SUNDAY EVENINGS WITH SOPHIA.

summer

FIRST EVENING.

Sophia and the "young ones"-A Sunday evening in Bishop Ken and his Morning HymnExplanation" Sacrifice”- "Converse"-Invocation of Angels-A high aim-Difference between children and parrots-Glorifying God.

"ARE you going to church, too, with Miss E. this evening, Sophia?" asked one of the youngest pupils in Miss E.'s school, in rather a disconsolate tone of voice; "all the big ones are going, I do believe, and we shall not know what to do with ourselves. I always get tired of reading long before bed-time."

"You may set your mind at ease, Esther; I have been to the afternoon service, and I am not going out again," was the cheerful reply. "What can I do for you if I stay at home?"

"Oh, come and sit in the garden with us till it is dark," exclaimed several young voices, "and let us talk about something suitable for the day. You know we all like to talk to you, Sophia, it is so pleasant. What will you talk to us about this evening?"

B

Sophia laughed and said, "Oh, I don't think I shall talk at all; you know you said just now that you all liked to talk to me; and, if that is the case, I don't think you will leave time for me to say a word."

"Oh, Sophia, now that is too bad of you— you know what we mean."

"And, Sophia," added little Mary, who was only ten years old, "I should like you to teach us a hymn, and explain it; because Miss E. said you did it beautifully last time.”

"Oh dear, you are all very complimentary! However, run away now, dear children, to tea, and afterwards we will go and sit in the garden, since you wish it, and you may each bring the little book of Bishop Ken's Hymns, which Miss E. gave you last week. I dare say we shall find plenty to talk about in them."

It was a sweet Sunday evening in the end of August. Miss E.'s school was situated in a very pretty part of Surrey. It contained girls of all ages, from ten years to twenty, and Sophia was the eldest and most beloved of the "big ones." She was an orphan, and had been at Miss E.'s all her life (with the exception of an occasional month's visit to her uncle), and she had always been very happy there, and had become a great favourite both with her teachers and her companions. The younger ones especially were

always glad when they could "get Sophia to themselves," as on the occasion of which we are now speaking.

"Suppose," began Sophia, when the party were comfortably settled under the great walnuttree" suppose we look over the Morning Hymn first (though it is evening at present), because we all know it so well."

"I should think," said Anna, a girl of about fourteen years old, "that would be a reason why we need not take that one; I wonder you do not rather choose the Midnight Hymn, which we have hardly even read."

"Come now, I'm sure I don't think there would be much use in that for us," said Bertha, who was Anna's twin sister; "I don't think any of us are often awake at midnight. Besides, of course, Sophia knows best what to choose."

Anna, not liking the reproof, was about to reply, but she was interrupted by a general cry of "Oh, don't waste any time in discussing it. Of course Sophia does know best."

"Well then, I will read the Morning Hymn," said Sophia, and she read as follows:—

"Awake, my soul, and, with the sun,

Thy daily stage of duty run,

Shake off dull sloth and early rise
To pay thy morning sacrifice.

B 2

"Redeem thy mis-spent time that's past,
Live this day as if 'twere thy last;
T' improve thy talent take due care,
'Gainst the great Day thyself prepare.

"Let all thy converse be sincere,

Thy conscience as the noonday clear;
Think how all-seeing God thy ways
And all thy secret thoughts surveys.

"Influenced by the Light Divine,
Let thine own light in good works shine;
Reflect all Heaven's propitious rays
In ardent love and cheerful praise.

"Wake and lift up thyself, my heart,
And with the angels bear a part,
Who all night long unwearied sing
Glory to the Eternal King.

“I wake, I wake, ye heavenly choir,
May your devotion mine inspire;
That I, like you, my age may spend-
Like you, may on my God attend.

"May I, like you, in God delight,
Have all day long my God in sight,
Perform, like you, my Maker's will,-
Oh, may I never more do ill!

"Had I your wings to Heav'n I'd fly,—
But God shall that defect supply;
And my soul, wing'd with warm desire,
Shall all day long to Heav'n aspire.

'Glory to Thee who safe hast kept

And hast refreshed me while I slept ;
Grant, Lord, when I from death shall wake
I may of endless Light partake.

"I would not wake nor rise again,
Ev'n Heav'n itself I would disdain,
Wer't not Thou there to be enjoyed,
And I in hymns to be employed.

"Heav'n is, dear Lord, where'er Thou art,
O never, then, from me depart,
For, to my soul, 'tis hell to be

But for one moment without Thee.

"Lord, I to Thee my vows renew,
Scatter my sins as morning dew,
Guard every spring of thought and will,
And with Thyself my spirit fill!

"Direct, control, suggest this day
All I design, or do, or say,

That all my powers with all their might
In Thy sole glory may unite.

"Praise God from whom all blessings flow,

Praise Him all creatures here below,

Praise Him above, angelic host,

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost."

"Now, you said," continued Sophia, when she had read it all through, “that we all know this hymn very well-and so we do; and not only we, but almost all English children. We know the words of it, or, at any rate, of some verses of it; but I think perhaps if we examine it we shall find ourselves not quite so perfect in our acquaintance with the sense; and you know you are little better than a parrot if you learn a thing of this kind by rote, without trying to see the use or the beauty of it. So, though we