* An appreciative reader has kindly sent us these Extracts.—Ed.
“But, Lord, there is a great tumult in the world just now; we pray thee over-rule it for thy glory. Grant that the best ends of progress, of truth and righteousness may be subserved, and may it be seen still that the Lord reigneth. Even though the people should riot and rebel against the truth, yet do thou advance thy cause; even by disaster and defeat, if so it must be, or by success and prosperity. This is our soul’s grandest object that Jesus’ name be lifted high, and his throne be set up among the people, to the praise of the glory of his grace.”
“We ask for a revival of true godliness all over the world. We pray thee to grant that these disastrous times may drive thy children nearer to thee; may deliver them from a worldly spirit; and may it come to pass that while they grow poor one way, they may grow rich in another, by the sanctification of their losses and afflictions.”
“Peradventure it is written in the tablets of thine eternal purpose that we shall soon end this mortal life and die. Well, be it so, we shall the sooner see thy face, the sooner drink eternal draughts of bliss. But if thou hast appointed for us grey hairs and a long and weary time of the taking down of the tabernacle, only grant us grace that by infirmity our faith may never fail us, but when the windows are darkened may we still look out to see the hope that is to be revealed; and when the grasshopper becometh a burden, still let our strength be as our days even to the last day. We commit ourselves again to thy keeping, O faithful Creator, to thy keeping, O Saviour of the pierced hand; to thy keeping, O eternal Spirit, thou who art able to keep us from falling and sanctify us fully that we may be able to stand among the saints in light.”
“We pray thee grant us the Sabbath blessing which we have already sought, and let it come upon all the churches of our beloved country. May the Lord revive true and undefiled religion here and in all the other lands where Christ is known and preached; and let the day come when heathendom shall become converted, when the crescent of Mohammed shall wane into eternal night, and when she that sitteth on the seven hills and exalteth herself in the place of God, shall be cast down to sink like a millstone in the flood. Let the blessed gospel of the eternal God prevail; let the whole earth be filled with his glory.”
“O Lord, we praise thee for keeping alive a testimony for the truth in this land. There have been dark and evil days, and some that professed to be thy servants have turned traitors to the gospel; yet still thou hast heard the cry of the faithful, and the candle is not put out, neither hath the sun gone down, but even unto this day the Lord, the God of Israel reigneth in the midst of his people, and his saints exult in his name.”
“We praise the God of the eternal council chamber and of the everlasting covenant, but where shall we find sufficient words with which to praise him who gave us grace in Christ his Son, before he spread the starry sky?”
“Lord, get us up above the world. Come, Holy Spirit, heavenly dove, and mount and bear us on thy wings far from these inferior sorrows and inferior joys, up where eternal ages roll. But a little longer waiting and we shall come to the golden shore; but a little longer fighting, and we shall receive the crown of life that fadeth not away.”
THE gray hairs of the aged—those “churchyard flowers,” as one calls them—call aloud upon them, and through them to all men, “Prepare to meet your God.” They are remembrancers, to the eye and to the heart, of death at hand and of eternity to come.—Serle.