Far above that arch of gladness,
Far beyond these clouds of sadness,
Are the many mansions fair.
Far from pain and sin and folly,
In that palace of the holy,

I would find my mansion there!

Where the glory brightly dwelleth,
Where the new song sweetly swelleth,
And the discord never comes;
Where life's stream is ever laving,
And the palm is ever waving,

That must be the home of homes.

Where the Lamb on high is seated,
By ten thousand voices greeted,

Lord of lords, and King of kings,
Son of Man, they crown, they crown Him,
Son of God, they own, they own Him;
With His name the city rings.

Blessing, honour, without measure,
Heavenly riches, earthly treasure,
Lay we at His blessed feet.

Poor the praise that now we render,
Loud shall be our voices yonder,

When before His throne we meet.

BONAR.

"NOT KNOWING.”

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,

And 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.

Oh! blissful, happy ignorance! 'tis better not to know. It keeps me so still in the tender arms, that will not let

me go.

And hushes my soul to rest, on the bosom which loves

me so.

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

I would rather walk with Him by faith, than go 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."

PRAY FOR WHOM THOU LOVEST.

YES, pray for whom thou lovest; thou mayst vainly, idly seek

The fervid words of tenderness by feeble words to

speak.

Go, kneel before thy Father's throne, and meekly, humbly, there

Ask blessing for the loved one, in the silent hour of prayer.

Yes, pray for whom thou lovest; if uncounted wealth were thine

The treasures of the boundless deep, the riches of the mine

Thou couldst not to thy cherished friends a gift so dear impart

As the earnest benediction of a deeply loving heart.

Seek not the worldling's friendship, it shall droop and wane ere long,

In the cold and heartless glitter of the pleasure-loving throng;

But seek the friend who, when the prayer for him shall murmured be,

Breathes forth in faithful sympathy, a fervent prayer for thee.

And should thy flowery path of life become a path of pain,

The friendship formed in bonds like these thy spirit shall sustain ;

Years may not chill, nor change invade, nor poverty

impair,

The love that grew and flourished at the time of prayer. From "The Changed Cross."

THE MASTER'S VOICE.

MASTER-say on! Thy words are sweet
I hush my heart to hear.
I wait in silence for Thy voice

That is so true and clear.

It quiets all unrestful thought—
It stills the throbbing brain,

It soothes like hymn from mother-lips
The weary ache of pain.

Is it indeed the Master's voice?
It speaks in altered tone ;-

It bids me follow through the dark,
And bear my cross alone.

It bids me leave the pastures green
Where quiet waters flow-

And climb the rugged mountain height
That lieth cold in snow.

Oh no! not there.

My steps are weak

There are dear faces here

There are dear hands I clasp in mine

Dear voices in mine ear.

I cannot leave the sunny way
And take that heavy cross:
I cannot bear to wake and sleep
With bitter sense of loss.

Once more He speaks. No stern rebuke, No anger in the word

"Is it so hard to turn from all,

And walk with Me, thy Lord? I do not say the way is fair

For tear-dimmed eyes to see,-I only say through all its pain

Thine heart shall lean on Me.

"Come! thou hast never heard my voice
As thou shalt hear it now:

I have no words for brighter days
Like those the dark ones know,
I cannot speak them here; yet come-
The desert path lies bare,

But better far the wilderness

If I am with thee there."

H. B.