might, then let us pass above them all, and clearly look on God. Let us be on our guard and say, "As for me, I will call upon God, and the Lord shall save me."

REV. P. B. POWER.-'I wills' of the Psalms.

LXXXVII. THE SNOWDROPS.

WITHOUT, the dry leaves groan and shiver, The curtained sun in his cloud doth sleep, And through the chamber-casement ever Murmurs the roll of the distant deep.

By the maiden's side, on the couch, were lying, Blending their delicate green and white, Children of winter, half-closed and dying, Flowers that are born ere the spring is in sight.

Slowly she spake, in a voice of sorrow,-
"Gentle flower, yet live to-day,

But, when I shall have died, to-morrow
Droop ye, and wither, and fade away.

"Yet a few hours, then droop and wither; Silently fade and fall away;

Far from the sun we will rest together,

Shut from the sound of the moaning sea."

Ah, poor maid! nor father, nor mother
Soothe thy spirit, passing away;
Only my hands, the hands of a brother,
Gathered those snowdrops yesterday.

Why wilt thou take the heart I cherish?
Rightly, oh! Death, art thou called unkind!
Victims twain by this stroke have perished,
One in body, and one in mind.

66

LXXXVIII.-THE SLEEP.

The souls of them that sleep in the Lord Jesus enjoy perpetual rest and felicity."

Of all the thoughts of God, that are
Borne inward into souls afar,

Along the Psalmist's music deep-
Now tell me if there any is

For gift or grace surpassing this-
"He giveth His beloved sleep?"

What would we give to our beloved?
The hero's heart to be unmoved-

The poet's star-tuned harp to sweep—
The senate's shout for patriot vows-
The monarch's crown to light the brows?
"He giveth His beloved sleep."

What do we give to our beloved?
A little faith not all unproved-
A little dust to over weep-
And bitter memories, that make

The whole earth blasted for our sake!
"He giveth His beloved sleep."

Sleep soft, beloved! we sometimes say,
But have no power to charm away

Sad dreams that through the eyelids creep:

But never doleful dream again

Shall wake the happy slumber, when

"He giveth His beloved sleep!"

And, friends! dear friends, when it shall be That this low breath is gone from me,

When round my bier ye come to weep;

Let one, most loving of you all,
Say, "Not a tear must o'er her fall,
He giveth His beloved sleep."

E. B. BROWNING.

LXXXIX.

"As thy days, so shall thy strength be."-Deuteronomy xxxiii, 25.

IT is true that changes and vicissitudes will come-true that the heart which to-day is cheerful and happy, may to-morrow be wounded and bleeding,-true that the full cup, now held with gladness, may be dashed in pieces ere the lips have tasted the refreshing draught-true that the bright hope which, like a guiding star, allures the traveller onwards, may speedily be wrapped in pitchy gloom-but what then? To the child of God, there is a supply of strength to meet the hour of trial. He is not permitted to escape from the burden, the cross, the difficulty, but he is enabled to make his way through them all-to struggle with and finally

to overcome them. Many a time when the believer has been well-nigh crushed under the oppressive weight, when conscious that ordinary strength would not avail, he has cried unto the Lord, and a fresh supply of grace has been vouchsafed to meet the emergency, so that he could say with David, "I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord."

Pathway of Promise.

XC.-RUTH'S ENTREATY.

Ruth i. 16, 17.

DAUGHTER of Moab! through whose sacred

line

The world's Redeemer sprung-what lofty thoughts