No one with me to sympathise Or share with me my cares or joys When sore afflictions rack my frame And not one hope for me remains Even then forsaken and alone I vent my sighs and make my moan And tho, I greet the happy spring Yet sadness to my heart it brings. The Inscription to this is simply "Written after a Time of Affliction." I love the Lord, my strength, my tower, The Lord my rock and fortress is, My God my strength in whom I trust, My buckler and my hope of bliss. The Lord is worthy to be praised, He saves me from my enemies; Sorrow and death compass'd me round, Death and the grave made me afraid. I called upon the Lord and cried:-- My God, he heard my feeble voice, Out of His temple. Lo! He came And bade my broken heart rejoice. The earth shall tremble at His word, The hills shall fly at His command. He bows the heavens as their Lord And rides upon a Cherrub's wings. He will deliver me from sin, And set my soul at liberty, He will reward my righteousness, If from my God I do not stray. To a Sister on her Birthday. Your birthday my sweet sister, What shall my off'ring be, I've no rich gifts or treasures I can present to thee. But Oh! my sweetest sister, I raise a fervent prayer, For all thy future welfare While thou may'st sojourn here. May many happy birthdays Roll o'er thy peaceful head, In good old age may you lay down Your life among the dead. And may your soul ascend to God And reign with Him on high, And praise Him in that bright abode, Where pleasures never die. To a Minister on his Return after a long Absence. Dear Shepherd you've been wand'ring So long and far away Your sheep become disconsolate, Therefore have gone astray. Not so, the Mighty Shepherd, He ne'er forsakes His sheep, He leads them forth in pasture, So rich, so green, so sweet; He leads them to the fountains, Along the crystal stream-- They feed beside the mountains, Who put their trust in Him. Transcriber's Note: Archaic spellings and punctuation have been retained. End of Project Gutenberg's Memoirs of Mrs. Rebecca Steward, by T. G. Steward