THE TIME OF DROUGHT.

(DIE DÜRRE ZEIT.)

LIFE often seems so dreary;—

The heart so void and bare ;

As if no spark of love or faith
Were still remaining there.
The Healing, that had oft-times
Our spirits' life restored,

Seems far away :—and yet such hours
Bring blessing from The Lord.

Yearning, we seek His Presence,

When He leaves us thus alone:

We would clasp Him to our fainting hearts, And hold Him for our own.

Then the soul, with tears, like Jacob,

Would wrestle and implore,

Till the strife is hers-and "Israel"

Is her name for evermore.

In hours like these, of sadness,

Our spirits feel aright

The misery of all life here

When He is far from sight.
How, through this earthly desert,
Could our weary spirits move,

Were not our tear-fare sweetened oft
By Jesus' wondrous Love?

These are the Soul's true fast-times,
When far He seems to go;
And the heavy burden of our sins
We learn, alone, to know.

Then doth His Grace restore us,
In penitence and prayer ;
And for the glorious Feasting-Day
He doth our souls prepare.

The Lord His own time chooseth
For blessing and relief:

He gives the glimpse of joyousness

After the bitter grief.

His gracious rain He poureth

Into the arid soul;

And leads us on, by darkened ways,

To the Light-towards Heaven's Goal.

Then learn, in lowly patience

And faith, to understand,

When times of drought pass over thee,

The guiding of His Hand.

Soon droppeth down from Heaven

His bounteous Mercy-rain :

Then, like a freshened meadow-land,

The desert blooms again.

REST IN GOD.

(RUHE IN GOTT.)

O MORTAL, who would'st fain create
Light, peace, and joy ;—in vain thy strife
And weary search: O haste thee back
To God, The Fountain of thy life!
There, where that life began to flow,
Direct thy longing, yearning quest :
When to its Great Creator turned,

The soul first finds its only rest.

But ah, thou canst not go to Him

Thou lookest on the sins which stand

As a partition-wall between :

Yet see, thy Saviour gives His Hand;
With pitying Voice He calls thee near ;--
In Arms of Love up-raises thee:
He hath destroyed the barrier-wall;
Bears thee to God, and makes thee free

Thus, thy Creator gave thee life,

And Christ thy life gives back once more:
And yet more gifts The Father hath
For thee, His weary child, in store.
A Blessed Guide He promiseth,

To tell thee of thy Father's love;
To give thy spirit strength and peace ;
And lead thee to thy home above.

Now, to the Living Fount returned,

Through Time's dim glass thou may'st descry,
With joy-clear glance, the glorious view
Of the Divine Eternity.

Heaven's blessedness, e'en now, is thine;
For ever past thy spirit's strife:
Crowned by God's Love, it rests on Him,
In calmness, through this battling life.

And thou, O restless heart, that still
Art seeking for thy true repose-

Seek it not here, nor in thyself;

Such search but multiplies thy woes : It makes the weary heart more faint, And brings Fatigue's repose, at best: Deem not this sleep, from weariness

In searching, to be true heart's-rest!