HE commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind.
He maketh the storm a calm.--Psalm cvii. 25, 29.
Thou shalt be visited of the Lord of Hosts with thunder, and with earthquake, and great noise, with storm and tempest.--Isaiah, xxix. 6.
THE storm was laid, the winds retired,
Obedient to Thy will;
The sea, that roared at Thy command,
At Thy command was still.
O God! have mercy in this dreadful hour
On the poor mariner! in comfort here
Safe shelter'd as I am, I almost fear
The blast that rages with resistless power.
What were it now to toss upon the waves—
The madden'd waves, and know no succour near;
The howling of the storm alone to hear,
And the wild sea that to the tempest raves;
To gaze amid the horrors of the night,
And only see the billows' gleaming light;
And in the dread of death to think of her
Who, as she listens sleepless to the gale,
Puts up a silent prayer and waxes pale?
O God! have mercy on the mariner!
A thunder-storm!--the eloquence of heaven,
When every cloud is from its slumber riven,
Who hath not paused beneath its hollow groan,
And felt Omnipotence around him thrown?
With what a gloom the ush'ring scene appears!
The leaves all fluttering with instinctive fears,
The waters curling with a fellow dread,
A breezeless fervour round creation spread,
And, last, the heavy rain's reluctant shower,
With big drops patt'ring on the tree and bower,
While wizard shapes the low'ring sky deform,—
All mark the coming of a thunder-storm.
I AM a stranger and a sojourner with you.--Genesis, xxiii. 4. The Lord loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment. Love ye therefore the stranger: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.--Deuteronomy, x. 18, 19.
Do no wrong, do no violence to the stranger.-Jeremiah, xxii. 3.
This day to be your guest: bring forth, and pour
Abundance, fit to honour and receive
The heavenly stranger.
The stranger's heart! Oh, wound it not!
A yearning anguish is its lot;
In the green shadow of thy tree,
The stranger finds no rest with thee.
Thou think'st the vine's low rustling leaves
Are music round the household eaves;
To him that sound hath sorrow's tone-
The stranger's heart is with his own.
Though think'st the children's laughing play
A lovely sight at fall of day;
Then are the stranger's thoughts opprest-
A mother's voice comes o'er his breast.
Thou think'st it sweet when friend to friend
Beneath one roof in prayer may blend;
Then doth the stranger's eye grow dim-
Far, far are those who've prayed with him.
Thy hearth, thy home, thy vintage land—
The voices of thy kindred band;
Oh! 'midst them all when blest thou art,
Deal gently with the stranger's heart.—Mrs. Hemans.
Why should I a stranger be
In my Father's dwelling,
While hill and river, rock and tree,
Of His love are telling?
Always heard, their simple voice,
Bidding child-like hearts rejoice,
Whispers us that love is near.
What we seek in yonder sphere,
Love can find it now, and here.
THERE is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place, of the tabernacles of the Most High.--Psalm xlvi. 4. He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.--Psalm 1xxviii. 16.
In the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. -Isaiah, xxxv. 6.
WHO see not that the valleys of the world
Might even right with the mountains: that they grow Green and lie warmer; and ever peaceful are
When clouds spit fire at hills, and burn them bare. Not valley's part, but we should imitate streams That run below the valleys, and do yield
To every mole-hill; every bank embrace
That checks their currents; and when torrents come, That swell and raise them past their natural height, How mad they are and troubled; like low streams With torrents crown'd are men with diadems.
Around Thy throne, in peaceful streams,
O God! celestial pleasure glides;
The brightened wave Thine image beams,
Untinged by sorrow's darkened tides.
That stream my fainting spirit cheers
When sultry suns pour down their heat;
And when I cross the vale of tears,
It makes the cup of sorrow sweet.-J. Alexander.
I know a stream, a gentle stream
Which by a valley glides along,
That well might suit a Poet's theme,
Or fit a raptured Minstrel's song;
And often I have stood to look
On the calm beauty of that brook,
And thought the scene was such as might
Have shone upon Creation's morn,
When all the morning stars of light,
Sang joyously that earth was born;
And angels as they paused to see,
Joined the triumphant Jubilee!
And God himself in glory stood,
And there pronounced it very good. Ann Pratt.
As thy days, so shall thy strength be.-Deuteronomy, xxxiii. 25. The Lord is my strength and song, and is become my salvation.— Psalm cxviii. 14.
He that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is His
He hath shewed strength with His arm; He hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.-Luke, i. 49, 51.
VIGOUR from toil, from trouble patience grows.
The weakly blossom, warm in summer bower,
Some tints of transient beauty may disclose;
But ah! it withers in the chilling hour.
Mark yonder oaks! Superior to the power
Of all the warring winds of heaven they rise,
And from the stormy promontory tower,
And toss their giant arms amid the skies,
While each assailing blast increase of strength supplies.
Beattie.
The strength of man sinks in the hour of trial;
But there doth live a power, that to the battle
Girdeth the weak.
Joanna Baillie.
When adverse winds and waves arise,
And in my heart despondence sighs,-
While life her throng of care reveals,
And weakness o'er my spirit steals,—
Grateful I hear the kind decree,
That "as my day, my strength shall be."
When, with sad footstep, memory roves
'Mid smitten joys, and buried loves,-
When sleep my tearful pillow flies,
And dewy morning drinks my sighs,-
Still to Thy promise, Lord, I flee,
That "as my day, my strength shall be."
One trial more must yet be past,
One pang, the keenest and the last;
And when, with brow convulsed and pale,
My feeble quivering heart-strings fail,
Redeemer, grant my soul to see
That "as her day, her strength shall be."
LET there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee.-Genesis, xiii. 8.
Thou shalt hide them in the secret of Thy presence from the pride of man; Thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.-Psalm xxxi. 20.
He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.-Proverbs, xxvi. 17.
Foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes.-II. Timothy, ii. 23.
O SHAME to men! Devil with Devil damned
Firm concord holds, men only disagree
Of creatures rational, though under hope
Of heavenly grace; and God proclaiming peace,
Yet live in hatred, enmity, and strife
Among themselves.
O for thy children too confined!
Thy sons in peace thou canst not feed,
Doomed land! to strangers now resigned
Such judgment hath begun on thee.
A foe, by thee unharmed indeed,
Sits at thy board and mocks thy toils,
Divides thy frantic people's spoils,
And holds thy sword of sovereignty.
Frantic he too! O never! no,
Was nation blessed by blood and wrong;
The conquered feel not all the wo;
Still turns to tears the guilty's joy:
Though not his haughty way along
Th' eternal vengeance sweeps and breaks;
It follows, watches still, and wakes,
At his last moment to destroy.
Stamped in one image at our birth,
Made in the likeness all of one;
Ever at every part of earth
Where breath of life we may inherit,
Be brethren all! Our unison
Accursed be he to strife who turns,
Accursed who mocketh him that mourns,
Or saddeneth one immortal spirit!
From the Italian of Manzoni.
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