3 In heaven, and earth, and air, and seas, He executes his firm decrees; And by his saints it stands confessed That what he does is ever best. 629. C. M. Burder's Coll. Rejoicing in Adversity. 1 What though no flowers the fig-tree clothe Though vines their fruit deny, The labor of the olive fail, And fields no meat supply;-- 2 Though from the fold, with sad surprise, My flock cut off I see; Though famine reign in empty stalls, Where herds were wont to be;-- 3 Yet in the Lord will I be glad, And glory in his love; In him I'll joy, who will the God Of my salvation prove. 4 God is the treasure of my soul, The source of lasting joy-- A joy which want shall not impair, Nor death itself destroy. 630. C. M. Anonymous. "Blessed are they that mourn." 1 In trouble and in grief, O God, Thy smile hath cheered my way; And joy hath budded from each thorn That round my footsteps lay. 2 The hours of pain have yielded good, Which prosperous days refused; As herbs, though scentless when entire, Spread fragrance when they're bruised. 3 The oak strikes deeper as its boughs By furious blasts are driven; So life's vicissitudes the more Have fixed my heart in heaven. 4 All-gracious Lord! whate'er my lot In other times may be, I'll welcome still the heaviest grief, That brings me near to thee. 631. L. M. Bowring. God Merciful in Affliction. 1 Mysterious are the ways of God, And fear and blindness oft repine; We murmur 'neath his chastening rod, Because we read not his design. 2 Impending clouds his love has spread O'er this low vale where mortals dwell; And oft we mourn his spirit fled, When adverse tempests round us swell. 3 But in those storms that sometimes roll, Our mortal dwellings dark above, Whose threatening shades dismay the soul, Dwells the bright presence of his love. 4 We cannot see him--not a ray Of all his glory there appears, And oft we thread our darkened way, Trembling with anxious doubts and fears. 5 Yet faith still looks beyond the gloom, While hope's bright star illumes our night; Pilgrims of earth! though dark the tomb, It leads to scenes of bliss and light. 632. C. M. Moore. "He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds." 1 O Thou who driest the mourner's tear, How dark this world would be, If, when deceived and wounded here, We could not fly to thee! 2 But thou wilt heal that broken heart, Which like the plants that throw Their fragrance from the wounded part, Breathes sweetness out of woe.