THE NIGHT-SERVICE.

But who shall praise God in the night? the Night That stretcheth mournful wings from shore to

shore,

Till silent lie the singers of the world,
Beneath the shadow.

It is the night,

And in the Temple of the Lord not made
By mortal hands, the lights are burning low
Before the Altar. Clouds of darkness fill
The vastness of the sacred aisles. The dumb
And breathless Spirit of the Night is here
In all his power; no rushing mighty wind
Of organ harmonies is sweeping down
The shadowy place. A few short hours ago
And all the temple courts were thronged with those
Who worshiped, and gave thanks, before they

went

To take their rest. Then many voices joined
To sing the praise of God; but who shall bless
His name at midnight?

Lo! a band of pale

Yet joyful priests, do minister around

The Altar, where the lights are burning low

In the breathless night. Each grave brow wears

the crown

Of sorrow; and each heart is kept awake

By its own restless pain, for these are they
To whom the night-watch is appointed. See !
They lift their hands and praise God in the night.
Whilst we are sleeping, those to whom the King
Has measured out a cup of sorrow, sweet
With His dear love, yet very hard to drink,
Are waking in His Temple; and the eyes
That cannot sleep for sorrow, or for pain,
Are lifted up to heaven; and sweet, low songs
Broken by patient tears, arise to God.

Bless ye the Lord, ye servants of the Lord!
Which stand by night within His Holy Place
To give Him worship! Ye are priests to Him
And minister around the Altar; pale,

Yet joyful in the Night.

The Priests must serve

Each in his course; and we must stand in turn
Awake with sorrow in the Temple dim,
To bless the Lord by Night. We will not fear,
When we are called at Midnight, by some stroke
Of sudden pain to rise and minister

Before the Lord. We, too, will bless His Name
In the solemn Night, and stretch out our hands to

Him!

"B. M."

"The sudden joys that out of darkness start,

As flames from ashes."

"The setting of a great hope is like the setting of the sun. The brightness of our life is gone. Shadows of evening fall around us, and the world seems but a dim reflection-itself a broader shadow. We look forward into the coming lonely night. The soul withdraws into itself. Then stars arise, and the night is holy."

"But Thou dost make the very night itself
Brighter than day.'

"In days of darkness were songs."

"The woof of life is dark, but it is shot with a warp of gold."