MARCUS AURELIUS.
Eternal Spirit of Love, teach us the power of love. Help us to learn that love is supreme, and hence envieth not, nor vaunteth itself, nor seeketh its own, but suffereth long and is kind. We, who in Jesus of Nazareth have seen the glory of Thy likeness and experienced the sweetness of Thy love, desire like Him to reveal Thee in our lives, to be loving and gentle, sincere and generous, to cooperate with friend and stranger in all that is good, to live so that they can work with us for the advancement of everything righteous. Fill us, therefore, with Thy spirit, and send us forth today in Thy service. Amen.
WILLIAM W. GUTH.
August 2
_"G.o.d!" let the torrents, like a shout of nations, Answer! and let the ice-plain echo, "G.o.d!"
"G.o.d!" sing, ye meadow streams, with gladsome voice Ye pine groves, with your soft and soul-like sounds!
And they, too have a voice, yon piles of snow, And in their perilous fall shall thunder, "G.o.d!"_
_Ye living flowers that skirt the eternal frost!
Ye wild goats sporting round the eagle"s nest!
Ye eagles, playmates of the mountain storm!
Ye lightnings, the dread arrows of the clouds!
Ye signs and wonders of the elements!
Utter forth "G.o.d!" and fill the hills with praise!_
SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE.
Heavenly Father, how long have Thy servants thirsted after Thee--Thou spring of everlasting life! In this land of our home the meditations of ages surround us, and through the treasured thoughts of the wise in many generations we are lifted into a light beyond the solitary soul.
Countless are Thy witnesses, Eternal G.o.d! the stars without number are but a little part of them; and the prayers and aspirings of every heart of man can never cease to speak Thee. Humbled and blind amid Thy manifold glories, may we find rest in the simplicity of Christ, and be among the pure in heart who alone can see Thee. Amen.
JAMES MARTINEAU.
August 3
_O G.o.d, my master G.o.d, look down and see If I am making what Thou wouldst of me.
Fain might I lift my hands up in the air From the defiant pa.s.sion of my prayer; Yet here they grope on this cold altar stone, Graving the words I think I should make known.
Mine eyes are Thine. Yea, let me not forget, Lest with unstaunched tears I leave them wet, Dimming their faithful power, till they not see Some small, plain task that might be done for Thee.
My feet, that ache for paths of flowery bloom, Halt steadfast in the straitness of this room.
Though they may never be on errands sent, Here shall they stay, and wait Thy full content.
And my poor heart, that doth so crave for peace, Shall beat until Thou bid its beating cease.
So, Thou dear master G.o.d, look down and see Whether I do Thy bidding heedfully._
ALICE BROWN.
O G.o.d, our Heavenly Father, from whom cometh to us again this gift of life, may we be able to use as Thou wouldst have us the fresh revelation and energy of each morning hour. May we be helped to see more clearly that task with all its blessings, which Thou placest within our reach today. Freshen our souls anew with the coming sunlight and quicken our will that we may perceive and fulfil our present duty gladly, eagerly, successfully, however humble in the spirit of those who remember that if done for Thy sake and beneath Thy laws even servile labors shine. Amen.
HOBART CLARK.
August 4
_We thank Thee for all that Thou hast made, and that Thou hast called it Good! We thank Thee! We enter into Thy work, and go about Thy business._
EDWARD EVERETT HALE.
_O, it is great, and there is no other greatness. To make some work of G.o.d"s creation a little fruitfuller, better, more worthy of G.o.d; to make some human hearts a little wiser, manfuller, happier,--more blessed, less accursed,--it is a work for G.o.d._
THOMAS CARLYLE.
Heavenly Father, we would begin the day with n.o.ble purpose; may we scorn all meanness, and lift up our heads unto the Lord as men who have a great expectation. Our hope is in a living G.o.d; Thou wilt not allow our life to wander into darkness; if for a small moment we are forsaken, we shall be gathered with ineffable and everlasting mercies. In the confidence of Thy presence, in the a.s.surance of Thy sustaining grace, we look steadfastly to heaven, and then we look hopefully to earth, and we know that, having begun the day with prayer and praise and pious expectancy, its hours shall all be gladdened and its even-tide shall be a benediction. Guide us with Thine eyes; sustain us by Thy mighty power; keep us this day without sin. Amen.
JOSEPH PARKER.
August 5
_The scenery around your house may be monotonous, without a mountain or sea or lake or hill; but an upward look at the clear sky will put you in instant communication with infinite beauty and majesty. No spot on earth is common or barren over which the skies bend in solemn silence. No human life need be barren or common which is connected by the great network of moral law with any other being._
J. H. CARLISLE.
Our G.o.d and Father, the author of beauty, the rewarder of all them that seek Thee, we, Thy children, come to Thee at the opening of this new day. May we have hearts so pure that we shall see Thee; minds so open that we shall talk with Thee; and lives so true that we shall reveal Thee. Let toil become to us as a sacrament. Reveal to us the beauty of life as well as of holiness and help us to live with upturned faces, so that we may catch the glory of Thy presence, and reflect it to all around us. May we walk with Thee, thinking Thy thoughts, having Thy visions of beauty and of life. When life"s evening shall come gather us in Thine arms of love to be with Thee in the home which Thou hast prepared for us and hast beautified with earth"s fairest treasures through Jesus Christ, Our Lord. Amen.
JOHN GALBRAITH.
August 6
_How good is man"s life, the mere living! How fit to employ All the heart and the soul and the senses forever in joy!_
ROBERT BROWNING.
_I am glad to think I am not bound to make the world go right; But only to discover and to do, With cheerful heart, the work that G.o.d appoints.
I will trust in Him, That He can hold His own; and I will take His will, above the work He sendeth me, to be my chiefest good._
JEAN INGELOW.
Our Heavenly Father, all Thy works prove Thy goodness; the world Thou givest us is good; the powers with which Thou dost endow us are adapted to deeds of goodness. We know full well that we do evil as well as good.
Some of our days close in sadness.... At the beginning of this day we pledge ourselves to try harder than ever to do something good, to make somebody happy, to keep our minds filled with pure thoughts, to set our ambitions on worthy objects; and we pray that Thou who art "the Power not ourselves that makes for righteousness" shalt work with us that through our effort and Thy help the day shall end in joy and peace.
Amen.
LEE S. MCCOLLESTER.
August 7
_Our lives are songs; G.o.d writes the words, And we set them to music at pleasure; And the song grows glad, or sweet, or sad, As we choose to fashion the measure.
We must write the music, whatever the song, Whatever its rhyme or metre; And if it is sad, we can make it glad, Or, if sweet, we can make it sweeter._
ELLA WHEELER WILc.o.x.
We thank Thee, O G.o.d, that Thou hast made us responsive to all the beauty and gladness about us, and that we may make our lives one grand, sweet song. We know there is much that may spoil the song. But we thank Thee, that if we follow the great Leader, we can change all discordant notes into harmony. Help us through Him to tune our lives into accord with Thine. Especially may we live in peace with each other. Make us strong to return good for evil, to meet irritability with patience, unkindness with gentleness and harsh words with quiet speech. So may our lives "be filled with music, and the cares that infest the day, shall fold their tents like the Arabs, and as silently steal away." Amen.
JAMES M. PAYSON.