O blessed ministry of pain! 
      To teach the soul its real worth;
    To lead it to that source again,
      From whence it first derived its birth.

“By faith ye are saved.”

    Christian! when, overwhelmed with grief and care,
      Thou prayest for the help that thou dost need,
      As shipwrecked mariner for life will plead,
    O, then for faith pour forth the fervent prayer! 
    ’Tis faith alone life’s heavy ills can bear. 
      O, mark her calm, far-seeing, quickening eye,
      Full of the light of immortality! 
      It tells of worlds unseen, and calls us there;
      That look of hers can save thee from despair.

    When sorrow, like thick darkness, gathers round,
      And all life’s flowers are fading in the dust,
    Faith lifts our drooping vision from the ground,—­
      Says, that the hand that smites us yet is just;
    That human agony hath ever found
      The mighty God a never-failing trust.

EVENING PRAYER.

    Great Source of being,
    Father all-seeing! 
    We bow before thee;
    Our souls adore thee;
    Help us obey thee;
    Guide us aright;
    Keep us, we pray thee,
    Through the long night.

    Thou kind, forgiving
    God of all living,
    Thy power defend us,
    Thy peace attend us,
    While we are closing
    This day in prayer,
    Ever reposing
    Under thy care.

EVENING HYMN.

    Before I close my eyes to-night,
      Let me myself these questions ask:—­
    Have I endeavoured to do right,
      Nor thought my duty was a task?

    Have I been gentle, lowly, meek,
      And the small voice of conscience heard? 
    When passion tempted me to speak,
      Have I repressed the angry word?

    Have I with cheerful zeal obeyed
      What my kind parents bid me do,
    And not by word or action said
      The thing that was not strictly true?

    In hard temptation’s troubled hour,
      Then have I stopped to think and pray,
    That God would give my soul the power
      To chase the sinful thought away?

    O Thou who seest all my heart,
      Wilt thou forgive and love me still! 
    Wilt thou to me new strength impart,
      And make me love to do thy will!

LINES WRITTEN AT MIDNIGHT.

Translated from the German of A.G.  Eberhard.

    The sun in smiles doth dress his face,
    As evening comes to take his place;
    So looks the parting loved-one, when
    He means to quickly come again.

    With moon and stars all sparkling bright,
    Advances now the silent night;
    And with the calm and gentle moon,
    Sweet peace doth quietly come on.