And stirred with accents deep and loud A gray old man, the third and last, But the great Master said, "I see To charm, to strengthen, and to teach. THE BRIDGE. I stood on the bridge at midnight, I saw her bright reflection Among the long, black rafters The wavering shadows lay, And the current that came from the ocean Seemed to lift and bear them away; As, sweeping and eddying through them, Rose the belated tide, And, streaming into the moonlight, The seaweed floated wide. And like those waters rushing How often, O how often, In the days that had gone by, I had stood on that bridge at midnight How often, O how often, I had wished that the ebbing tide For my heart was hot and restless, Yet whenever I cross the river On its bridge with wooden piers, And I think how many thousands I see the long procession Still passing to and fro, The young heart hot and restless, And forever and forever, As long as the river flows, As long as the heart has passions, The moon and its broken reflection GOD'S ACRE. I like that ancient Saxon phrase, which calls And breathes a benison o'er the sleeping dust. God's Acre! Yes, that blessed name imparts Comfort to those who in the grave have sown The seed that they had garnered in their hearts, In the sure faith that we shall rise again This is the place where human harvests grow! 32.-FAMILIAR PSALMS. PSALM I. Blessed is the man that walketh not In the counsel of the ungodly, But his delight is in the law of the Lord; And in his law doth he meditate day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, That bringeth forth his fruit in his season: His leaf also shall not wither; And whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. The ungodly are not so: But are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: But the way of the ungodly shall perish. O Lord our Lord, PSALM VIII. How excellent is thy name in all the earth! Who hast set thy glory above the heavens. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, That thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger. The moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; And the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands. Thou hast put all things under his feet: all sheep and oxen, Yea, and the beasts of the field; The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, And whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas. O Lord our Lord, How excellent is thy name in all the earth! PSALM XXIII. The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want. He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. In the presence of mine enemies: Thou anointest my head with oil: my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my And I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. [life: PSALM XXXVII. Fret not thyself because of evil doers, Neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. And wither as the green herb. Trust in the Lord and do good; And he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy ways unto the Lord; Trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: Fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, Because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. Fret not thyself in any wise to do evil. For evil doers shall be cut off: But those that wait upon the Lord, They shall inherit the earth. For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: Yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be. But the meek shall inherit the earth; And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. PSALM LXXXIV. How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts! My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord: My heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God. Yea, the sparrow hath found a house, And the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, Even thine altars, O Lord of hosts, my King, and my God. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: They will be still praising thee. Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee: In whose heart are the ways of them. Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; The rain also filleth the pools. They go from strength to strength, Every one of them in Zion appeareth before God. O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer: Give ear, O God of Jacob. Behold, O God our shield, And look upon the face of thine anointed. For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, Than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. For the Lord God is a sun and shield: The Lord will give grace and glory: No good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. C Lord of hosts, Blessed is the man that trusteth in thee. PSALM XC. Lord, thou hast been our dwelling-place In all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, Or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, |