THE

JANUARY I.

CIRCUMCISION OF CHRIST.

HE Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever
thou goest.-JOSH. i. 9.

Father of Love, our Guide, and Friend,
O lead us gently on,

Until life's trial-time shall end,

And heavenly peace be won!

We know not what the path may be

As yet by us untrod;

But we can trust our all to Thee,

Our Father, and our God!

W. J. IRONS.

In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall

direct thy paths.-PROV. iii. 6.

JANUARY 2.

PEAK unto the children of Israel, that they go forward.-Exod. xiv. 15.

S'

Cometh the future

Veiled and slow?
Go forth and greet her
For weal, or for woe!
Bringeth she gladness?
Praise thou the Lord!
Bringeth she sadness?
Bow to His word!

A. A. PROCTER.

Surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him.-ECCLES. viii. 12.

JANUARY 3.

N everything give thanks.—1 THESS. v. 18.

.IN

Give thanks in everything!

For all things work thy good;

Think'st thou thy Lord would evil bring

On the soul He bought with blood?

Thou wilt praise for all, ere long

Retraced by the light of Heaven,

But-hath faith in the dark, no trustful song
Ere open sight be given?

H. A. B.

Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have

believed.-ST. JOHN XX. 29.

I

JANUARY 4.

AM the Lord, I change not.—Mal. iii. 6.

O God, our help in ages past,

Our hope for years to come,

Be Thou our guard while life shall last,

And our eternal home.

WATTS.

I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.-HEB.

xiii. 5.

JANUARY 5.

E strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.-EPH. vi. 10.

BE

Be strong to hope, O Heart!
Though day is bright,

The stars can only shine

In the dark night.

Be strong, O Heart of mine,

Look towards the light.

A. A. PROCTER.

The Lord will give strength unto his people: the Lord will bless his people with peace.-PSA. xxix. II.

WH

JANUARY 6.

THE EPIPHANY.

WHERE is he that is born King of the Jews?
For we have seen his star in the east, and

are come to worship him.-ST. MATT. ii. 2.

Brightest and best of the sons of the morning,
Dawn on our darkness, and lend us thine aid ;
Star of the cast! the horizon adorning,

Guide where our infant Redeemer is laid.

BP. HEBER.

To give light to them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. -ST. LUKE 1. 79.

H

JANUARY 7.

E that is our God, is the God of salvation; and unto God the Lord belong the issues from death. PSA. lxviii. 20.

There is an hour when I must sink

Beneath the stroke of death;
And yield to Him, Who gave it first,
My struggling vital breath.

O Saviour, then, in all my need,
Be near, be near to me;

And let my soul by steadfast faith,
Find life, and heaven in Thee.

A. REED.

Fear thou not; for I am with thee; be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.-ISA. xli. 10.

JANUARY 8.

/HATSOEVER thy hand findeth to do, do it with

W thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor

knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave whither thou goest. -ECCLES. ix. 10.

How speaks the present hour? Act!
Walk upward glancing;

So shall thy footsteps in glory be tracked,
Slow, but advancing.

Scorn not the smallness of daily endeavour,
Let the great meaning ennoble it ever ;
Droop not o'er efforts expended in vain,
Work, as believing that labour is gain.

ANONYMOUS.

I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day the night cometh, when no man can work.ST. JOHN ix. 4.

:

IF

JANUARY 9.

F any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.-ST. MATT. xvi. 24.

A cross of gold, of silver, or of wood,

Or of mean straw, hid in each shape of life;
Some trial working for eternal good,

Found in the outward state, or inward strife.
Something to wean the soul from things of sense,
To higher aim the weak resolve to brace,
To train our thoughts to lowly penitence,

And bring us to the Cross, the Fount of Grace.
I. WILLIAMS.

O hold thou up my goings in thy paths: that my footsteps slip not.-PSA. xvii. 5.