I ask thee for a thoughtful love,
Through constant watching wise,
To meet the glad with joyful smiles,
And to wipe the weeping eyes;
And a heart at leisure from itself,
To soothe and sympathise.

I would not have the restless will,
That hurries to and fro,

Seeking for some great thing to do,
Or secret thing to know;

I would be treated as a child,
And guided where I go.

Wherever in the world I am,

In whatsoe'er estate,

I have a fellowship with hearts
To keep and cultivate;

And a work of lowly love to do

For the Lord on whom I wait.

So I ask Thee for the daily strength,

To none that ask denied,

And a mind to blend with outward life

While keeping at Thy side;

Content to fill a litttle space,

If Thou be glorified.

And if some things I do not ask,
In my cup of blessing be,

I would have my spirit filled the more

With grateful love to Thee—

More careful

not to serve Thee much,

But to please Thee perfectly.

There are briers besetting every path,

That call for patient care;

There is a cross in every lot,

And an earnest need for prayer;

But a lowly heart that leans on Thee Is happy anywhere.

In a service which Thy will appoints,

There are no bonds for me;

For my inmost heart is taught "the truth" That makes Thy children "free;"

And a life of self-renouncing love,

Is a life of liberty.

II.

"Thou maintainest my lot."-PSALM xvi. 5.

SOURCE of my life's refreshing springs,
Whose presence in my heart sustains me,
Thy love appoints me pleasant things,
Thy mercy orders all that pains me.

If loving hearts were never lonely,

If all they wish might always be, Accepting what they look for only,

They might be glad, but not in Thee.

Well may Thy own beloved, who see

In all their lot their Father's pleasure, Bear loss of all they love, save Thee,

Their living, everlasting treasure.

Well may Thy happy children cease

From restless wishes prone to sin, And, in Thy own exceeding peace, Yield to Thy daily discipline.

We need as much the cross we bear, As air we breathe-as light we see; It draws us to Thy side in prayer,

It binds us to our strength in Thee.