e way.

--Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

MADE PERFECT THROUGH SUFFERING

I bless thee, Lord, for sorrows sent
To break my dream of human power;
For now, my shallow cistern spent,
I find thy founts, and thirst no more.

I take Thy hand, and fears grow still;
Behold thy face, and doubts remove;
Who would not yield his wavering will
To perfect Truth and boundless Love?

That Love this restless soul doth teach
The strength of thine eternal calm;
And tune its sad but broken speech
To join on earth the angel's psalm.

Oh, be it patient in thy hands,
And drawn, through each mysterious hour,
To service of thy pure commands,
The narrow way of Love and Power.

--Samuel Johnson.

GO NOT FAR FROM ME

Go not far from me, O my strength,
Whom all my times obey:
Take from me any thing Thou wilt,
But go not thou away--
And let the storm that does thy work
Deal with me as it may.

On thy compassion I repose,
In weakness and distress;
I will not ask for greater ease,
Lest I should love Thee less.
Oh 'tis a blessed thing for me
To need thy tenderness.

While many sympathizing hearts
For my deliverance care,
Thou, in thy wiser, stronger love,
Art teaching me to bear--
By the sweet voice of thankful song,
And calm, confiding prayer.

Thy love has many a lighted path,
No outward eye can trace,
And my heart sees thee in the deep,
With darkness on its face.
And communes with thee, 'mid the storm,
As in a secret place.

O Comforter of God's redeemed,
Whom the world does not see,
What hand should pluck me from the flood
That casts my soul on thee?
Who would not suffer pain like mine
To be consoled like me?

When I am feeble as a child,
And flesh and heart give way,
Then on thy everlasting strength
With passive trust I stay.
And the rough wind becomes a song,
The darkness shines like day.

O blessed are the eyes that see--
Though silent anguish show--
The love that in their hours of sleep
Unthanked may come and go.
And blessed are the ears that hear,
Though kept awake by woe.

Happy are they that learn, in thee--
Though patient suffering teach--
The secret of enduring strength
And praise t