In holy books we read how God hath spoken
To holy men in many different ways ;

But hath the Present worked no sign or token,—
Is God quite silent in these latter days ?

And hath our heavenly Sire departed quite,
And left His poor babes in this world alone;
And only left for blind belief-not sight-

Some quaint old riddles in a tongue unknown?

Oh! think it not, sweet maid! God comes to us
With every day, with every star that rises ;
In every moment dwells the Righteous,

And starts upon the soul with sweet surprises.

The word were but a blank, a hollow sound,
If He that spoke it were not speaking still,-
If all the light and all the shade around
Were aught but issues of Almighty will.

Sweet girl, believe that every bird that sings,
And every flower that stars the elastic sod,
And every thought the happy summer brings
To thy pure spirit, is a word of God.

HARTLEY COLERIDGE. 1796.

I

I Do not regard my lot either with weariness or compulsion; I continue in the same sentiment fixed and immovable. I do not think my God displeased with me; neither is He displeased; on the contrary, I experience and thankfully acknowledge His paternal clemency and benignity towards me in everything that is of the greater moment, especially in this, that He is Himself consoling and encouraging my spirit. acquiesce without a murmur in His sacred dispensations: it is through His grace that I find my friends, even more than before, kind and affectionate towards me; nor is it an occasion of anguish to me, though you count it miserable that I am fallen in vulgar estimation with the class of the blind, the unfortunate, the wretched, and the helpless, since my hope is that I am thus brought nearer to the mercy and protection of the universal Father. There is a path, as the apostle teaches me, through weakness to the most consummate strength; so that in my debility the better and immortal vigour of my human nature may be more effectually displayed, so that amidst my darkness the light of the Divine countenance may shine forth more bright; then shall I be at once helpless and yet of giant strength, blind, yet of vision most penetrating, thus may I be in this helplessness carried on to fulness of joy, and in this darkness be surrounded with the light of eternal day.

JOHN MILTON. 1608.

TEACH me, my God and King,
In all things Thee to see,
And what I do in anything,
To do it as for Thee.

Not rudely, as a beast,

To run into an action;

But still to make Thee prepossest,
And give it his perfection.

A man who looks on glass,
On it may stay his eye,

Or, if he pleaseth, through it pass,
And then the heav'n espy.

All may of Thee partake :

Nothing can be so mean

Which with this tincture (for Thy sake)
Will not grow bright and clean.

A servant with this clause

Makes drudgery divine :

Who sweeps a room as for Thy laws,

Makes that and th' action fine.

This is the famous stone

Which turneth all to gold;

For that which God doth touch and own

Cannot for less be told.

GEORGE HERBERT. 1593.

AND seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain and when he was set, his disciples came unto him and he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying:

:

Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are they that mourn; for they shall be comforted.

earth.

Blessed are the meek; for they shall inherit the

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they shall be filled.

Blessed are the merciful; for they shall obtain

mercy.

God.

Blessed are the pure in heart; for they shall see

Blessed are the peacemakers; for they shall be called the children of God.

Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad; for great is your reward in heaven; for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

MATTHEW V. I-12.

"BEHOLD, I stand at the door and knock; if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me."

REV. iii. 20.

LORD, what am I, that, with unceasing care,
Thou didst seek after me, that Thou didst wait,
Wet with unhealthy dews, before my gate,
And pass the gloomy nights of winter there?
Oh, strange delusion! that I did not greet

Thy blest approach, and oh, to Heaven how lost,
If my ingratitude's unkindly frost

Has chilled the bleeding wounds upon Thy feet. How oft my guardian angel gently cried,

"Soul, from thy casement look, and thou shalt see How He persists to knock and wait for thee! And, oh! how often to that voice of sorrow, "To-morrow we will open," I replied, And when the morrow came, I answered Still, "To-morrow."

HENRY WADsworth Longfellow.