Thy various messengers employ;
Thy purposes of love fulfil;
And, 'mid the wreck of human joy,
Let kneeling faith adore thy will.

XXXII.

It was no path of flowers,
Through this dark world of ours,
Beloved of the Father, thou didst tread;

And shall we in dismay,

Shrink from the narrow way, When clouds and darkness are around it spread?

O Thou who art our life,

Be with us through the strife!

Was not thy head by earth's fierce tempests bowed?

Raise thou our eyes above

To see a Father's love

Beam, like a bow of promise, through the cloud.

And, O, if thoughts of gloom
Should hover o'er the tomb,

That light of love our guiding star shall be;
Our spirits shall not dread

The shadowy way to tread,

Friend, Guardian, Saviour, which doth lead to

thee.

XXXIII.

FATHER! in thy mysterious presence kneeling, Fain would our souls feel all thy kindling love, For we are weak, and need some deep revealing Of trust, and strength, and calmness from

above.

Lord! we have wandered forth through doubt and sorrow,

And thou hast made each step an onward one; And we will ever trust each unknown morrow Thou wilt sustain us till its work is done.

-

In the heart's depths a peace serene and holy Abides; and when pain seems to have her will Or we despair, O may that peace rise slowly, Stronger than agony, and we be still.

Now, Father, now, in thy dear presence kneel

ing,

Our spirits yearn to feel thy kindling love; Now make us strong, we need thy deep revealing

Of trust, and strength, and calmness from above.

XXXIV.

THOU that art strong to comfort, look on me!
I sit in darkness and behold no light;
Over my soul the waves of agony

Have gone, and left me in a rayless night.

A bruised and broken reed sustain ! sustain !
Divinest Comforter, to Thee I fly,

To whom no soul hath ever fled in vain ;
Support me with Thy love, or else I die.

Father! whate'er I had, it all was thine;

A God of mercy Thou hast ever been; O help me what I most loved to resign,

And if I murmur, count it not for sin.

My soul is strengthened now, and it shall bear
All that remains, whatever it may be ;
And from the very depths of my despair
I will look up, O God, and trust in Thee.

XXXV.

O, WHO, in such a world as this
Could bear their lot of pain,
Did not one radiant hope of bliss
Unclouded yet remain ?

That hope the sovereign Lord has given,

Who reigns above the skies ;
Hope that unites our souls to heaven,
By faith's endearing ties.

Each care, each ill of mortal birth,

Is sent in pitying love,

To lift the lingering heart from earth,

And speed its flight above.

And every pang that wrings the breast,

And every joy that dies,

Tells us to seek a purer rest,

And trust to holier ties.

XXXVI.

Is there a lone and dreary hour,
When worldly comforts lose their power?
My Father! let me turn to Thee,
And set each thought of darkness free.

Is there a time of fear or grief,
Which sees no prospect of relief?
My Father! break the cheerless gloom,
And bid my heart its calm resume.

Is there an hour of peace and joy,
When hope is all my soul's employ ?
My Father! still my hopes will roam,
Until they rest with Thee, their home.

The noon-tide blaze, the midnight scene,
The dawn, or twilight's sweet serene,
The sick, nay, e'en the dying hour,
Shall own my Father's grace and power.