dim

Thus dost thou hover, O poor heart, in fear and terror

dim,
Because God is not with thee, and thou livest not with

Him.
When He Himself is near us, and the soul His Presence

knows,
The timid and most faint of heart can rest in calm repose.
'Tis even so, my God; yet oft my heart is full of care ;
Fearing, when Thou art hidden, that Thou art not truly

there. Thus do the darkened paths my weary soul with terror fill. Help me to feel Thy Nearness : then shall I lie calm and

,

“Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not : behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompense ; He will come and save you.”—Isaiah xxxv. 3, 4.

STRENGTHEN thou thy weary hands, O failing spirit,

onward go ! . Give not way, and faint not wholly in thy misery and

woe. Ah, poor trembling one, be fearless: stand thou fast, and

courage take. Trust in God-He is so faithful ; and the weak doth

ne'er forsake ! Soon shall come the happy day when God within thee

shall abide; Then thy heart shall thank His blessing Love for all that

doth betide. Thou shalt then behold Him near, Who seemeth now so

far from thee. Only look to him-be watchful—and thy foes destroyed

shall be.

fo

“I have satiated the weary soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul. Upon this I awaked, and beheld; and my sleep was sweet unto me.”—Jer. xxxi. 25, 26.

AH, I am faint and weary, on the Cross' steep journey

bound, Where neither road nor foot-path through the desert may

be found. Poor, hungry, bare of all things, I with slow, sad footsteps

move, Grieving that I so far remain from Him my soul doth love. Take courage, weary child ! God can a thousand gifts

impart, To strengthen and revive thee, and bring comfort to thy

heart : Yea, thou shalt yet be satisfied, and all thy cravings cease, When He Himself shall dwell with thee, and fold thee

in His Peace. Away from all things sinking, thou shalt fall asleep in

death, Till, from that slumber sweet, thy soul in God awakeneth.

“He that shutteth his eyes from seeing evil ; he shall dwell on high : his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks : bread shall be given him ; his water shall be sure. Thine eyes shall see the King in his beauty : they shall behold the land of far distances.”—Isaiah xxxiii. 15, 16, 17.

WALKING with eyes fast closed, that nought of evil they

may see ;Dwelling in God alone ; from all things earthly, bare and

free ;Thus may our spirits, as on eagles' wings, ascend on

High; And soar, untouched by fear and pain, and all life's,

misery. In this High Mountain, far above all things of time and

sense, We build our dwelling in The Rock of Jesus, our Defence. There floweth Life's clear Water; Living Bread the spirit

stays: There, on The King's Fair Beauty, shall our eyes for

ever gaze.

“ Thus saith the Lord thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel ; I am the Lord thy God, which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go. O that thou hadst hearkened to My commandments! Then 'had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea.”—Isaiah xlviii. 17, 18.

BECAUSE my heart is blind and dense, God as my Teacher

will abide : Because I am so weak and weary, He Himself will be

. my Guide. His Teaching is not emptiness; His Word the inner soul

can feed: His Guidance through the darkness here, straight to

Eternal Life doth lead. Mark, O my soul, what He would teach thee: keep for

ever still and mild; In heart-seclusion following that loving guidance, as a

child. So, like a softly-swelling river, through thy depths shall

flow great peace: Then shall thy righteousness ebb forth, and like the

ocean's waves increase.

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