He Knows.

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HE KNOWS.

I know not what will befall me! God hangs a mist o'er

my eyes;

And o'er each step of my onward path He makes new scenes to rise,

And every joy He sends me comes as a sweet and glad surprise.

I see not a step before me, as I tread the days of the

year,

But the past is still in God's keeping, the future His mercy shall clear,

And what looks dark in the distance, may brighten as I draw near.

For perhaps the dreaded future has less bitterness than I think;

The Lord may sweeten the water before I stoop to

drink,

Or if Marah must be Marah, He will stand beside its

brink.

It may be there is waiting for the coming of my feet Some gift of such rare blessedness, some joy so strangely sweet,

That my lips can only tremble with the thanks I cannot speak.

O restful, blissful ignorance! 'Tis blessed not to know, It keeps me quiet in those arms which will not let me go, And hushes my soul to rest on the bosom that loves me

So.

So I go on not knowing! I would not if I might; I would rather walk on in the dark with God, than go alone in the light;

I would rather walk with Him by faith, than walk alone by sight.

My heart shrinks back from trials which the future may disclose,

Yet I never had a sorrow, but what the dear Lord chose; So I send the coming tears back, with the whispered word, "He knows."

Lord! at the closing of the year,
We turn our thoughts above,
Longing to render heartfelt thanks,

For all Thy wondrous love.

Throughout the year, we know that Thou
Hast guarded all our ways,
Unnumbered tokens of Thy love

Have crowned our peaceful days.

And though in sinfulness we strayed,
And did deserve Thy wrath;
Thy loving kindness followed us,

And brought us to the path.

And when because of Thy great love,
Afflictions thou didst send,

Thou wast Thyself the comforter,
The "present help" and Friend!

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A Christian's Triumph.

So Lord throughout the coming year,

O keep us near Thy side,

Thou knows't we cannot go alone
Be Thou our only guide!

T.

A CHRISTIAN'S TRIUMPH.

The following lines almost literally embody the last words of that aged Christian, Dr. Richard Hopkins, of Elkridge, Maryland.

"I know not I shall feel as now,
When Death's embrace,

Shall cast its shadow o'er my brow,
My form and face.

"I only know I feel within

The seal of peace

And trust that, undefiled by sin

When life shall cease,

"My soul, now filled with joy and love,
(0, can it be?)

Shall rise from earth to heaven above,

My Lord to see.

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A Christian's Triumph.

'My sins were like the billowy tide,
Many and deep ;—

I had no light, no hope, no guide,-
I could but weep.

""Twas then, even then, my Saviour's love Pure, full and free;

Bright sunbeam from the courts above

Shone over me.

"And all

my sins were washed away;
The heavens above,

Earth, trees, and flowers on that bright day
Seemed full of love.

"And God is love,' and I am His,

It is no dream,

Come, fellow-travellers, taste of this

Life giving stream.

"I feel no fear, a hero I

Am surely now;

This-this is Death-he draweth nigh,

How cold my brow!

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