Armed with the spirit of my Master's mind, How shall I spare a thought that He would

slay?

Lord, I would leave those things which are behind,

And press towards Heaven through all the narrow way.

Bright be my prospect as I pass along;
An ardent service at the cost of all,-
Love by untiring ministry made strong,
And ready for the first, the softest call.

Yes, God is faithful-and my lot is cast;
Oh, not myself to serve, my own to be!
Light of my life, the darkness now is past,
And I beneath the Cross can work for Thee.

XXVIII.

"He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal."-JOHN xii. 25.

SWEET be Thy words of sternest truth,
My risen Lord, to me!

Hid in the secret of my heart

Their deepest treasure be;

That I may comprehend the joy

Of sacrifice for Thee.

And softly let the light of life
Before Thy servant shine,

That through the gloom, with steadfast
will,

My soul may follow Thine,-
Calm in the depth of one desire,
And strong in one design.

But never let me think I see
Thy Heavenly things aright,
Unless the single eye of love.

Fill my whole mind with light,
And to be like Thee in Thy death
Seen glorious* in my sight.

*2 PETER i. 3.

That willing sacrifice of Thine
My meditation make,

Till to the true delight of life

My soul with songs awake,And all that spoils me of myself Be treasure for Thy sake.

The tenderest heart Thy hands have made Beneath Thy rule may rest;

For he who made it for Himself

Knows what will shield it best:

The feeblest lover of Thy law
Dwells safely in thy breast.

Now through a strait and painful way
My weary feet must press;
But what shall hurt the struggling soul
Which Thou hast died to bless,
Or prompt a spirit to complain

That knows its blessedness!

Nor seems it strange to one who weighs

The joy of liberty,

This death of suffering to himself,

This life of love to Thee,

Which gives the lowly power to reign

And makes the servant free.

Lord, I can drink Thy bitter cup,

Thy fiery trial share;

I can deny myself for Thee,
And for thy glory care.

Only the unction of Thy love,
With every cross be mine;
Till these Thy words,-so firm to gird,
So searching to refine,—

Be sweet unto Thy servant's soul
Even as they are to Thine.

XXIX.

"It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with Him, we shall also live with Him: If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him." 2 TIMOTHY ii. 11, 12.

"Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."-2 Cor. xii. 9.

COMPASSED about with songs, my soul was still,
But not for lack of light its bliss to see;
Thy heart, my Father, could the temple fill,
And its deep silence was a song to Thee.

My mind reposed in its captivity,

By the clear evidence of love subdued;

I was content to die, that I might be
Redeemed for ever from my solitude.
All that was in me to Thy throne aspired,
Longed for Thy heavenly glory to be meet;
Devotion was the joy to be desired,

And the one thought of sacrifice was sweet.

But He who knew my frame was training me For service needing strength that cannot wane,

And teaching me my frail mortality

By solemn reckonings of the weight of pain. I in my weakness-how was I to reign,

When suffering was the only way to power? And would my spirit in His strength remain, When watching was a strife for one short hour?

Could I with steadfast heart myself deny? Could I with patient love the Cross endure? Should I be every day content to die,

To keep my daily life in Him secure?

Then with fresh sweetness, from the saints in light,

One song of victory to my soul made known How the hid treasure of the Church's might Was in the power of her Beloved alone. And then Thy glory to my heart was shown, Even as the glory of the blest above;