn away in shrinking dread, When told this is the path our weary feet must tread \ Not from the mountain brow Ear in the distance is the river seen : No ; closely following its waters now, The pathway leads, with but a step between. Oh, dismal prospect ! road of gloom and fear 1 How shall my spirit faint when knowing this is near ! BEULAH. 369 Xay, faint not, faithless soul ; No gloomy shadows rest on Beulah's land. Calm in the sunshine Jordan's waters roll ; Calm in the sunshine walk the pilgrim band. The dark, rough places of their way are past ; The Master giveth here His best things for the last. The storms have ceased to blow, The arrows of the foe have ceased to fall ; Bright visitors celestial come and go, With messages of love for each and all. Beyond the stream the City's glories rise ; Xo clouds obscure them now from loving, longing eyes. And pilgrims, one by one, Gladly and gently pass the river through ; With smiles and songs of triumph some have gone, Some in sweet silence waved a fond adieu. The Master greets them at the City door ; Joyful they enter in, and shall go out no more. All pilgrims come not here — There are far other fords on Jordan's stream : Some cross when floods are high, in storm and fear ; Some hasten onwards in unconscious dream. It matters little how, if one pierced Hand Has helped them through the waves, and greets them on the strand. Yet doubly favoured they Who cross the stream from Beulah's peaceful shore. (104) 24 370 BEULAH. O Saviour ! shall / take that pleasant way ? Shall the storms cease, the foes molest no more 1 Or must the clouds, long shadowing the past, More darklv gather then around me at the last ? I would not seek to know : Thou knowest, Lord ! Enough if Thou shalt guide And choose my path, — the valley dark and low, The sunny plain, or the steep mountain side, — Lead on, I follow ! I shall fear no ill In life, in death, my God, if Thou art with me still ! H. L. L. THE SECOND DAY OF CREATION. "And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters." — Gen. i. 6. THIS world I deem But a beautiful dream Of shadows that are not what they seem, Where visions arise, Giving faint surmise Of the things that shall meet our waking eyes I gaze overhead Where Thy hand has spread For the waters of heaven a crystal bed, And stored the dew In its deeps of blue Which the fires of the sun come tempered through. Soft they shine Through that pure shrine, As beneath the veil of Thy flesh divine 372 THE SECOND DAY OF CREATION. Beams forth the light That were else too bright For the feebleness of a sinner's sight. And such I deem This world will seem When we wake from life's mysterious dream, And burst the shell Where our spirits dwell In their wondrous ante-natal cell. I gaze aloof On the tissued roof, Where time and space are the warp and woof, Which the King of kings As a curtain flings O'er the dreadfulness of eternal things ; A tapestried tent, To shade us meant From the bare everlasting firmament ; Where the blaze of the skies Comes soft to our eyes, Through a veil of mystical imageries. But could I see As in truth they be The glories of heaven that encompass me, I should lightly hold The tissued fold Of that marvellous curtain of blue and gold ! HARVEST SONG. 373 Soon the whole Like a parched-up scroll Shall before my amazed eyes uproll ; And without a screen At one burst be seen The Presence wherein I have ever been ! Oh who shall bear The blinding glare Of the Majesty that shall meet us there ? What eye may gaze On the unveiled blaze Of the light-girdled throne of the Ancient of Days ? Christ us aid ! Himself be our shade, That in that dread day we be not dismayed ! T. Whytehead. Szptzmbzx 2. HARVEST SONG. "The valleys also are covered over with corn; they shout for joy, they also sing." — Ps. lxv. 13. A HIGHER wealth by far Than the deep mine's yellow vein, Is seen around, in the fair hills crowned With sheaves of golden grain. Let the song of praise be poured In gratitude and joy, 374 SABBATH EVENING MUSINGS. By the rich man, with his garners stored, And the ragged gleaner boy ! This feast that Nature gives, Is not for one alone ; 'Tis shared by the meanest slave that lives And the tenant of a throne. Then glory to the steel That shines in the reaper's hand, And thanks to Him who has blessed the seed, And crowned the harvest land ! Eliza Cook. Mtptzmbn 3. SABBATH EVENING MUSINGS. " 0 God, thou art my God : my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is."— Ps. lxiii. 1. WHAT means this strange emotion, This longing, pensive sigh, As here I sit in silence, And gaze on earth and sky 1 The evening bells are chiming Sweet on the summer air, The evening lights are gleaming- Soft on the landscape fair ; Hardly an insect murmurs, Or dove with gentle moan. SABBATH EVENING MUSINGS. 375 I sit within my chamber All quiet and alone, The holy page before me , But eyes and fancies stray ; — What means the dreamlike feeling Which bears my heart away 1 Is it a thought of sadness That Sabbath rest is o'er, And week-day cares and labours Returning as before 1 Or can it be that, weary Of holy rest and prayer, I long again the burden Of common life to bear ? Are Memory's spells around me? Fair visions of the past, — Of childhood's Sabbath sunshine, Long dimmed and overcast 1 Or can the dear departed Steal from their home on high X With silent, tender greetings, Are spirits passing by % Or is my spirit striving To break the mortal chain, And soar, in fond aspirings, Her Fatherland to gain % Ah, yes ! 'tis here the secret; The hidden meaning lies, 376 ON FINDING SOME PENCIL MARKS. Of this mysterious sadness Which fills my heart and eyes ! When falls the Sabbath silence O'er week-day cares and toil, Then sound the spirit-voices Lost in life's vain turmoil; Then wakes the earnest longing, The call within my breast, For a repose yet deeper Than sweetest Sabbath rest; A love more pure, more tender, A joy more full and true, Than mortal heart has cherished, Or mortal breast ere knew, — A Sabbath morn, whose sunshine Fades not with eve away ; — My God ! when wilt Thou bring me To that eternal day ? Carl Gerok. {Free Translation. H. L. L.) Mtpttmbtx 4. OX FINDING SOME PENCIL MARKS IX A BOOK OF DEVOTION. "Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee." — Ps. lxxiii. 25. STRONG words are these—" O Lord ! I seek but Thee, Not Thine ! I ask not comfort, ask not rest ; ON FINDING SOME PENCIL MARKS. 377 Give what, and how, and when Thou wilt to me, I bless Thee — take all back — and be Thou blest." Sweet words are these — " 0 Lord ! it is Thy love, And not Thy gifts, I seek ; yet am as one That loveth so, I prize the least above All other worth or sweetness under sun." And all these words are underscored, and here And there a tear has fallen, and left a stain ; The only record, haply, of a tear Long wiped from eyes no more to weep again. And as I gaze, a solemn joy comes o'er me — By these deep footprints I can surely guess, Some pilgrim, by the road that lies before me, Hath crossed, long time ago, the wilderness. With feet oft bruised among its sharp flints, duly He turned aside to gather simples here, And lay up cordials for his faintness — truly Now will I track his steps, and be of cheer. And, wearied, by this wayside fountain's brink He sat to rest, and as it there befell The stone was rolled away, he stooped to drink The waters springing up from Life's clear well. And oft upon his journey, faring sadly, He communed with this Teacher from on high ; 378 LOWLY SERVICE. And, meeting words of promise, meekly, gladly, Went on his way rejoicing — so will I. d. q-. j§£ptemb*r 5. LOWLY SERVICE. "I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me." — ' ' Thou tellest my wanderings : put thou my tears into thy bottle : are they not in thy book?... Thy vows are upon me, O God: I will render praises unto thee." — Ps. xl. 17 ; lvi. 8, 12. I NTO His summer garden, Into His pleasant garden, In the dawn of the morning, the Master bade me go ; And the place He showed to me Was beneath a spreading tree, Where I only saw the sunbeams as they nickered to and fro. I was glad of that shelter, That broad-branching shelter ; It was green in that shelter, so quiet and so fair ; Out beyond the cooling shade Weak flowers droop and fade, And I was one weaker than the weakest flower there. Ear out amid the sunshine, The bright, happy sunshine, They walk in the sunshine, where I shall never be ; LOWLY SERVICE. 379 And roses red they bring For the Master's welcoming ; — But pale, pale are the roses that grow around me ! Yet, when the Master cometh, When the dear Master cometh, In the cool of the evening, to see the garden green, I too have flowers to give That in the shadow live, And lift up their leaves all shining where heaven's dew hath been. I will bring Him tall lilies, The white, patient lilies, Like the crowns of the angels, so stainless and so fair ; I have violets dark and sweet To lay before His feet, I have pale flowers that blossom but to scent the night So, when the day shall darken, When the long day shall darken, I shall rise up from the shadow, I shall listen for His word ] And oh that it may be — Looking on my flowers and me, — "Thou art My good servant, thou hast watched for thy Lord ! " E. C. Clephane. 380 PERFECT FREEDOM. Mvpttmbzx 6. PERFECT FREEDOM. ' ' Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free." — "O Lord, truly I am thy servant; I am thy servant, and the son of thine handmaid: thou hast loosed my bonds." — Gal. v. 1 ; Ps. cxvi. 16. T HY service, Lord, is freedom ; yet it binds With strongest chains ; the heart around it winds A self-imposed restraint ; Thy freedmen, we Still wear Thy badge, and joy that all should see Our will, by firmest bands, in thrall to Thee. So is our freedom perfect ; or will grow Such in Thy heaven ; lacking some part below- Through earth's remaining gyves, — if once there be A will with Thine in all things to agree, Then, wholly bound, we shall be wholly free. Lord Kinloch. jgepi ember 7. DEATH OF INFANTS. "Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings? and not one of them is forgotten before God." — " One of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. ...Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows." — Luke xii. 6 ; Matt. x. 29, 31. A JOYFUL child, long years ago, While yet unknown were death and woe, DEATH OF INFANTS. 381 What bitter tears were those first shed Over my dove or sparrow dead ! Then an old stanza brought relief, It met and soothed my childish grief, — " The loving Lord forgetteth none, He knows where each of these has gone." Passed many a long and weary year, And still that voice I seemed to hear ; It came, as if from pitying Heaven A message to my soul were given, When I have loved and wept beside, While lovely infants drooped and died ; — Babes, to their mother's heart how dear ! Who scarcely smiled or sorrowed here. Through the dim past, how I recall One, first and loveliest of all, Beautiful stranger ! ah, how brief Thy visit here, of joy and grief ! Then came, with his clear starry eyes, The brother, who beside her lies. Another, far across the wave Finding a birthplace and a grave ; And one, fair child of pain and fear ! Whose sweet eyes never opened here. Ah ! were these only, must we say, Drops, from Life's ocean cast away 1 All vanished — gone ! that slumber deep, Was it in truth eternal sleep? 382 " WHEN THE NIGHT AND MORNING MEET." Or, shrinking from our tears and strife, Did they awake to nobler life % Who asks % who now, of all below, Save one fond heart, would care to know ? And when her grave is by their side, Who shall recall they lived or died 1 Nay, the old comfort comes again, Faith hears, and echoes back the strain — Faith in His love, who called, and pressed The " little children " to His breast : " Our loving Lord forgetteth none, He knows where each of these has gone/' Meta Heusser. From " Alpine Lyrics." jgfeptember 8. "WHEN THE NIGHT AND MORNING MEET." " Make us glad according to the days wherein thou has afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil." — "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints." — Ps. xc. 15 ; cxvi. 15. IN the dark and narrow street Into a world of woe, Where the tread of many feet Went trampling to and fro, A child was born (speak low), When the night and morning meet. WHEN THE NIGHT AND MORNING MEET." 383 Full seventy summers back Was this — so long ago, The feet that wore the track Are lying straight and low ; Yet there hath been no lack Of passers to and fro. Within the narrow street This Childhood ever played ; Beyond this narrow street This Manhood never strayed ; This age sat still and prayed, Anear the trampling feet. The sound of ceaseless feet Flowed through his life, unstirred By waters' fall, or fleet Wind music, or the bird Of morn — these sounds are sweet, But they were still unheard. Within the narrow street I stood beside a bed, I held a dying head, When the night and morning meet ; And every word was sweet, Though few the words we said. And as we spoke, dawn drew To day — the world was fair 384 "MY DAYS GO OiV." In fields afar, I knew, Yet spoke not to him there Of how the grasses grew, Besprent with dew-drops rare. We spoke not of the sun, Nor of this green earth fair ; The soul, whose day was done, Had never claimed its share In these, and yet its rare Rich heritage had won. From the dark and narrow street, Into a world of love A child was born. Speak low, Speak reverent ; for we know Not how they meet above, When the night and morning meet. Dora Greexwell. JStpUmbtx 9. "MY DAYS GO ON." ' ' While I live will I praise the Lord : I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being." — Ps. cxlvi. 2. TAKE from my head the thorn-wreath brown ! No mortal grief deserves that crown. "J/F DAYS GO ON" 385 O Supreme Love, chief misery, The sharp regalia are for Thee Whose days eternally go on ! For us, whatever's undergone, Thou knowest, wiliest what is done ; Grief may be joy misunderstood, Only the Good discerns the good ; I trust Thee while my days go on. Whatever's lost, it first was won, — We will not struggle nor impugn ; Perhaps the cup was broken here, That Heaven's new wine might show more clear ; I praise Thee while my days go on. I praise Thee while my days go on ; I love Thee while my days go on ; Through dark and dearth, through fire and frost, With emptied arms and treasure lost, I thank Thee while my days go on. And having in Thy life-depth thrown Being and suffering (which are one), As a child drops his pebble small Down some deep well, and hears it fall, Smiling — so I. Thy days go on ! E. B. Browning. (104) 25 386 "MY FATHER KNOWS." .Septcmbn* 10. "MY FATHER KNOWS." ' ' Your Father knoweth what things ye have need of before ye ask him." — " He knoweth the way that I take : when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold."— Matt. vi. 8 ; Job xxiii. 10. I CANNOT see His skies above, For autumn mists obscure the west ; But in the shelter of His love I fain would hush my heart to rest. Though some bright hopes have tenderly Been gathered to their last repose, This sweet remembrance comforts me, " He knows." For ivhy the summer came and went He shows not yet to me, His child : But patience, richer than content, Broods softly where the summer smiled ; And where the last bright leaf shall fall, The last pale blossom shall repose, Is safe with Him who loveth all,— " He knows ! " Amid the hush of finished things He hears His children's feeblest prayer, The tender shadowing of His wings Extends beyond their utmost care ; THE DESERTED HOUSE. 387 And loss that ne'er on earth grows less, With deep and holy meaning glows, Since loss, and pain, and homelessness, " He knows ! " I cannot tell if cross or crown Lies next within His thought for me ; It matters not, since faith hath grown So strong in His dear sympathy. The clouds that o'er my pathway move, The joys beyond its final close, All rise from His deep heart of love,— " He knows ! " Mary Rowles. jSzytzmbzx 11. THE DESERTED HOUSE. "Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was; and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it." — Eccles. xii. 7. LIFE and Thought have gone away Side by side, Leaving door and windows wide ; — Careless tenants they ! All within is dark as night : In the windows is no light ; And no murmur at the door. So frequent on its hinge before. 388 "LOVE NEVER FAILETHr Close the door, the shutters close; Or through the windows we shall see The nakedness and vacancy Of the dark, deserted house. Come away ; no more of mirth Is here, or merry-making sound ; The house was buildecl of the earth, And shall fall again to ground. Come away — for Life and Thought Here no longer dwell ; But in a City glorious, — A great and distant City, — have sought A mansion incorruptible. Would they had stayed with us ! Tennyson. .September 12. "LOVE NEVER FAILETH." " Beloved, let us love one another : for love is of God. He that loveth not knoweth not God ; for God is love/' — 1 John iv. 7, 8. THEY sin who tell us love can die. With life all other passions fly — All others are but vanity. In heaven ambition cannot dwell, Nor avarice in the vaults of hell : THE ETERNAL GOODNESS. 389 Earthly these passions of the earth, They perish where they had their birth. But love is indestructible, Its holy flame for ever burnetii ; From heaven it came, to heaven returneth. Too oft on earth a troubled guest, At times deceived, at times opprest, It here is tried and purified, Then hath in heaven its perfect rest. It soweth here with toil and care, But the harvest-time of love is there. Oh, when a mother meets on high The babe she lost in infancy, Hath she not then, for sighs and tears, The day of woe, the sleepless night, For all her sorrows, all her fears, An over-payment of delight ? SOUTHEY. jStp&mfor 13. THE ETERNAL GOODNESS. " O give thanks unto the Lord ; for he is good : for his mercy endureth for ever."' — Ps. cxxxvi. 1. I WALK with bare, hushed feet the ground Some tread with boldness shod ; I dare not fix with mete and bound The love and power of God. . . — 390 THE ETERNAL GOODNESS. More than the schoolmen teach, within Myself, alas ! I know ; Too dark they cannot paint the sin, Too small the merit show I see the wrong that round me lies, I feel the guilt within, I hear with groan and travail-cries The world confess its sin, — Yet in the maddening maze of things, And tossed by ctorm and flood, To one fixed stake my spirit clings, — I know that God is good I dimly guess, from blessings known, Of greater out of sight, And with the chastened Psalmist own His judgments, too, are right. I know not what the future hath Of marvel or surprise ; Assured alone that death or life His mercy underlies. And if my heart and flesh are weak To bear an untried pain, The bruised reed He will not break, But strengthen and sustain. No offering of my own I have, Nor works my faith to prove ; BEFORE THE DAWN. 391 I can but give the gifts He gave, And plead His love, for love O brothers ! if my faith is vain, If hopes like these betray, Pray for me, that my feet may gain The sure and safer way. And Thou, O Lord ! by whom are seen Thy creatures as they be, Forgive me, if too close I lean My human heart on Thee ! Whtttier. K*s£?a«--a-s~ jgkptember 14. BEFORE THE DAWN. " Verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those thing3 which ye see, and have not seen them ; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them." — Matt. xiii. 17. OTHOU that baskest in the ray So pure, so warm, so clear, Of the thrice blessed Christian day That shines around us here, Let thankful thought a moment be From thine own bliss withdrawn, To weep for those who longed to see, But died before, the dawn. 392 BEFORE THE DAWN. The scattered gleams at Nature's feast, On wisdom's scroll, they nursed j They turned their faces to the East, And longed for day to burst. They saw, by their uncertain light, The dazzling darkness yawn ; They pondered, awestruck, in the night, But died before the dawn. Yet, was there ne'er a hovering cloud Where mountain peaks aspire, While the dark earth lay in her shroud, Tinged by an unseen fire ? And did there ne'er a quivering lark, Piercing its airy way, Catch on its breast a ruby spark From the unrisen day ? Hush ! be content ! have faith in God ; — The Sun that shines to save Once set upon the Cross in blood, And rose — but from the grave. So deep Divine compassion glows ; ' Thence are our yearnings drawn, Or we had never wept for those Who died before the dawn. A. R. Cousin. UNIVERSAL PRAISE. 393 .Scomber 15. UNIVERSAL PRAISE. ''Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord." — Ps. cl. 0. YE holy angels bright, who wait at God's right hand, Or through the realms of light fly at your Lord's command, Assist our song ! For else the theme too high doth seem For mortal tongue. Ye blessed souls at rest, who ran this earthly race, And now, from sin released, behold the Saviour's face, God's praises sound, As in His light, with sweet delight, Ye do abound ! Ye saints who toil below, adore your heavenly King ! And onward as ye go some joyful anthem sing ; Take what He gives, And praise Him still, through good or ill, Who ever lives. My soul, bear thou thy part, triumph in God above. And with a well-tuned heart sing thou the songs of love ! Let all thy days, Till life shall end, whate'er He send, Be filled with praise ! Richard Baxter. S94 BENEATH THE CBOSS. .September 16. BENEATH THE CROSS. " God forbid that I should gloiy, save in the cross of our Lard Jesus Christ." — Gal. vi. 14. BENEATH the Cross of Jesus I fain would take my stand, The shadow of a mighty Rock within a weary land ; A home within the wilderness, a rest upon the way, From the burning of the noontide heat and the burden of the day. O safe and happy shelter ! O refuge tried and sweet ! O trysting-place, where Heaven's love and Heaven's justice meet ! As to the holy patriarch that wondrous dream was given. So seems my Saviour's Cross to me — a ladder up to heaven ! There lies beneath the shadow, but on the farther side, The darkness of an awful grave, that gapes both deep and wide ; And there between us stands the Cross, two arms out- stretched to save, Like a watchman set to guard the way from that eter- nal grave. Upon the Cross of Jesus mine eye at times can see The very dying form of One who suffered there for me ; KYRIE ELEISONl 395 And from my smitten heart, with tears, two wonders I confess, — The wonder of His glorious love, and my own unwor- thiness. I take, O Cross, thy shadow for my abiding place ; I ask no other sunshine than the sunshine of His face ; Content to let the world go by, to know nor gain nor loss, My sinful self my only shame, my glory all the Cross. E. C. Clephane. .September 17. KYRIE ELEISON"! " And many charged Bartimseus that he should hold his peace*, but he cried the more a great deal, Thou son of David, have mercy on me." — Mark x. 48. S' 1 AVIOTIR, I come to Thee, As at Thy call of old the weary came,- Still the old toil and weariness for me, Ts not Thy love and pity still the same 1 I come — Thou knowest all, I need not linger on the tale again ; In silent tears before Thee I may fall, Nor shall the mute appeal be made in vain. The wayside beggar blind, The weeping sinner who embraced Thy feet, 396 RYRIE ELEISON! The trembling one who touched Thy robe behind — All these obtained a smile, a blessing sweet. And countless thousands more, Through the long vanished ages of the past, Have sought Thy mercy's unexhausted store, And found it overflowing to the last. Shall / implore in vain 1 Thy word of promise is my only plea : Nothing I bring but sin, and grief, and pain ; My hope, my help, can only come from Thee. Still Thou art passing by, Jesus of Nazareth ! and oft a throng Of glad disciples press Thy footsteps nigh, And sing Thy praises as they move along. Alas ! / dare not join That joyful company, — I can but wait Alone, in hope and prayer, for grace divine, Like the blind beggar at the open gate. When multitudes drew near, Bringing their sick — Lord, Thou didst heal them all^; Yet, ever willing, wouldest turn, to hear And answer, at a lonely suppliant's call. Have mercy, Lord ! Once more Hear that petition on Thy throne above ! Mercy to pardon, heal, revive, restore — Thou canst give all, Thou wilt, for Thou art love ! . H. L. L. FROM "A SONG OF JOY AND PAIN." 397 .September 18. FROM "A SONG OF JOY AND PAIN." " The word which God sent, preaching peace by Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all), whom they slew and hanged on a tree." — " Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree." — Acts x. 3G, 39 ; 1 Peter ii. 24. HAIL, blessed Cross ! how bold Thou makest me ! how strong ! No more I weep O'er giant cities now the dragen s fold, O'er mighty empires breathed to dust away ; No more a tearful chronicle I keep Of all that passes ere our mortal day Hath passed ; nor grieve that in earth's fruitful, deep, Warm soil my life hath struck but tender hold : All things must change, and into ruin, cold, And darkness pass and perish ; yet, behold ! All fades not with the fading leaf. To me The Lord hath showed a tree ! And many a leaf on me Hath fallen from off this Tree Of healing power ! I know Not yet how near the skies Its lofty stem will rise ; Nor guess how deep below, To what drear vaults of woe 398 THE PEOPLE OF GOD. Its roots will pierce : I see Its boughs spread wide and free, And fowls of every wing Beneath them build and cling, Hail, blessed Cross ! I see My life grow green in thee ! My life, that hidden, mute, Lives ever in thy root, When life fails utterly ; All hail, thou blessed Tree ! Dora Green well. .September 19. THE PEOPLE OF GOD. " There is a certain people scattered abroad." — " Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God." — " Why are ye so fearful ? how is it that ye have no faith ? " — Esther hi. 8 ; 1 Peter ii. 10 ; Mark iv. 40. PEOPLE, scattered abroad, Poor people of God, who would fain see His face, Hardly ye follow the road ; So much to hinder the race, — Poor people of God ! And yet, why are ye weak ] The God whom ye serve, is not He your support 5 Do not His promises speak 1 AFTER A QUAKERS' MEETING. 399 Can ye not trust as ye ought, — Say, people of God 1 What ! has His hand lost power ? Is that Arm shortened which holdeth the spheres ? Gives He a broken tower To shelter you from your fears ? Oh no, people of God ! Wherefore, then, dread the foe That a word of His mouth can bring to the dust 1 When He can miracles do, Can ye not wait and trust 1 Why not, people of God 1 People, fighting your way, Poor people of Gocl, let faith be your host. Doubt not, this war shall pay Very much more than it cost. Yes, believe, people of God ! From the French. JStpttmbtx 20. AFTER A QUAKERS' MEETING. " Be silent [marginal] to the Lord, and wait patiently for him.' Ps. xxxvii. 7. SILENT ! Then ye heard not My Beloved's greeting ! 400 AFTER A QUAKERS' MEETING. Knew not how we kept our tryst, The parting and the meeting. Heard ye not my moaning. As I told my sorrow 1 Nor His blessed word of hope, " Joy cometh on the morrow "~( Heard ye not the whisper Of my soul confessing 1 Nor His faithful " I forgive : Peace to thee, and blessing " ? Then indeed was silence ! Surely you could hear it, With its low " Amen ! Amen !; Falling on my spirit. The Amen grew louder, Like an anthem joealing, As it answered to the voice, All His will revealing — Will, that I should suffer. Share His crown of sorrow ! Loving service give to-day, Reign with Him to-morrow ! Heard ye that " To-morrow \'" As the angels o'er us Sang in hallelujahs loud The triumphant chorus ! THE AUTUMN SONGSTER. 401 Heard ye that " for ever !" As in holy vision My Beloved bore my soul Far to faith's fruition ? Heard ye His low promise, " Never will I leave thee ; Be thou faithful unto death, A crown of life I give thee "? Oh then call not "silent" Hours so full of singing ! Even now, from wall to wall Hear the echoes rin^inc: ! Anon. -^n^&tfje^*^- .September 21. THE AUTUMN SONGSTER. " I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be con- tent. Everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."— Phil. iv. 11-13. THE morning mist is cleared away, Yet still the face of heaven is gray : Nor yet the autumnal breeze has stirred this grove : Faded yet full, a paler green Skirts soberly the tranquil scene, The red-breast warbles round this leafy cove. (104) 26 402 THE AUTUMN SONGSTEE. Sweet messenger of " calm decay," Saluting sorrow as you may, As one still bent to find or make the best, In thee, and in this quiet mead, The lesson of sweet peace I read, Rather in all to be resigned than blest. ?Tis a low chant, according well With the soft solitary knell, As homeward from some grave beloved we turn, Or by some holy death-bed dear, Most welcome to the chastened ear Of her whom Heaven is teaching how to mourn. O cheerful, tender strain ! the heart That duly bears with you its part, Singing so thankful to the dreary blast, Though gone and spent its joyous prime, And on the world's autumnal time, Mid withered hues and sere, its lot be cast : That is the heart for thoughtful seer, Watching, in trance nor dark nor clear, The appalling future as it nearer draws : His spirit calmed the storm to meet, Feeling the rock beneath his feet, And tracing through the cloud the eternal Cause. That is the heart for watchman true Waiting to see what God will do, THE HARVEST FIELDS. 403 As o'er the Church the gathering twilight falls : Xo more he strains his wistful eye, If chance the golden hours be nigh, By youthful Hope seen beaming round her walls. Forced from his shadowy paradise, His thoughts to Heaven the steadier rise : There seek his answer when the world reproves : Contented in his darkling round, If only he be faithful found, When from the east the eternal morning moves. Keble. jgkptcmbsr 22. THE HARVEST FIELDS. 1 And, behold, Boaz came from Beth-lehem, and said unto the reapers, The Lord be with you. And they answered him, The Lord bless thee. "—Ruth ii. 4. WORKING away at the harvest, reaping the ripening grain, Laying it down in ridges like the men of an army slain, Foremost in toil is the reaper, with the sweat on his bronzed brow — God bless the hand of the reaper, and send him vigour enow ! 404 THE HARVEST FIELDS. Binding the sheaves into bundles, bending so meekly and low, Come the patient, orderly women, chattering on as they go \ Following after the reapers come mothers, sisters, and wives — God bless the orderly binders, who bind the staff of our lives ! After are coming the young men, lusty in sinew and limb, Throwing the sheaves on the waggons, and building the loads so trim. On the ricks are binding the old men, sage and prac- tised of eye — God bless the pitchers and rickers who are storing His treasures by ! Come the little, prattling children, when the "field is carried and clear, Gathering up the fragments, and storing them ear by ear. — So each one joins in providing against winter's tempest and frost ; And the small birds gather the fragments, that nothing of God's be lost. E. A. S. O1 MY NEST. 405 JSzpttmbzx 23. MY NEST. " Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand." — " Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. For all that is in the world passeth away." — Job xxix. 18 ; 1 John ii. 15-17. kH, where shall I build my nest? This earth is so sorrow-rife ! Oh, I cannot stay, I must fly away To build in the Tree of Life ! I built in the cave of dreams, Where spirits were wont to hide \ But the nest was borne By a wave of scorn Far out on the whirling tide. I flew to the house of mirth, To build in its sunny eaves \ But a rainy day Washed the nest awray And filled it with faded leaves. My nest in the house of pride Wherein I had put my trust, When the rafters fell In the tempest swell, Was lost in a heap of dust. I built me a lowly nest, — 'Twas hid in the field of toil ; 406 MY NEST. But the foot of hate Or the hand of fate Hath crushed it beneath the soil. I chose in the field of care The heart of a golden sheaf ; But the harvest wain With its load of grain Hath left me in homeless grief. I built in the hedge of strife Whose thicket the bramble weaves ; But my joys were few, For the thorns came through My lining of scented leaves ! O bird that can find no nest, Poor wanderer, fly with me ! For a Brother born, Who hath felt the thorn, Hath built a sweet nest for thee ! 'Tis not in the cave of dreams, Tis not in the eaves of mirth, Nor where darkness lies, !STor where sorrow sighs, Among the low fields of earth. 'Tis built in the Tree of Life ; For ever thy toil may cease ; It is all love-lined From His breast so kind With down of eternal peace ! Mrs. Merrylees. FROM THE "CENTURY OF COUPLETS." 407 jgkptcmb.er 24. FROM THE "CENTURY OF COUPLETS." M All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies." — Ps. xxv. 10. GOD'S dealings still are love, His threatenings are alone Love now compelled to take an altered, sterner tone. When thou hast thanked thy God for every blessing sent, What time will then remain for murmur or lament ? Their windows and their doors some close, and mur- muring say, " The light of heaven ne'er sought into my house a way.' God often would enrich, but finds not where to place His treasure, nor in hand nor heart a vacant place. Some are resigned to go ; might we such grace attain That we should need our resignation to remain. God's loudest threatenings speak of love and tenderest care ; For who, that meant his blow to light, would say, "Beware!" Ill fares the child of heaven, who will not entertain On earth the stranger's grief, the exile's sense of pain. R. C. Trench. 408 THE SWALLOWS OF CITEAUX. .September 25. THE SWALLOWS OF CITEAUX. "Arise ye, and depart; for this is not your rest." — "For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come. " — Micah ii. 10 ; Heb. xiii. 14. UNDER eaves, against the towers, All the spring, their muddy bowers Swallows build about Citeaux. Round the chapter-house and hall, From the dawn to evenfall, They are fluttering to and fro, On their never-flagging wing ; With the psalms the brethren sing Blends their loud incessant cry ; In and out the plastered nest, Never taking thought of rest, Chattering these swallows fly. >}c ;fc 5}s -Jf. To the Abbot then complain Pious monks, — " Shall these remain To disturb us at our prayers'? Bid us nests and eggs destroy ! Then the birds will not annoy Any more our deafened ears ! " Quoth the Abbot smiling, " Say, Have not we, too, homes of clay Quite as fragile, not more fair, THE SWALLOWS OF CITEAUX. 409 Brothers 1 and shall we resolve Their tabernacles to dissolve, Asking God our own to spare ? " Not another word of blame, — But they turned away in shame. So the little birds had peace, And the parapets among Built, and laid, and hatched their young, Making wonderful increase. When declined the evening sun, "When the yellow harvest done, Sat the swallows in a row On the ridging of the roof, Patiently, as in behoof Of a license ere they'd go. Forth from out the western door Came the Abbot ; him before Went a brother with his crook, And a boy a bell who rung And a silver censer swung, Whilst another bore the book. Then the Abbot raised his hand, Looking to the swallow band, Saying, "Ite, Missa est I Christian birds, depart in peace, As your cares of summer cease ; Swallows, enter on your rest. 410 THE DESIRE TO DEPART. " Now the winter snow must fall, Wrapping earth as with a pall, And the stormy winds arise — Go to distant lands, where glow Brighter suns, where falls not snow From the ever-azure skies. " Go ! remind us of the road To the sweet unknown abode In the heavenly Blessed Isles, Whither we shall speed some day, Leaving crumbling homes of clay, For where eternal summer smiles. " Go in peace ! your hours have run ; Go ! the day of work is done ; Go in peace, my sons ! " he said. — Then the swallows spread the wing, Making all the welkin ring With their cry, and southward sped. S. Baring-Gould. .September 26. THE DESIRE TO DEPART. " Hadad said to Pharaoh, Let me depart, that I may go to mine own country. Then Pharaoh said unto him, But what hast thou lacked with me, that, behold, thou seekest to go to thine own coun- try ? And he answered, Xothing : howbeit let me go in any wise." -1 Kings xi. 21, 22. ND thus our hearts appeal to them, When we behold our dearest rise, A1 THE DESIRE TO DEPART. 411 And look towards Jerusalem With strangely kindling eyes. And thus we vainly seek to hide With the poor curtain of our love The shining Gates that open wide, To welcome our sweet saints above. Yet still to them, from that bright Land, Through our thin tent the Glory gleams ; Already lost to us they stand Wrapped in a mist of golden dreams. For ah ! the Master is so fair, His smile so sweet to banished men, That they who meet it unaware Can never rest on earth again ; And they who see Him risen afar At God's right hand to welcome them, Forgetful stand of home and land, Desiring fair Jerusalem " What have ye lacked, beloved, with us/' We murmur heavily and low, " That ye should rise with kindling eyes, And be so fain to go ? " And tenderly the answer falls From lips that wear the smile of Heaven, — 412 THE DESIRE TO DEPART. " Dear ones/' they say, " we pass this day To Him by whom your love was given ; " And in His Presence clear and true, We answer you with hearts that glow, — No good thing have we lacked with you : Howbeit, let us go ! " And even as they speak, their thoughts Are wandering upward to the Throne. Ah, God ! we see, at length, how free All earthly ties must leave Thine own ! Yet, kneeling low in darkened homes, And weeping for the treasure spent, We bless Thee, Lord, for that sweet word Our dear ones murmured as they went. It was not that our love was cold, That earthly lights were burning dim. But that the Shepherd from His Fold Had smiled, and drawn them unto Him Praise God the Shepherd is so sweet ! Praise God the Country is so fair ! — We could not hold them from His feet — We can but haste to meet them there. B. M. A STRA Y SUNBEAM. 413 JSvptmbzz 27. A STRAY SUNBEAM. "With thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light." — " God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts." — Ps. xxxvi. 9 ; 2 Cor. iv. 6. AS, one dark morn, I trod a forest glade, A sunbeam entered at the farther end, And ran to meet me through the yielding shade, As one who in the distance sees a friend, And, smiling, hurries to him ; — but mine eyes, Bewildered by the change from dark to bright, Received the greeting with a quick surprise At first, and then with tears of pure delight : For sad my thoughts had been — the tempest's wrath Had gloomed the night, and made the morrow gray ; That heavenly guidance humble sorrow hath Had turned my feet into that forest way, Just when His morning light came down the path. Among the lonely woods at early day. Charles Turner. .September 28. THE TWO FOUNTAINS. " Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." Rev., xxii. 17. THERE'S a well in the land of the date-tree and palm, Where the Arab pursues his wild war of alarm, 414 THE TWO FOUNTAINS. Where the Bedouin wanders in search of his prey ; And the name of that fountain is, " Drink, and away ! " On, weary, lone traveller, onward in haste, Nor stay by the brink of that well, save to taste ; To rest there awhile, nay, one moment's delay, May be death to the pilgrim, — then, " drink, and away!" 'Tis a spot like an island of verdure and bloom, A rose in the desert — a light in the gloom ; He bends at the fount, but its waves seem to say, In musical numbers, " Haste ! drink, and away ! " The horizon is clear, the sun mounts on high, No foe can the traveller round him descry ; But he thinks of the Arab, nor dareth to stay, Just stoops at the fountain to " drink, and away ! n There's a well in the country of suff'ring and grief, To the parched and the weary its waves bring relief, Unceasingly flows its pure crystalline tide ; And the name of this fountain is, " Drink, and abide ! O wanderer o'er mountain, o'er valley and moor, Xeglected and friendless, unhappy and poor, Here's elixir indeed ! Then turn thee aside, And drink of this fountain, yea, "drink, and abide ! Think not to exhaust this perennial spring, Think not as a payment your treasure to bring, — VEILED ANGELS. 415 For the King, who has spoken, His words ne'er belied, " Freely drink of this fountain, yea, drink, and abide ! " Round the fountains of earth there is danger and death, Their sources may fail, like thine own fleeting breath ; But exhaustless these waters, whate'er may betide, Ye may drink at this Fountain, yea, " drink, and abide ! " Anon. .©tptattbn* 29. VEILED ANGELS. "I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me... It is good for me that I have been afflicted ; that I might learn thy statutes." — Ps. cxix. 75, 71. UNNUMBERED blessings, rich and free, Have come to us, our God, from Thee. Sweet tokens, written with Thy name, Bright angels from Thy face they came. Some came with open faces bright, Aglow with heaven's own living light ; And some were veiled, trod soft and slow, And spoke in voices grave and low. Yeiled Angels, pardon ! if with fears We met you first, and many tears. We take you to our hearts no less ; We know you come to teach and bless. 416 THE CELESTIAL CITY. We know how radiant and how kind Your faces are, those veils behind, We know those veils, one happy day, In earth or heaven, shall drop away, And we shall see you as ye are, And learn why thus ye sped from far. But what the joy that day shall be, We know not yet ; we wait to see. For this, O angels, well we know, The way ye came, our souls shall go ; Up to the Love from which ye come, Back to our Father's blessed home. And bright each face, unveiled, shall shine, Lord, when the veil is rent from Thine ! Mrs. Charles. i§qrtemb,cr 30. THE CELESTIAL CITY. "And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her hus- band."— "Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem.'' — Rev. xxi. 2 ; Ps. cxxii. 2. JERUSALEM the glorious, The glory of the Elect ! , THE CELESTIAL CITY. 417 0 dear and future vision, That eager hearts expect ! Even now by faith I see thee, Even here thy walls discern ; To thee my thoughts are kindled, And strive, and pant, and yearn. And though my body may not, My spirit seeks thee fain, Till flesh and earth return me To earth and flesh again Thy loveliness oppresses All human thought and heart, And none, O peace, O Sion, Can sing thee as thou art ! •%■ * # * Jerusalem, exulting On that securest shore, 1 hope thee, wish thee, sing thee, And love thee evermore ! I ask not for my merit, I seek not to deny My merit is destruction, A child of wrath am I ; But yet with Faith I venture, And Hope, upon my way ; For those perennial guerdons I labour night and day. The best and dearest Father Who made me and Who saved, (104) 27 418 THE CELESTIAL CITY. Bore with me in defilement, And from defilement laved — AYheii in His strength I struggle For very joy I leap, When in my sin I totter, I weep, or try to weep ; And grace, sweet grace celestial, Shall all its love display, And David's Royal Fountain Purge every sin away. * * * * O sweet and blessed Country, Shall I ever see thy face ? 0 sweet and blessed Country, Shall I ever win thy grace 1 1 have the hope within me To comfort and to bless ; Shall I ever win the prize itself ? O tell me, tell me, Yes ! Exult, O dust and ashes, The Lord shall be thy part ; His only, His for ever, Thou shalt be, and thou art ! Exult, O dust and ashes, The Lord shall be thy part : His only, His for ever, Thou shalt be, and thou art ! Bernard of Cluny. (Tr. Neale.) October 1. AUTUMN VOICES. "The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage." — Ps. xvi. 6. VOICES of autumn, I hear you again, Through the dark forest, across the wide plain ; Deep in the valley, and high on the hill, In the old places all murmuring still. Leaves slowly falling, and streams rushing fast, Evening breeze moaning, and night's fitful blast, — All the old voices again I can hear \ Summer has passed away, winter is near. Once, oh ! how mournfully sounded each tone, Telling of happiness ended and flown ! Youth and hope vanishing, joys passing by, Age stealing onward, or death drawing nigh ! Now it is over, that sadness and pain. — With the old voices it comes not again ; He who is gladdened by morning's bright ray Thinks not of starlight then fading away. 420 THE TRAVELLER AT SUNSET. Since the " glad tidings " spoke peace to this heart, Life's darkest shadows have seemed to depart \ All Nature's voices one story have told. Goodness unchanging, to-day as of old. Autumn winds sweeping o'er fields brown and bare Echo the reapers' songs lately heard there ; Autumn floods rushing by garner and store Tell me of treasures in danger no more ; Flowers in their fading, and leaves as they fall, Long days of brightness and beauty recall ; — Why should I sorrow that these are now past ? Heaven's cloudless summer for ever shall last. Oh that life's autumn, like Nature's, may bring Some precious harvest from summer and spring ! Fruits, which the Master may deign to approve, Laid on His altar, in meekness and love ! H. L. L, (Brtobzx 2. THE TRAVELLER AT SUNSET. "I go the way of all the earth." — "Let me take comfort a little, before I go whence I shall not return." — 1 Kings ii. 2 ; Job x. 20, 21. T HE shadows grow and deepen round me, — I feel the dew fall in the air ; THE TRAVELLER AT SUNSET. 421 The muezzin of the darkening thicket, I hear the night-thrush call to prayer- The evening mind is sad with farewells, And loving hands unclasp from mine ; Alone I go to meet the darkness, Across an awful boundary-line. As from the lighted hearths behind me I pass with slow, reluctant feet, What waits me in the land of strangeness ? What face shall smile, what voices greet? I shrink from unaccustomed glory, I dread the myriad- voiced strain, — Give me the unforgotten faces, And let my lost ones speak again ! He will not chide my mortal yearning, Who is our Brother and our Friend, In whose full life, divine and human, The heavenly and the earthly blend. No fitting ear is mine to listen An endless anthem's rise and fall ; No curious eye is mine to measure The pearl gate and the jasper wall. I go to find my lost and mourned-for Safe in Thy sheltering goodness still, And all that Hope and Faith foreshadow Made perfect in Thy holy will. Whittier. 422 KNOCKING, EVER KNOCKING. October 3. KNOCKING, EVER KNOCKING. " Behold, I stand at the door, and knock." — Rev. iii. 20. KNOCKI Who ' NOCKING, knocking, ever knocking- is there 1 " " 'Tis a pilgrim, strange and kingly, Never such was seen before ; Ah, sweet soul, for such a wonder, Undo the door ! " " No, that door is hard to open, Hinges rusty, latch is broken ; Bid Him go. Wherefore with that knocking dreary Scare the sleep of one so weary ? Say Him, No ! — " Knocking, knocking, ever knocking — What ! still there I " " 0 sweet soul, but once behold Him, With the glory-crowned hair, And those eyes, so strange and tender, Waiting there ; Open, open ! Once behold Him — Him, so fair ! " " Ah, that door ! Why wilt Thou vex me, Coming ever to perplex me 1 KNOCKING, EVER KNOCKING. 423 For the key is stiffly rusty, And the bolt is clogged and dusty : Many-fingered ivy vine Seals it fast with twist and twine ; Weeds of years and years before Choke the passage of that door. " Knocking, knocking ! What ! still knocking ? He still there 1 What's the hour 1 The night is waning — In my heart a drear complaining, And a chilly, sad unrest. Ah ! this knocking ! It disturbs me, Scares my sleep with dreams unblest. Give me rest ! " " Rest, dear soul, He longs to give thee ; Thou hast only dreamed of pleasure — Dreamed of gifts and golden treasure. Dreamed of jewels in thy keeping, Waked to weariness of weeping ; Open to thy soul's one Lover, All thy weariness is over. The true gifts He brings have seeming More than all thy faded dreaming." Did she open 1 doth she ? will she ? So, as wondering we behold, Grows the picture* to a sign Pressed upon your soul and mine : * Hunt's " Light of the World." 424 DESDICHADO. For in every breast that liveth Is that strange mysterious door, — The forsaken and betangled, Ivy-gnarled and weed-bej angled, There the pierced Hand still knocketh, And with ever patient watching, With the sad eyes true and tender, And the glory-crowned hair, — Still a God is waiting there. Mrs. Beecher Stowe. ©rioter 4. DESDICHADO. " The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.*'— Ps. xiv. 1. WEEP not for them who weep For friend or lover taken hence, or child That falls mid early flowers and grass asleep, Untempted, undefiled ; — Mourn not for them that mourn For sin's keen arrow with its rankling smart,— God's hand will bind again what He hath torn, He heals the broken heart. But weep for him, whose eye Sees in the midnight skies a starry dome Thick sown with worlds that whirl and hurry by, And 2five the heart no home. LAST PRAYERS. 425 Who hears, amid the dense Loud trampling crash and outcry of this wild, Thick jungle-world of drear magnificence, No voice which says, My child ! Who marks through earth and space A strange dumb pageant pass a vacant shrine ; And feels within his inmost soul a place Unfilled by the Divine ! Dora Greenwell. <§)rtoher 5. LAST PRAYERS. "Father, I have sinned against Heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son." — Luke xv. 21. N T O crown, no palms for me ! These are for victors in the fight ; but I Have been the vanquished one in every field, — O Saviour ! who hast hope for such revealed ! Low at Thy mercy-seat behold me lie ! Turn not Thy face away ! Deal not in wrath with Thine unworthy child ! Yes, I have sinned ; yet there is grace with Thee— Thou givest mercy, pardon full and free, To fallen wanderers on the desert wild 426 THE MAN AT THE GATE. No thought of triumph now ! That dream is over — rest is all I crave ; A little peace, after such deadly strife, Some leaves of healing from the Tree of Life, — A glimpse of hope and heaven beyond the grave ! And for what yet remains Of my sad pilgrimage, grant, O my God, Meek, humble faith, to suffer and be still ; Meekly to watch Thy hand, to do Thy will ; Humbly to bow beneath Thy chastening rod. Dark stream of life, rush on To the eternal ocean, full and fast ! If only o'er the waves may fly the Dove Of heavenly peace, and beckon from above, To where a pardoned soul shall rest at last ! Meta Heusser. „_.. From " Alpine Lyrics." (Drtobet 6. THE MAN AT THE GATE.* " Knock, and it shall be opened unto you." — Matt. vii. 7. IN summer and winter, in calm and storm, "When the morning dawns, and the night falls late, We may catch, if we will, the steadfast form Of the Man that watches beside the Gate * See Bunyan. THE MAX AT THE GATE. 42 S It was afternoon, and the sun was low, And the troubled winds sobbed long and loud, As an old man tottered across the snow Which wrapt the earth in a bitter shroud : He knocked with a withered, trembling hand : " I can but perish at last," he said, " For the cruel night comes fast on the land, And the morning will find me cold and dead. " 0 Thou that watchest beside the Gate, Had I come to Thee in the days gone by Thou hadst received me ; but now, too late, I lay me down on Thy threshold to die. " I have fought and finished an evil fight, I have earned the deadly wages of sin ; It is hard to die in the snow to-night, But no man is willing to take me in." The sun was low in the chano-ino- Avest, The shadows were heavy from hill and tree, As the Watchman opened the Gate of rest, — " I am willing, with all My heart," said He And at midnight there came the voice of one Who had crept to the Gate through the blinding snow, And who moaned at the Gate, as one undone Might moan at the sight of the last dread woe. 428 THE MAX AT THE GATE. A woman's voice ; and it rose and fell On the muffled wings of the snowy night. With a trembling knocking which seemed to tell Of one who was chilled and spent outright. " I wove the crown for the Brow divine, I pierced the Hand that was stretched to save, I dare not pray that the moon may shine To show me the print of the nails I drave. " I beat this night on my sinful breast. I dare not pray Him to succour me.'v But the Watchman opened the Gate of rest,' — " I am willing, with all My heart," said He Thus day and night they are pressing nigh. With tears and sighs, to the heavenly Gate, Where the Watchman stands in His majesty, With a patience which never has said, "Too late ! " Let the sorrowful children of want and sin Draw near to the Gate, whence none depart : Let the nations arise and enter in, For the Lord is willing, with all His heart. B. M. AUTUMN THOUGHTS. 429 Octobrr 7. AUTUMN THOUGHTS. "He hath made every thing beautiful in his time." — " The grass withereth, the flower fadeth ; but the word of our God shall stand for ever."— Eccles. iii. 11; Isa. xl. 8. O AUTUMN ! fair, pensive evening Of the long year-day, in thee A natural, gentle emblem Of life in its evening I see. The faded forests are silent — The birds with their songs have flown ; As the confident proud aspirings And visions of youth are gone. No longer the gay flower-mantle O'er meadow and hill is spread : So youth's gay charms and beauty, With its fleeting steps, have fled. Not for shade or fragrant blossoms The traveller looks to-day, But ripe fruits and bracing breezes, To cheer on his toilsome way. While over his head seems smiling The deep, bright azure above j Like eyes that have done with weeping, Reflecting heaven's peace and love. 430 THE MERCHANT. And the sunbeams which shine so brightly Oppress and consume no more ; Like love in its bliss remaining, When passion's fond dream is o'er. O Autumn, the year's calm evening ! Let me ever behold in thee A beautiful, soothing emblem Of all my own life should be ! Spitta. (Tr. H. L. L.) October 8. THE MERCHANT. ' ' The kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man seeking goodly pearls ; who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it." — Matt. xiii. 45, 46. OXCE a merchant travelled, far and wide, Over mountain-chains and ocean's tide ; Slighted and despised on every hand, Wearily he passed from land to land. Not with treasure treasures to acquire, Seemed the wanderer's purpose or desire ; Gold and silver he regarded not, — Pearls alone with eagerness he sought. Many were produced to meet his call ; — Strictly he examined, weighed them all ; Nothing could deceive, or please his eye, Calmly he surveyed, and passed them by. THE MERCHANT. 431 Sadly he pursued his search around,- — Ah ! the One midst many was not found ! Stars indeed he saw, hut not the Sun All his longings sought and dwelt upon. Weary now with all his wanderings vain, To his native home he turns again ; There he finds a Fisher on the strand, Stooping down to draw a net to land. What new treasures of the deep are these 1 Who this unknown Stranger of the seas ? Changed his aspect now, his bearing high, While he speaks with gentle dignity : — " Peace be with thee ! Now thou mayest obtain All so long desired and sought in vain, — Thou mid many fools the only wise, At thy journey's end behold the prize ! " "Yes, it is the One, beyond compare, Sought so long, abandoned in despair ! Stranger, speak, how may it be my own ? " " All thou hast can be the price alone." " Be it so ! " he joyfully replied ; " Lord, take all, and take myself beside ! For in wondrous love Thou bring'st from heaven What no monarch has or could have given." And the world deceived and foolish call Him, who for one jewel gave his all ; 432 MILTON ON HIS BLINDNESS. But unheeding what they think or say, Glad and satisfied he goes his way. Food is his which they have never known, Cordials granted to himself alone ; From earth's vanities and cares set free, Now he walks in peace and liberty. Wondrous blessings reach him from above, Love comes down to meet the heart of love ; Ever as he views his treasure bright, All his soul is filled with life and light. Blessed they who find the priceless gem, Blessed they who seek ! It shines for them Brightly still, the prize by God revealed For the victor on Faith's battle-field. Unbekanntes. (Tr. H. L. L.) October 9. MILTON ON HIS BLINDNESS. ' ' Mine eyes are unto thee, O God the Lord : in thee is my trust ; leave not my soul destitute." — Ps. cxli. 8. WHEN I consider how my light is spent Ere half my days, in this dark world and wide, And that one talent which is death to hide THE SMOKING FLAX AND BRUISED REED. 433 Lodged with me useless, though my soul more bent To serve therewith my Maker, and present My true account, lest He returning chide, — " Doth God exact day labour, light denied ? " I fondly ask ; but Patience, to prevent That murmur, soon replies, "God doth not need Either man's work, or His own gifts ; who best Bear His mild yoke, they serve Him best; His state Is kingly ; thousands at His bidding speed, And post o'er land and ocean without rest, — They also serve who only stand and wait." John Milton. October 10. THE SMOKING FLAX AND BRUISED REED. "A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench." — Isa. xlii. 3. WHEN evening choirs the praises hymned In Zion's courts of old, The high-priest walked his rounds, and trimmed The shining lamps of gold ; And if, perchance, some flame burned low, With fresh oil vainly drenched, He cleansed it from its socket, — so The smoking flax was quenched. But Thou who walkest, Priest Most High ! Thy golden lamps among, (104) 28 434 THE SMOKING FLAX AND BRUISED REED. What things are weak and near to die Thou makest fresh and strong. Thou breathest on the trembling spark, That else must soon expire, And swift it shoots up through the dark, A brilliant spear of fire ! The shepherd that to stream and shade Withdrew his flock at noon, On reedy stalk soft music made In many a pastoral tune ; And if, perchance, the reed were crushed, It could no more be used, — Its mellow music marred and hushed, He broke it, when so bruised. But Thou, Good Shepherd, who dost feed Thy flock in pastures green, Thou dost not break the bruised reed, That sorely crushed hath been ; — The heart that dumb in anguish lies, Or yields but notes of woe, Thou dost attune to harmonies More rich than angels know ! Lord, once my love was all ablaze, But now it burns so dim ; My life was praise, but now my days Make a poor broken hymn. CONFLICT. 435 Yet ne'er by Thee am I forgot, But helped in deepest need, — The smoking flax Thou quenchest not, Nor break 'st the bruised reed. W. B. Robertson. October 11. CONFLICT. ■'Deliver me, O Lord, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to lr.de me. "—Pi. cxliii. a FIGHTING the battle of life ! With a weary heart and head ; For in the midst of the strife The banners of joy are fled, — Fled and gone out of sight, When I thought they were so near I And the voice of Hope, this night, Is dying away on my ear. Fighting alone to-night ! With not even a stander-by To cheer me on in the fight, Or to hear me when I cry. Only the Lord can hear,— Only the Lord can see The struggle within, how dark and drear, Though quiet the outside may be. 436 CONFLICT. Fighting alone to-night ! With what a sinking heart, — Lord Jesus, in the fight Oh j stand not Thou apart ! Body and mind have tried To make the field my own \ But when the Lord is on my side, He doeth the work alone. Lord, I would fain be still And quiet, behind my shield ; But make me to love Thy will, For fear I should ever yield. Nothing but perfect trust, And love of Thy perfect will, Can raise me out of the dust, And make my fears be still. Even as now my hands, So doth my folded will Lie waiting Thy commands, Without one anxious thrill ; But as with sudden pain My hands unfold and clasp, So cloth my will start up again And taketh its old firm grasp. Lord, fix my eyes upon Thee, And fill my heart with Thy love ! And keep my soul, till the shadows flee, And the light breaks from above ! — Anon. ABIDE WITH US. 437 ©rtcbtr 12. ABIDE WITH US. " Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. But their eyes were holden that they should not know him. ...But thejT constrained him, saying, Abide with us." — Luke xxiv. 15, 16, 29. LONG hast Thou sojourned with us, Lord, Ere we Thy face did know ; Oh ! still Thy fellowship afford While dark the shadows grow ! For passed is many a beauteous field Beside our morning road, And many a fount to us is sealed, That once so freshly flowed. The splendour of the noontide lies On other paths than ours ; The clews that fall from fragrant skies Will not revive our flowers. Stay with us, gracious Saviour, stay, When friends and hopes depart ! Fainting, on Thee we wish to lay The burden of our heart. Abide with us, dear Lord ! remain Our Life, our Truth, our Way ! So shall our loss be turned to gain, Night dawn to endless day. H. N. Powers. 438 RESOL UTIOX. October 13. RESOLUTION. " Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life." 1 Tim. vi. 12. IHAYE done at length with dreaming ! Henceforth, O thou soul of mine. Thou must take up sword and gauntlet, Waging warfare most divine. Life is struggle, earnest victory ! Wherefore have I slumbered on, With my forces all unmarshalled, With my weapons all undrawn ! O how many a glorious record Had the angels of me kept, Had I done, instead of doubt e 1, Had I warred, instead of wept ! Yet, my soul, look not behind thee ! Thou hast work to do at last ; Let the brave toil of the present Overarch the crumbled past ! Build thy great acts high and higher, Build them on the conquered sod Where thy weakness first fell bleeding, And thy first prayer rose to God. Axon. "MY TIMES ARE IN THY HAND." 439 ©rtobn* 14. "MY TIMES ARE IN THY HAND."' •'The Lord is thy keeper ; the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night." — "My times are in thy hand." — Ps. cxxi. 5, G; xxxi. 15. SOVEREIGN Ruler of the skies, Ever gracious, ever wise, All my times are in Thy hand, All events at Thy command. Times of sickness, times of health, Times of penury and wealth, Times of trial and of grief, Times of triumph and relief, Times the tempter's power to prove, Times to taste a Saviour's love, — All must come, and last, and end, As shall please my heavenly Friend. Plagues and death around me fly,— Till He wills I cannot die ; Not a single shaft shall hit Till the God of love sees fit. 0 Thou gracious, wise, and just ! In Thy hands my life I trust. Have I something dearer still ? 1 resign it to Thy will. 440 REPENTANCE AND FAITH. May I always own Thy hand, Still to the surrender stand, Know that Thou art God alone, I and mine are all Thine own. Thee at all times will I bless ; Having Thee, I all possess. How can I bereaved be, Since I cannot part from Thee ? Ryland. October 15. REPENTANCE AND FAITH. "I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you testifying repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ." —Acts xx. 20, 21. THERE was a ship, one eve autumnal, onward Steered o'er an ocean lake ; Steered by some strong hand ever as if sunward : — Behind, an angry wake ; Before, there stretched a sea that grew intenser With silver fire far spread, Up to a hill mist-gloried, like a censer With smoke encompassed : It seemed as if two seas met brink to brink, A silver flood beyond a lake of ink. There was a soul, that eve autumnal, sailing Beyond the earth's dark bars, REPENTANCE AND FAITH. 441 Toward the land of sunsets never paling, Toward Heaven's sea of stars ; — Behind, there was a wake of billows tossing ; Before, a glory lay, — 0 happy soul ! with all sail set, just crossing Into the Far-away ; The gleam and gloom, the calmness and the strife, Were death behind thee, and before thee life. And as that ship went up the waters stately, Upon her top-masts tall 1 saw two sails, whereof the one was greatly Dark, as a funeral pall ; But oh ! the next's pure whiteness who shall utter? Like a shell-snowy strand, Or when a moonbeam falleth through a shutter On a dead baby's hand. But both alike across the surging sea Helped to the haven where the bark would be. And as that soul went onward, sweetly speeding Unto its home and light, Repentance made it sorrowful exceeding, Faith made it wondrous bright : Repentance dark with shadowy recollections, And longings unsufficed ; Faith white and pure with sunniest affections, Full from the face of Christ. But both across the sun-besilvered tide Helped to the haven where the heart would ride. Alexander. 442 THE LAST 8&1FSET. October 16. THE LAST SUNSET. ;' Thy sun shall no more go down ; neither shall thy moon with- draw itself : for the Lord shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended. " — Isa. lx. 20. ' ' Let me look once more on what my divine Father has diffused even here, as a faint intimation of what He has somewhere else. I am pleased with this, as a distant outskirt, as it were, of the Paradise towards which I am going." — Johx Foster. CLOSE not the casement, love ; Nay 3 raise the curtain, — I would look once more On the bright stream and autumn-tinted grove, Our own blue lake and its dark mountain shore ; All we so long have known, — And loved with that deep passion of the heart. Which cannot be a thing of earth alone, Which must of our immortal life be part. Yes, I would gaze again, At the old sunset hour, on earth and sky. Though doubting not its image will remain. One of the memories which can never die. How brightly lingers still That golden glory in the radiant west ! How its reflection glows, on wood and hill, The rushing river, and the lake's calm breast ! HERE AND THERE. 443 I go to scenes more fair, More glorious — yet to these affection clings ; First tokens here of what awaits us there, Time's passing types of everlasting things. I thank Thee, O my God, My Father ! for the goodness which has given So much to beautify our brief abode, Our pilgrim path as Thy redeemed to heaven. And now Thy voice I hear ; — Thou callest, I obey, — well pleased I come, Leaving the outer courts, so fair, so dear, For higher joys within my Father's home ! H. L. L. ©rtobo: 17. HERE AND THERE. "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. " — 1 Cor. ii. 9. WHAT no human eye hath seen, What no mortal ear hath heard, What on thought hath never been In its noblest flights conferred, — This hath God prepared in store For His people evermore ! 444 HERE AND THERE. When the shaded pilgrim land Fades before my closing eye, Then revealed on either hand Heaven's own scenery shall lie ; Then the veil of flesh shall fall, Now concealing, darkening all. Heavenly landscapes, calmly bright, Life's pure river murmuring low, Forms of loveliness and light, Lost to earth long time ago, — Yes, mine own, lamented long, Shine amid the angel-throng ! Many a joyful sight was given, Many a lovely vision here, Hill, and vale, and starry even, Friendship's smile, Affection's tear , These were shadows, sent in love, Of realities above ! When upon my wearied ear Earth's last echoes faintly die, Then shall angel-harps draw near, All the chorus of the sky ; Long-hushed voices blend again, Sweetly, in that welcome-strain. Here were sweet and varied tones, Bird, and breeze, and fountain's fall ; HERE AND THERE. 445 Yet Creation's travail-groans Ever sadly sighed through all. There no discord jars the air, Harmony is perfect there ! When this aching heart shall rest, All its busy pulses o'er, From her mortal robes undrest Shall my spirit upward soar. Then shall unimagined joy All my thoughts and powers' employ. Here devotion's healing balm Often came to soothe my breast, Hours of deep and holy calm, Earnests of eternal rest ; But the bliss was here unknown, Which shall there be all my own ! Jesus reigns, the Life, the Sun, Of that wondrous world above : All the clouds and storms are gone, All is light, and all is love ; All the shadows melt away In the blaze of perfect day ! From the German of Lange. 446 " COME UNTO ME." October 18. "COME UNTO ME." '; And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And Jesus said, Come." — Matt. xiv. 28, 29. AND dare we come, since he, the trusted saint, Who with one only shared the Lord's high love, Shrank from the tossing gale, and scarce with faint And feeble cry toward the Saviour strove ? Yes ; we answer the dread call, Xot fearless, but in duteous awe ; He will stay the frail heart's fall, His arm will onward, upward draw. O thou of little faith, why diclst thou doubt ? Spare not for Him to walk the midnight wave, On the dim shore at morn to seek Him out, Work 'neath His eye, and near Him make thy grave. So backsliclings past no more Shall in the heavens remembered be, Faith the three denials sore O'erpaying with confessions three. Strange power of mighty Love ! if heaven allow Choice, on the restless waters rather found Meeting her Lord, with cross and bleeding brow, Than calmly waiting on the guarded ground ! CONSOLATION. 447 Yearning ever to spring forth And feel the cold waves for His sake ; — - All her giving of no worth, Yet, till she give, her heart will ache. Keble, ''''Lyra Innocentium." October 19. CONSOLATION. "Are the consolations of God small with thee?" — " God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace." — Job xv. 11; 2 Thess. ii. 16. ALL are not taken • there are left behind Living Beloveds, tender looks to bring, And make the daylight still a happy thing, And tender voices, to make soft the wind. But if it were not so — if I could find Xo love in all the world for comforting, Nor any path but hollowly did ring, When " dust to dust " the love from life disjoined : And if, before those sepulchres unmoving, I stood alone (as some forsaken lamb Goes bleating up the moors in weary dearth), Crying, "Where are ye, O my loved and loving?" I know a Voice would sound, " Daughter, / AM. Can I suffice for Heaven, and not for Earth 1 " E. Barrett Browning. 448 THE CHILD OF JAMES MELVILLE. October 20. THE CHILD OF JAMES MELVILLE. (Born July 1586 ; died January 1588.) "Jesus said, Of such is the kingdom of heaven.'' — Matt. xix. 14. ONE time my soul was pierced as with a sword, Contending still with men untaught and wild ; When He who to the prophet lent his gourd, Gave me the solace of a pleasant child ! A summer gift, my precious flower was given, A very summer fragrance was its life ; Its clear eyes soothed me as the blue of heaven, When home I turned, a weary man of strife A few short months it blossomed near my heart — A few short months, else toilsome all and sad ; But that home-solace nerved me for my part, And of the babe I was exceeding glad ! "-© &*" Alas ! my pretty bud, scarce formed, was dying — (The prophet's gourd it withered in a night !) And He who gave me all, my heart's pulse trying, Took gently home the child of my delight, Not rudely culled, not suddenly it perished — But gradual faded from our love away, As if still, secret dews, its life that cherished, Were drop by drop withheld, and day by day. THE CHILD OF JAMES MELVILLE. 449 Ylx gracious Master saved me from repining, So tenderly He sued me for His own : So beautiful He made my babe's declining, Its dying blessed me as its birth had done ! There were two milk-white doves my wife had nourished, And I too loved erewhile, at times to stand, Marking how each the other fondly cherished. And fed them from my baby's dimpled hand. So tame they grew, that to his cradle flying Full oft they cooed him to his noontide rest ; And to the murmurs of his sleep replying, Crept gently in, and nestled in his breast. "Twas a fair sight — the snow-pale infant sleeping, So fondly guarclianed by these creatures mild ; Watch o'er his closed eyes their bright eyes keeping — Wondrous the love betwixt the birds and child ! Still as he sickened seemed the doves, too, dwining, Forsook their food, and ceased their pretty play ; And on the day he died, with sad note pining, One gentle bird would not be frayed away. His mother found it when she rose, sad-hearted, At early dawn, with sense of nearing ill ; And when at last the little spirit parted, The dove died too — as if of its heart- chill ! doi) 29 450 GOD'S THOUGHTS NOT AS OURS. The other flew to meet my sad home-riding, As with a human sorrow in its coo ; To my dead child and its dead mate then guiding, Most pitifully plained — and parted too ! 'Twas my first " hansel " and " propine " to heaven ; And as I laid my darling ;neath the sod, Precious His comforts — once an infant given, And offered with two turtle-doves to God ! Mrs. Stuart Mexteith. Ortobzx 21. GOD'S THOUGHTS XOT AS OURS. " For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. " — Isa. lv. 8. I SAID, "The darkness shall content my soul!" God said, "Let there be light." I said, "The night shall see me reach my goal,*' — Instead came dawning bright. I bared my head to meet the smiter's stroke ; There came sweet dropping oil. I waited trembling, but the Voice that spoke Said gently, "Cease thy toil." 1 looked for evil, stern of face and pale ; Came good, too fair to tell. I leaned on God when other joys did fail, — He gave me these as well. s. Williams. SABBATH HYMN FOR AN INVALID. 451 ©rtubn* 22. SABBATH HYMN FOR AN INVALID. " When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me : for I had gone with the multitude to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise. ...Why art thou cast down, 0 my soul? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance." — Ps. xlii. 4, 5. THOUSANDS, 0 Lord of hosts, to day Around Thine altars meet, And tens of thousands throng to pay Their homage at Thy feet. They see Thy power and glory there, As I have seen them too ; They hear, they read, they join in prayer, As I was wont to do. They sing Thy love, as I have sung, In sweet and solemn lays ; Were I among them, my glad tongue Would learn new songs of praise. For Thou art in their midst, to teach, When on Thy name they call \ And Thou hast blessings, Lord, for each, Hast blessings, Lord, for all. I, of such privilege bereft, In spirit turn to Thee ; — 452 SABBATH HYMN FOR AN INVALID. Oh, hast Thou not a blessing- left, A blessing, Lord, for me ? The dew lies thick on all the ground, — Shall my poor fleece be dry 1 The manna falls from heaven around, — Must I of hunger die? Behold Thy prisoner ! loose my bands If 'tis Thy gracious will ; If not, contented in Thy hands, Behold Thy prisoner still ! I may not to Thy house repair. But here Thou surely art ; Then consecrate a house of prayer In my surrendered heart. To Faith reveal the things unseen ; To Hope the joys unfold ; Let Love, without a veil between, Thy glories now behold. Oh, cause Thy face on me to shine, That doubt and fear may cease ! Lift up Thy countenance benign On me, and give me peace ! Montgomery. FRIEND AND JUDGE. 453 ©richer 23. FRIEND AND JUDGE. 1 Seek him that turneth the shadow of death into the morning." Amos v. 8. COULD we meet Him as a Friend, Jesus, our Lord, to-night ? Could we see the Judge descend With awe, but not affright ? Could we say, " The wished-for day Of meeting comes at last ; Now the troubles of the way, And sin and grief, are past " ? Could we meet Him as a Friend ? Then wherefore should we fear, If He come not, but should send To call His children dear? For He saith, to you, to me, With Jordan's wave in view, , " Fear not, I shall be with thee When thou art passing through/' Can we meet Him as a Friend, Jesus, our Lord, to-night, Should He come, or should He send, With awe, but not affright ? Then we can say, — " The wished-for day Of meeting comes at last, When the troubles of the way, And sin and grief, are past I " S. L. F. 454 in THE VALLEY. ©rtober 24. IN THE Y ALLEY. " Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me." — Ps. xxiii. 4. WHEN day's shadows lengthen, Jesus, be Thou near ; Pardon, comfort, strengthen, chase away my fear ; Love and hope be deepened, faith more strong and clear. When the night grows darkest, and the stars are pale, When the foe assembles in Death's misty vale, Be Thou sword and helmet, be Thou shield and mail. Cold the waters rolling, chill the mists around, Black the night above me, strange the untrodden ground, Oft lost in the desert, yet may I be found. By the Jordan's ripples, passing through the shade, Let me hear that promise, once for ever made — " It is I, thy Jesus ; be not thou afraid." So shall no fears chill me on that unknown shore, For in death He conquered, and can die no more ; His Hand guards and guides me to the City's door. UP-HILL. 455 Blessed warfare over, endless rest alone, Tears no more, nor sorrow, neither sigh nor moan, But a song of triumph round about the Throne ! F. G. Lee. (Bctobzx 25. UP-HILL. " He that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved." Mark xiii. 13. DOES the road wind up-hill through all the way ? " Yes, to the very end." Will the day's journey take the whole long day? " From morn to night, my friend." But is there for the night a resting-place, A roof for when the slow dark hours begin ? May not the darkness hide it from my face ? " You cannot miss that inn." Shall I meet other wayfarers at night ? " Those who have gone before." Then must I knock, or call when just in sight? ''They will not keep you standing at that door." Shall I find comfort, travel-sore and weak ? " Of labour you shall find the sum." Will there be beds for me and all who seek 1 " Yea, beds for all who come." Christina Rossett:. 456 HYMN SUNG AT A FUNERAL. ©rtxrber 26. HYMN SUNG AT A FUNERAL. '; Our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abid- ing."— " The hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth." — 1 Chrox. xxix. 15; John v. 28, 29. AT THE HOUSE. COME forth ! come on, with solemn song ! The road is short, the rest is long ! The Lord brought here, He calls away, Make no delay, — This home was for a passing day. Here in an inn a stranger dwelt ; Here joy and grief by turns he felt : Poor dwelling, now we close thy door ! The task is o'er, The sojourner returns no more ! Now of a lasting home possest, He goes to seek a deeper rest. Good night ! the day was sultry here, In toil and fear — Good night ! the night is cool and clear. Chime on, ye bells ! again begin, And ring the Sabbath morning in ; The labourer's week-day work is done, The rest begun, Which Christ hath for His people won ! ACEOSS THE RIVER. 457 AT THE GRAVE. Now open to us, gates of peace ! Here let the pilgrim's journey cease. Ye quiet slumberers, make room In your still home For the new stranger who has come ! How many graves around us lie ! How many homes are in the sky ! Yes, for each saint doth Christ prepare A place with care ; — Thy home is waiting, brother, there ! Jesus, Thou reignest, Lord alone ! Thou wilt return and claim Thine own. Come quickly, Lord ! return again ! Amen ! Amen ! Thine seal us ever, now and then ! F. Sachse. (Tr. H. L. L.) (Dttobzx 27. ACROSS THE RIVER 11 I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me." 2 Sam. xiii. 23. WrHEN for me the silent oar Parts the silent river, And I stand upon the shore Of the strange Forever, 458 ACROSS THE RIVER. Shall I miss the loved and known . Shall I vainly seek mine own ? Mid the crowd that come to meet Spirits sin-forgiven, — Listening to their echoing feet Down the streets of heaven — Shall I know a footstep near That I listen, wait for, here ? Then will one approach the brink With a hand extended, — One whose thoughts I loved to think, Ere the veil was rended 1 — Saying, " Welcome ! we have died, And again are side by side ! :) Can the bonds which make us here Know ourselves immortal, Drop away, like foliage sere, At Life's inner portal ? — What is holiest below Must for ever live and grow. I shall love the angels well, After I have found them, In the mansions where they dwell, With the glory round them ; But at first, without surprise, Let me look in human eyes ! A CLOISTER LEGEND. 459 He who on our earthly path Bids us help each other, Who His Well-beloved hath Made our Elder Brother, Will but clasp the chain of love Closer when we meet above. Lucy Larcom. — ~^^o^p^^-^ — ©richer 28. A CLOISTER LEGEND. "Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligently done." — "Blessed is that servant, whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing." — Ezra vii. 23 ; Luke xii. 43. A MONK, to meditation given And holy communings with Heaven, Had long and most devoutly prayed— Feeling such boon his faith would aid — That Heaven would unto him afford An actual vision of the Lord. At last his prayer was heard. One day While in his lonely cell he lay, Heavy of heart, because afraid He had presumptuously prayed, His cell flashed up with sudden light, And showed to his astonished sight A glorious Presence, who with smile Most winning greeted him, and while 460 A CLOISTER LEGEND. He shrunk abashed, said graciously, " Why art thou troubled ? It is //" But hark ! there is the convent bell Pealing the hour when from his cell The monk must go to serve and bless The sons and daughters of distress, Who, every day at noontide, wait For alms before the convent gate. Untimely summons ! shall he stay To enjoy the vision, or obey The call which bids him haste to glad The poor with benison and bread ? He hesitates — he fain would stay, — But conscience beckons him away, Reminding him that unto men Duty comes first, and pleasure then ; And so, though with a sad regret And strong desire to linger yet, He quits the Presence, and repairs To where the poor await his cares. This duty done, he seeks anew His quiet cell ; there to review, In pensive thought, those glories bright Which had a moment charmed his sight. He starts ! for, marvellous to tell, The Christ is still within his cell, And not less glorious than before, But o-lorious innnitelv more ! THE NEW DESIRE. 461 With mingled awe and rapture gazed The monk ; yet in his heart amazed That One whom he had seemed to slight, Preferring to His Presence bright A homely duty — thus should deign To wait and gladden him again. " Nay, wonder not/' the Presence said, — " Because thou wentest forth, I stayed ; Hadst thou remained to enjoy the sight, I would have taken instant flight." Anon. OBrtobzx 29. THE NEW DESIRE. "Lord, all my desire is before thee." — " He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him."— Ps. xxxviii. 9 ; cxlv. 19. OGOD, my God ! no longer I entreat Nor sue as I have sued in times of yore, That from eternal fulness Thou shouldst mete Into my cup some earthly blessing more. All things lie treasured in Thy bounteous store, Nor lower source I seek than source divine ; Thou hast no less to give than heretofore, But now a new desire, O Lord, is mine \ — It is to lose desire, and know no will but Thine. L. N. R. 462 THE PERFECT DA Y, ©rtober 30. THE PERFECT DAY. " Thou wilt light my candle : the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness." — "Until the day break, and the shadows flee away." — Ps. xviii. 28 ; Song of Sol. ii. 17. DARK is the sky that overhangs my soul, The mists are thick that through the valley roll ; But as I tread, I cheer my heart, and say, ''When the day breaks the shadows flee away ;; Unholy phantoms from the deep arise, And gather through the gloom before mine eyes ; But all shall vanish at the dawning ray, — When the day breaks the shadows flee away, I bear the lamp my Master gave to me ; Burning and shining must it ever be ; And I must tend it till the night decay, Till the day break, and shadows flee away. He maketh all things good unto His own ; For them in every darkness light is sown : He will make good the gloom of this my day, Till that day break, and shadows flee away. He will be near me in the awful hour When the last foe shall come in blackest power, And He will hear me when at last I pray, " Let the day break, the shadows flee away 1 " FROM "THE GRAVE BY THE LAKE:' 463 In Him, 1113* God, my glory, I will trust ; Awake and sing, 0 dweller in the dust ! Who shall come, will come, and will not delay — His day will break, these shadows flee away ! Rev. S. J. Stone. ©riobn- 31. FROM "THE GRAVE BY THE LAKE." 1 The Lord is good to all ; and his tender mercies are over all his works." — "We have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world." — Ps. cxlv. 9 ; 1 John iv. 14. OTHE generations old Over whom no church-bells tolled — Christless, lifting up blind eyes To the silence of the skies ! For the innumerable dead, Is my soul disquieted ! Then the warm sky stooped to make ' Double sunset in the lake ; While above I saw with it Range on range, the mountains lit ; And the calm and splendour stole Like an answer to my soul. Hear'st thou, O of little faith, What to thee the mountain saith, 464 FROM "THE GRAVE BY THE LAKE." What is whispered by the trees? — " Cast on God thy care for these ; Trust Him, if thy sight be dim ; — Doubt for them is doubt of Him." Still Thy love, 0 Christ arisen, Yearns to reach these souls in prison ! Through all depths of sin and loss Drops the plummet of Thy Cross ! Never yet abyss was found Deeper than that Cross could sound ! Therefore well may Nature keep Equal faith with all who sleep, Set her watch of hills around Christian grave and heathen mound, And to cairn and kirkyard send Summer's flowery dividend. Keep, O pleasant Melvin stream, Thy sweet laugh in shade and gleam ; On the Indian's grassy tomb Swing, O flowers, your bells of bloom ! Deep below, as high above, Sweeps the circle of God's love. Whittiep X^lobzmbzx 1 THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS. " After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands." — Rev. vii. 9. FOR all the saints, who from their labours rest, Who Thee by faith before the world confessed, Thy name, O Jesus, be for ever blest. Hallelujah ! Thou wast their rock, their fortress, and their might ; Thou, Lord, their Captain in the well-fought fight ; Thou, in the darkness drear, their one true light. Hallelujah ! O may Thy soldiers, faithful, true, and bold, Fight as the saints who nobly fought of old, And win, with them, the victor's crown of gold ! Hallelujah ! 0 blest communion, fellowship divine ! We feebly struggle, they in glory shine ; Yet all are one in Thee, for all are Thine. Hallelujah ! (104) 30 466 ALL SAINTS. And, when the strife is fierce, the warfare long, Steals on the ear the distant triumph-song, And hearts are brave again, and arms are strong. Hallelujah ! The golden evening brightens in the west ; Soon, soon to faithful warriors cometh rest ; Sweet is the calm of Paradise the blest. Hallelujah ! But, lo ! there breaks a yet more glorious day : The saints triumphant rise in bright array ; The King of Glory passes on His way. Hallelujah ! From earth's wide bounds, from ocean's farthest coast, Through gates of pearl streams in the countless host, Singing to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, Hallelujah ! -~&~*&&&&*-*R-^ HOW. ALL SAINTS. " Pure religion and undented before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world."— James i. 27. O NE feast, of holy days the crest, I, though no churchman, love to keep ; ALL SAINTS. 467 All Saints — the unknown good that rest In God's still memory folded deep. The bravely dumb that did their deed, And scorned to blot it with a name, Men of the plain heroic breed, That loved Heaven's silence more than fame. Such lived not in the past alone, But thread to-day the unheeding street, And stairs to Sin and Famine known Sing with the welcome of their feet ; The den they enter grows a shrine, The grimy sash an oriel burns, Their cup of water warms like wine, Their speech is filled from heavenly urns. About their brows to me appears An aureole traced in tenderest light, The rainbow-gleam of smiles through tears In dying eyes, by them made bright, Of souls that shivered on the edge Of that chill ford repassed no more, And in their mercy felt the pledge And sweetness of the farther shore. Lowell. 468 RESURRECTION HOPE. Idobcmber 3. RESURRECTION HOPE. " Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself." — Phtl. iii. 21. RED o'er the forest peers the setting sun, The line of yellow light dies fast away That crowned the eastern copse ; and chill and dun Falls on the moor the brief November day. Now the tired hunter winds a parting note, And Echo bids good-night from every glade : Yet wait awhile, and see the calm leaves float Each to his rest beneath their parent shade. How like decaying life they seem to glide ! And yet no second spring have they in store. But where they fall, forgotten to abide, Is all their portion, and they ask no more Man's portion is to die and rise again — Yet he complains, while these unmurmuring part With their sweet lives, as pure from sin and stain As his when Eden held his virgin heart. And haply half unblamed his murmuring voice Might sound in Heaven, were all his second life Only the first renewed — the heathen's choice, A round of listless joy and weary strife RESURRECTION HOPE. 469 Heavy and dull this frame of limbs and heart, Whether slow creeping on cold earth, or borne On lofty steed, or loftier prow, we dart O'er wave or field : yet breezes laugh to scorn Our puny speed, and birds, and clouds in heaven, And fish, like living shafts that pierce the main, And stars that shoot through freezing air at even — ■ Who but would follow, might he break his chain ? And thou shalt break it soon ; the grovelling worm Shall find his wings, and soar as fast and free As his transfigured Lord with lightning form And snowy vest — such grace He won for thee, When from the grave He sprang at dawn of morn, And led through boundless air thy conquering road, Leaving a glorious track, where saints, new-born, Might fearless follow to their blest abode. But first, by many a stern and fiery blast, The world's rude furnace must thy blood refine ; And many a gale of keenest woe be passed, Till every pulse beat true to airs divine, Till every limb obey the mounting soul, The mounting soul, the call by Jesus given. He who the stormy heart can so control, The laggard body soon will waft to heaven. Keble. 470 NOT LOST, BUT GONE BEFORE. ^obember 4. NOT LOST, BUT GONE BEFORE. " Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am ; that they may behold my glory." — John xvii. 24. OURS is the grief, who still are left in this far wilderness, Which will at times, now they are gone, seem blank and comfortless. For moments spent with loving hearts are breezes from the hills, And the balm of Christian brotherhood like Eden's dew distils ; And we whose footsteps and whose hearts so often fail and faint, Seem ill to spare the cheering voice of one departed saint. But oh, we sorrow not like those whom no bright hopes sustain, For them who sleep in Jesus God will bring with Him again. Love craves the presence and the sight of all its well- beloved, And therefore weep we in the homes whence they are far removed ; Love craves the presence and the sight of each beloved one, And therefore Jesus spake the word which caught them to His throne, — He holdeth out His loving hands. Come in for ever- more ! Come home, children ! come home ! For the darkness cometh quickly on, and the day is nearly o'er. The streets are growing dark and cold, Come home, children ! come home ! White mists creep up o'er moor and wold, Come home, children ! come home ! But the Father's house streams out, with light and pleasant heat \ A loving welcome speaketh He, His little ones to greet. Come home, children ! come home ! The Elder Brother is so kind. Ah, children, home is sweet ! Ye must be tired of playtime now, Come home, children ! come home ! With tear-stained cheek and heated brow, Come home, children ! come home ! What mean ye, weary children, that ye should wail and weep % The Father's arms are very strong His tender ones to keep ! Come home, children ! come home ! Ye need no more to toil and strive ; He gives His loved ones sleep. " WHEN MY HEART IS VEXED." 489 The golden gates stand open fair, — Come home, children ! come home I The Elder Brother taketh care, — Come home, children ! come home ! His name was called " Jesus " in the days that are gone past, And we shall call Him Jesus while eternity shall last. Come home, children ! come home ! For the night- wind rises damp and cold, and the day is closing fast. E. C. Clephane. yhobtvxhtx 18. "WHEN MY HEART IS VEXED, I WILL COMPLAIN." " Mine eyes fail for thy word, saying, When wilt thou comfort me ? "— Ps. cxix. 82. " /^\- LORD, how canst Thou say Thou lovest me? V / Me whom Thou settest in a barren land, Hungry and thirsty on the burning sand, Hungry and thirsty where no waters be, Nor shadows of date-bearing tree ; — 0 Lord, how canst Thou say Thou lovest me 1 " " I came from Edom by as parched a track, As rough a track beneath My bleeding feet — I came from Edom seeking thee, and sweet 1 counted bitterness ; I turned not back, 490 " WHEN MY HEART IS VEXED." But counted life as death, and trod The winepress all alone : and I am God." " Yet, Lord, how canst Thou say Thou lovest me? For Thou art strong to comfort ; and could I But comfort one I love, who, like to die, Lifts feeble hands and eyes that fail to see, In one last prayer for comfort — nay, / could not stand aside or turn away ! " " Alas ! thou knowest that for thee I died, For thee I thirsted with the dying thirst ; I, Blessed, for thy sake was counted cursed, In sight of men and angels crucified. All this and more I bore to prove My love ; and wilt thou yet mistrust My love ? n " Lord, I am fain to think Thou lovest me, For Thou art all in all and I am Thine ; And, lo ! Thy love is better than new wine. And I am sick of love in loving Thee. But dost Thou love me ? speak and save, For jealousy is cruel as the grave." " Nay, if thy love is not an empty breath, My love is as thine own, deep answers deep. Peace, peace ; I give to My beloved sleep, Not death but sleep, for love is strong as death. Take patience ; sweet thy sleep shall be, Yea, thou shalt wake in Paradise with Me." Christina Rossetti. j SISTER SORROW. 491 JFlotoembcr 19. SISTER SORROW. "Ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy." John xvi. 2. SISTER SORROW ! sit beside me. Or, if I must wander, guide me ; Let me take thy hand in mine — Cold alike are mine and thine. Think not, Sorrow, that I hate thee, — Think not I am frightened at thee, — Thou art come for some good end. I will treat thee as a friend. I will say that thou art bound My unshielded soul to wound, By some force without thy will. And art tender-minded still That thy gentle tears have weight Hardest hearts to penetrate ; That thy shadow brings together Friends long lost in sunny weather. Softly takest thou the crown From my haughty temples down ; Place it on thine own pale brow ; Pleasure wears one, — why not thou?. 492 THE CHAMBER OF PEACE. If thou goest, Sister Sorrow ! I shall look for thee to-morrow, — I shall often see thee drest As a masquerading guest. And however thou hid'st the name, I shall know thee still the same As thou sitt'st beside me now, With my garland on thy brow. Lord Houghton. ^EiQbzmbzx 20. THE CHAMBER OF PEACE. ' Come, see the place where the Lord lay." — Matt, xxviii. 6. THE sacred Chamber is still and wide ; You listen in vain for a breath ; And pale lie the sleepers, side by side, In the cold moonlight of death. No sighs are heard in the shadowy place, No voices of them that weep ; They have fought the fight, and finished the race — God giveth them rest in sleep And sweet is the Chamber, silent and wide, Where lingers the holy smile Of a wayfaring Man, who turned aside To rest, Ions a^o, for a while. THE CHAMBER OF PEACE. 493 He had suffered a sorrow which none may tell, He had purchased a Gift unpriced ; When His work was over, the moonlight fell On the sleeping face of Christ — The face of a Victor, dead and crowned, With a smile divinely fair ; The saints and martyrs sleeping around Were stirred as He entered there. His very Name is as ointment poured On the moonlight pale to-night • And the Chamber is sweet to Thy servants, Lord, For the scent of Thy raiment white. The silent Chamber faceth the east, Faceth the dawn of the clay ; And the shining feet of our great High Priest Shall break through the shadows gray. The golden dawn of the Day of God Shall smite on the sealed eyes ; The trumpet's sound shall thunder around, The dreamers shall wake and rise. The night is over, the sleep is slept, They are called from the shadowy place ; The pilgrims stand in the glorious land, And gaze on the Master's face. B.M. 494 HOW DOTH DEATH SPEAK OF OUR BELOVED? JSlobtmbzx 21. HOW DOTH DEATH SPEAK OF OUR BELOVED ? " And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him." — Acts viii. 2. HOW doth Death speak of our beloved When it has laid them low, When it has set its hallowing touch On speechless lip and brow ? It clothes their every gift and grace With radiance from the holiest place, With light as from an angel's face ; Recalling with resistless force, And tracing to their hidden source, Deeds scarcely noticed in their course, — This little, loving, fond device, That daily act of sacrifice, Of which too late we learn the price ! Opening our weeping eyes to trace Simple, unnoticed kindnesses, Forgotten notes of tenderness It sweeps their faults with heavy hand, As sweeps the sea the trampled sand, Till scarce the faintest print is scanned. HOW DOTH DEATH SPEAK OF OUR BELOVED ? 495 It shows how such a vexing deed Was but a generous nature's weed, Or some choice virtue run to seed ; How that small fretting fretfulness Was but love's over-anxiousness, Which had not been had love been less ; This failing at which we repined But the dim shade of day declined, Which should have made us doubly kind. Thus doth Death speak of our beloved When it has laid them low. Then let Love antedate the work of Death, And do this now ! How doth Death speak of our beloved When it has laid them low, When it has set its hallowing touch On speechless lip and brow 1 It takes each failing on our part And brands it in upon the heart With caustic power and cruel art. The small neglect which may have pained, A giant stature will have gained When it can never be explained ; 496 THE MOURNER'S TEXT. The little service which had proved How tenderly we watched and loved, And those mute lips to glad smiles moved ; — The little gift from out our store, Which might have cheered some cheerless hour, When they with earth's poor needs were poor, — But never will be needed more ! It shows our faults like fires at night : It sweeps their failings out of sight ; It clothes their good in heavenly light. O Christ, our life ! foredate the work of Death, And do this now ! Thou who art Love, thus hallow our beloved ! Not Death, but Thou ! Mrs. Charles. — ^-^^^p^- ■«- «■— ^riobember 22. THE MOURNER'S TEXT. '; The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away ; blessed be the name of the Lord." — Job i. 21. "^T^WAS the Lord gave; the Lord hath taken away, — JL So, at the grave, I stand, and strive to say ; Yielding, O God, though with reluctant groan. Thy right to take Thine own. j OUR ADVERSARIES. 497 'Twas the Lord's gift ; — I muse on sunny years, — My heart I lift with thanks amid my tears ; Lord, Thou conferr'dst on me beyond my share Of good, and dear, and fair ! 'Twas the Lord took ; — hence I have pledge most sure Again to look on smile so sweet and pure ; Thou tak'st not to destroy, but to restore, More bright, and loved still more. So, as it hoards together joys and woes, The text affords, O Lord, the fitting close. I say, — and turn to leave the hallowed sod — " Bless'd be the name of God !" Lord Kinloch. S->^g«^S-<-C5- J@lQbzmbzx 23. OUR ADVERSARIES. " Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." — Eph. vi. 11. CHRISTIAN ! clost thou hear them 1 On the holy ground, How the troops of Midian Prowl and prowl around 1 Christian ! up and smite them. Counting gain but loss ; Smite them by the merit Of the holy Cross ! (104) 32 498 OUR ADVERSARIES. Christian ! clost thou feel them ? How they work within, Tempting, luring, urging, Goading on to sin ? Christian ! never fear them ! Never be downcast ! Smite them by the merit Of Christ's Lenten fast. Christian ! dost thou hear them ? How they speak thee fair 1 " Always fast and vigil ? Always watch and prayer ? " Christian ! answer boldly, — " While I breathe, I pray ! '' Peace shall follow battle, Night shall end in day. " Well I know thy troubles, 0 My servant true, Thou art very weary, 1 was weary too. But that toil shall make thee Some day all Mine own ; And the end of sorrow Shall be near Mv throne." Xeat.e. From the Latin. I FALLEN IN THE NIGHT. 499 ^Ei^twxhzx 24. FALLEN IN THE NIGHT. 'With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.'* Ps. xci. 16. T dressed itself in green leaves all the summer long, Was full of chattering starlings, loud with throstles' song ; Children played beneath it, lovers sat and talked, Solitary strollers looked up as they walked. Oh, so fresh its branches ! and its old trunk gray Was so stately rooted, who forebode decay 1 Even when winds had blown it yellow, almost bare, Softly dropped its chestnuts through the misty air ; Still its few leaves rustled with a faint delight, And their tender colours charmed the sense of sight, Filled the soul with beauty, and the heart with peace, Like sweet sounds departing — sweetest when they cease. Pelting, undermining, loosening, came the rain ; Through its topmost branches roared the hurricane ; Oft it strained and shivered till the night wore past, But in dusky daylight there the tree stood fast — Though its birds had left it, and its leaves were dead, And its blossoms faded, and its fruit all shed. Ay, and when last sunset came a wanderer by, Watched it as aforetime with a musing eye, Still it wore its scant robes so pathetic gay, Caught the sun's last glimmer, the new moon's first ray, 500 HOME LOVE. And majestic, patient, stood, amidst its peers, Waiting for the spring-times of uncounted years. But the worm was busy, and the days were run • Of its many sunsets this was the last one ; So in quiet midnight, with no eye to see, None to smite in falling, fell the noble tree ! Says the early labourer, starting at the sight With a sleepy wonder, " Fallen in the night !" Says the schoolboy, leaping in a wild delight Over trunk and branches, " Fallen in the night !" O thou tree, thou glory of His hand who made Nothing ever vainly, thou hast Him obeyed ! Lived thy life, and fallen when and how He willed ; — Be all lamentation and all murmurs stilled. To our last hour live we — fruitful, brave, upright \ 'Twill be a good ending, " Fallen in the night !" Dora Greenwell. ^rrbrmba: 25. HOME LOYE. "And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go." — Gen. xxiv. 58. THY ways are wonderful, Maker of men ! Thou gavest me a child, and I have fed And clothed and loved her, many a growing year ; Lo ! now a friend of months draws gently near, HOME LOVE. 501 And claims her future — all beyond his ken — There he hath never loved her, nor hath led : She weeps and moans, but turns, and leaves her home so dear. She leaves, but not forsakes. Oft in the night, Oft at mid-day when all is still around, Sudden will rise, in dim pathetic light, Some childish memory of household bliss, Or sorrow by love's service robed and crowned • Rich in his love, she yet will sometimes miss The mother's folding arms, the mother's sealing kiss. Then first, I think, our eldest-born, although Loving, devoted, tender, watchful, dear, The innermost of home-bred love shall know ! Yea, when at last the janitor draws near, A still, pale joy will through the darkness go, At thought of lying in those arms again, Which once were heaven enough for any pain. By love doth love grow mighty in its love : Once thou shalt love us, child, as we love thee. Father of love, is it not Thy decree That, by our long, far- wandering remove From Thee, our life, our home, our being blest, We learn at last to love Thee true and best, And rush with all our loves back to Thy infinite rest • George Macdonald. 502 MY BIRTH DA F. ^Jiiobtmbzx 26. MY BIRTHDAY. IN OLD AGE. '• Thou art my hope, O Lord God : thou art my trust from my youth... Forsake me not when my strength faileth."— Ps. lxxi. 5, 9. BENEATH the moonlight and the snow Lies dead my latest year ; The winter winds are wailing low Its dirges in my ear. I grieve not with the moaning wind5 As if a loss befell ; Before me, even as behind, God is, and all is well. His light shines on me from above, His low voice speaks within — The patience of immortal Love Out- wearying mortal sin. Not mindless of the growing years, Of care and loss and pain, My eyes are wet with thankful tears For blessings that remain. The years no charm from Nature take : As sweet her voices call, MY BIRTHDAY. 503 As beautiful her mornings break, As sweet her evenings fall. Love watches o'er my quiet ways, Kind voices speak my name, And lips that find it hard to praise, Are slow, at least, to blame. How softly ebb the tides of will ! How fields, once lost or won, Now lie behind me green and still Beneath a level sun ! Let winds that blow from heaven refresh, Dear Lord, the languid air ; And let the weakness of the flesh Thy strength of spirit share. And, if the eye must fail of light, The ear forget to hear, Make clearer still the spirit's sight, More fine the inward ear ! Be near me in mine hours of need. To soothe, or cheer, or warn, And down these slopes of sunset lead As up the hills of morn ! Whittier. 504 JESUS ONLY. ^Elobzmbtx 27. JESUS ONLY. "And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus... And there was a cloud that overshadowed them : and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son : hear him. And suddenly, when they had looked round about, they saw no man any more, save Jesus only with themselves." — Mark ix. 4, 7, 8. THE vision fades away, — The brilliant radiance from heaven is The angel visitants no longer stay, [gone ; Silent the Voice — Jesus is found alone. In strange and sad amaze The three disciples watch, with longings vain, While the cloud-chariot floats beyond their gaze ; Yes, these must go — He only will remain. " Oh, linger, leave us not, Celestial brothers ! heaven has seemed so near While ye were with us — earth was all forgot ! " See, they have vanished ; He alone is here. " He only, — He, our own, Our loving Lord, is ever at our side, What though the messengers of heaven are gone ! Let all depart, if He may still abide ! " JESUS ONLY. 505 Such surely was their thought Who stood beside Him on that wondrous eve. So would we feel ; — Saviour, forsake us not, When those unutterably dear must leave ! For all their priceless love, All the deep joy their presence could impart, Foretaste together of the bliss above, We thank Thee, Lord, though with a breaking heart ! Nor murmur we to-day That He who gave should claim His own again \ Long from their native heaven they could not stay, The servants go, — the Master will remain. Jesus is found alone- — Enough for blessedness in earth or heaven ! Yet to our weakness hath His love made known, More than Himself shall in the end be given. " Xot lost, but gone before,'*' Are our beloved ones ; the faithful Word Tells of a meeting-place to part no more ; " So shall we be for ever with the Lord ! " H. L. L. 506 WINTER THOUGHTS. J$lob ember 28. WINTER THOUGHTS. " I would not have you to be ignorant concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.'"' —1 Thess. iv. 13. B I Y the fireside we were sitting, Alice, golden-haired, and I, While the short November gloaming hid a dark and sullen sky. Sweetest time for happy fancies ! but for me, alas ! to-night Hope can weave no fairy visions in the glowing embers' light ; For my thoughts still sadly linger o'er the dying winter day, And the mournful wind still sobbing for the summer passed away Only seems the faintest echo of my heart's deep wail of pain For the hopes which ne'er shall waken, though the spring will come again. Oh, the agony of parting ! weary nights of hopes and fears ! Now to us a life-long sorrow — God has wiped away their tears. " Ah, my happy, little Alice ! yet for you no shadows rise, Pleasant thoughts I see reflected, by the fire-light, in your eyes. WINTER THOUGHTS. 507 Are vou dreaming of the spring-time, when larks sing and violets blow 1 " " Nay/' with upturned face she answered ; "I am thinking of the snow." Simple words of childish prattle, heaven-sent and not in vain ; For they fell upon my spirit like the sweet sleep after pain. Earth I see all white and radiant, e'en in winter drear and cold, Glittering in her bridal garments, — hill and valley, tree and wold, Busy street and quiet churchyard, where the angels all the night, Soft as fondest mother's fingers, spread the snowy covering white, And all Nature seems to whisper, as she basks in heaven's own smile, The glad word of cheering promise — " Only for a little while." But our hearts are ever failing; they are weak, so weak, O Lord ! And we cannot rest in quiet, trusting only to Thy word. For the winter-time is dreary, and our hearts make bitter moan ; One by one our dear ones leave us, till we are all alone; 508 "MASTER, WHERE DWELLEST THOU?" And, alas ! Faith's lamp burns dimly in our darkness and our fears, And we cannot trace Thy footsteps for our own fast- falling tears. But the longest night soon passes, and one morning we shall rise, With the light of Resurrection dazzling our poor earth - blind eyes. Oh, the rapture of that moment ! strife all over, victory won, Rest for toil, and bliss for sorrow, sin and care for ever done ! — Hush, we may not dare to enter ; Christ is there, 'tis all we know ; And we trust our own shall greet us, clad in raiment white as Snow. E. From " Family Treasury:' jFlobzmbzx 29. "MASTER, WHERE DWELLEST THOU?" "Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Master, where dwellest thou? He saith unto them, Come and see.... One of the two was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. " — John i. 38-40. MASTER, dear Master, throned on high ! Our hearts still ask Thee now, As did the two, in days gone by, "Master, where dwellest Thouf' THE SEA OF GALILEE. 509 Where, what is heaven? Silent we stand, Our wisest cannot teach ; — Where is that happy, far-off land, ISTo mariner may reach 1 North-west nor south-west passage brings More near our heart's desire, — Through no electric cord there rings One note from angel choir. From Paul, transported there to take One glimpse, we're only given Mysterious words, that seem to make A trinity of heaven. Master, where dwellest Thou ? Oh, may Mine the old answer be ! The day wanes, let me hear Thee say, Dear Master, — " Come and see ! " S. L. F. ysl ob ember 30. THE SEA OF GALILEE. " Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea : for they were fishers. And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men." — Mark i. 16, 17. FISHERS of men ! who would not rather stay, Content to win the waters' glittering spoil, 510 THE SEA OF GALILEE. Careless to ply the labours of the day, Careless to sleep the dreamless sleep of toil, Till, toil and slumber ended, by his grave Shall plash unheard the long familiar wave 1 Fishers of men ! what perilous seas ye dare ! What hidden treachery of shoal and rock ! What toil of adverse winds, what dull despair Of stagnant calms ! what dread of tempest shock 1 What pain of wasted night and fruitless day 1 How wild the waters, and how fierce the prey ! Yet go ! ye bear your Master o'er the deep, — Shall they who carry such a Caesar fear ? Co, for He watches, though He seem to sleep, And when ye think Him distant, He is near ; Ready, through blackest night and loudest storm To show the radiant Presence of His form. Not this your triumph, that the future brings Days when the Pontiff Fisherman shall shine In Caesar's purple, and on necks of kings Shall plant the foot of lordship : more divine The kingdom that ye fight for ; it shall win Spirits and souls of men, and rule within. This is thy lesson, Lake of Galilee ! Not from the seats of Empire — lordly Nile, Tiber, or proud Euphrates — but from thee, Fair lake, that knowest but to frown or smile THE SEA OF GALILEE. 511 As skies are calm or angry, springs the Power That rules the world till Time's appointed hour. The towers of stone shall crumble, and the wall Lie level as the plain : thy sea and sky Change not, 0 Lake ! while empires rise and fall ; Types of the changeless faith that shall not die, Though all things human fail it, till the Son See in a world restored the Eternal Purpose won. Alfred J. Church. lIDeremher 1. THE REVERIE. PART I. "Though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ." — Col. ii. 5. OH that in unfettered union, Spirit could with spirit blend ! Oh that in unseen communion, Thought could hold the distant friend ! Who the secret can unravel Of the body's mystic guest ? Who knows how the soul may travel While unconsciously we rest ? yf. yf. >fi ifc Has a strange mysterious feeling, Something shapeless, undefined, O'er thy lonely musings stealing, Ne'er impressed thy pensive mind, As if he, whose strong resemblance Fancy in that moment drew, THE REVERIE. 513 By coincident remembrance Knew your thoughts, and thought of you % When, at mercy's footstool bending, Thou hast felt a secret glow ; Faith and hope to heaven ascending, Love still lingering below ; — Say, has ne'er the thought impressed thee That thy friend might feel thy prayer? Or, the wish at least possessed thee He could then thy feeling share % Who can tell % that fervent blessing, Angels, did you hear it rise 1 Do you thus, your love expressing, Watch o'er human sympathies ? Do ye some mysterious token To the kindred bosom bear, And to what the heart has spoken, Wake a chord responsive there ? Laws, perhaps unknown, but certain, Kindred spirits may control ; But what hand can lift the curtain, And reveal the awful soul ? Dimly through life's vapours seeing, Who but longs for light to break ? Oh this feverish dream of being ! When, my friend, shall we awake? d04) 33 514 THE REVERIE, Yes, the hour, the hour is hasting, Spirit shall with spirit blend, Fast mortality is wasting, Then the secret all shall end. Let, then, thought hold sweet communion, Let us breathe the mutual prayer. Till in heaven's eternal union, O my friend, to meet thee there ! CONDER. J£>cccmbcr 2. THE REVERIE. PART II. "Verily I say unto thee, To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise.'' — Luke xxiii. 43. OH ! the hour when this material Shall have vanished like a cloud ! When, amid the wide ethereal, All the invisible shall crowd ; And the naked soul, surrounded With innumerous hosts of light, Triumph in the view unbounded, And adore the Infinite ! In that sudden, strange transition, By what new and finer sense Shall she grasp the mighty vision And receive its influence ? THE REVERIE. 515 Angels ! guard the new immortal Through the wonder-teeming space, To the everlasting portal, To the spirit's resting-place. Will she there no fond emotion, Naught of earthly love retain ? Or, absorbed in pure devotion, Will no mortal trace remain ] Can the grave those ties dissever With the very heart-strings twined ? Must she part, and part for ever, With the friend she leaves behind ? No, the past she still remembers ; Faith and hope surviving too, Ever watch those sieejring embers Which must rise and live anew : For the widowed lonely spirit Mourns, till she is clothed afresh, Longs perfection to inherit, And to triumph in the flesh. Angels, let the ransomed stranger In your tender care be blest, Hoping, trusting, free from clanger Till the trumpet end her rest. Till the call which shakes creation Through the circling heaven shall roll, Till the day of consummation, Till the bridal of the soul. 516 THE REVERIE. Can I trust a fellow-being ? Can I trust an angel's care? O Thou merciful All-seeing, Beam around my spirit there ! Jesus, blessed Mediator, Thou the airy path hast trod ! Thou, the Judge, the Consummator, Shepherd of the fold of God ! Blessed fold ! no foe can enter, And no friend departeth thence ; Jesus is their Sun, their Centre, And their shield Omnipotence. Blessed ! for the Lamb shall feed them, All their tears shall wipe away. To the living fountains lead them Till fruition's perfect day. Lo ! it comes, that day of wonder, Louder chorals shake the skies ; Hades' gates are burst asunder, See the new-clothed myriads rise ! Thought, repress thy weak endeavour, — Here must reason prostrate fall ; Oh ! the ineffable For Ever. And the Eternal All in All ! COXDER. NEAREST AND DEAREST. 517 3D*amb*r 3. WEAKEST AND DEAREST. " It is good for me to draw near to God." — Ps. lxxiii. 28. IT was the Sabbath's blessed evening hour, And the dusk stillness of the fire-lit room Fell on the spirit with a soothing power, A spell of holy calm unmixed with gloom. The fire-light flickered upon steadfast eyes, Brows where the Prince of Peace His seal had set, And tremulous lips, where echoes of the skies, Most eloquent in silence, lingered yet. At length the musing of one heart found way : " Oh, it is bliss," she said, "to join the throng That fills God's temple on His holy day? With the full harmony of sacred song ! Surely the soul draws nearest to Him there, And bows with holiest awe before His throne ; Surely the highest bliss of faith and prayer Is found within those sacred courts alone ! " " Nay," said another, "not alone. Our Lord Dwells not in temples made with hands : He fills The lone heights of the everlasting hills, And dwells with all who tremble at His word. And I have felt His blessed presence more, And owned with holier awe its hallowing sway. 518 NEAREST AND DEAREST. On the lone hill-side, or the wave-washed shore, Than even in His house of prayer to-day." Then spake a third : " 0 friends, full well I know The joys ye speak of ; but one dearer far Comes to me often, in the ceaseless flow Of week-day cares, amid earth's din and jar, When for a moment's breathing -time I pause, Saying, ' O Master, bless ! ' — and, lo ! the while He stands beside me, and my spirit draws A heaven of rest and gladness from His smile ! " She ceased \ and then one answered yet again : " Yea, it is always bliss to feel Him near, In crowd, or solitude, or sacred fane ; But never is His presence half so dear As when the storms of sorrow o'er us meet, And we, with bleeding heart and baffled will, ' Faint, yet pursuing,' struggle to His feet, And lay our souls before Him, and are still." Then all were silent ; and my heart said, Yea, Thou hast well spoken, thou dost well to prize Higher than any bliss beneath the skies The faith that clings and trusts Him though He slay ! This is the one note, in the song of praise Rolling from all creation round the throne, That only human hearts, sore tried, can raise, And even they in this brief life alone. ALONE. 519 y&zzzmbzx 4. ALONE. " Lover and friend hast thou put far from me, and mine acquaint- ance into darkness." — " The ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs... and sorrow and sighing shall flee away." — Ps. lxxxviii. IS ; Isa. xxxv. 10. I'VE been to the familiar places, The clear, old ways ; But there were no familiar faces That met my gaze, — The green woods were too lonely, — I, there alone, — I, only. I climbed among the mountain ridges, Beyond the town, And on its crowded streets and bridges, Looked sadly down. The mountain was too lonely, — I stood alone, — I, only. But, looking up, not down, Faith traces A City fair, And sees the clear, familiar faces That gather there ; None stand deserted, lonely, Yet still my own, — mine only. And, strange ! while gazing on that City New life is found, — 520 "TRUST IN HIM AT ALL TIMES." My heart is filled with yearning pity For men around. I must not enter lonely, Nor bring just one, — one, only. I will go forth, to sinners telling That Christ has come, — I will go forth, by love compelling The wanderers home ; Pointing the lost and lonely To Christ alone, — Christ only ! S. L. F. ^Dtcember 5. "TRUST IN HIM AT ALL TIMES." " Trust in him at all times ; ye people, pour out your heart be- fore him : God is a refuge for us." — Ps. lxii. 8. THOU didst trust Him long ago, Sin-burdened, weary, poor • Doth He less pitying grow ? Doth He now close the door, Who, opening before, Said, " Mine for evermore " 1 Canst thou not trust Him now ? Thou didst cast on Him a load Which He alone could bear ; "TRUST IN HIM AT ALL TIMES." 521 And He, the Son of God, Who shed for thee His blood, Said, " Cast on Me thy care ; For on My heart I wear Thy name, whose guilt I bare ; My all with thee I share, My peace on thee bestow.'* Canst thou not trust Him now ? Thou hast trusted Him for all, Placed all within His hand ; Is this thy grief too small For Him to understand Who marks the sparrow's fall ? Heir of the King of kings, Heir of immortal things, Wouldst thou on eagle's wings Mount nearer to the throne ? Oh, take to Him alone All that each hour brings ; Stoop not to murmurings ! Doth not thy Father know, Who all thy past hath known 1 Shall care o'ercloud thy brow ? To roll away the stone Canst thou not trust Him now ? Thou hast trusted Him for death, Canst thou not trust for life ? 522 "2T REMAINETH." Believing what He saith — " Not pain, nor sword, nor strife, Nor height, nor depth beneath, Distress that earth can know, Or power of hell below, Shall separate from Me Him whom I ever see Covered, O Son, in Thee ! " Canst thou not trust Him now ? Elliott. y&zctmbzx 6. "IT REMAINETH." "But this I say, brethren, the time is short : it remaineth, that they that weep be as though they wept not ; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not." — "There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God." — 1 Cor. vii. 29, 30; Heb. iv. 9. " T T remaineth ! it remaineth ! " A. Was sounding in mine ear, With many a dirge-like cadence Of the departing year A shadow mid earth's sunshine, A glory mid her gloom, To every heart a blessing That gives the lesson room. "It remaineth ! it remaineth ! " Wouldst know what now remains ? " IT REMAIXETH." 523 That earthly joys are passing, And passing earthly pains, — Yea, as a dream are passing, To leave no trace behind, On saintly brow no shadow, No stain on saintly mind ! For thee, a pilgrim stranger, Remaineth only this — ■ To lightly bear earth's sadness, And lightly hold her bliss ; To be as one that waiteth And watcheth for the Lord ; So may'st thou at His coming Receive a full reward. It remaineth ! it remaineth ! " Wouldst know what then remains'? The glory and the gladness, — Love's everlasting gains ! All that was worth the prizing, Most precious and most pure, All that the true heart treasures, For ever to endure ! The time is short ! He cometh, Whose love hath set thy task, — A crown of life His guerdon ! What other wouldst thou ask 1 524 ORDINATION HYMN. But let thy consolation In toil and vigil be, There reinaineth, there remaineth A Sabbath rest for thee ! Songs of Christian Chivalry. ^©crcmbcr 7. ORDINATION HYMN. "Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus."— 2 Tim. ii. 1. CHRIST to the young man said, " Yet one thing more ; If thou wouldst perfect be, Sell all thou hast, and give it to the poor, And come and follow Me ! '? Within this temple Christ again, unseen, Those sacred words has said, And His invisible hands to-day have been Laid on a young man's head. And evermore beside him on his way The unseen Christ shall move, That he may lean upon His arm, and say, " Dost Thou, clear Lord, approve ? " Beside him at the marriage -feast shall be, To make the scene more fair ; FAME. 525 Beside him in the dark Gethsemane Of pain and midnight prayer. 0 holy trust ! 0 endless sense of rest ! Like the beloved John To lay his head upon the Saviour's breast, And thus to journey on ! Longfellow. December 8. FAME. " Whose praise is not of men, but of God." — " Whose names are in the book of life. "—Rom. ii. 29 ; Phil. iv. 3. WHAT shall I do lest life in silence pass I "— And if it do, And never prompt the bray of noisy brass, Why shouldst thou rue ? Remember aye, the ocean depths are mute, The shallows roar ; Worth is the ocean — fame is bruit Along the shore. " What shall I do to be for ever known i " — Thy duty ever. " This did full many who now sleep unknown. " — Oh, never, never ! Think'st thou perchance that they remain unknown Whom thou knowest not 1 By angel-trumps in heaven their praise is blown — Divine their lot. Anon. 526 "TROUBLE NOT THE MASTER." ^EVecembcr 9. "TROUBLE NOT THE MASTER." % "Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the Master." — Luke viii. 49. " T"^ EAD is thy daughter, trouble not the Master " — 1 J Thus in the ruler's ear his servants spake, While tremblingly he urged the Saviour faster Up the green slope from that white-margined lake. The soft wave weltered, and the breeze came sighing Out of the oleander thickets red • He only heard a breath that gasped in dying, Or, "Trouble not the Master; she is dead." Trouble Him not. Ah, are these words beseeming The desolation of that awful day, When love's vain fancies, hope's delusive dreaming Are over, — and the life has fled for aye 1 We need Him most when the dear eyes are closing, When on the cheek the shadow lieth strong, When the soft lines are set in that reposing That never mother cradled with a song. Then most we need the Voice that, while it weepeth. Yet hath a solemn undertone that saith, — " Weep not, thy darling is not dead, but sleepeth ; Only believe, for I have conquered death." ***** Then most we need the thought of resurrection; — Not the life here, mid pain, and sin, and woe, REST IN THE LORD. 527 But ever in the fulness of perfection To walk with Him in robes as white as snow. Ht * % * * Did He not enter in when that cold sleeper Lay still, with pulseless heart and leaden eyes ; Put calmly forth each loud tumultuous weeper, And take her by the hand, and bid her rise 1 Come to us, Saviour ! in our lone dejection ; Speak calmly to our wild and passionate grief, Bring us the hopes and thoughts of resurrection, Bring us the comfort of a true belief. Come ! with that human voice that breaks in weeping : Come ! with that awful tenderness divine \ Come ! tell us that they are not dead, but sleeping, But gone before to Thee, for they are Thine. C. E. Alexander. 'X&tttmbn 10. HEST IN THE LOUD. " Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him." — Ps. xxxvii. 7. LIFE'S mystery — deep, restless as the ocean — Hath surged and wailed for ages to and fro ; Earth's generations watch its ceaseless motion, As in and out its hollow moanings flow. Shivering and yearning by that unknown sea, Let my soul calm itself, O God ! in Thee. 528 REST IN THE LORD. Life's sorrows, with inexorable power, Sweep desolation o'er this mortal plain, And human loves and hopes fly as the chaff Borne by the whirlwind from the ripened grain. Oh, when before that blast my hopes all flee, Let my soul calm itself, O Christ ! in Thee. Between the mysteries of death and life Thou standest, loving, guiding, not explaining : We ask, and Thou art silent ; yet we gaze, And our charmed hearts forget their drear com- plaining. No crushing fate, no stony destiny, 0 "Lamb that hath been slain! " we find in Thee. The many waves of thought, the mighty tides, The ground-swell that rolls up from other lands, From far-off worlds, from dim, eternal shores, Whose echo dashes o'er life's wave-worn strands, This vague, dark tumult of the inner sea Grows calm, grows bright, O risen Lord ! in Thee. Thy pierced Hand guides the mysterious wheels ; Thy thorn-crowned brow now wears the crown of power ; And when the dark enigma presseth sore, Thy patient Voice saith, " Watch with Me one As sinks the moaning river in the sea, [hour." In silent peace, so sinks my soul in Thee ! Mrs. H. B. Stowe. THE HOME-CALL. 529 ^E)cambn* 11. THE HOME-CALL. "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints." — "Our Lord Jesus Christ died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him." — Ps. cxvi. 15; 1 Thkss. v. 9, 10. JUST when Thou wilt, O Master, call ! Or at the noon, or evening fall, Or in the dark, or in the light, Just when Thou wilt, — it must be right. Just when Thou wilt, O Saviour, come, Take me to dwell in Thy bright home ! Or when the snows have crowned my head, Or ere it hath one silver thread. Just when Thou wilt, O Bridegroom, say, " Rise up, My love, and come away ! " Open to me Thy golden gate, Just when Thou wilt, or soon, or late. Just when Thou wilt — Thy time is best, — Thou shalt appoint my hour of rest, Marked by the Sun of perfect love, Shining unchangeably above. Just when Thou wilt ! no choice for me ! Life is a gift to use for Thee ; Death is a hushed and glorious tryst With Thee, my King, my Saviour, Christ ! F. R. Havergal. (104) 34 530 AT LAST. ^December 12. AT LAST. " In my Father's house are many mansions : if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for y< >u." — John xiv. 2. WHEN on the day of life the night is falling, And, in the winds from unsunned spaces I hear far voices out of darkness calling [blown, My feet to paths unknown, — Thou who hast made my home of life so pleasant. Leave not its tenant when the walls decay ! 0 Love divine, 0 Helper ever present, Be Thou my strength and stay ! Be with me when all else from me is drifting, Earth, sky, home-pictures, days of shade and shine. And kindly faces to my own uplifting The love which answers mine. 1 have but Thee, O Father ! let Thy Spirit Be with me, then, to comfort and uphold : No gate of pearl, no branch of palm, I merit. No street of shining gold. Suffice it if, my good and ill unreckoned, And both forgiven through Thy abounding grace. I find myself by hands familiar beckoned Unto my fitting place ; Some humble door among Thy many mansions. Some sheltering shade where sin and striving cease, COMFORT FOR THE AGED CHRISTIAN. 531 And flows for ever through heaven's green expan- The river of Thy peace. [sions There, from the music round about me stealing, I fain would learn the new and holy song, And find, at last, beneath Thy trees of healing, The life for which I long. Whittiek. lE>tctmbtv 13. COMFORT FOR THE AGED CHRISTIAN. "Even to your old age I am he ; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you-. I have made, and I will bear ; even I will carry, and will deliver you." — ISA. xlvi. 4. WEEP not, although the beautiful decay Within thy heart, as daily in thine eyes ; Thy heart must have its autumn, its pale skies, Leading, mayhap, to winter's dim dismay. Yet doubt not. Beauty doth not pass away ; Her form departs not, though her body dies ; Secure beneath the earth the snowdrop lies, Waiting the spring's young resurrection day, Through the kind nurture of- the winter cold. Nor seek thou by vain effort to revive The summer time, when roses were alive : Do thou thy work — be willing to be old ; Thy sorrow is the husk that doth infold A gorgeous June, for which thou need'st not strive. George Macdonald. 532 FAREWELL OF THE SOUL TO THE BODY. ^December 14. FAREWELL OF THE SOUL TO THE BODY. "Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle." 2 Peter i. 14. COMPANION dear ! the hour draws nigh, The sentence speeds, — to die! to die! So long in mystic union held, So close in strong embrace compelled, How canst thou bear the dread decree That strikes thy clasping nerves from me ? To Him, who on this mortal shore The same encircling vestment wore, To Him I look, to Him I bend, To Him thy shuddering frame commend. If ever I have caused thee pain, — The throbbing heart, the burning brain, — With cares and vigils turned thee pale, Or scorned thee when thy strength did fail, — Forgive ! forgive ! — thy task doth cease ; Friend, lover, let us part in peace. That thou didst sometimes clog my course, Or with thy trilling check my force, Or lure from heaven my wavering trust, Or bow my drooping wing to dust, I blame thee not ; our strife is done : I know thou wert the weaker one, FAREWELL OF THE SOUL TO THE BODY. 533 The vase of earth, the trembling clod, Constrained to hold the breath of God. Well hast thou in my service wrought : Thy brow hath mirrored forth my thought, To wear my smile thy lip hath glowed, Thy tear to speak my sorrows flowed • Thine ear hath brought me rich supplies Of varying tissued melodies ; Thy hands my prompted deeds have done, Thy feet upon mine errands run ; — Yes, thou hast marked my bidding well, Faithful and true ! farewell, farewell ! Go to thy rest. A quiet bed Meek Mother Earth with flowers shall spread, Where I no more thy sleep may break With fevered dream, nor rudely wake Thy weary eye. Ah ! quit thy hold, For thou art faint, and chill, and cold; And still thy grasp and groan of pain Do bind me, pitying, in thy chain, Though angels warn me hence to soar Where I can share thy woes no more. Yet shall we meet. To soothe my pain, Remember, ice shall meet again. Quell with this hope the victor's sting, And keep it as a signet-ring Guard thou this hope to light thy gloom, Till the last trumpet rends the tomb. 534 STRENGTH IN WEAKNESS. Then slialt thou glorious rise and fair, Nor spot, nor shade, nor wrinkle bear ; And I, with hovering wing elate, The bursting of thy bonds will wait, And hail thee " Welcome to the sky, No more to part, no more to die, — Co-heir of immortality.'' Mrs. Sigoueney. ^E)mmber 15. STRENGTH IN WEAKNESS. "Bow down thine ear, O Lord, hear me; for I am poor and needy. Be merciful unto me, O Lord : for I cry unto thee daily." — Ps. ixxxvi. 1, 3. NHE faith, how small, O Lord, with which I tread the way ! Give, at my call, Faith that, from day to day, Is fed by Christ alway. I shall not fall, But prove the promise blest', " We which believe do enter into rest." The prayer, how weak, 0 Lord ! that lifts my heart to Thee ! But this I seek, This one thins: Sfive to me, — Help my infirmity ; Within me sjDeak, T STRENGTH IN WEAKNESS. 535 And by the Spirit taught I shall know what to pray for as I ought. From pain and care, O Lord, I ask not to be free ; But this my prayer — Open my eyes to see That Thou art guiding me. Then I can bear To walk in darkness still, Walking with Thee, submissive to Thy will Clouds come and go, But clouds will only make more bright The after-glow ! After the darkest night Will come the morning light : And well I know The morn itself may hide Its face, but light shall be at eventide. Home is more near, O Lord ! by every passing day ; Home is more dear By every prayer I pray — By every footstep of the way That brings me there. Where Thou art, let me be, For where Thou art is home and heaven to me ! Anon. 536* "FAINT, YET PURSUING:' J&tcftttbtx 16. "FAINT, YET PURSUING." "They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way... Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them. Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses. ;' — Ps. cvii. 4-0. ON a long journey, to a place of rest, What time the sun was sinking in the west. Two travellers, with willing steps, drew nigh. I watched them as they came. One, faltering, sank, Silent and trembling, on the grassy bank, With quivering lip, pale cheek, and closing eye. The other stood, and calmly gazed around, As one well pleased that such a rest was found, Yet unexhausted by the lengthened way. I questioned of the journey ; — he could tell Of many a cooling shade and roadside well, And kind companions through the toilsome day. I asked the other. To his burning brow He raised his hand, and said, " Ask me not now ! — To-morrow I may dare to look behind ! " And yet I knew, from the same village home. Far in the distant valleys, both had come ; — Whence the strange difference they seemed to find ? Ah ! one had travelled a familiar road, By many a fellow-pilgrim often trod, Where hope led on, and love beside him smiled ; "FAINT, YET PURSUING:' 537 The other took a lonely mountain way. Haunt of the brigand and the beasts of pivv. Path of the avalanche and torrent wild. Through the thick mist strange forms had glided pa Strange voices whispered in the midnight blast, New, nameless fears had thrilled his heart and brain. Now he was safe ! and yet that journey drear, With its dark memories of doubt and fear. His spirit trembled to recall again. And looking, listening, I musing thought, By strangely varied paths how souls are brought To the one resting-place in Christ our Lord ! And when at length the weary pilgrims stand Safe in the shelter of the heavenly land, What varied tales the angels will record ! Some in green pastures by still waters led, On bread of life by faithful pastors fed, Or early, gently called to rest and home ; — On the dark mountains others wandering long, Through doubts, and fears, and foes, a countless throng; " Faint, yet pursuing," sad and worn, they come. Ye who in sunshine tread the easy road, Speak forth the praises of your Saviour God, Tell of His mercy, magnify His love ! But pray for those who on the heights afar Through storm and gloom watch for one rising star, One ray of hope and guidance from above. 538 "TAKE HEART OF GRACE:' Yes, pray for them ! He knows their conflicts well, On whom the horror of great darkness fell, Till even the Father's face it seemed to hide ; — Pray that for them His pleading may prevail, That of their hope one anchor may not fail, One stronghold — "We shall live, for Thou hast died ! " Then shall ye meet at last, where heaven's pure light Shall seem to these the dearer and more bright For all the darkness that had gone before. O Saviour, guide us ! How we ask Thee not : Even as Thou wilt — all grief shall be forgot, When safely landed on that peaceful shore ! H. L. L. (Suggested by a Sermon by Dr. Raleigh.) ^2>zambzx 17. "TAKE HEART OF GKACE." •; Wait on the Lord ; be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord." — "The Lord wall not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed." — Ps. xxvii. 14 ; Deut. xxxi. 8. OTHOU who, tossing on life's troubled ocean, Mournest the hidings of thy Father's face, And comfortless, amid the wild commotion, Seekest in vain some quiet resting-place, — Thou weary, fainting soul, "take heart of grace." "TAKE HEART OF GRACE." 539 Not all the fiercest tempests round thee blowing Can drive thee far from heaven's sweet resting-place \ Not all the floods thy sorrowing soul o'erflowing, Can long avail to hide from thee My face ; Therefore, O downcast soul, " take heart of grace." Oh, waste no more thy breath in weak complaining ; Doubts throw aside ; no longer thus disgrace My faithful love, that leading, guiding, training, Perfects thee thus for My own dwelling-place ; Therefore, thou faithless one, " take heart of grace." Hast thou not seen how, for some precious treasure, Men beat of purest gold a goodly case % Or cut for fragrant odours, at their pleasure, Out of rough stone, a rare and polished vase 1 O thou short-sighted one, " take heart of grace." Like them, when for Myself I am preparing, Out of the soul, a fit abiding-place, I hew thee, beat thee, till I see thee bearing My image, and My perfect likeness trace \ Therefore, thou chosen one, " take heart of grace." Oh, then, be of good courage ! for I love thee \ Gladly and cheerfully each cross embrace, And bear it manfully ; for soon above thee Light from My throne each cloud away shall chase ; Therefore, afflicted one, "take heart of grace." 540 SAFE IN PORT. And soon, life's sorest trials past for ever, Faultless before thy and My Father's face, I will present thee joyfully ; and never Xeed say to thee, in that safe resting-place. " 0 weary, fainting soul, take heart of grace ! :; For every hour of that blest life immortal, Thou shalt be glad My guiding hand to trace, That made thee meet by trials, through the portal To enter in, and rest in My embrace. Therefore, look upward, and "take heart of grace." H. N. C. December IS. SAFE IN PORT. " Some on boards, and some on broken pieces of the ship. So it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land." — Acts xxvii. 44. SAFE home ! safe home in port I Rent cordage, shattered deck, Torn sails, provisions short, and only not a wreck ; — But oh ! the joy upon the shore To tell our voyage-perils o'er ! The prize ! the prize secure ! The wrestler nearly fell; Bore all he could endure, and bore not always well ! But he may smile at troubles gone Who sets the victor-garland on ! AFTER A DEATH. 541 No more the foe can harm; no more of leaguered camp, The cry of night-alarm, and need of ready lamp. And yet how nearly had we failed, — How nearly had the foe prevailed ! The lamb is in the fold, in perfect safety penned : The lion once had hold, and thought to make an end ; But One came by with wounded side, And for the sheep the Shepherd died. The exile is at home ! — O nights and days of tears, O longings not to roam, O sins and doubts and fears ! What matter now ? — In heavenly day The King has wiped all tears away ! Hymn of the Greek Church. (Tr. Neale.) December 19. AFTER A DEATH. "The thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.'" — Job iii. 25. THE grief that was delayed so long, O Lord, hath come at last. Blest be Thy name for present pain And for the weary past ! Yet, Father ! I have looked so long Upon the coming grief, 542 AFTER A DEATH. That what should grieve my heart the most Seems almost like relief. To fear is harder than to weep. To watch than to endure ; The hardest of all griefs to bear Is a grief that is not sure. I grew more unprepared for grief Which had so long been stayed ; The blow seemed more impossible The more it was delayed. Yes, the most sudden of our griefs Are those which travel slow ; The longer warning that it gives The deeper is the woe. The griefs we have to bear alone, The griefs that we can share, Our single griefs, our crowded griefs — Which are the worst to bear ? Dear Lord ! in all our loneliest pains Thou hast the largest share, And that which is unbearable 'Tis Thine, not ours, to bear. How merciful Thine anger is, How tender it can be ! How wonderful all sorrows are Which come direct from Thee ! — Faber. THE FATHER'S PROMISES. 543 December 20. THE FATHER'S PROMISES. " Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord : whereby are given unto us exceed- ing great and precious promises. " — 2 Peter i. 2, 4. NEVER thought of care can come, Throwing shadows o'er my home, But God's Word lights up the way With a more than noontide's ray ; And I read, in letters golden, Many a promise, strong and olden ; — " Fear not, sparrows never fall But your Father knoweth all ; He who gives them daily food, Satisfies His own with good." Never comes ah hour of pain, But, for sorrows that remain, Comes a healing word to me Of a land beyond the sea, Where afflictions that are grievous, At the very shore shall leave us, And we all, by death made strong, Shall be jubilant with song ; And I find fresh patience brought To my spirit by the thought. When I stand with timid feet Where the uncertain pathways meet, 544 THE FATHER'S PROMISES. And in shadows of the night Cannot guess which road is right, — When I shrink in hesitation From new scenes of desolation. Comes the strengthening word to me, " Lo, I always am with thee." And while songs my lips employ I go on my course with joy. When the duties of the day Roughly steal my strength away, When the tasks I have to do Are not easy, are not few, — Then to make my courage stronger, And my hope to last the longer, Comes the Master with His grace, With the shining of His face ; And I gladly do my best Till He sends the hour of rest. So, whatever the lot may be That my Father sends to me, Never am I comfortless With His word to aid and bless. And while He His help is bringing I will cheer the way with singing, Till by His uiichanoino; love I shall reach His home above, And while bending at His feet Find the promises complete. — Farnixgha^i. "18 IT SO, 0 CHRIST IN HEAVEN?" 545 ^©eamber 21. "IS IT SO, 0 CHRIST IN HEAVEN ?" " 1 have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now."— John xvi. 12. IS it so, O Christ in heaven ! that the highest suffer most i That the strongest wander furthest, and more hope- lessly are lost ? That the mark of rank in nature is capacity of pain, And the anguish of the singer makes the sweetness of the strain ? — ,k I have many things to tell you, but ye cannot bear them now." Is it so, O Christ in heaven ! that whichever way we go Walls of darkness must surround us, things we would but cannot know 1 That the Infinite must bound us, as a temple veil unrent, While the Finite ever wearies, so that none attain content ? — "I have many things to tell you, but ye cannot bear them now." Is it so, O Christ in heaven ! that the fulness yet to come Is so glorious and so perfect, that to know would strike us dumb ? (104) 35 546 " WATCHMAN, WHAT OF THE NIGHT?" That if, only for a moment, we could pierce beyond the sky With these poor, dim eyes of mortals, we should just see God and die? — "I have many things to show you, but ye cannot bear them now." Sarah Williams. ^J&zczmbzx 22. " WATCHMAN, WHAT OF THE NIGHT?" " Be ye also patient ; stablish your hearts : for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh." — James v. 8. WHAT of the night, O watchman? is the watching nearly done? Is there not a streak of glory from the rising of the sun ? Dost thou see no fiery chariot on the far-off mountain crest? Doth He tarry in His coming? oh, we weary for His rest ! Look out again, O watchman ! for the Lord may yet be near, While our eyes are dim with straining, and our ears too dull to hear. We would fain go out to meet Him, as the bird flies to its nest ; Is He coming? is He coming? We are wearying for the rest ! We have told to one another of our home above the skies, Till our spirits fail with longing, and the tears are in our eyes. THE EVE OF DEPARTURE. ">4, Oh, to see the King among us in His robes of glory drest ! Is He coming, weary watchman ? We are longing for the rest ! We are weary in the pleasure-paths we thought so fair at first, "We are weary of the bitter streams that cannot quench our thirst ; We are fain for sweet companionship among the happy blest, — But He tarrieth in His coming, and we weary for the rest ! O my soul, go forth to meet Him ! tell Him, though the light is dim, That our lamps are always burning, and we wait and long for Him ! Oh to sit beneath His shadow, all our wants and sins confest ! Blessed Jesus, art Thou coming % We are weary for the rest ! E. C. Clepha^e. 3S)eamb£r 23. THE EVE OF DEPARTURE. " The time of my departure is at hand." — 2 Tim. iv. 6. I LOXG to flee away, and be at rest ! This world is but a lodoiiw at the best : 548 THE EVE OF DEPARTURE. It is not home, and home can never be, For it is far, too far, O Lord, from Thee ! It seemed but twilight in the broadest day, And now — its light is fading quite away. I long to be at home ! to see Thy face In the " eternal leisure " of that place, Where none of these distracting sights and sounds, None of the misery that here abounds, Can ever come ; — 0 holy, blessed life ! How different from all these scenes of strife ! I long to be at home ! Why need I stay, An exile from that home, another day ? Perhaps, I need not ! But God only knows What the untraversed morrow may disclose. Perhaps I may be safe at home, to-morrow, With Christ, — far, far away from sin and sorrow ! ^ * * * Can it be true 1 May I so soon be there ? So very soon I O Holy One, prepare My sinful soul to meet Thee face to face In Paradise ! O strange, mysterious place ! Where is it 1 near ? or very far away 1 Shall I be there, " with Christ " this very day? I do not fear the landing on the shore — Christ will be there, and I shall fear no more ; But sometimes — for the flesh is wreak — I shrink When of the intervening waves I think. A CHRISTMAS CAROL. 549 The passage may be rough, and who can say What perils may await me on the way ? And I must go alone ! Most near and dear, I cannot hope to have thee with me here ! I know that thou wilt watch me to the last, Till all sweet ministries of love be past, And we shall not be separated long, — But " Love is strong as Death,'*' and Death is strong. Lord Jesus, take away this lingering dread ! For Thou art He that livest and wast dead, And now Thou art alive for evermore, That Death's long reign of terror may be o'er. Increase my faith, that I may learn to cry, " Thanks be to God, who giveth victory ! " From " Heart to Heart.'' y&tnmhzx 24. A CHRISTMAS CAROL. 1 ' And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the high- est, and on earth peace, good will toward men." — Luke ii. 13, 14. IT chanced upon the merry, merry Christmas-eve, I went sighing past the church across the moor- land dreary — " Oh ! never sin and want and woe this earth will leave, And the bells but mock the wailing sound, they sing so cheery. 550 HIS NAME. How long, O Lord I how long before Thou come again? Still in cellar, and in garret, and on moorland dreary, The orphans moan, and widows weep, and poor men toil in vain, Till earth is sick of hope deferred, though Christmas bells be cheery." Then arose a j oyous clamour from the wild-fowl on the mere, Beneath the stars, across the snow, like clear bells ringing, And a voice within cried — " Listen ! Christmas carols even here ! Though thou be dumb, yet o'er their work the stars and snows are singing. Blind ! I live, I love, I reign; and all the nations through With the thunder of My judgments even now are ring- Do thou fulfil thy work but as yon wild-fowl do, [ing, Thou wilt heed no less the wailing, yet hear through it angels singing." Charles Kixgsley. ^EVerember 25. HIS NAME. " Unto us a child is born :...and his name shall be called Won- derful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." — Isa. ix. 6. O WONDERFUL ! round whose birth-hour Prophetic song, miraculous power, Cluster and hum, like star and flower, HIS NAME. 551 Those marvellous rays that at Thy will, From the closed heaven which is so chill, So passionless, streamed round Thee still, Are but as broken gleams that start, O Light of lights, from Thy deep heart ; Thyself, Thyself, the Wonder art ! O Counsellor ! four thousand years, One question, tremulous with tears, One awful question, vexed our peers. They asked the vault, but no one spoke ; They asked the depth, no answer woke ; They asked their hearts, that only broke. They looked, and sometimes on the height Far off, they saw a haze of white, That was a storm, but looked like light. The secret of the years is read ; The enigma of the quick and dead By the Child-voice interpreted. O Everlasting Father, God ! Sun after sun went down, and trod Race after race the green earth's sod, Till generations seemed to be But dead waves of an endless sea, But dead leaves from a deathless tree. 552 HIS NAME. But Thou hast come, and now we know Each wave hath an eternal flow, Each leaf a lifetime after snow. O Prince of Peace ! crowned, yet discrowned,- They say no war nor battle's sound Was heard the tired world around, They say the hour that Thou didst come, The trumpet's voice was stricken dumb, And no one beat the battle-drum And still, as clouding questions swarm Around our hearts, and dimly form Their problems of the mist and storm, — And still as ages fleet, but fraught With syllables, wherein is wrought The fulness of the Eternal thought, — And when not yet in God's sunshine The smoke drifts from the embattled line Of warring hearts, that would be Thine, We bid our doubts and passions cease, Our restless fears be stilled with these — " Counsellor, Father, Prince of Peace !" Rev. W. Alexander. FUNERAL ANTHEM. 553 ^IBtczmbtx 26. FUNERAL ANTHEM. "There the wicked cease from troubling; and there the weary be at rest."— Job iii. 17. BROTHER, thou hast gone before us, and thy saintly soul is flown Where tears are wiped from every eye, and sorrow is unknown ; From the burden of the flesh, and from care and fear released, Where the wicked cease from troubling, and the weary are at rest. The toilsome way thou'st travelled o'er, and borne the heavy load, But Christ hath taught thy languid feet to reach His blest abode ; Thou art sleeping now, like Lazarus upon his father's breast, Where the wicked cease from troubling, and the weary are at rest. Sin can never taint thee now, nor doubt thy faith assail, Nor thy meek trust in Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit fail; And thou art sure to meet the good, whom on earth thou lovedst best, Where the wicked cease from troubling, and the weary are at rest. 554 "LORD, WHAT SHALL THIS MAN DOV " Earth to earth, and dust to dust ! " the solemn priest hath said. So we lay the turf above thee now, and we seal thy narrow bed; But thy spirit, brother, soars away, among the faithful blest, Where the wicked cease from troubling, and the weary are at rest. And when the Lord shall summon us, whom thou hast left behind, May we, untainted by the world, as sure a welcome find ; May each, like thee, depart in peace, to be a glorious guest Where the wicked cease from troubling, and the weary are at rest. Milman. ^zczmbzx 27. "LORD, WHAT SHALL THIS MAN DO?" "Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following. ...Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do ? " — John xxi. 20, 21. LORD, and what shall this man do?" Ask'st thou, Christian, for thy friend? If his love for Christ be true, Christ hath told thee of his end : This is he whom God approves, This is he whom Jesus loves. "LVIW, WHAT SHALL THIS MAN DO?" 555 Ask not of him more than this, Leave it in his Saviour's breast, Whether, early called to bliss, He in youth shall find his rest, Or armed in his station wait Till his Lord be at the gate ; Whether in his lonely course (Lonely, not forlorn) he stay, Or with Love's supporting force Cheat the toil and cheer the way : Leave it all in His high hand, Who doth hearts as streams command. Gales from heaven, if so He will, Sweeter melodies can wake On the lonely mountain rill Than the meeting waters make. Who hath the Father and the Son, May be left, but not alone. Sick or healthful, slave or free, Wealthy, or despised and poor — What is that to him or thee, So his love to Christ endure ? When the shore is won at last, Who will count the billows past ? Only, since our souls will shrink At the touch of natural a'rief, 556 THE HEAVENLY SONG. When our earthly loved ones sink, Lend us. Lord, Thy sure relief ; Patient hearts, their pain to see, And Thy grace, to follow Thee. Keble. *X§>tczmbtx 28. THE HEAYENLY SONG. "And I heard a voice from heaven... the voice of harpers harp- ing with their harps : and they sung as it were a new song before the throne."— Rev. xiv. 2, 3. HAPPY the company that's gone From cross to crown, from thrall to throne \ — ■ How loud they sing upon that shore To which they sailed in heart before ! " Death from all death has set us free, And will our gain for ever be; Death loosed the massy chain of woe, To let the mournful captives go. " Death is to us a sweet repose, — The bud was oped to show the rose ; The cage was broke to let us fly, And build our happy nest on high. " Earth was to us a seat of war, On thrones of triumph now we are ; We longed to see our Jesus dear, And sought Him there, but find Him here EBENEZER. 557 " This, this does bliss enough afford, We are for ever with the Lord ; We want no more, for all is given, His Presence is the heart of heaven ! " While thus I laid my listening ear Close to the door of heaven to hear \ And then the sacred page did view, Which told me all I heard was true, Yet showed me that the heavenly song- Surpasses every mortal tongue, With such unutterable strains As none in fettering flesh attains, — Then said I — " O to mount away, And leave this clog of heavy clay ! Let wings of time more swiftly fly, That I may join the songs on high ! " Ralph Erskine. ©rambn* 29. EBENEZER. "Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Eben-ezer, saying, Hitherto hath the Lord helped us. "—1 Sam. vii. 12. THUS far the Lord hath led us on, — in darkness and in day, Through all the varied stages of the narrow homeward way;— 558 EBENEZER. Long since, He took that journey, He trod that path alone ; Its trials and its dangers full well Himself hath known. Thus far the Lord hath led us, — the promise has not failed ; The enemy encountered oft has never quite prevailed \ The shield of faith has turned aside or quenched each fiery dart, The Spirit's sword, in weakest hands, has forced him to depart. Thus far the Lord hath led us, — the waters have been high, But yet in passing through them we felt that He was nigh. A " very present Helper " in trouble we have found ; His comforts most abounded when our sorrows did abound. Thus far the Lord hath led us, — our need has been supplied, And mercy has encompassed us about on every side ; Still falls the daily manna, the pure rock-fountains flow, And many flowers of Love and Hope along the way- side grow. Thus far the Lord hath led us, — and will He now forsake The feeble ones whom for His own it pleased Him to take? Oh, never, never! earthly friends may cold and faith- less prove, But His is changeless pity, and everlasting love ! 1MMANUEUS LAND. 559 Calmly we look behind us, on joys and sorrows past, — We know that all is mercy now, and shall be well at last. Calmly we look before us — we fear no future ill ; Enough for safety and for peace, if Thou art with us still. Yes, " they that know Thy name, O Lord, shall put their trust in Thee," While nothing in themselves but sin and helplessness they see. The race Thou hast appointed us, with patience we can run ; Thou wilt perform unto the end the work Thou hast begun. H. L. L. ^©eccmbcv 30. IMMANUEL'S LAND. "The glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it.... There shall be no night there."— Rev. xxi. 23-25. THE sands of time are sinking ; The dawn of heaven breaks ; The summer morn IVe sighed for, The fair, sweet morn, awakes. Dark, dark hath been the midnight ; But dayspring is at hand, And glory — glory dwelleth In Immanuers land. 560 IMMANUEL'S LAND. 0 Christ ! He is the fountain, The deep, sweet well of love ; The streams on earth I've tasted, More deep I'll drink above ; There to an ocean fulness His mercy doth expand, And glory — glory dwelleth In Immanuel's land. With mercy and with judgment My web of time He wove, And aye the dews of sorrow Were lustred by His love ; I'll bless the hand that guided, I'll bless the heart that planned, When throned where glory dwelleth, In Immanuers land. 0 I am my Beloved's, And my Beloved's mine ! He brings a poor vile sinner Into His house of wine ; 1 stand upon His merit — I know no other stand. Not even where glory dwelleth, In Immanuel's land. The bride eyes not her garment, But her dear bridegroom's face ; "GOD IS OUR REFUGE AND STRENGTHS 561 I will not gaze at glory, But on my King of grace, — Not at the crown He gifteth, But on His pierced hand : The Lamb is all the glory Of Immanuel's land ! I've wrestled on towards heaven, 'Gainst storm and wind and tide ; Now, like a weary traveller That leaneth on his guide, Amid the shades of evening, While sinks life's lingering sand, I hail the glory dawning From Immanuel's land ! A. R. Cousin. J&ztzmbzx; 31. "GOD IS OUR REFUGE AND OUR STRENGTH." "Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations... For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night." — Ps. xc. 1, 4. OGOD, our help in ages past, Our hope for years to come, Our shelter from the stormy blast, And our eternal home ! 562 "GOD IS OUR REFUGE AND STRENGTH." Under the shadow of Thy throne Thy saints have dwelt secure ; Sufficient is Thine arm alone, And our defence is sure. Before the hills in order stood. Or earth received her frame, From everlasting Thou art God, To endless years the same. A thousand ages in Thy sight Are like an evening gone — Short as the watch that ends the night Before the rising sun Time, like an ever-rolling stream, Bears all its sons away ; They fly forgotten, as a dream Dies at the opening day. O God, our help in ages past, Our hope for years to come ! Be Thou our guard while troubles last, And our eternal home ! Isaac Watts. Hi ■ ■ ■ 1H H I ^^^H