_Love is and was my king and lord, And will be, tho' as yet I keep Within the court on earth, and sleep Encompass'd by his faithful guard,_ _And here at times a sentinel Who moves about from place to place, And whispers to the worlds of space, In the deep night, that all is well._ ALFRED TENNYSON. O God, our Heavenly Father, we thank Thee that Thou hast led us into this new day. We thank Thee also, that, though its experiences are untried and its issues involved in uncertainty, we are unafraid, full indeed of glad expectation, because we know Thee as our King and Lord. Help us in obedience and love to keep close to Thee, so that, if ever quick darkness shall come upon us, we may still be undisturbed because of Thy presence, to whom the darkness and the light are both alike. This we ask in the name of Him who loved us and gave Himself for us. Amen. CHARLES R. TENNEY. November 20 _Let thy day be to thy night A letter of good tidings. Let thy praise Go up as birds go up, that when they wake Shake off the dew and soar; so take joy home And make a place in thy heart for her, And give her time to grow and cherish her; Then will she come and oft will sing to thee When thou art working in the furrows; ay, Or weeding in the sacred hour of dawn. It is a comely fashion to be glad-- Joy is the grace we say to God._ JEAN INGELOW. Our Father, we thank Thee for the blessings of night. In this new morning hour, we pray for stout hearts and strong to meet the day's work. May we go forth with a song on our lips and the joy of renewed youth in our souls. Amid the tumults of the day enable us to hear Thy becalming voice. Then, though in dreariest labor, we shall have glad hearts, though pressed by dullest cares, we shall keep uncrushed hopes, though distracted by earth's din, we shall hear heaven's music. Abide with us, Benign Spirit. Inspire us to do our duty, and to learn that therein, alone, may true joy be found. Amen. GEORGE RUNYON LONGBRAKE. November 21 _The weather-prophet tells us of an approaching storm. It comes according to the programme. We admire the accuracy of the prediction, and congratulate ourselves that we have such a good meteorological service. But when, perchance, a bright crystalline piece of weather arrives instead of the foretold tempest, do we not feel a secret sense of pleasure which goes beyond our mere comfort in the sunshine? The whole affair is not as easy as a sum in simple addition, after all,--at least not with our present knowledge. It is a good joke on the Weather Bureau. "Aha, Old Probabilities!" we say, "You don't know it all yet; there are still some chances to be taken!"_ HENRY VAN DYKE.