"Renew a right spirit within me.'

RACIOUS Spirit, dwell with me,
I myself would gracious be;
And with words that help and heal,
Would Thy life in mine reveal;
And with actions bold and meek,
Would for Christ, my Saviour, speak.

Truthful Spirit, dwell with me,
I myself would truthful be;
And with wisdom kind and clear,
Let Thy life in mine appear,
And with actions brotherly,
Speak my Lord's sincerity.

Tender Spirit, dwell with me,
I myself would tender be;
Shut my heart up like a flower
At temptation's darksome hour;
Open it when shines the sun,
And his love by fragrance own.

Silent Spirit, dwell with me,
I myself would quiet be,
Quiet as the growing blade

That through earth its way has made,

Silently like morning light,

Putting mists and chills to flight.

Mighty Spirit, dwell with me,
I myself would mighty be,
Mighty so as to prevail,

Where, unaided, man must fail;
Ever by a mighty hope,

Pressing on and bearing up.

Holy Spirit, dwell with me,
I myself would holy be;
Separate from sin, I would

Choose and cherish all things good,

And whatever I can be,

Give to Him, who gave me Thee.

Lynch.

"Lovest thou Me?"

OVEST thou me?" I hear my Saviour say: Would that my heart had power to answer "yea, "Thou knowest all things, Lord, in heaven above "And earth beneath; Thou knowest that I love."

But 'tis not so; in word, in deed, in thought,
I do not, cannot, love Thee as I ought;
Thy love must give that power, Thy love alone;
There's nothing worthy of Thee but Thine own;
Lord, with the love wherewith Thou lovest me,
Reflected on Thyself, I would love Thee.

J. Montgomery.

Hide me under the shadow of thy wings.

S

TILL nigh me, O my Saviour, stand,
And guard in fierce temptation's hour;
Hide in the hollow of Thy hand;

Show forth in me Thy saving power:
Still be Thine arm my sure defence,
Nor earth nor hell shall pluck me thence.

In suffering be Thy love my peace!
In weakness be Thy love my power!
And when the storms of life shall cease,
Jesus, in that important hour,

In death, as life, be Thou my guide,
And save me, who for me hast died.

Toplady.

The House of God.

"Surely the Lord is in this place, and I knew it not." Gen. xxviii, 16.

શિ

NCE slow and sad the evening fell

On desert path, on lonely dell,

As, sad and desolate,

One laid him down to sleep alone,

His couch, the sand, his pillow, stone,
The morning-tide to wait.

But gleamed before his dazzled sight
A radiance more than morning light,
From opened portals given;

And on his charméd ear there rung

A sound more sweet than matin song,—
The choral hymns of heaven.

He saw the glory of that place
Whose light is God the Saviour's face,

He saw its dwellers fair;
And learnt that-desolate, alone,
A wanderer from his Father's home,-
God's presence still was there.

So we, (though often worn, oppressed,
We wander, seeking home and rest,)
In sorrow's darkest hour
May see, as Jacob saw of old,
God's sunbeams bright and manifold
The shades of night o'erpower.

For not in temple hoar alone,

In cloistered shade, 'neath sculptured stone.
Stands now God's house below;

But wheresoe'er His radiance bright
Gleams on our darkness and 'tis light,
His presence we may know.

Transfigured in His glory fair

The whole earth stands, one house of prayer,

One ante-room of heaven;

For surely, though we know it not,

God's presence is in every spot,

To those who seek it given.

Then let us strive, and work, and wait,
As those who see that opened gate,
That glory in our night;

So that at last, through Christ the way,
We too may tread that land of day,
Where God, the Lord, is light.

L. R.

Paraphrase on Psalm lxxxiv.

LEASANT are Thy courts above,
SANT

In the land of light and love;
Pleasant are Thy courts below,
In this land of sin and woe,
Oh, my spirit longs and faints
For the converse of Thy saints;
For the brightness of Thy face,
King of glory, God of grace.

Happy birds that sing and fly
Round Thine altars, O most High!
Happier souls that find a rest
In a heavenly Father's breast!
Like the wandering dove that found

No repose on earth around,

They can to their ark repair,

And enjoy it ever there.

Happy souls, their praises flow

Ever in this vale of woe;