well-known voice of a loving earthly father, so would your Father in heaven sustain and comfort you in this the dark night of your affliction. Listen to His words: 'Thus saith the Lord, As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall

be comforted in Jerusalem.'

In the following short chapters it shall be our aim to present from God's own word, some of those comforts wherewith He consoles His children in their sorrow; and may He, who is THE COMFORTER, and who knows your grief, bless this effort, heal your broken heart, and bind up all your wounds.

'COMFORT YE, COMFORT YE MY PEOPLE,

SAITH YOUR GOD.'

'Daughter, be of good cheer?

YE mourning saints, whose streaming tears
Flow o'er your children dead;

Say not, in transports of despair,
That all your hopes are fled.

While cleaving to that precious dust,
In fond distress ye lie,

Rise, and with joy and reverence view
A heavenly Parent nigh.

I'll give the mourner,—saith the Lord,—
In my own house a place :
No names of daughters and of sons
Could yield so high a grace.

Transient and vain is every hope

A rising race can give ;
In endless honour and delight,
My children all shall live.

We welcome, Lord, those rising tears,
Through which Thy face we see ;

And bless those wounds, which through our

hearts

Prepare a way for Thee.

DODDRIDGE.

All, All is well!

THROUGH the love of God our Saviour,
All will be well;

Free and changeless is His favour ;
All, all is well!

Precious is the blood that heal'd us,
Perfect is the grace that seal'd us,

Strong the hand stretch'd forth to shield us,
All must be well!

Though we pass through tribulation,
All will be well;

Ours is such a full salvation,

All, all is well!

Happy, still in God confiding,
Fruitful, if in Christ abiding,
Holy, through the Spirit's guiding;
All must be well!

We expect a bright to-morrow,
All will be well;

Faith can sing through days of sorrow,
All, all is well!

On our Father's love relying,
Jesus every need supplying,
Or in living or in dying.

All must be well!

My Saviour, comfort me.
IN the dark and cloudy day,
When earth's riches flee away,
And the last hope will not stay,
My Saviour, comfort me.

When the secret idol's gone,
That my poor heart yearn'd upon,
Desolate, bereft, alone,

My Saviour, comfort me.

Thou, who wast so sorely tried,
In the darkness crucified,
Bid me in Thy love confide;
My Saviour, comfort me.

Comfort me, I am cast down : 'Tis my heavenly Father's frown; I deserve it all, I own:

My Saviour, comfort me.

In these hours of sad distress,
Let me know, He loves no less,
Bids me trust His faithfulness;
My Saviour, comfort me.

Not unduly let me grieve,
Meekly the kind stripes receive,
Let me humbly still believe;
My Saviour, comfort me.

So it shall be good for me,
Much afflicted now to be,
It Thou wilt but tenderly,

My Saviour, comfort me.

'Refrain thy voice from weeping!'
WHEN on earth the Saviour dwelt,
What compassion great He felt!
Soothed the sick and those opprest,
Cheered the sad with woe distrest,
Saw the widow lone of Nain,
Full of sorrow, grief, and pain,—

Jairus' daughter, reft of breath,
Virgin victim unto death,-
Laz'rus sleeping 'mid the gloom,
Bound with grave-clothes in the tomb;
Then was felt in sorrow's hour,
Christ's restoring, healing power !

So then, mother, 'mid thy grief,

Look to Jesus for relief:

Death may wound, but Christ can heal,

So thy cares to Him reveal,

He's a friend, oh weeping mother!
Closer, dearer than a brother;

He alone can balm bestow,
To assuage thy bosom's woe:
Show thee where His lambs recline,

Far from dangers, foes, and strife,

And unfading blossoms shine
By the crystal streams of life!

W. T.