JANUARY 30. "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for ever."-Ps. xxiii. 6. There is much real ill in the world, which cannot be avoided; but the much that there is of good, should be carefully sought for, cheerfully acknowledged, and gratefully enjoyed. JANUARY 31. "And the heavens departed as a scroll when it is rolled together."-Rev. vi. 14. "Stablish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh."—St. James, v. 8. Where time and space are the warp and woof; As a curtain flings, O'er the dreadfulness of eternal things. A tapestried tent, To shade us meant, From the bare everlasting firmament; Where the blaze of the skies, Comes soft to our eyes, Through a veil of mystical imageries. But could I see, As in truth they be, The glories of Heaven that encompass me; The tissued fold, Of that marvellous curtain of blue and gold. Soon the whole, Like a parched scroll, At one burst be seen, The Presence wherein I have ever been. O who shall bear The blinding glare ; Of the Majesty that shall meet us there? What eye may gaze On the unveiled blaze, Of the light-girdled throne of the Ancient of Days? Christ us aid! Himself be our shade, That in that dread day we be not dismay'd. T. WHYTEHEAD. 66 FEBRUARY 1. Let thy garments be always white."-Eccles. ix. 8. When the world's up, and every swarm abroad, Keep thou thy temper, mix not with each clay; Dispatch necessities; life hath a load Which must be carried on, and safely may. Yet keep those cares without thee; let the heart Be God's alone, and choose the better part. HENRY VAUGHAN. FEBRUARY 2. "As the hart panteth after the water-brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God."—Ps. xlii. 1. We do not pray truly, till our earthly wants lead us to seek God for Himself; to go, not only for the gift but the Giver; to find in Him what cannot be found in them. . . . Prayer must be the reaching forth of the soul, not after other things through God, but through all other things after God. BISHOP WILBERFORCE. FEBRUARY 3. "Lend, hoping for nothing again."-St. Luke, vi. 35. Nay, truest hearts love on, my child, And look not for return; Nor knoweth aught of words that burn, But that which gives its own for naught, FEBRUARY 4. 66 With my whole heart have I sought thee."Ps. cxix. 10. We are highly blest when we have been brought to find our seasons of secret communion with God, the happiest hours of the day; and if the heart were right with God they ought to be so: for if an hour spent with Him on earth is irksome to us now, what would an eternity with Him be to us hereafter in heaven? And what is heaven but the enjoyment of His presence, and an eternal communion with Him; where faith is exchanged for sight, and hope become fruition? Yes, and the only real enjoyment which the immortal spirit can taste must be in the presence of God; for in his presence is joy, and at his right hand there are pleasures for evermore. FEBRUARY 5. "The spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound.”—Isa. lxi. 1. Now thou may'st give The famished food, the prisoner liberty,- MRS. SIGOURNEY. |