August 30. Take therefore no thought for the morrow; for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. — MATT. vi. 34. ALL day long my God is moved with compassion. Since the beginning of the world, not one sigh has ever lost its way between heaven and earth. If once I belong to God, He will prepare for me whatever is best. I may ask everything. God has told me so. I have the liberty to desire. I have equal confidence in trusting my death to God as in submitting my life to Him. From that moment I have peace, God knows what I wish; if it is good for me, He will give it me. COUNTESS DE GASPARIN. TO-MORROW. 'TIS late at night, and in the realm of sleep And, through the opening door that time unlocks, H. W. LONGFELLOW. August 31. If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His son cleanseth us from all sin. i. 7. Now I JOHN OW whenever a man hath been made a partaker of the Divine nature, in him is fulfilled the best and noblest life, and the worthiest in God's eyes that hath been or can be. This life is not chosen in order to serve any end, or to get anything by it, but for love of its nobleness, and because God loveth and esteemeth it so greatly. And whoever saith that he hath had enough of it, and may now lay it aside, hath never tasted or known it; for he who hath truly felt or tasted it can never give it up again. And he who hath put on the life of Christ with the intent to win or deserve aught thereby hath taken it up as an hireling, and not for love, and is altogether without it. For he who doth not take it up for love hath none of it at all; he may dream indeed that he hath put it on, but he is deceived. THEOLOGIA GERMANICA. BE NOBLE. "FOR this true nobleness I seek in vain, I almost weary of my earthly lot, My life-springs are dried up with burning pain." JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL. September 1. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. ROM. V. 15. TH HE first thing is to meditate on life itself: all it means, all it involves, all the stores of joy or love which it is treasuring daily, all that must grow out of it through eternity. Then surely the next step is to seek to connect ourselves with One who will bring to us a stronger strength than our own, a braver courage, a gladder hope; that the burden may not crush us, but may call forth, strengthen, and brace our powers, develop, sanctify, and finally glorify our life. The central thought of the gospel of grace is this, God bending beneath and bearing the burden of the world. We are fearfully and wonderfully made and endowed. Life would be terrible if we had to live it alone, and to bear the burden of it through eternity. He has not taken counsel with us before laying this burden on us, and ordaining that we shall bear it forever; but He has come Himself to stand with us as we strain under it, and add His own almighty strength to ours that it may be borne bravely, and with joy. This is what "the grace of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" means and promises, God's fellowship, partnership, with man, with you and me, in working out this high and hard problem to a successful and even glorious issue. JAMES BALDWIN BROWN, Minister of Claylands Chapel, London. GOD OUR STRENGTH. MAN in his weakness needs a stronger stay Gently untwine our childish hands that cling Till we have learned to walk alone with ease. Help us, O Lord, with patient love to bear Each other's faults, to suffer with true meekness, S. V. Powys. September 2. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; even there shall Thy hand lead me, and Thy right hand shall hold me. Ps. cxxxix. 10, II. H, what joy it brings to me to think that I am not a lonely wanderer trying to find my way, but that the vague and inexplicable yearnings which I have, and which I am following, are the drawing-strings thrown out to lead me by One who knows just what my necessities are, and who stands ready to relieve them all! HENRY WARD BEECHER. TO A WATERFOWL. WHITHER, midst falling dew, While glow the heavens with the last steps of day, Vainly the fowler's eye Might mark thy distant flight to do thee wrong, Seek'st thou the plashy brink Of weedy lake, or marge of river wide, There is a Power whose care Teaches thy way along that pathless coast, Lone wandering, but not lost. All day thy wings have fanned, At that far height, the cold, thin atmosphere, And soon that toil shall end; Soon shalt thou find a summer home, and rest, Thou 'rt gone; the abyss of heaven He who, from zone to zone, Guides through the boundless sky thy certain flight, WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT. 4 September 3. He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth THE HE circumstances of our lives are not unmeaning, but infinitely otherwise; but this we very often do not see for want of vision. High as heaven and wide as the earth is the atmosphere of holy opportunity in which our souls have their being. Is it not felt? Then it is only because it is not wished. Not every hour, nor every day, perhaps, can generous wishes ripen into kind actions; but there is not a moment that cannot be freighted with prayer. WILLIAM MOUNTFORD. |