Faith fails; Then cometh fear, If sickness comes, if death is near. O man, why is it, when the times are bad And the days evil, that thy face is sad? How is it that thy courage quails? It must be this: Faith fails. My God! Let my faith be Living, and working actively With hope and joy, that death may not surprise. So let them sweetly close my eyes; The Christian's life to death may yield-- Hope stands; faith has the field. --S. C. Schoener. LOOKING UNTO GOD I look to Thee in every need, And never look in vain; I feel thy strong and tender love, And all is well again: The thought of thee is mightier far Than sin and pain and sorrow are. Discouraged in the work of life, Disheartened by its load, Shamed by its failures or its fears, I sink beside the road; But let me only think of Thee, And then new heart springs up in me. Thy calmness bends serene above My restlessness to still; Around me flows thy quickening life, To nerve my faltering will; Thy presence fills my solitude; Thy providence turns all to good. Embosomed deep in Thy dear love, Held in thy law, I stand; Thy hand in all things I behold, And all things in thy hand; Thou leadest me by unsought ways, And turn'st my mourning into praise. --Samuel Longfellow. FAITH If I could feel my hand, dear Lord, in thine, And surely know That I was walking in the light divine Through weal or woe; If I could hear thy voice in accents sweet But plainly say, To guide my groping, wandering feet, "This is the way;" I would so gladly walk therein; but now I cannot see. Oh, give me, Lord, the faith to humbly bow And trust in thee! There is no _faith_ in seeing. Were we led Like children here, And lifted over rock and river-bed, No care, no fear, We should be useless in the busy throng; Life's work undone; Lord, make us brave and earnest, true and strong, Till heaven is won. --Sarah Knowles Bolton. DOUBTING NOTHING Acts 10. 9-20. Not to thy saints of old alone dost Thou In heavenly trance make known thy perfect will, But to each hungry soul thy love would fill-- Descending out of heaven, we wist not how-- Comes by thy grace the holy vision now; While we whose hearts should with the message thrill Cry "Common and unholy!" to thee still, And, uninspired, in grief before thee bow. O Thou, whose Own the way we fare hath trod, Give to thy children quick, discerning eyes To see in life upspringing from the sod All the divineness that within it lies, Till humble service lift us to the skies Who, "doubting nothing," seek thy will, O God! --Louise Manning Hodgkins.