Now take us Father, to Thy breast,
And still all troubled thoughts to rest;
Thy watch and ward about us keep,
That tired souls may smile asleep,
And, having been in heaven awhile,
May wake to-morrow with Thy smile!

February 23.

And as thy days, so shall thy strength be. — DEUT. xxxiii. 24.

THE

HE lesson of Christianity, urged and enforced by Nature, is the inestimable worth of common duties, as manifesting the greatest principles. It bids us attain perfection, not by striving to do dazzling deeds, but by making our experience divine; it tells us that the Christian hero will ennoble the humblest field of labor; that nothing is mean which can be performed as duty; but that religious virtue, like the touch of Midas, converts the humblest call of conscience into spiritual gold.

MY CROSS.

It is not heavy, agonizing woe

THOMAS STarr King.

Bearing me down with hopeless, crushing load,
Not reputation lost, nor friends betrayed,

That such is not my cross I thank my God.

It is not sickness, with her withering hand,
Keeping me low upon a couch of pain,
Longing each morning for the weary night,
At night, for weary day to come again.

Mine is a daily cross of petty cares,
Of daily duties pressing on my heart,
Of little troubles hard to reconcile,
Of inward struggles -

- overcome in part.

My feet are weary in their daily round,
My heart is weary of its daily care,
My sinful nature often doth rebel;

I

pray for grace my daily cross to bear.

It is not heavy, Lord, yet oft I pine;

It is not heavy, but 't is everywhere,

By day and night each hour my cross I bear;
I dare not lay it down - Thou keep'st it there.

I dare not lay it down, I only ask

That, taking up my daily cross, I may
Follow my Master humbly, step by step,

Through clouds and darkness unto perfect day.

February 24.

My peace I give unto you.-JOHN xiv. 27.

DOST thou not know that God is wonderful in His

people, and placeth His peace in the midst of no peace; that is, of all temptations? As it is said, "Reign Thou in the midst of Thine enemies."

Not he, therefore, hath peace whom none troubleth this is the peace of the world; but he whom all men and all things trouble, yet who beareth all these things quietly, with joy.

MRS. CHARLES.

;

GOD'S PEACE.

WE bless Thee for Thy peace, O God,
Deep as the soundless sea,

Which falls like sunshine on the road
Of those who trust in Thee.

We ask not, Father, for repose
Which comes from outward rest,
If we may have through all life's woes
Thy peace within our breast;

That peace which suffers and is strong,
Trusts where it cannot see,

Deems not the trial way too long,
But leaves the end with Thee;

That peace which, though the billows surge,

And angry tempests roar,

Rings forth no melancholy dirge,

But joyeth evermore ;

That peace which flows serene and deep,
A river in the soul,

Whose banks a living verdure keep;

God's sunshine o'er the whole,

Such, Father, give our hearts such peace,
Whate'er the outward be,
Till all life's discipline shall cease,
And we go home to Thee.

February 25.

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee; because he trusteth in Thee.

ISA. xxvi. 3.

WHEN you look at the believer's busy life, you may

you

But

see no trace of his inward peace of soul. know that the ocean under the hurricane is lashed into those huge waves and that wild foam only upon the surface. Not very far down, the waters are as still as an autumn noon; there is not a ripple or breath or motion, and so, my friends, if we had the faith we ought, though there might be ruffles upon the surface of our lot, we should have the inward peace of perfect faith in God.

Amid the dreary noises of this world, amid its cares and tears, amid its hot contentions, ambitions, and disappointments, we should have an inner calm like the ocean depths, to which the influence of the wild winds and waves above can never come.

GRAVER THOUGHTS OF A COUNTRY PARSON.

REST.

WHEN winds are raging o'er the upper ocean,
And billows wild contend with angry roar,
'T is said, far down beneath the wild commotion,
That peaceful stillness reigneth evermore.

Far, far beneath, the noise of tempest dieth,
And silver waves chime ever peacefully,
And no rude storm, how fierce soe'er he flieth,
Disturbs the sabbath of that deeper sea.

So to the heart that knows Thy love, O Purest,
There is a temple, sacred evermore,

And all the babble of life's angry voices

Dies in hushed silence at its peaceful door.

Far, far away, the roar of passion dieth,

And loving thoughts rise calm and peacefully, And no rude storm, how fierce soe'er he flieth, Disturbs the soul that dwells, O Lord, in Thee.

Oh, rest of rest! Oh, peace serene, eternal !
Thou ever livest; and Thou changest never,
And in the secret of Thy presence dwelleth
Fulness of joy, forever and forever.

HARRIET BEECHER STOWE.

February 26.

But it shall be one day which shall be known to the Lord, not day, nor night; but it shall come to pass that at evening time it shall be light. -ZECH. xiv. 7.

WHEN the Christian's little day has drawn to its

close, when the Christian's earthly sun has set, then there should be to him the beginning of a day whose sun shall never go down, and whose brightness shall be lessened by no intrusion of the dark. Then a day shall break in which there shâll be no anxiety, no care, no sorrow, no hiding of God's face, no struggle with temptation, no fall into sin; not one moment's darkness to mingle with that unvaried day.

LIGHT AT EVENING TIME.

AT evening time let there be light!
Life's little day draws near its close;
Around me fall the shades of night,
The night of death, the grave's repose;
To crown my joys, to end my woes,
At evening time let there be light!

At evening time let there be light!
Stormy and dark hath been my day,
Yet rose the morn benignly bright,

Dews, birds, and flowers cheered all the way.
Oh, for one sweet, one parting ray!
At evening time let there be light!

At evening time there shall be light;
For God hath said: "So let it be!"
Fear, doubt, and anguish take their flight,
His glory now is risen on me;

Mine eyes shall His salvation see;
Tis evening time, and there is light.

JAMES MONTGOMERY.

February 27.

Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith.

- HEB. X. 22.

CHRISTIAN faith is a grand cathedral, with divinely

windows. Standing without, you see no glory, nor can possibly imagine any. Standing within, every ray of light reveals a harmony of unspeakable splendors.

NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE.

THE ETERNAL GOODNESS.

AND SO beside the silent sea,

I wait the muffled oar;

No harm from Him can come to me
On ocean or on shore.