ok them from me, one by one,
The things I set my heart upon;
They looked so harmless, fair, and blest;
Would they have hurt me? God knows best.
He loves me so, he would not wrest
Them from me if it were not best.

He took them from me, one by one,
The friends I set my heart upon.
O did they come, they and their love,
Between me and my Lord above?
Were they as idols in my breast?
It may be. God in heaven knows best.

I will not say I did not weep,
As doth a child that wants to keep
The pleasant things in hurtful play
His wiser parent takes away;
But in this comfort I will rest:
He who hath taken knoweth best.

THE ONLY SOLACE

O Thou who driest the mourner's tear,
How dark this world would be
If, when deceived and wounded here,
We could not fly to thee!

The friends who in our sunshine live
When winter comes are flown;
And he who has but tears to give
Must weep those tears alone.

But Thou wilt heal that broken heart
Which, like the plants that throw
Their fragrance from the wounded part,
Breathes sweetness out of woe.

O who could bear life's stormy doom
Did not Thy wing of love
Come brightly wafting through the gloom
Our peace-branch from above!

Then sorrow, touched by Thee, grows bright
With more than rapture's ray;
As darkness shows us worlds of light
We never saw by day.

--Thomas Moore.

CONSOLATION

If none were sick and none were sad
What service could we render?
I think if we were always glad
We scarcely could be tender.
Did our beloved never need
Our patient ministration
Earth would grow cold, and miss indeed
Its sweetest consolation.
If sorrow never claimed our heart,
And every wish were granted,
Patience would die and hope depart--
Life would be disenchanted.

Banish far from me all I love,
The smiles of friends, the old fireside,
And drive me to that home of homes,
The heart of Jesus crucified.

Take all the light away from earth,
Take all that men can love from me;
Let all I lean upon give way,
That I may lean on naught but Thee.

--Frederick William Faber.

PERFECT THROUGH SUFFERING

God never would send you the darkness
If he felt you could bear the light;
But you woul