No help! nay, it is not so! Though human help be far, thy God is nigh. Who feeds the ravens hears his children's cry; He's near thee wheresoe'er thy footsteps roam, And he will guide thee, light thee, help thee home. God sees me though I see him not; I know I shall not be forgot; For though I be the smallest dot, It is his mercy shapes my lot. --From the Scandinavian, tr. by Frederic Rowland Marvin. Teach me to answer still, Whate'er my lot may be, To all thou sendest me, of good or ill, "All goeth as God will." Dance, O my soul! 'tis God doth play; His will makes music all the day; That song which rings the world around This heart of mine shall ever sound. --James Mudge. Let one more attest: I have seen God's hand through a life time, And all was for best. --Robert Browning. GOD'S WILL OBEDIENCE, DIVINE UNION THE WILL OF GOD I worship thee, sweet will of God! And all thy ways adore. And every day I live I seem To love thee more and more. Thou wert the end, the blessed rule Of our Saviour's toils and tears; Thou wert the passion of his heart Those three and thirty years. And he hath breathed into my soul A special love of thee, A love to lose my will in his, And by that loss be free. I love to kiss each print where thou Hast set thine unseen feet; I cannot fear thee, blessed will! Thine empire is so sweet. When obstacles and trials seem Like prison walls to be, I do the little I can do, And leave the rest to thee. I know not what it is to doubt; My heart is ever gay; I run no risk, for come what will Thou always hast thy way. I have no cares, O blessed will! For all my cares are thine; I live in triumph, Lord, for thou Hast made thy triumphs mine. And when it seems no chance or change From grief can set me free, Hope finds its strength in helplessness, And gayly waits on thee. Man's weakness waiting upon God Its end can never miss, For man on earth no work can do More angel-like than this. Ride on, ride on triumphantly, Thou glorious Will! ride on; Faith's pilgrim sons behind thee take The road that thou hast gone. He always wins who sides with God, To him no chance is lost; God's will is sweetest to him when It triumphs at his cost. Ill that he blesses is our good, And unblest good is ill; And all is right that seems most wrong If it be his sweet will! --Frederick William Faber. THE WILL DIVINE Thy will, O God, is joy to me, A gladsome thing; For in it naught but love I see, Whate'er it bring. No bed of pain, no rack of woe-- Thy will is good; A glory wheresoe'er I go, My daily food.