Oh! blessed be the hand that gave—

Still blessed when it takes;

Blessed be he who smites to save-
Who heals the heart he breaks;
Perfect and true are all his ways,

Whom heaven adores and death obeys.

"Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by my name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee."-Isaiah 43:1, 2.

"The death and resurrection of the Son of God are steppingstones and a stay to you. Set down your feet by faith upon these stones, and go through, as on dry land."

Christ, of all my hopes the ground-
Christ, the spring of all my joy!
Still in thee let me be found,
Still for thee my powers employ.

Fountain of o'erflowing grace !
Freely from thy fullness give;
Till I close my earthly race,

Be it "Christ for me to live !"

Firmly trusting in thy blood,
Nothing shall my heart confound;
Safely I shall pass the flood,

Safely reach Immanuel's ground.

When I touch the blessed shore,

Back the closing waves shall roll;
Death's dark stream shall never more

Part from thee my ravished soul.

Thus, oh! thus an entrance give

To the land of cloudless skies;
Having known it "Christ to live,"
Let me know it “gain to die.”

"Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him." - Job 13:15.

"Sickness teaches us that activity of service is not the only way in which God is glorified. 'They also serve who only stand and wait.' Active duty is that which man judges most acceptable; but God shows us that in bearing and suffering he is also glorified."

Faith almost changes into sight
When from afar she spies
Her fair inheritance in light
Above created skies.

Had but the prison walls been strong,
And firm, without a flaw,

In darkness she had dwelt too long,
And less of glory saw.

But now the everlasting hills

Through every chink appear;
And something of the joy she feels
While she's a prisoner here.

The beams of heaven rush sweetly in
At all the gaping flaws;

Visions of endless bliss are seen,

And native air she draws.

Oh! may these walls stand tottering still,
The breaches never close;

If I must here in darkness dwell,
And all this glory lose!

Or rather let this flesh decay,

The ruins wider grow;

Till, glad to see th' enlargéd way,

I stretch my pinions through!

"Wait on the Lord be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.-Ps. 27: 14'

"God could give you health; to give you health would be a little thing; compared with giving you Christ. Surely, if he does not give you health, the reason must be that he sees it best to appoint you sickness. Doubt not his love who gave you a Saviour."

Father, whate'er of earthly bliss
Thy sovereign will denies,
Accepted at thy throne of grace
Let this petition rise:

Give me a calm and thankful heart,.
From every murmur free ;
The blessings of thy grace impart,

And let me live to thee.

Let the sweet hope that thou art mine
My life and death attend;

Thy presence through my journey shine,

And crown my journey's end.

"And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely."-Rev. 22:17.

"What do we here but sin and suffer? Oh! when shall the night be gone, the shadows flee away, and the morning of that long, long day, without cloud or night, dawn! The Spirit and the bride say, Come. Oh! when shall the Lamb's wife be ready, and the bridegroom say, Come!"

With tearful eyes I look around,

Life seems a dark and stormy sea;
Yet midst the gloom I hear a sound,
A heavenly whisper-" Come to me!"

It tells me of a place of rest;

It tells me where my soul may flee!
Oh! to the weary, faint, opprest,

How sweet the bidding-" Come to me!"

When the poor heart with anguish learns
That earthly props resigned must be,
And from each broken cistern turns,

It hears the accents-" Come to me."

When nature shudders, loth to part

From all I love, enjoy, and see;
When a faint chill steals o'er my heart,
A sweet voice utters-"Come to me."

"Come, for all else must fail and die;

Earth is no resting-place for thee;
Heavenward direct thy weeping eye;
I am thy portion-Come to me."

O voice of mercy! voice of love!
In death's last fearful agony,
Support me, cheer me, from above,

And gently whisper-" Come to me."

"Leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation."-Ps. 27:9.

"The chastened spirit must find peace in believing, not that he is the best of men, but that he is the 'chief of sinners ;' not in holding fast his integrity, but in repenting in dust and ashes."

O thou God who hearest prayer,
Every hour and every where!
Listen to my feeble breath,
Now I touch the gates of death ;
For his sake, whose blood I plead,
Hear me in my hour of need,

Hear and save me, gracious Lord!
For my trust is in thy word;
Wash me from the stain of sin,
That thy peace may rule within.
May I know myself thy child,
Ransomed, pardoned, reconciled.

Dearest Lord, may I so much
As thy garment's hem but touch,
Or but raise my languid eye
To the cross where thou didst die,
It shall make my spirit whole,
It shall heal and save my soul.