February 15. A LITTLE WHILE. Beyond the smiling and the weeping, Beyond the waking and the sleeping, Love, rest, and home! Sweet hope! Lord, tarry not, but come. Beyond the blooming and the fading, Beyond the shining and the shading, I shall be soon. Love, rest, and home! Sweet hope! Lord, tarry not, but come. Beyond the rising and the setting, Beyond the calming and the fretting, Love, rest, and home! Sweet hope! Lord, tarry not, but come. Beyond the gathering and the strowing, Beyond the ebbing and the flowing, Love, rest, and home! Sweet hope! Lord, tarry not, but come. Beyond the parting and the meeting, Beyond the farewell and the greeting, I shall be soon. Love, rest, and home! Sweet hope! Lord, tarry not, but come. Beyond the frost-chain and the fever, Beyond the rock-waste, and the river, I shall be soon. Love, rest, and home! Sweet hope! Lord, tarry not, but come. (Bonar.) [I know few Christian verses that more perfectly express the sad reality of what life truly is here below, and the heavenly vision of what life will be hereafter, when we do indeed reach our "home."] (P. M.) February 16. 66 BLESSED IS THE MAN WHOSE STRENGTH IS IN WHO PASSING THROUGH THE VAL THEE LEY OF BACA MAKE IT A WELL; THE RAIN ALSO FILLETH THE POOLS. THEY GO FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH; EVERY ONE OF THEM APPEARETH BEFORE GOD." The "valley of Baca," in the 84th Psalm, Bible version-the "vale of misery," in the Prayer-book version, is a part of the heavenward journey that few or none of God's pilgrims can escape; but there are rich blessings for them in it. It seems a dry and barren land, but there are those who know how to turn it into a fruitful land; they know the power that can bring living waters there, and in His strength they make it a well, not of tears, but of waters of life: they make the well, digging deep down where they know that comfort is to be found; and the rain comes from above, the blessing descends as they seek it, and fills all the pools to overflowing, where there seems to the eye of sense nothing but barrenness and drought. Thus the Christian goes on "from strength to strength;" for though he is very weakness in himself, his strength is "in Thee," and of such it is said: “Every one of them in Zion appeareth before God.” (Unknown.) February 17. THE BOOK OF JOB. The book of Job!-I call that, apart from all theories about it, one of the grandest things ever written with pen. One feels indeed as if it were not Hebrew; such a noble universality, different from noble patriotism or sectarianism, reigns in it. A noble book!-all men's book! It is our first-oldest statement of the never-ending problem,―man's destiny, and God's ways with him here in this earth. And all in such free flowing outlines; grand in its sincerity, in its simplicity, in its epic melody, and repose of reconcilement. There is the seeing eye, the mildly understanding heart. So true every way; true eyesight and vision for all things-material things no less than spiritual; the horse-"Hast thou clothed his neck with thunder?"—" He laughs at the shaking of the spear." Such living likenesses were never since drawn. Sublime sorrow, sublime reconciliation; oldest choral melody as of the heart of mankind; so soft and great-as the summer midnight, as the world with its seas and stars! There is nothing written, I think, in the Bible, or out of it, of equal literary merit. February 18. EXTRACT FROM A LETTER. (Carlyle.) Your great error lies in constantly ruminating upon the act of faith, when you should be looking to the object of faith-in making your comfort turn upon the question, Do I believe? when you should make it turn upon the question, Is God willing to receive me for Christ's sake? There may hang a great doubtfulness upon the former question, when there ought to hang none whatever on the latter question. And if you would just dwell more habitually on the latter, it would bring you into a surer and speedier establishment of your peace, and at length make even the former question cease to be a doubtful one to you. (St. Asaph.) |