“THY WILL BE DONE!”
THOU whose lips can well repeat
The Saviour's prayer, nor deem'st deceit
The while is lurking in thy heart,
Pause, ere their memory shall depart.
"Thy will be done!"—and dost thou find,
In the deep musings of thy mind,
No fear, no hope, no passion there,
Thou couldst not freely from thee tear?
And darest thou call upon thy God
To try thee with His chastening rod,
And round the wide world steadfast look,
And find no ill thou canst not brook?
What! couldst thou see the whirlwind come
To tear thee from thy cherished home?
See the strong arm of death embrace
The best beloved of all thy race?
See, undeserved, an evil fame
Attaint thy long unsullied name?
Feel slow-consuming sickness break
Thy mind, now impotent and weak;
Yet not one murmur?-If but one,
Thou must not say, "Thy will be done!"
No: rather, ere thy spirit dare
Adopt the Saviour's fervent prayer,
The Saviour's spirit earnest seek,
Enduring, patient, firm, and meek.
Go, seek of God a heavenly mind,
Active, like His-like His, resigned:
Pray, that thy very prayer may bring
No hated, no unwelcome thing:
Pray that the will of Heaven may be
Health, joy, and all things else to thee;
And, thus the work of prayer begun,
Thou well mayst say, "Thy will be done."
OD is good! each perfumed flower,
The smiling fields, the dark green
woods,
The insect fluttering for an hour,-
All things proclaim that "God is good."
I hear it in the rushing wind:
Hills that have for ages stood,
And clouds, with gold and silver lined,
All still repeat that "God is good."
Each little rill, which many a year
Has the same verdant course pursued ;
And every bird, in accents clear,
Joins in the song that "God is good."
The Sweetness of Prayer.
Countless hosts of twinkling stars,
Which e'en the keenest sight elude;
The rising sun each day declares,
In rays of light, that "God is good."
The restless main, with haughty roar,
Calms each wild wave and billow rude;
Retreats, submissive, from the shore,
And joins the chorus, "God is good."
The moon, that walks in brightness, says
That "God is good:" and man, endued
With power to speak his Maker's praise,
Should still repeat that "God is good."
Y God, is any hour so sweet,
From blush of morn to evening star,
As that which calls me to Thy feet-
The hour of prayer!
Blest be that tranquil hour of morn,
And blest that hour of solemn eve,
When, on the wings of prayer upborne,
The world I leave!
For then a dayspring shines on me,
Brighter than morn's ethereal glow;
And richer dews descend from Thee,
Than earth can know !
Then is my strength by Thee renewed;
Then are my sins by Thee forgiven;
Then dost Thou cheer my solitude
With hopes of heaven.
Words cannot tell what blest relief
Here for my every want I find!
What strength for warfare, balm for grief!
What peace of mind!
Hushed is each doubt-gone every fear—
My spirit seems in heaven to stay;
And e'en the penitential tear
Oh! till I reach yon peaceful shore,
No privilege so dear shall be,
As thus my inmost soul to pour
In prayer to Thee!
HUS shalt thou love the Almighty
Lord-
With all thy heart, and soul, and
mind."
So speaks to man that sacred Word
For counsel and reproof designed.
"With all thy HEART"-no idol thing,
Though close around the heart it twine, Its interposing shade must fling,
To darken that pure love of thine.
"With all thy MIND"-each varied power,
Creative fancy, musings high,
And thoughts that glance behind, before,
These must religion sanctify.
"With SOUL and STRENGTH"-thy days of ease,
While vigour nerves each youthful limb,
And hope and joy, and health and peace,
All must be freely brought to Him.
Thou Power Supreme, in whom we move,
Vouchsafe Thy servants, in their day,
The mind to adore, the heart to love,
And strength to serve Thee, while they may.
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