nsations," will be seen to be wondrous parts of a
great connected whole,--the wheel within wheel of that complex
machinery, by which "all things" (yes, ALL things) are now working
together for good.

"Lazarus is dead!" The choicest tree in the earthly Eden has succumbed
to the blast. The choicest cup has been dashed to the ground. Some great
lights in the moral firmament have been extinguished. But God can do
without human agency. His Church can be preserved, though no Moses be
spared to conduct Israel over Jordan, and no Lazarus to tell the story
of his Saviour's grace and love, when other disciples have forsaken Him
and fled.

We may be calling, in our blind unbelief, as we point to some ruined
fabric of earthly bliss--some tomb which has become the grave of our
fondest affections and dearest hopes--"Shall the dust praise thee, shall
_it_ declare thy truth?" _Believe! believe!_ God will not give us back
our dead as He did to the Bethany sisters; but He will not deprive us of
aught we have, or suffer one garnered treasure to be removed, except for
His own glory and our good. _Now_ it is our province to _believe_ it--in
_Heaven_ we shall _see_ it. Before the sapphire throne we shall _see_
that not one redundant thorn has been suffered to pierce our feet, or
one needless sorrow to visit our dwelling, or tear to dim our eye. Then
our acknowledgment will be, "We have _known_ and _believed_ the love
which God hath to us."

"Oh, weep not though the beautiful decay,
Thy heart must have its autumn--its pale skies
Leading mayhap to winter's cold dismay.
Yet doubt not. Beauty doth not pass away;
His form departs not, though his body dies.
Secure beneath the earth the snowdrop lies,
Waiting the spring's young resurrection-day."[9]

Be it ours to have Jesus _with_ us, and Jesus _for_ us, in all our
afflictions. If we wish to insure these mighty solaces, we must not
suffer the hour of sorrow and bereavement to overtake us with a Saviour
till _then_ a stranger and unknown. St Luke tells us the secret of
Mary's faith and composure at her loved one's grave:--_She had, long
before her day of trial, learned to sit at her Redeemer's feet. It was
when in health Jesus was first resorted to and loved_.

In prosperity may our homes and hearts be gladdened with His footstep;
and when prosperity is withdrawn, and is succeeded by the dark and
cloudy day, may we know, like Martha and Mary, where to