strength, and courage, and joy, and rest would be restored to me. Then I felt as if God appeared to me and said, 'Thou art a poor minister's son, and I have blessed thee in thy calling, so that thou art now a famous man. For years I have suffered thee to sport with the money thou hast lost. Have I not the keys of all treasuries, and can I not far more than replace thy loss? Be again of good courage, and promise that thou wilt go joyfully back to thy calling!' And I promised : and wife and children were again cheerful; and I forgot the heaviness. I have got over it, and am once more happy with my God. And prayer has done all this, and can do it, if it is earnest.”

THE TRUE SHEPHERD.

"Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."-MATTHEW xi. 28.

I WAS Wandering and weary,

When my Saviour came unto me,
For the ways of sin grew dreary,

And the world had ceased to woo me;
And I thought I heard Him say,
As He came along His way,
"Wandering souls, oh, do come near Me,
My sheep should never fear Me,
I am the Shepherd true.”

At first I would not hearken,

And put off till the morrow,

But life began to darken,

And my heart grew sick with sorrow;
Then, again I heard Him say,
As He came along my way,
"Come,-come !-oh, do come near Me,
My sheep should never fear Me,
I am the Shepherd true."

At last, I stopped to listen;

His voice could ne'er deceive me, I saw His kind eyes glisten,

So anxious to relieve me ;

And I surely heard Him say,
As He came along my way,
"Thou weary one, come near Me,
My sheep should never fear Me,
I am the Shepherd true."
He took me on His shoulder,
And with His flock He led me,
He bade my love grow bolder,
And day by day hath fed me.
If I falter on my way,

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I am sure to hear Him say, Follow on, and still keep near Me, My sheep must never fear Me,

I am the Shepherd true."

I thought His love would weaken,
As more and more He knew me ;
But it burneth as a beacon,

As its light and warmth go through me;
And I joy to hear Him say,

As I tread my pilgrim way,
Keep ever, ever near Me,

My sheep need never fear Me,
I am the Shepherd true."

Let us, then, dearest brothers,

Do what will longest please us,—
Follow not the ways of others—
But yield ourselves to Jesus.
And sure we'll hear Him say,
As He ever leads the way,

"Precious souls! you're safe when near Me, None such need ever fear Me,

I am the Shepherd true."

GO YE INTO MY VINEYARD AND WORK.

SOMETHING to do for Jesus, my throbbing heart would say,

Lord, I would in Thy vineyard work, and labour while 'tis day.

Teach me what Thou wouldst have me do, what efforts I should make ;

What burden Thou wouldst have me bear, for Christ my Saviour's sake.

Something to do for Jesus, for Him who died for me; How blessed is such service, how sweet such, work

must be :

My willing footsteps long to run, and my lips yearn to tell

Abroad His love and goodness, who "doeth all things

well."

A soft voice seemed to answer, First thou must look

within

And check, by prayer and watchfulness, each act and word of sin;

A life of inward holiness, like tilled and cultured ground, Will bear a rich and plenteous crop, and spread its fruits around.

If His Spirit dwell within thee, and rest upon thy head, How will His blessed influence on all around be shed, And oftener than each dawning day make thy petitions

known,

In earnest supplications before thy Father's throne.

O pray for him, thy dearest one, fervent thy prayers

should be

And for the little lisping babes that cluster round thy

knee,

All that thou lovest, and all around, thy fervent prayers

should claim,

Offered with faith and confidence in Christ thy Saviour's

name.

Then strive with care and faithfulness each duty to fulfil,

Amid the trivial scenes of life, doing thy Master's will; Thine be a ministry of love-bring sunshine to thy home

So loving hearts will wait thy steps, and bless thee when they come.

And when the time of trial comes, Oh, cast on Him thy care,

And strive with resignation each heavy blow to bear; The smile, the look of cheerfulness, sweet patience under pain,

Oh, this is work for Jesus that will not be in vain.

It is not by great acts alone our duty we perform— Our Saviour washed His followers' feet, as well as stilled the storm n;

And in the humblest scenes of life, if thy faith shall wax

not dim,

Each service will be sanctified, if it be done to Him.

C.Y.

From the " BRITISH FRIEND."

DIVINE SYMPATHY.

"When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then Thou knewest my path."-PSALM cxlii. 3.

My God, whose gracious pity I may claim,
Calling Thee Father, most endearing name;
The sufferings of this weak and weary frame,
All, all are known to Thee.

From human eye 'tis better to conceal
Much that I suffer, much I hourly feel;
But oh, this thought does tranquillize and heal,
All, all is known to Thee.

Each secret conflict with in-dwelling sin,
Each sickening fear I ne'er the prize shall win,
Each pang from irritation, turmoil, din,

All, all are known to Thee.

When, in the morning, unrefreshed I wake,
Or, in the night, but little rest can take,
This brief appeal submissively I make,
All, all is known to Thee.

Nay, all by Thee is ordered, chosen, planned,
Each drop that fills my daily cup, Thy hand
Prescribes for ills none else can understand,—
All, all are known to Thee.

The fittest means to cure what I deplore,
In me Thy longed-for likeness to restore,
Self to dethrone and let it reign no more,
All, all is known to Thee.

And this continued feebleness, this state
Which seems to unnerve and incapacitate,
Will work the cure my hopes and prayers await;
All, all is known to Thee.

Nor will the bitter draught distasteful prove,
While I recall the Son of Thy dear love ;
That cup Thou wouldst not, for my sake, remove,
That cup He drank for me.

He drank it to the dregs, no drop remained,
Not one, for those whose cup of woe He drained;
Man ne'er can know what that sad cup contained;
All, all is known to Thee.