In the life-story of Claudius we may discern something of the reaction that was already taking place in many quarters against the deadening influence of Rationalism. Men were hungering for the old evangel of salvation, and there were evidences everywhere of the dawn of a happier day. Although Claudius' poems were not essentially Church hymns, they were lyrics that seemed to strike anew some of the strings of Gerhardt's harp. This is seen especially in his surpassingly beautiful ode to evening, "The silent moon is risen," written in the same spirit and meter as Gerhardt's famous evening hymn. The first stanza has been translated: The silent moon is risen, The golden star-fires glisten In heaven serene and bright; The forest sleeps in shadow, And slowly off the meadow A mist is curling, silver-white. Another stanza, reflecting something of Claudius' own spiritual groping and, at the same time, confessing the futility of all human efforts to attain moral perfection, reads: We, poor, frail mortals, groping, Half fearing and half hoping, In darkness seek our way; Our airy cobwebs spinning With erring and with sinning, Far from the mark we sadly stray. In the lyrics of Claudius we may observe a transition from the spiritually impoverished hymn production of the rationalistic period to a new type of hymnody, giving expression to the old rugged faith in a more elegant form. Men's souls could no longer be satisfied with the dry husks of philosophical speculation and were turning again to the Bread of God which cometh down from heaven and giveth life unto the world. Balthasar Muenter was another faithful witness to the truth in this unhappy age of widespread skepticism and unbelief. Born at Luebeck in 1735, he became Lutheran court pastor at Gotha and afterwards of the German Church of St. Peter in Copenhagen. He was the writer of about 100 hymns, many of which were set to tunes composed for them by the greatest musicians of the day. Among the best known hymns of Muenter are "Lord, Thou Source of all perfection," "Full of reverence, at Thy Word," "Behold the man! how heavy lay," and "Woe unto him who says, There is no God." A Picture of a Christian Home O happy home, where Thou art loved the dearest, Thou loving Friend and Saviour of our race, And where among the guests there never cometh One who can hold such high and honored place! O happy home, where two, in heart united, In holy faith and blessed hope are one, Whom death a little while alone divideth, And cannot end the union here begun! O happy home, whose little ones are given Early to Thee in humble faith and prayer, To Thee, their Friend, who from the heights of heaven Guides them, and guards with more than mother's care.