vens glow with the
dawning of eternal day, and like the melody of angel songs, the words fall
upon the ear, "Stand fast to your allegiance. Help is coming." Christ, the
almighty victor, holds out to His weary soldiers a crown of immortal
glory; and His voice comes from the gates ajar: "Lo, I am with you. Be not
afraid. I am acquainted with all your sorrows; I have borne your griefs.
You are not warring against untried enemies. I have fought the battle in
your behalf, and in My name you are more than conquerors."

The precious Saviour will send help just when we need it. The way to
heaven is consecrated by His footprints. Every thorn that wounds our feet
has wounded His. Every cross that we are called to bear, He has borne
before us. The Lord permits conflicts, to prepare the soul for peace. The
time of trouble is a fearful ordeal for God's people; but it is the time
for every true believer to look up, and by faith he may see the bow of
promise encircling him.

"The redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing unto Zion;
and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness
and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away. I, even I, am He that
comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldst be afraid of a man that
shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass; and
forgettest the Lord thy Maker; ... and hast feared continually every day
because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy? and
where is the fury of the oppressor? The captive exile hasteneth that he
may be loosed, and that he should not die in the pit, nor that his bread
should fail. But I am the Lord thy God, that divided the sea, whose waves
roared: the Lord of hosts is His name. And I have put My words in thy
mouth, and I have covered thee in the shadow of Mine hand."(1086)

"Therefore hear now this, thou afflicted, and drunken, but not with wine:
Thus saith thy Lord Jehovah, and thy God that pleadeth the cause of His
people, Behold, I have taken out of thine hand the cup of trembling, even
the dregs of the cup of My fury; thou shalt no more drink it again: but I
will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee; which have said to
thy soul, Bow down, that we may go over: and thou hast laid thy body as
the ground, and as the street, to them that went over."(1087)

The eye of God, looking down the ages, was fixed upon the crisis which His
people are to meet, when earthly powers shall be