God's ways seem dark, but soon or late
They touch the shining hills of day;
The evil cannot brook delay,
The good can well afford to wait.

WHITTIER.

No groan creation heaves is heaved in vain,
Nor e'er shall be repeated; it is done.
Once heaved, it never shall be heaved again;
Earth's pangs and throes are lessening one
by one.

That which is added to the troubled past

Is taken from the future, whose sad store Grows less and less each day, till soon the last Dull wave of woe shalt break upon our shore. BONAR.

Hear what God the Lord hath spoken: "O my people, faint and few, Comfortless, afflicted, broken,

Fair abodes I build for you; Thorns of heartfelt tribulation

Shall no more perplex your ways; You shall name your walls Salvation, And your gates shall all be Praise."

COWPER.

Where now with pain thou treadest, trod
The whitest of the saints of God!
To show thee where their feet were set,
The light which led them shineth yet.
The foot-prints of the life divine,
Which marked their path, remain in thine;
And that great life, transfused in theirs,
Awaits thy faith, thy love, thy prayers.

WHITTIER.

Ye who shrink

'Neath time's adversities, the weary months
Of sickness and of pain, the treachery
Of trusted friends, the agony that finds
No comforter, forget not who hath said

That all things, all, shall work their good who love

The Father of their spirits.

MRS. SIGOURNEY.

Sure stands the promise, ever to the meek

A heritage is given;

Nor lose they earth, who, single-hearted, seek The righteousness of heaven.

WHITTIER.

O! there is never sorrow of heart
That shall lack a timely end,

If but to God we turn, and ask
Of him to be our friend!

WORDSWORTH.

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.

61

But if it were not so-if I could find
No love in all the world for comforting,
Where "dust to dust" the love from life dis-
Nor any path but hollowly did ring,
joined ;

And if, before those sepulchers 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, I AM.
Can I suffice for HEAVEN, and not for earth?"
MRS. BROWNING.

We sow in tears; but let us keep

Our faith in God, and trust him still;
Yonder our harvest we shall reap,
Where gladness every heart and mouth shall fill.
Such joy is there

No mortal tongue its glory can declare;
A joy that shall endure,

Changeless and deep and pure,

That shall be ours, if here the cross we bear. From the German of HEERMAN.

Soon, and forever,

The work shall be done, The warfare accomplished,

The victory won; Soon, and forever,

The soldier lay down His sword for a harp,

And his cross for a crown. Then droop not in sorrow,

Despond not in fear,

A glorious to-morrow

Is brightening and near; When, blessed reward

Of each faithful endeavor, Christians with Christ shall be, Soon, and forever.

J. B. MONSELL.