When darkling clouds are o'er thy pathway hoo'ring,
When the wild storm has reached its utmost height,
And all the smiling morning landscape cov'ring,
Surrounds thy soul with gloom of deepest night,
Without one star to mark its silvery pathway
Down the rough steeps thy weary feet must climb,
I think I hear a voice, in sweetest music, say

66

Hold fast, my child, and, patient, bide my time!"

Only be sure to scatter love, not hate!
Then shalt thou see undimned, celestial beauty
In all the seeming irony of fate

That turned thy feet from sunny, waving meadows
To rugged steeps so pitiless to climb,
Then shalt thou know, beyond the sunset shadows,
Why thou shouldst, patient, bide thy Father's time.
E. ALICE Bradley.

Almighty God, our Father, who hast made us to dwell in safety through the hours of darkness, be Thou the light of our eyes, the strength of our thoughts and the joy of our souls through another day. Grant that no dark thought may enter or be cherished in our hearts this day. May love of Thee and all human kind control our actions and make our lives fruitful. May our footmarks this day point to all who observe them the way of goodness, mercy and truth. Amen.

NATHANIEL J. SPROUL.

I bear no ill to any hill,

I'm brother to the trees,

My mind doth melt to mountains,
And my soul doth seek the seas;
I greet the sun uprising

With a friendly, loving nod;
Within the breast of Nature
Throbs the heart of God.

To me a star is not afar,
The moon doth know my face,
I often dream beneath her beam,
And sue her sovereign grace;
The sky and air are very fair
Queen rose and golden-rod;
Within the breast of Nature

Throbs the heart of God.

ROBERT LOVEMAN.

Almighty Father, unto Thee we direct our prayers in the morning. We thank Thee for the light and blessing of a new day. Gracious as Thy daily sun, lift Thou up the light of Thy countenance upon us, and grant us peace. As the mountains round about, so dost Thou encompass us. We lift up our eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh our help. At eventime, we shall with the heavens declare Thy glory, whose firmament sheweth Thy handiwork. May the words of our mouth, and the meditation of our hearts, be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, our Strength, and our Redeemer. We will both lay us down in peace, and sleep! for Thou, Lord, only makest us dwell in safety. Amen.

ARTHUR S. BURROWS.

Lo! here hath been dawning
Another blue day;

Think wilt thou let it
Slip useless away?

Out of Eternity

This new day is born;
Into Eternity

At night will return.

Behold it aforetime

No eye ever did;

So soon it forever

From all eyes is hid.

Here hath been dawning

Another blue day;

Think wilt thou let it

Slip useless away?

THOMAS CARLYLE.

We thank Thee, O Father, for the light of another day. May it be our good fortune to brighten the life of some one whose burden is heavy, or whose heart is sad. Forgive us if in our own joy of life we should by thoughtless word or selfish deed prove the dullness of our soul to another's need, looking with unseeing eyes upon another's pain, or failing to meet the challenge of the hour to be kind and true. Help us to speak the word of courage and impart the cheer of health to those who lack what we possess. So let us show a real kinship of spirit to Him who went about doing good. Amen.

SAMUEL CLARKE BUSHNELL.

I have closed the door on Doubt;

I will go by what light I can find,

And hold up my hands, and reach them out
To the glimmer of God in the dark, and call:

"I am thine, though I grope and stumble and fall. I serve; and Thy service is kind."

I have closed the door on Fear.

He has lived with me far too long.
If he were to break forth and reappear,
I should lift my eyes and look at the sky,
And sing aloud, and run lightly by:
He will never follow a song.

I have closed the door on Gloom.
His house has too narrow a view.

I must seek for my soul a wider room,
With windows to open and let in the sun,
And radiant lamps when the day is done,
And the breeze of the world blowing through.

IRENE P. MCKEEHAN.

Dear Father, pity Thy children who cry in the dark! Trace again Thy image in our hearts and the door of doubt will close forever. We know what we would be, and lo, it is just what Thou art! Thou art ourselves made perfect, our infinite selves that chide and love in the very heart of us. Thou art our deeper depths. When we recognized Thee the night was gone, the day had dawned! When Thou art near, there is neither gloom nor fear. When we say, "Good-morning, Father," we hear Thee say, "Good-morning, my child" - Father, lead us by Thy hand. Amen.

RICHARD LARUE SWAIN.

For we must share if we would keep
That blessing from above,

Ceasing to give we cease to have,
Such is the law of love.

RICHARD CHENEVIX TRENch.

'Tis a curious fact, but past all doubt,
That the more of happiness one gives out
The more he has left and the more his powers,
As the gardener strips a bed of flowers
That more shall bloom. So strip your soul
That another's happiness be made whole.
And lo! in the quick-winged second after
'Tis filled with the blooms of love and laughter.

ANONYMOUS.

Heavenly Father, inspire us with desire and decision to enter into the best that life holds. Give us to see that the cup that runneth not over is evaporating that the life that is not outpouring is shrinking and shriveling away. Help us therefore to bestow both treasure and talent where we may find them again in the great Beyond, and in such a manner that they may bless some other life in their passing. Above all, may we give ourselves to Thee so abundantly, so beautifully, so completely, that we shall find ourselves in Thee forevermore. Amen.

WILLIAM FRANKLIN ROWLEY.