He knew not, but there are who know: The first lorn hour of widowhood, The Father, who his vigil keeps By the sad couch whence hope hath flown, Watching the eye where reason sleeps, Yet in his heart can mercy own, Still sweetly yielding to the rod, Still loving man, still thanking GoD ;— The Christian Pastor, bow'd to earth Still travailing in second birth Of souls that will not be redeem'd, Yet stedfast set to do his part, And fearing most his own vain heart ; These know on these look long and well, : Cleansing thy sight by prayer and faith, And thou shalt know what secret spell TWENTIETH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. Hear, O ye mountains, the Lord's controversy, and ye strong foundations of the earth. Micah vi. 7. WHERE is thy favour'd haunt, eternal Voice, Where, undisturb'd by sin and earth, the soul "Tis on the mountain's summit dark and high, 'Tis 'mid the strong foundations of the earth, Where torrents have their birth. No sounds of worldly toil, ascending there, Lone Nature feels that she may freely breathe, Are heard her sacred tones: the fitful sweep Through wither'd bents-romantic note and clear, The wheeling kite's wild solitary cry, The dashing waters when the air is still That winds unseen beneath the shaggy fell, Such sounds as make deep silence in the heart 'Tis then we hear the voice of God within, Pleading with care and sin; "Child of my 66 love! how have I wearied thee? Why wilt thou err from me? "Have I not brought thee from the house of slaves, “Parted the drowning waves, "And set my saints before thee in the way, "Lest thou should'st faint or stray? "What? was the promise made to thee alone? "Art thou th' excepted one? "An heir of glory without grief or pain? "O vision false and vain! "There lies thy cross; beneath it meekly bow; "It fits thy stature now : "Who scornful pass it with averted eye, "Raise thy repining eyes, and take true measure "Of thine eternal treasure; "The Father of thy Lord can grudge thee nought, "The world for thee was bought, "And as this landscape broad-earth, sea, and sky, "So all God does, if rightly understood, "Shall work thy final good." TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. The vision is yet for an appointed time; but at the end it shall speak : and not lie though it tarry, wait for it, because it will surely come, it will not tarry. Habakkuk ii, 3. THE morning mist is clear'd away, Yet still the face of heaven is grey, Nor yet th' autumnal breeze has stirr'd the grove, Faded yet full, a paler green Skirts soberly the tranquil scene, The red-breast warbles round this leafy cove. Sweet messenger of " calm decay," Saluting sorrow as you may, As one still bent to find or make the best, In thee, and in this quiet mead Rather in all to be resign'd than blest. |