urer, kinder--
Lord, so pray we every day;
Hear us in thy pity,
That we enter in at last
To the holy city.

--Mary Butler.

Better to have the poet's heart than brain,
Feeling than song; but, better far than both,
To be a song, a music of God's making.
Or but a table on which God's finger of flame,
In words harmonious of triumphant verse,
That mingles joy and sorrow, sets down clear
That out of darkness he hath called the light.
It may be voice to such is after given
To tell the mighty tale to other worlds.

--George Macdonald.

FREE FROM SIN

The bird let loose in eastern skies,
When hastening fondly home,
Ne'er stoops to earth her wing, nor flies
Where idle warblers roam;
But high she shoots through air and light
Above all low delay,
Where nothing earthly bounds her flight,
Nor shadow dims her way.

So grant me, God, from every care
And stain of passion free,
Aloft, through Virtue's purer air,
To hold my course to thee!
No sin to cloud, no lure to stay
My soul, as home she springs;
Thy sunshine on her joyful way,
Thy freedom in her wings!

--Thomas Moore.

A PRAYER

O that mine eyes might closed be
To what concerns me not to see;
That deafness might possess mine ear
To what concerns me not to hear;
That truth my tongue might always tie
From ever speaking foolishly;
That no vain thought might ever rest
Or be conceived within my breast;
That by each deed and word and thought
Glory may to my God be brought.
But what are wishes! Lord, mine eye
On Thee is fixed; to Thee I cry!
Wash, Lord, and purify my heart,
And make it clean in every part;
And when 'tis clean, Lord, keep it, too,
For that is more than I can do.

--Thomas Elwood, A. D. 1639.

THE ALTERED MOTTO

O the bitter shame and sorrow,
That a time could ever be
When I let the Saviour's pity
Plead in vain, and proudly answered,
"All of self, and none of Thee!"

Yet He found me; I beheld him
Bleeding on the accursed tree,
Heard him pray, "Forgive them, Father!"
And my wistful heart said faintly,
"Some of self and some of Thee."

Day by day his tender mercy,
Healing, helping, full and free,
Sweet and strong, and, ah! so patient,
Brought me lo