For God, who binds the broken heart,
And dries the mourner's tear,

If faith and patience be their part,
Will unto these be near.

Let such but say, "Thy will be done!"
And He who Jesus raised,

Will qualify them through His love,
To add "Thy name be praised."

CHASTENING.

'If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons."

HEB. xii. 7.

Oн cheer thee, cheer thee, suffering saint!
Though worn with chastening, be not faint!
And though thy night of pain seem long,
Cling to thy Lord-in Him be strong.
He marks, He numbers every tear,
Not one faint sigh escapes His ear.

Oh cheer thee, cheer thee! He has traced
Thy track through life, from first to last ;
Each stage, the present, childhood, youth,
Has borne fresh witness to that truth;
Which soon will tune thy harp above,
"Loved with an everlasting love."

Yes, cheer thee, cheer thee! though thine ear

Quickened by suffering, scarce can hear,

The voice of those who love thee best,

Not lonely art thou, not unblessed;
Thy soul's Beloved, ever nigh,

Bends o'er thee whispering "It is I."

power;

Oh cheer thee, cheer thee! now's the hour
To Him to lift thine eye for
His all-sufficiency to show,
Even in extremity of woe;

While in the furnace to lie still,

This is indeed to do His will.

Then cheer thee, cheer thee, though the flame

Consume thy wasting, suffering frame !

His gold shall suffer harm nor loss,
He will but purge away the dross,
And fit it, graced with many a gem,
To form His glorious diadem.

And He will cheer thee, He will calm
Thy pain intense with heavenly balm,
Show thee the martyrs' white-robed throng,
Thy place prepared, that host among;
That weight of glory will o'erpower
The anguish of life's suffering hour.
Yes, He will cheer thee, He will prove
The soul encircled by His love
Can meekly, midst her anguish, say,
Still will I trust Him, though He slay;
And He will make His words thine own,
"Father, Thy will, not mine be done."

BE NOT AFRAID.

"It is I be not afraid."-MATT. xiv. 27.

WHEN Waves of trouble round me swell,
My soul is not dismayed;

I hear a voice I know full well,

"Tis I,-be not afraid."

When black the threatening skies appear,

And storms my path invade,

Those accents tranquillize each fear,

"'Tis I,-be not afraid."

There is a gulf that must be crossed;
Saviour! be near to aid ;

Whisper when my frail bark is tossed,
""Tis I,-be not afraid."

There is a dark and fearful vale,
Death hides within its shade,

Oh say, when flesh and heart shall fail,
"Tis I,-be not afraid."

BLESSED IS THE MAN WHOM THOU
CHASTENEST.

"Blessed is the man whom Thou chasteneth, O Lord."-PSALM XCIV. 12.

O SAVIOUR! Whose mercy severe in its kindness,

Has chastened my wanderings, and guided my way, Adored be the power which illumined my blindness, And weaned me from phantoms that smiled to betray. Enchanted with all that was dazzling and fair,

I followed the rainbow-I caught at the toy; And still in displeasure Thy goodness was there, Disappointing the hope, and defeating the joy. The blossom blushed bright, but a worm was below, The moonlight shone fair, there was blight in the

beam;

Sweet whispered the breeze, but it whispered of woe; And bitterness flowed in the soft-flowing stream.

So, cured of my folly, yet cured but in part,

I turned to the refuge Thy pity displayed; And still did this eager and credulous heart

Weave visions of promise that bloomed but to fade. I thought that the course of the pilgrim to Heaven, Would be bright as the summer, and glad as the

morn;

Thou show'dst me the path—it was dark and uneven, All rugged with rocks, and all tangled with thorn.

I dreamed of celestial reward and renown;

I grasped at the triumph which blesses the brave; I asked for the palm-branch, the robe and the crown, I asked-and Thou show'dst me a cross and a grave!

Subdued and instructed, at length to Thy will.

My hopes and my longings I fain would resign; Oh give me the heart that can wait and be still, Nor know of a wish or a pleasure but Thine. There are mansions exempted from sin and from woe, But they stand in a region by mortals untrod; There are rivers of joy-but they roll not below; There is rest-but it dwells in the presence of God.

AFFLICTIONS.

By love directed and in mercy meant,
Are trials suffered and afflictions sent;
To stem impetuous passion's furious tide,
To curb the insolence of prosperous pride,
To wean from earth and let our wishes soar
To that best clime where pain shall be no more,
Where wearied virtue shall for refuge fly,
And every tear be wiped from every eye.

THE ERRING ONE.

THINK gently of the erring;
Ye know not of the power
With which the dark temptation came,
In some unguarded hour.
Ye may not know how earnestly
They struggled, or how well,
Until the hour of weakness came,
And sadly thus they fell.

Think gently of the erring;
Oh, do not thou forget,
However darkly stained by sin,
He is thy brother yet.

Heir of the self-same heritage,
Child of the self-same God!
He hath but stumbled in the path
Thou hast in weakness trod.

Speak gently to the erring;
For is it not enough,

That innocence and peace have gone,
Without your censure rough?
It sure must be a weary lot,

That sin-crushed heart to bear,
And they who share a happier fate,
Their chidings well may spare.

Speak gently to the erring;

Thou yet may'st lead him back,
With holy words and tones of love,
From misery's thorny track.
Forget not thou hast often sinned,
And sinful yet may'st be,

Deal gently with the erring one,
As God has dealt with thee.

THE GREAT REFINER.

"And He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver."-MAL. iii. 3.

'Tis sweet to feel that He who tries

The silver, takes His seat

Beside the fire that purifies,
Lest too intense a heat,

Raised to consume the base alloy,

The precious metals too destroy.