Ere the chandelier is lighted, Ere the day's last ray is gone, O'er me comes a fond remembrance Of the dear loved ones at home. Far above in arch of heaven Lamps are lighted one by one, But I only see the bright eyes Of the dear loved ones at home. Far away beyond the region Where I see those shining stars, Somewhere in the land of angels, Dwells a little boy of ours. Years ago one wintry evening Heaven's gate was opened wide, And an angel swift descended, With a sickle at his side. Paused he at our boy's low trundle In the evening twilight hour, Caught away his happy spirit To its home beyond the stars. How my heart adores the Giver Of all good o'er land and sea, But I praise him more than ever For the dear ones left to me. As I think of her he gave me In my happy youthful time, How he bound our hearts together At love's pure and sacred shrine; As I think of her this moment, Given me by love divine, Seems I almost feel the pressure Of her gentle hand in mine. In the arms of night I'm folded, Soon in dreamland I shall roam; Then I'll go and see the dear ones-- See the dear loved ones at home. VICTORY. When you are forgotten or neglected, or purposely set at naught, and you smile inwardly, glorying in the insult or the oversight, because thereby counted worthy to suffer with Christ--that is victory. When your good is evil spoken of, when your wishes are crossed, your taste offended, your advice disregarded, your opinions ridiculed, and you take it all in patient, loving silence--that is victory. When you are content with any food, any raiment, any climate, any society, any solitude, any interruption by the will of God--that is victory. When you can lovingly and patiently bear with any disorder, any irregularity, any unpunctuality, or any annoyance--that is victory. When you can stand face to face with waste, folly, extravagance, spiritual insensibility, and endure it all as Jesus endured it--that is victory. When you never care to refer to yourself in conversation or to record your own good works, or to itch after commendation, when you can truly love to be unknown--that is victory. When, like Paul, you can throw all your suffering on Jesus, thus converting it into a means of knowing his overcoming grace, and can say from a surrendered heart, "Most gladly," therefore, do "I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake"--that is victory. 2 Cor. 12:7-11. When death and life are both alike to you through Christ, and to do his perfect will, you delight not more in one than the other--that is victory, for, through him, you may become able to say, "Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life or by death." Phil. 1:20. "Death is swallowed up in victory." 1 Cor. 15:54. The perfect victory is to "put on the Lord Jesus Christ" and thus to triumph over one's self. Rom. 13:14.