Where lies the land to which the ship would go? Far, far ahead, is all her seamen know.

And where the land she travels from? Away, Far, far behind, is all that they can say.

Charles kingsley.

1819-1875.

A FAREWELL.

My fairest child, I have no song to give you;
No lark could pipe to skies so dull and gray;
Yet, ere we part, one lesson I can leave you
For every day.

Be good, sweet maid, and let who will be clever ; Do noble things, not dream them, all day long; And so make life, death, and that vast forever One grand sweet song.

G. Washington Moon.

WHO SHALL ROLL AWAY THE STONE?

That which weeping ones were saying
Eighteen hundred years ago,

We, the same weak faith betraying,

Say in our sad hours of woe;

Looking at some trouble lying

In the dark and dread unknown, We, too, often ask with sighing, "Who shall roll away the stone?"

Thus with care our spirits crushing,
When they might from care be free,
And, in joyous song out-gushing,
Rise in rapture, Lord, to Thee.

For, before the way was ended,
Oft we 've had with joy to own,
Angels have from heaven descended,
And have rolled away the stone.

Many a storm-cloud sweeping o'er us
Never pours on us its rain;
Many a grief we see before us
Never comes to cause us pain.

Ofttimes in the feared to-morrow Sunshine comes, the cloud has flown.

Ask not, then, in foolish sorrow, Who shall roll away the stone?"

*

*

*

*

*

Anna L. Waring.

1820.

MY TIMES ARE IN THY HAND.

Father, I know that all my life
Is portioned out for me,

And the changes that will surely come,
I do not fear to see ;

But I ask Thee for a present mind
Intent on pleasing Thee.

I ask Thee for a thoughtful love,
Through constant watching wise,
To meet the glad with joyful smiles,
And to wipe the weeping eyes ;
And a heart at leisure from itself,
To soothe and sympathize.

I would not have the restless will
That hurries to and fro,
Seeking for some great thing to do,

Or secret thing to know;

I would be treated as a child,
And guided where I go.

Wherever in the world I am,
In whatsoe'er estate,

I have a fellowship with hearts
To keep and cultivate ;

And a work of lowly love to do,

For the Lord on whom I wait.

So I ask Thee for the daily strength,
To none that ask denied,

And a mind to blend with outward life,
While keeping at Thy side;
Content to fill a little space,
If Thou be glorified.

And if some things I do not ask,
In my cup of blessing be,

I would have my spirit filled the more
With grateful love to Thee;
And careful, less to serve Thee much,
Than to please Thee perfectly.

There are briars besetting every path,
Which call for patient care;

There is a cross in every lot,

And an earnest need for prayer ; But a lowly heart that leans on Thee Is happy anywhere.

In a service which Thy will appoints,
There are no bonds for me;

For my secret heart is taught "the truth free";

That makes Thy children

And a life of self-renouncing love

Is a life of liberty.

Matthew Arnold.

1822-1888.

SELF-DEPENDENCE.

Weary of myself, and sick of asking
What I am, and what I ought to be,
At this vessel's prow I stand, which bears me
Forward, forward, o'er the star-lit sea.

And a look of passionate desire

O'er the sea and to the stars I send :

"Ye who from my childhood up have calmed me, Calm me, ah, compose me to the end!

"Ah, once more," I cried, "ye stars, ye waters, On my heart your mighty charm renew;

Still, still let me, as I gaze upon you,

Feel my soul becoming vast like you !”

From the intense, clear, star-sown vault of heaven, Over the lit sea's unquiet way,

In the rustling night air came the answer : "Would'st thou be as these are? Live as they.

"Unaffrighted by the silence round them, Undistracted by the sights they see,

These demand not that the things without them Yield them love, amusement, sympathy.