"SOON, SOON!" YET a little while of sorrow; Soon shall end the toil and strife : Yet a little pain and trial; Soon sweet Death shall bring new Life. Yet a little time of longing; To the Goal thou soon shalt come : Hold out for a little longer ; Soon thy heart shall reach its Home. Yet a little; yet a little ! Soon shall come the blessed Day, "ABOVE THE CLOUDS BLOWS NO WIND." How blessed is the soul that in retirement can abide, And riseth unto God, above all happiness and pain ! It standeth fast and still, through all Earth's changes that betide; And presses on, through death, the true and perfect Life to gain. EVER READY. PERCHANCE this present hour may be the last for me: WHAT IS MELTED, FLOWS EASILY TOGETHER. THE Soul, in sorrow's crucible, is softened and brought low; And, like the yielding ore, becometh molten in the heat: Till God at length flows through it, and the soul in God can flow: Then doth His Grace the bitter anguish of the Cross 'make sweet. FOOD ON THE JOURNEY. THE food is self-denial; and the daily bread is prayer: When one or other faileth us, true hunger we must bear. EVER CALM AND CLEAR. KEEP thy spirit still and pure, Like the waters clear and bright; That the Glorious Sun of Love Through thee shine with bliss and light. GOD LOVETH THOSE THAT LOVE HIM. Ask not if God doth love thee. If to do His Will thou yearnest, Renounce the world and sin; and from thyself divorced be. The end will not deceive thee. If thou lovest Him in earnest, Then be thy heart full well assured that God, too, loveth thee. SECLUSION. HE that desireth much, will find much trouble: He that would nothing have, rests calm and still. In joy and comfort, and in fear and sorrow, "PRAY WITHOUT CEASING." TIME was, my heart would choose itself an hour and place, Where, all alone, it might communion hold with Thee, Now, in the silence of the soul, I crave Thy Grace; And find true solitude, wherever I may be. COURAGE. HE that would follow God must be courageous; Give thyself up to Him: care not for trouble: EVERYTHING IN ITS OWN ORDER. A GENTLE, yielding will, that as a child would guided be: A head, full of all loving thoughts; from vain devices free: A heart that, loose from all things, loveth God alone full well : Reason and senses blind and dead :-thrice blessed, thus to dwell! WITH THE HOLY, ONE BECOMES HOLY. WITH God's own friends to cherish friendship AFTER SHORT SORROW COMES ETERNAL JOY. IF God sends trials, bear them willingly: He that loves Jesus must His Cross not shun. These days of sorrow, now so hard to bear, Shall bring thee blessed joy, when life is done. 1 "THROUGH STRAITNESS INTO GREATNESS." FAINT not, O soul, in paths of trial and of sorrow! The dearest of His sons The Lord most deeply chastens : Through Golgotha must lie the road that leads to Heaven's fair Land. |