peth the faithful, stricken
mother, and the bruised father bendeth his aching head;
where the bereft wife or husband, silent and alone, looks [10]
in dull despair at the vacant seat, and the motherless
little ones, wondering, huddle together, and repeat with
quivering lips words of strange import. May the great
Shepherd that "tempers the wind to the shorn lamb,"
and binds up the wounds of bleeding hearts, just comfort, [15]
encourage, and bless all who mourn.

Father, we thank Thee that Thy light and Thy love
reach earth, open the prison to them that are bound, con-
sole the innocent, and throw wide the gates of heaven.

Loyal Christian Scientists

Pen can never portray the satisfaction that you afforded
me at the grand meeting in Chicago of the National Chris-
tian Scientist Association in 1888. Your public and
private expressions of love and loyalty were very touch-
ing. They moved me to speechless thanks. [25]

Chicago is the wonder of the western hemisphere. The
Palmer House, where we stopped, is magnificent and
orderly. The servants are well-mannered, and the fare
is appetizing. The floral offerings sent to my apartments

[Page 276.]

were superb, especially the large book of rare flowers, and [1]
the crescent with a star.

The reception in the spacious rooms of the Palmer
House, like all else, was purely Western in its cordiality
and largeness. I did not hold interviews with all with [5]
whom I desired to, solely because so many people and
circumstances demanded my attention that my person-
ality was not big enough to fill the order; but rest as-
sured my heart's desire met the demand.

My students, our delegates, about one thousand Chris- [10]
tian Scientists, active, earnest, and loyal, formed a goodly
assemblage for the third convention of our National As-
sociation,--an assemblage found waiting and watching
for the full coming of our Lord and Christ.

In Christian Science the midnight hour will always be [15]
the bridal hour, until "no night is there." The wise
will have their lamps aglow, and light will illumine the
darkness.

Out of the gloom comes the glory of our Lord, and
His divine Love is found in affliction. When a false [20]
sense suffers, the true sense comes out, and the bride-
groom appears. We are then wedded to a purer, higher
affection and ideal.

I pray that all my students shall have their lamps
trimmed and burning at the noon of night, that not one [25]
of them b