--William Cowper. TRUSTING GOD Whoever plants a leaf beneath the sod, And waits to see it push away the clod, He trusts in God. Whoever says, when clouds are in the sky, "Be patient, heart; light breaketh by and by," He trusts in God. Whoever sees 'neath winter's field of snow The silent harvest of the future grow, God's power must know. Whoever lies down on his couch to sleep, Content to lock each sense in slumber deep, Knows God will keep. TRUST IN GOD The child leans on its parent's breast, Leaves there its cares and is at rest; The bird sits singing by his nest, And tells aloud His trust in God, and so is blest 'Neath every cloud. He has no store, he sows no seed; Yet sings aloud, and doth not heed; By flowing stream or grassy mead, He sings to shame Men, who forget, in fear of need, A Father's name. The heart that trusts for ever sings, And feels as light as it had wings; A well of peace within it springs; Come good or ill. Whate'er to-day, to-morrow, brings, It is his will. --Isaac Williams. NO FEARS Give to the winds thy fears; Hope, and be undismayed; God hears thy sighs and counts thy tears; God shall lift up thy head. Through waves, and clouds, and storms, He gently clears thy way; Wait thou his time, so shall this night Soon end in joyous day. Still heavy is thy heart? Still sink thy spirits down? Cast off the weight, let fear depart, And every care be gone. What though thou rulest not? Yet heaven, and earth, and hell Proclaim, "God sitteth on the throne, And ruleth all things well." Leave to his sovereign sway To choose and to command: So shalt thou, wondering, own his way, How wise, how strong his hand! Far, far above thy thought, His counsel shall appear, When fully he the work hath wrought That caused thy needless fear. --Paul Gerhardt. SIMPLE TRUST I do not know why sin abounds Within this world so fair, Why numerous discordant sounds Destroy the heavenly air-- I can't explain this thing, I must Rely on God in simple trust. I do not know why pain and loss Oft fall unto my lot. Why I must bear the heavy cross When I desire it not-- I do not know, unless 'tis just To teach my soul in God to trust. I know not why the evil seems Supreme on every hand: Why suffering flows in endless streams I do not understand-- Solution comes not to adjust These mysteries. I can but trust. I do not know why grief's dark cloud Bedims my sunny sky, The tear of bitterness allowed To swell within my eye-- But, sorrow-stricken to the dust, I will look up to God and trust. --R. F. Mayer. ALL IS YOURS