I must needs be blest.

Meanwhile my spirit anchors calm
In grander regions still than this;
The fair, far-shining latitudes
Of that yet unexplored bliss.

Then may thy perfect glorious will
Be evermore fulfilled in me,
And make my life an answering chord
Of glad, responsive harmony.

Oh! it is life indeed to live
Within this kingdom strangely sweet;
And yet we fear to enter in,
And linger with unwilling feet.

We fear this wondrous will of thine
Because we have not reached thy heart.
Not venturing our all on thee
We may not know how good thou art.

--Jean Sophia Pigott.

Deep at the heart of all our pain,
In loss as surely as in gain,
His love abideth still.
Let come what will my heart shall stand
On this firm rock at his right hand,
"Father, it is thy will."

--John White Chadwick.

THE CARPENTER

O Lord! at Joseph's humble bench
Thy hands did handle saw and plane,
Thy hammer nails did drive and clench,
Avoiding knot, and humoring grain.

That thou didst seem thou _wast_ indeed,
In sport thy tools thou didst not use,
Nor, helping hind's or fisher's need,
The laborer's _hire_ too nice refuse.

Lord! might I be but as a saw,
A plane, a chisel in thy hand!
No, Lord! I take it back in awe,
Such prayer for me is far too grand.

I pray, O Master! let me lie,
As on thy bench the favored wood;
Thy saw, thy plane, thy chisel ply,
And work me into something good.

No! no! Ambition holy, high,
Urges for more than both to pray;
Come in, O gracious force, I cry,
O Workman! share my shed of clay.

Then I at bench, or desk, or oar,
With last, or needle, net, or pen,
As thou in Nazareth of yore,
Shall do the Father's will again.

--George Macdonald.

THE DIVINE MAJESTY

The Lord our God is clothed with might,
The winds obey his will;
He speaks, and in his heavenly height
The rolling sun stands still.

Rebel, ye waves, and o'er the land
With threatening aspect roar;
The Lord uplifts his awful hand,
And chains you to the shore.

Ye winds of night, your force combine;
Without his high behest,
Ye shall not, in the mountain pine,
Disturb the sparrow's nest.

His voice sublime is heard afa