XIII.

THE THIRTEENTH ADDRESS

* TO THE GRADUATING CLASS AT ST. MARY'S HALL.

THE HANDMAID OF THE LORD.

"BEHOLD THE HANDMAID OF THE LORD." How beautiful that scene! The meek and matchless Mary goes about, among the cares and toils of her poor home. Or, reads of Ruth, the loving and the true; or of the patriot Esther, who saved her people, from the rage of Haman. Or, meditates some glowing theme, of rapt Isaiah. Or, warbles some high strain, from the ancestral harp of David. Or, kneels down, to pray. Upon her maiden privacy, a light, from Heaven, breaks in. It is the shadow of an Angel.

sage, from the Lord.

Gabriel is with her, with a mes-
And such a message! She knew

She knew how Jo

the pangs, which it would cost. She knew what evil thoughts would rise, in evil men. seph's loving nature must be wrung.

She was a woman,

and a maiden and she knew, and felt, it all. But, she knew it was God's will. And she said, "Behold, the

*March, A. D. 1856.

handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me, according to thy word!"

"Behold the handmaid of the Lord!" How often, have your eyes, dear children, rested on these words!* It is mine, to-day, to write them, on your hearts.

"Mother of Jesus, blessed Maid,

Lily of Eden's fragrant shade,

Who can express the love;

Which nurtured thee, so pure and sweet,

To make thy heart, a shelter, meet,

For the celestial Dove!"

"Behold the handmaid of the Lord!" "The han maid of the Lord" must trust. It is the noblest trai which nature wins, from grace. To take God's way; and think it best. Nay; to be sure, it is: because, it is His way. It is not natural, to do so. Nature is selfwilled; loves its own way; will have it, if it can; and, fret, if it cannot. "The handmaid of the Lord" will put her trust in Him. She will say, as Mary said, "Be it unto me, according to Thy word." She will say, as Mary's Saviour said, "Nevertheless, not as I will; but as Thou wilt." No matter what it is. She will believe, that God knows best. She will commit her way to Him. She will put her trust in Him. She will be sure, that He will bring it to pass. If not, in her way; in a better. Like that afflicted one, of old: "I know, O Lord, that Thy judgments are right; and that Thou, of very faithfulness, hast caused me to be troubled.”

They are the legend, in the Chancel window of the Chapel of the Holy Innocents, at St. Mary's Hall; in which the morning and the evening prayer are daily said.

It can do any

"Behold the handmaid of the Lord." "The hand maid of the Lord" must wait. This, if possible, is even harder than to trust. It needs more grace. Nature is impatient. If it wants any thing, it wants it, now. If it is to do any thing, it must do it, now. If it has any thing to suffer, it must meet it, now. thing, better than wait. How we see this, in a little child! And how few of us are more than little children, in this matter! But, God, who need not, uses time in every thing. Time to create the world: which might have burst into full being, as the light did. Time, for the germ to start, and for the bud to swell, and for the flower to sweeten: when the full cluster might spring, purple, on the Vine. Time for the embryo, and for the infant, and for the child, and for the youth, and for the man who might have stood, at once, erect and grand, as Adam did, in Eden. Time, for the developement of the body. Time, for the unfolding of the mind. Time, for the maturity of the character. Time, for the experience of life. Time, for the endurance of death. Time, for the encounter of eternity. "The handmaid of the Lord" must wait. "Wait, I say, on the Lord." Not, when I will, but when Thou wilt. Thou, Who canst wait on me, teach me to wait on Thee; to choose Thy time, as well as take Thy way. Thou, Who art patient, because Thou art immortal, imbue me with Thy patience; that I may be partaker of Thy immortality! "Behold the handmaid of the Lord!"

"Behold the handmaid of the Lord." "The handmaid of the Lord" must suffer. Suffering is an incident

of humanity. With women, it is a habit. It is constitutional, with their sex. Suffering, as wives. Suffering, as mothers. Suffering, as women. Nor is it constitutional, only; but, of their temperament. The sensibility, which gives a keener zest to their enjoyment ; the susceptibility, which so enhances their loveliness; are elementary, also, in their suffering. Nay, it is in their gentleness, and tenderness, and delicateness, and frailness, that the secret of their strength lies hid. The weak are the only conquerors of the strong. It is their weakness, which wins for them an unresisted victory. And, mark the beautiful compensation. From suffering, their meekness. From suffering, their endurance. From suffering, their thoughtfulness. From suffering, their self-collectedness. From suffering, their lovingness. From suffering, their confidence. From suffering, their piety. How could our daughters soothe us, how could our sisters cheer us, how could our mothers nurse us, how could our wives comfort, sustain, and bless, us, but from the sympathy, which only comes of suffering? And, what but that confidingness and tenderheartedness, and looking on, beyond the present, to a better and a happier future, which suffering teaches best, and soonest, brought women, to be ministering angels, to the Saviour, in His life; and, when Apostles fled, the martyrs of His death?

"Last, at his Cross, and earliest, at His grave."

"Behold the handmaid of the Lord." maid of the Lord" must pray. The sex, owe our mothers, is more native to religion.

"The handto which we

We see it

everywhere. We feel it, always. It fills our Churches, with worshippers. It surrounds our altars, with communicants. It supplies our hospitals, with nurses. It dignifies humanity, with the blessed names of Sisters of Mercy, and Sisters of Charity. It has adorned the age with Florence Nightingale; the very darling of the human race. "Behold the handmaid of the Lord."

"BEHOLD THE HANDMAID OF THE LORD." Beloved

ones, may you, indeed, be such! The handmaids of the Lord, to trust. The handmaids of the Lord, to wait. And, since you are, and must be, the handmaids of the Lord, to suffer; the handmaids of the Lord, to pray.

"Oh joyous creatures, that will sink to rest,

Lightly, when eve's pure orisons are done,
As birds, with slumber's honey-dew, oppressed,
Midst the dim folded leaves, at set of sun:
Lift up your hearts; though, yet, no sorrow lies
Dark, in the summer heaven of those clear eyes.

Though, fresh, within your breast, the untroubled springs
Of hope make melody, where'er ye tread;

And, o'er your sleep, bright shadows, from the wings
Of spirits, visiting but youth, be spread ;
Yet, in those flute-like voices, mingling low,
Is woman's tenderness: how soon, her wo!

Her lot is on you-silent tears to weep,

And patient smiles to wear, through suffering's hour;
And, sumless riches, from affection's deep,

To pour, on broken reeds, a wasted shower;

And, to make idols, and to find them clay,
And, to bewail that worship: therefore, pray.