Part 65

J. MARTINEAU.

August 29

Am I my brother's keeper?--GEN. iv. 9.

Because I held upon my selfish, road, And left my brother wounded by the way, And called ambition duty, and pressed on-- O Lord, I do repent.

SARAH WILLIAMS.

How many are the sufferers who have fallen amongst misfortunes along the wayside of life! "By chance" we come that way; chance, accident, Providence, has thrown them in our way; we see them from a distance, like the Priest, or we come upon them suddenly, like the Levite; our business, our pleasure, is interrupted by the sight, is troubled by the delay; what are our feelings, what our actions towards them? "Who is thy neighbor?" It is the sufferer, wherever, whoever, whatsoever he be. Wherever thou hearest the cry of distress, wherever thou seest any one brought across thy path by the chances and changes of life (that is, by the Providence of God), whom it is in thy power to help,--he, stranger or enemy though he be,--he is thy neighbor.

A. P. STANLEY.

August 30

Walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love.--EPH. iv. 1, 2.

Help us, O Lord, with patient love to bear Each other's faults, to suffer with true meekness; Help us each other's joys and griefs to share, But let us turn to Thee alone in weakness.

ANON.

You should make a special point of asking God every morning to give you, before all else, that true spirit of meekness which He would have His children possess. You must also make a firm resolution to practise yourself in this virtue, especially in your intercourse with those persons to whom you chiefly owe it. You must make it your main object to conquer yourself in this matter; call it to mind a hundred times during the day, commending your efforts to God. It seems to me that no more than this is needed in order to subject your soul entirely to His will, and then you will become more gentle day by day, trusting wholly in His goodness. You will be very happy, my dearest child, if you can do this, for God will dwell in your heart; and where He reigns all is peace. But if you should fail, and commit some of your old faults, do not be disheartened, but rise up and go on again, as though you had not fallen.

ST. FRANCIS DE SALES.

August 31

Now therefore keep thy sorrow to thyself, and bear with a good courage that which hath befallen thee.--2 ESDRAS x. 15.

Go, bury thy sorrow, The world hath its share; Go, bury it deeply, Go, hide it with care. Go, bury thy sorrow, Let others be blest; Go, give them the sunshine, And tell God the rest.

ANON.

Our veiled and terrible guest [Trouble] brings for us, if we will accept it, the boon of fortitude, patience, self-control, wisdom, sympathy, faith. If we reject that, then we find in our hands the other gift,--cowardice, weakness, isolation, despair. If your trouble seems to have in it no other possibility of good, at least set yourself to bear it like a man. Let none of its weight come on other shoulders. Try to carry it so that no one shall even see it. Though your heart be sad within, let cheer go out from you to others. Meet them with a kindly presence, considerate words, helpful acts.

G. S. MERRIAM.

September 1

Let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to Him in welldoing, as unto a faithful Creator.--I PETER iv. 19.

The Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.--JAMES v. 11.

On Thy compassion I repose In weakness and distress: I will not ask for greater ease, Lest I should love Thee less; Oh, 'tis a blessed thing for me To need Thy tenderness.

A. L. WARING.

Oh, look not at thy pain or sorrow, how great soever; but look from them, look off them, look beyond them, to the Deliverer! whose power is over them, and whose loving, wise, and tender spirit is able to do thee good by them. The Lord lead thee, day by day, in the right way, and keep thy mind stayed upon Him, in whatever befalls thee; that the belief of His love and hope in His mercy, when thou art at the lowest ebb, may keep up thy head above the billows.

ISAAC PENINGTON

September 2

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.--MATT. v. 6.