Lord, be Thou near and cheer my lonely way;

With Thy sweet peace my aching bosom fill; Scatter my cares and fears; my griefs allay; And be it mine each day

To love and please Thee still.

My God! Thou hearest me; but clouds obscure
Even yet Thy perfect radiance, Truth divine!
Oh for the stainless skies, the splendors pure,
The joys that aye endure,

Where Thine own glories shine!

FROM THE FRENCH OF PIERRE CORNEILLE.

DIVINE LOVE.

HOU hidden love of God! whose height,

THO

Whose depth unfathomed, no man knows

I see from far Thy beauteous light,

Inly I sigh for Thy repose.

My heart is pained; nor can it be
At rest, till it finds rest in Thee.

Thy secret voice invites me still

The sweetness of Thy yoke to prove ;
And fain I would; but though my will
Seem fixed, yet wide my passions rove;
Yet hindrances strew all the way-
I aim at Thee, yet from Thee stray.

'T is mercy all, that thou hast brought
My mind to seek her peace in Thee !
Yet while I seek, but find Thee not,

No peace my wandering soul shall see.
O when shall all my wanderings end,
And all my steps to Theeward tend?

Is there a thing beneath the sun

That strives with Thee my heart to share?
Ah, tear it thence, and reign alone -
The Lord of every motion there!
Then shall my heart from earth be free,
When it hath found repose in Thee.

O Love, Thy sovereign aid impart
To save me from low-thoughted care;
Chase this self-will through all my heart,
Through all its latent mazes there;
Make me Thy duteous child, that I
Ceaseless may "Abba, Father," cry!

Each moment draw from earth away

My heart, that lowly waits Thy call; Speak to my inmost soul, and say,

"I am thy Love, thy God, thy All!" To feel Thy power, to hear Thy voice, To taste Thy love, be all my choice.

GERHARD TERSTEEGEN.

MY

PETTISHNESS.

Y mind was ruffled with small cares to-day, And I said pettish words, and did not keep Long-suffering patience well; and now how deep My trouble for this sin! in vain I weep For foolish words I never can unsay.

Yet not in vain, oh surely not in vain! -
This sorrow must compel me to take heed;
And surely I shall learn how much I need
Thy constant Strength my own to supersede,
And all my thoughts to patience to constrain.

Yes, I shall learn at last; though I neglect,
Day after day, to seek my help from Thee.
O aid me, that I always recollect
This gentle-heartedness; and O correct
Whatever else of sin Thou seest in me!

HENRY SEPTIMUS SUTTON, 1854.

PRAYER FOR STRENGTH.

FATHER, before Thy footstool kneeling,

Once more my heart goes up to Thee,

For aid, for strength, to Thee appealing,

Thou who alone canst succor me.

Hear me for heart and flesh are failing,
My spirit yielding in the strife;
And anguish, wild as unavailing,
Sweeps in a flood across my life.

Not mine the grief which words may lighten;
Not mine the tears of common woe :
The pang with which my heart-strings tighten,
Only the All-seeing One may know.

And I am weak; my feeble spirit

Shrinks from life's task in wild dismay : Yet not that Thou that task wouldst spare it, My Father, do I dare to pray.

Into my soul Thy might infusing,
Strengthening my spirit by Thine own,

Help me, all other aid refusing,

To cling to Thee, and Thee alone.

And oh! in my exceeding weakness,

Make Thy strength perfect; Thou art strong: Aid me to do Thy will with meekness,

Thou, to whom all my powers belong.

Oh! let me feel that Thou art near me ;
Close to Thy side, I shall not fear :
Hear me, O Strength of Israel, hear me;
Sustain and aid! in mercy hear.

ANONYMOUS.

UNCERTAINTY.

FATHER, hear!

The way is dark, and I would fain discern

What steps to take, into which path to turn;

Oh! make it clear.

It is Thy child,

Who sits in dim uncertainty and doubt,
Waiting and longing till the light shine out
Upon the wild.

My Father, see

I trust the faithfulness displayed of old,
I trust the love that never can grow cold, —
I trust in Thee.

And Thou wilt guide ;

For Thou hast promised never to forsake
The soul that Thee its confidence doth make;
I've none beside.

Thou knowest me;

Thou knowest how I now in darkness grope;
And oh! thou knowest that my only hope

Is found in Thee.

CHRISTIAN INTELLIGENCER.