Whate'er the care which breaks thy rest,
Whate'er the wish that swells thy breast,—
Spread before God that wish that care,
And change anxiety to prayer.

The Race.

"O Lord, raise up, we pray Thee, Thy power, and come among us, and with great might succour us; that whereas through our sins and wickedness, we are sore let and hindered in running the race that is set before us, Thy bountiful grace and mercy may speedily help and deliver us."

R

AISE up Thy power, we pray Thee, Lord,

And come among us now,

And succour us, the tempted ones,

'Neath our sins' weight who bow ;

For we are let and hindered sore
In our appointed race;

A close-wrapped garment folds us round,
A veil is on our face.

Help, help us, Lord: take speedily

This clinging garb away,

And wash us clean in Thy pure fount,
Beneath the light of day;

R

And pour on us Thy holy oil,

Thy sweet soul-healing balm,

So we may run the race right well,

And win the victor's palm.

Then Thou, our Judge, wilt crown our brows

With an unfading wreath,

And we shall give Thee glory then,

Thy rainbowed throne beneath;

And drink with Thee the wine of heaven,

The joy of all the blest;

And serve Thee truly day and night,

In working as in rest.

Thou wert the first this race to run:
It was a thorny path,

And many a stone of stumbling set
Man's sin and Satan's wrath;
But Thou didst gather up the thorns
And bind them on Thy brow,

And give Thy Gospel's peace to keep
Our feet from stumbling low.

We run the race the prize to win:

Oh, let our hearts be pure

And strong, when Thou hast turned them tow'rd

The mansions that endure !

So shall our sins' weight more and more
Be lightened every day,

Though long it cling and close it fold,

At length it falls away.

M. G. TAYLOR.

Written in a Bible: A Present to a Godchild.

KING for earthly wisdom prayed;

God gave the boon he sought:
That King God's law still disobeyed,-

He knew, and did it not.

Ask thou, my child, a better boon:

The wisdom from above;

Nor think thy morn of life too soon

To learn a Saviour's love.

But ask not skill to understand
The deep and curious lore

With which too many a reckless hand
Hath glossed these pages o'er:

Pray for what passeth human skill,-
The power God's will to do:

Read thou, that thou may'st do His will,

And thou shalt know it too.

And what if much be still unknown?
Thy Lord will teach thee that

When thou shalt stand before His throne,
Or sit as Mary sat.

Wait and He will Himself disclose
Things now beyond our reach :
And listen not, my child, to those
Who the Lord's secrets teach;

Who teach thee more than He has taught,
Tell more than He revealed,

Preach tidings that He never brought,

And read what He left sealed.

The Stranger.

HINDS.

"Love ye therefore the stranger: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt."

HE stranger's heart,-oh, wound it not!

A yearning language is its lot;

In the green shadow of thy tree,

The stranger finds no rest with thee.

Thou think'st the vine's low rustling leaves
Glad music round thy household eaves;
To him that sound hath sorrow's tone:
The stranger's heart is with his own.

Thou think'st thy children's laughing play
A lovely sight at fall of day;

Then are the stranger's thoughts opprest:
His mother's voice comes o'er his breast.

Thou think'st it sweet when friend with friend
Beneath one roof in prayer may bend;
Then doth the stranger's eye grow dim:
Far, far are those who prayed with him.

Thy hearth, thy house, thy vintage land,
The voices of thy kindred band;
Oh, mid'st all these, while blest thou art,
Deal gently with the stranger's heart!

MRS. HEMANS.