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OUR STRONGHOLD OF HOPE.

G

OD liveth ever!

Wherefore, Soul, despair thou never!

Our God is good, in every place

His love is known, His help is found;
His mighty arm, and tender grace

Bring good from ills that hem us round;
Easier than we think can He

Turn to joy our agony;

Soul, remember 'mid thy pains,
God o'er all for ever reigns.

God liveth ever!

Wherefore, Soul, despair thou never! He who can earth and heaven control, Who spreads the clouds o'er sea and land, Whose presence fills the mighty Whole,

In each true heart is close at hand;

Love Him, He will surely send
Help and joy that never end.
Soul, remember in thy pains,
God o'er all for ever reigns.

God liveth ever!

Wherefore, Soul, despair thou never !
When sins and follies long forgot
Upon thy tortured conscience prey,
Oh, come to God, and fear Him not,

His love shall sweep them all away.

Pains of hell at look of His

Change to calm content and bliss.
Soul, remember in thy pains,

God o'er all for ever reigns.

God liveth ever!

Wherefore, Soul, despair thou never ! Those whom the thoughtless world forsakes, Who stand bewildered with their woe,

God gently to His bosom takes,

And bids them all His fulness know;
In thy sorrows' swelling flood
Own His hand who seeks thy good.
Soul, forget not in thy pains,
God o'er all for ever reigns.

God liveth ever!

Wherefore, Soul, despair thou never!
What though thou tread with bleeding feet
A thorny path of grief and gloom,

Thy God will choose the way most meet
To lead thee heavenwards, lead thee home.
For this life's long night of sadness
He will give thee peace and gladness;
Soul, remember in thy pains,

God o'er all for ever reigns.

ZIHN, 1682.

"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee." ISA. xxvi. 3.

THIS is blessing, this is rest

Into Thine arms, O Lord, I flee :

I hide me in Thy faithful breast,
And pour out all my soul to Thee.
O tenderness - O truth divine!
Lord, I am altogether Thine.

I have bowed down, -- I need not flee -
Peace, peace is mine in trusting Thee.

And now I count supremely kind
The rule that once I thought severe;
And precious to my altered mind,
At length, Thy least reproofs appear.
Now to the love that casts out fear,
Mercy and truth indeed seem one;
Why should I hold my ease so dear?
The work of training must be done.
I must be taught what I would know-
I must be led where I would go -
And all the rest ordained for me,
Till that which is not seen I see
Is to be found in trusting Thee.

ANNA L. WARING.

TO MYSELF.

LET nothing make thee sad or fretful,

Or too regretful,

Be still;

What God hath ordered must be right,
Then find in it thine own delight,
My will.

Why shouldst thou fill to-day with sorrow
About to-morrow,

My heart?

One watches all with care most true,
Doubt not that He will give thee too
Thy part.

Only be steadfast, never waver,
Nor seek earth's favor,

But rest:

Thou knowest what God wills must be

For all His creatures, so for thee,

The best.

PAUL FLEMMING, 1609-1640.

CONFIDO ET CONQUIESCO.

Scit; potest; vult: quid est quod timeamus."

ST. IGNATIUS.

RET not, poor soul: while doubt and fear

FRET

Disturb thy breast,

The pitying angels, who can see

How vain thy wild regret must be,
Say, Trust and Rest.

Plan not, nor scheme, — but calmly wait;
His choice is best.

While blind and erring is thy sight,
His wisdom sees and judges right,
So Trust and Rest.

Strive not, nor struggle: thy poor might
Can never wrest

The meanest thing to serve thy will;
All power is His alone: Be still,
And Trust and Rest.

Desire not self-love is strong
Within thy breast;

And yet He loves thee better still,
So let Him do His loving will,

And Trust and Rest.

What dost thou fear? His wisdom reigns
Supreme confessed;

His power is infinite; His love

Thy deepest, fondest dreams above;

So Trust and Rest.

ADELAIDE A. PROCTER.

O

ONLY THINE.

LOVE, who formedst me to wear
The image of Thy Godhead here;
Who soughtest me with tender care
Through all my wanderings wild and drear, -
O Love, I give myself to Thee,
Thine ever, only Thine to be.

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