O Thou, Invisible Presence, there can be no place where Thou art not. Thou, our Father, art in heaven and on earth and everywhere. Thou art in the order of the rock, the beauty of the flower, the light of the sun and stars, and goodness in the human soul. Teach us to be conscious of Thy nearness to us, and so may we never be afraid. In the light of Thy countenance, may we see duty and truth, and recognize more easily the good in one another. Amen. ALVA ROY SCOTT. February 12 ABRAHAM LINCOLN BORN 1809 _Chosen for large designs, he had the art Of winning with his humour, and he went Straight to his mark, which was the human heart; Wise, too, for what he could not break he bent._ _Upon his back a more than Atlas-load-- The burden of the Commonwealth was laid; He stooped, and rose up to it, though the road Shot suddenly downwards, not a whit dismayed._ _Hold, warriors, counsellors, kings! all now give place To this dear benefactor of the race._ RICHARD H. STODDARD. Almighty Father, we thank Thee today for the gracious memory of Thy servant who lived and died for the sake of a free and united nation. We thank Thee more that we have his life inwrought into the very fabric of the life of the nation. We had in him "a hiding place from the wind and a covert from the tempest, a river of water in a dry place and the shadow of a great rock in a weary land." We gratefully join in praise with the thousands who found help and cheer in the shadow of his strength. And now we humbly beseech Thee, help us in some small way this day to be a helper to the helpless, a friend to the needy, sunshine to those whose day will be gray and gloomy, the shadow of a great rock to those who are buffeted by the world's storms. Thus shall we prove our gratitude to Thee for the gift of Thy servant whom we honor today, and thus shall we honor Thee. We ask and offer all in the name of Thy Son Jesus Christ. Amen. AVERY A. SHAW. February 13 _Let us learn to be content with what we have. Let us get rid of our false estimates, set up all the higher ideals--a quiet home; vines of our own planting; a few books full of the inspiration of a genius; a few friends worthy of being loved, and able to love us in return; a hundred innocent pleasures that bring no pain or remorse; a devotion to the right that will never swerve; a simple religion empty of all bigotry, full of trust and hope and love--and to such a philosophy this world will give up all the empty joy it has._ DAVID SWING.