And open Thou my lips, that this Thy praise
May take the place

Of lying words which might, if not withheld
My lips disgrace.

Open mine eyes, that they the wonders of
Thy law may see,

And turn them from beholding what is sin
And vanity.

Order my footsteps by Thy written Word,
Make it my guide,

And hold me up in Thy straight paths, that so
I may not slide.

Have pity on my ignorance, my God,

Teach me to pray,

And oh increase my faith, my little faith,
From day to day.

This daily prayer I humbly will direct,
Looking to Thee;

O Father, Son, and Spirit, Three in One,
Here bless Thou me.

CHAPTER III.

1872-1883.

THE INVALIDS' PRAYER UNION.

"And so the years flowed on, and only cast

Light, and more light, upon the shining way,
That more and more shone to the perfect day;
Always intenser, clearer than the past;

Because they bore her, on glad wing,

Nearer the Light of light, the Presence of her King."

"Zenith."

T last, after these many long years of

suffering and learning, and working and waiting in the solitude of her own room, the prepared work was placed in the hand of the prepared worker; for was not "Our Mary" God's workmanship, "created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them"? (Eph. ii. 10).

The following is her own account of the origin of the Invalids' Prayer Union :—

"It took its rise thus :-Having experienced the blessing and happiness of occasionally meeting in spirit with one or two sisters in Christ for the purpose of intercessory prayer, the idea of a more extended union, calculated to increase a spirit of Christ-like sympathy among the sick ones whom He loves, as well as a greater measure of strength and energy in His service, suggested itself to my mind. I communicated my thoughts to a very dear invalid friend, the late Hetty Bowman, last September. Her reply was: 'I have often had the same thoughts about some intercommunication among our invalids. But, after praying much about it, I feel I could not make room for it in my own rather too active life. I wish any one could be found to undertake it, who could give it the time it needs. It would amply repay, for I am sure it might be a ministry of blessing to many a lonely one. The only difficulty is, that the few invalids who can write at all, have probably already more to do in that line than they can manage. If it were not for this, I would really have sought to stir in the matter myself before now. Perhaps, as the Master has laid it upon your heart as well, He may send some one to do the work if we unitedly ask Him. If the thought be of Him, He will not let it fall fruitless,'

"Early in the present year, finding it impossible to abandon the idea, I sought the advice of a lady in London of some experience in association work.

"In the March number of the periodical, 'Woman's Work in the Great Harvest Field,' a portion of my letter was published without my knowledge. It had not appeared many days, till I received several letters addressed to the editor of Woman's Work,' and forwarded by her to me. They all, with one exception, responded heartily to the suggestion. The same idea seemed to have been formed in other minds besides my own, but no one offered at the time to do the whole work, though several made me kind offers of help.

"I therefore undertook the office of Secretary myself, hoping, by the Lord's strengthening grace, to be able, for a time at least, to carry it on; and in the May number of Woman's Work,' I invited to membership any invalids who might wish to join in a union for mutual intercessory prayer and praise.

"I have received many touching replies to this announcement, which plainly show that the way had been before prepared of the Lord. One member writes: My heart fondly and instantly responded to it. I feel as though the answer had been long prepared before the invitation came, for it came up so ready from my heart to say Yes.'"

The 17th of March was the birth-day of the Association. "It was," she writes :

"On the 17th of March, 1872, a poor girl living near Tunbridge Wells began with me our union for prayer, having previously presented herself as a member, in answer to the announcement which had appeared from me in 'Woman's Work in the Great Harvest Field.' At the noon hour of prayer, on Sunday, the 9th of February, the following year, the call came for her to enter the immediate presence of her Saviour, and she left the praying band of suffering saints here below to join the praising hosts above, whose song for ever shall be, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.""

Ten years later, in the last but one of her published letters, she reviews the history of the Association, and gives a fuller account of its origin :

"4th May, 1882.

"MY DEAR INVALID SISTERS,-On 17th March I was unable to do more than make the entry in my pocket-book, 'Our I.P.U. is ten years old to-day.' Words few and simple, yet, to me, full of significance. To an invalid, the completion of a decade of service