A BIRTH-DAY PRAYER. ART Thou the Life? To Thee, then, do I owe each beat and breath, And wait Thy ordering of the hour of death, In peace or strife. Art Thou the Light? To Thee, then, in the sunshine or the cloud, I lift my sight. Art Thou the Truth? To Thee, then, loved and craved and sought of yore, I consecrate my manhood o'er and o'er, As once my youth. Art Thou the Strong? To Thee, then, though the air is thick with night, I trust the seeming-unprotected Right, And leave the Wrong. Art Thou the Wise? To Thee, then, do I bring each useless care, Art Thou the Good? To Thee, then, with a thirsting heart I turn, Forgive the call ' I cannot shut Thee from my sense or soul, FRANCIS E. ABBOT. PRAYER. AT first I prayed for sight; Could I but see the way, How gladly would I walk To everlasting day. I asked the world's deep love, Before my eyes to ope, And let me see my prayers fulfilled, But God was kinder than my prayer, And next, I prayed for strength, A faltering, failing heart; But manfully go on, And reach the highest part. But God was kinder than my prayer, And weakness checked me everywhere. And then, I asked for faith ; Though foes were all abroad. Would make a heaven below; And now I pray for love, Deep love to God and man; A love that will not fail, However dark His plan. That sees all life in Him, Rejoicing in His power; And faithful, though the darkest clouds EDNAH D. CHENEY. FIRST-DAY THOUGHTS. N calm and cool and silence, once again IN I find my old accustomed place among My brethren, where, perchance, no human tongue Shall utter words; where never hymn is sung, Nor deep-toned organ blown, nor censer swung, Nor dim light falling through the pictured pane ! The still small voice which reached the prophet's ear; Than Israel's leader on his tables saw! There let me strive with each besetting sin, But, cheerful, in the light around me thrown, Yet trusting not in mine, but in his strength alone! J. G. WHITTier. "Whither shall I go from Thy Spirit? or whither shall I flee from Thy presence ?" I CANNOT find Thee! Still on restless pinion My spirit beats the void where Thou dost dwell; I wander lost through all Thy vast dominion, And shrink beneath Thy Light ineffable. I cannot know Thee! Even when most adoring Yet high above the limits of my seeing, And deep below the deeps of conscious being, I cannot lose Thee! Still in Thee abiding The Law that holds the worlds my steps is guiding, ELIZA SCUDder. |