TRUST IN PROVIDENCE. "Behold the fowls of the air!"-MATTHEW VI. WHEN my breast labours with oppressive care, Raptures deep-felt His doctrine did impart, Behold! and look away your low despair— Observe the rising lily's snowy grace, They neither toil nor spin, but careless grow, JAMES THOMSON, 1700-1748. ASPIRATIONS OF YOUTH. HIGHER, higher will we climb That our names may live through time Deeper, deeper let us toil In the mines of knowledge; B Onward, onward will we press Through the path of duty; Excellence true beauty; Close and closer then we knit Nearer, dearer bands of love To the saints' communion; JAMES MONTGOMERY, 1771-1854. TO A WEARIED WORKER. "REST!"-thou must not seek for rest Thou must not lay thy burthen down Thou must not weary of the life, Nor scorn thy lowly lot, Nor cease to work, because such work Thou must not let thy heart grow cold, Nor veil the bright love in thine eye; When others strive, thou too must help, The power to love God gave to thee, "Freedom and Rest" thou wouldest have: Freedom is service meet; And rest of soul is but a name For toil amid life's heat. Unmoved to gaze upon the strife, Is not true liberty; To others thou must minister, In the outward world 'tis vain to seek That ancient paradise is gone— ANONYMOUS. ABOVE AND BELOW. O DWELLERS in the valley land, Shortens to noon's triumphal hour, The Lord's great work is idle too? That light dare not o'erleap the brink Of morn, because 'tis dark with you? Though yet your valleys sleep in night, In God's ripe fields the day is cried, And reapers, with their sickles bright, Troop, singing down the mountain-side; Come up, and feel what health there is In the frank dawn's delighted eyes As, bending with a pitying kiss, The night-shed tears of earth she dries! The Lord wants reapers; oh mount up Before night comes, and says, "Too late!" Stay not for taking scrip or cup, The Master hungers while ye wait; 'Tis from these heights alone your eyes The advancing spears of Day can see, Which o'er the eastern hill-tops rise, To break your long captivity. |