ROMANS VIII. 14, 15.

FOR AS MANY AS ARE LED BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD, THEY ARE THE SONS OF GOD. FOR YE HAVE NOT RECEIVED THE SPIRIT OF BONDAGE AGAIN ΤΟ FEAR; BUT YE HAVE RECEIVED THE SPIRIT OF ADOPTION, WHEREBY WE CRY, ABBA, FATHER."

FATHER, my way is dark and wild;
Take pity on thy wandering child,

And lead me, as thy Spirit led
Those numbered with the holy dead.

Calmly they walked their vale of tears,
Untroubled by its phantom fears;
Children beneath a Father's care,
They only felt that Thou wert there.

O guide me, as thy Spirit gave
His guidance, over land and wave,
To those who saw thy Gospel spread,
And made thy word their daily bread.

O lead me, as thy Spirit led

The martyr to his fiery bed;

Who kindled with the kindling brand

A torch that blazed throughout this land.*

Or if thy child in silence goes

With those whose trials no man knows,

Still, Father, leave me not alone

Until my pilgrimage be done.

See Note B.

1 CORINTHIANS VII. 16.

"WHAT KNOWEST THOU, O WIFE, WHETHER THOU SHALT SAVE THY HUSBAND ?"

He strays-how far, to thee alone,
My Saviour and my God, is known;
Yet think upon thy word, that says,
The wife may win him from his ways—
May, haply, mend the broken tie,
That linked us for eternity.

In mercy, Lord, his soul defend,
And be my counsellor and friend;

For unto thee, and only thee,

I tell my tale of misery.

No eye but thine has seen my tears,

No bosom shared my doubts and fears.

Thou too art witness, when I said,
"Until death part us we will wed,"
'Twas written on my fervid heart,
That we were not in death to part,
But that we asked a blessing then,
Which we might ask in heaven again.

In heaven? If I alone could be

In heaven, would it be heaven to me?
Save, save me from the thought, O Lord;
I will not go beyond thy word,

I'll labour for his soul and mine,
And all besides to thee resign.

PHILIPPIANS I. 23, 24.

"FOR I AM IN A STRAIT BETWIXT TWO, HAVING A DESIRE TO DEPART, AND TO BE WITH CHRIST; WHICH IS FAR BETTER: NEVERTHELESS TO ABIDE IN THE FLESH IS MORE NEEDFUL FOR YOU."

ROUND every

heart fond nature winds

Some tie to keep us here;

Man toils and murmurs-still he finds

That earth has something dear-
Treasures that outweigh all the ill,
And make him choose to live on still.

Hadst thou none such, beloved Paul?

And did the hand divine

That chasten'd thee, remove them all,
As it has taken mine?

O! would that I with thee could say,
"This world is better for my stay."