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O LOVE DIVINE
O Love Divine, that stooped to share Our sharpest pang, our bitterest tear, On Thee we cast each earth-born care: We smile at pain while Thou art near.
Though long the weary way we tread, And sorrow crown each lingering year; No path we shun, no darkness dread, Our hearts still whispering, Thou art near!
When drooping pleasure turns to grief, And trembling faith is changed to fear; The murmuring wind, the quivering leaf, Shall softly tell us, Thou art near!
On Thee we fling our burdening woe, O Love Divine, for ever dear; Content to suffer, while we know, Living and dying, Thou art near!
--_Oliver Wendell Holmes_.
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O MASTER, LET ME WALK WITH THEE
O Master, let me walk with Thee In lowly paths of service free; Tell me Thy secret; help me bear The strain of toil, the fret of care.
Help me the slow of heart to move By some clear winning word of love; Teach me the wayward feet to stay, And guide them in the homeward way.
Teach me Thy patience! still with Thee In closer, dearer company, In work that keeps faith sweet and strong, In trust that triumphs over wrong;
In hope that sends a shining ray Far down the future"s broadening way; In peace that only Thou canst give, With Thee, O Master, let me live!
--_Washington Gladden_.
(Used by the kind permission of the author.)
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THE ELIXIR
Teach me, my G.o.d and King, In all things Thee to see, And what I do in anything To do it as for Thee.
Not rudely, as a beast, To runne into an action, But still to make Thee prepossest And give it His perfection.
A man that looks on gla.s.se, On it may stay his eye, Or if he pleaseth, through it pa.s.se, And then the leav"n espie.
All may of Thee partake, Nothing can be so mean Which, with his tincture (for Thy sake), Will not grow bright and clean.
A servant with this clause Makes drudgery divine; Who sweeps a room, as for Thy laws, Makes that and th" action fine.
This is the famous stone That turneth all to gold, For that which G.o.d doth touch and own Cannot for lesse be told.
--_George Herbert_.
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I HEARD THE VOICE OF JESUS SAY
I heard the voice of Jesus say, "Come unto me and rest; Lay down, thou weary one, lay down Thy head upon my breast."
I came to Jesus as I was, Weary, and worn, and sad; I found in Him a resting place, And He has made me glad.
I heard the voice of Jesus say, "Behold, I freely give The living water: thirsty one, Stoop down, and drink, and live."
I came to Jesus, and I drank Of that life-giving stream; My thirst was quenched, my soul revived, And now I live in Him.
I heard the voice of Jesus say, "I am this dark world"s Light; Look unto me, thy morn shall rise, And all thy day be bright."
I looked to Jesus, and I found In Him my Star, my Sun; And in that light of life I"ll walk Till traveling days are done.
--_Horatius Bonar_.
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How, while He was still teaching and healing, many began to turn against Him, and He, seeing that He must suffer to save the people, took up the journey to the cross.
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PERSONS OF THE STORY.
_The LORD JESUS_.
_The Disciples_.
_A man born blind_.
_A woman who was a sinner_.
_A Syro-Phoenician woman and her daughter_.
_Lazarus_.
_Mary_.
_Martha_.
_Zaccheus_.
_Bartimeus_.
_Scribes, Pharisees, lawyers_.
_Afflicted people, little children, priests, officers_.
PLACES OF THE STORY.
_The Sea of Galilee_.
_A rich man"s feast_.
_The country to the north of Galilee_.
_Caesarea Philippi_.
_The "Mount of Transfiguration."_ _Bethany_.
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I
THE BEGINNING OF THE END
_How the Lord Jesus Tried to Turn the Minds of the People to Things Higher Than Crowns and Kingdoms, and How They Could Not Understand_.
When the Lord Jesus disappeared from the mult.i.tude, after he had fed them by the sea, they sought for him, and not finding him, they themselves got into the boats, and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.
And when they found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, "Rabbi, when earnest thou hither?"
Jesus answered them and said, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw signs, but because ye ate of the loaves, and were filled. Work not for the food which perisheth, but for the food which abideth unto eternal life, which the Son of man shall give unto you."