28 PRAISE IN TIMES OF AFFLICTION. Deeper, yet deeper! in my thought A passion unto music given, Deeper! O, may no richer power Can all, which crowds on earth's last hour, Away, and hush the feeble song, And let the chord be stilled; For in another land ere long PRAISE IN TIMES OF AFFLICTION. REV. H. MELVILL. WAS it a strange preparation for the Mount of Olives and the Garden of Gethsemane, to commemorate the mercies and chant the praises of the most high God? Nay, it is recorded of Luther that, on receiving any discouraging news, he was wont to say, "Come, let us sing the forty-sixth psalm "- that psalm which commences with the words, "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble; therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea." And it were well for us if, in seasons of trouble, we betook ourselves to praise, and not only to prayer. If we find ourselves in circumstances of difficulty, if dangers surround us, and duties seem too great for our strength, we almost naturally cry unto God, and entreat of him assistance and guardianship. And indeed we do right. God has made our receiving conditional on our asking; and we can never be too diligent in supplicating at his hands the supply of our many necessities. But ought we to confine ourselves to prayer, as though praise were out of place when mercies are needed, and only become us when they have just been received? Not so; praise is the best auxiliary to prayer; and he who most bears in mind what has been done for him by God, will be most emboldened to supplicate fresh gifts from above. We should recount God's mercies; we should call upon our souls, and all that is within us, to laud and magnify his name when summoned to face new trials, and encounter fresh dangers. Would it sound strange if, on approaching the chamber where the father of a family had just breathed his last, you heard voices mingling, not in a melancholy chant, but rather in one of lofty commemoration, such as might be taken from the Jewish Hallel, "The Lord hath been mindful of us; he will bless us; he will bless the house of Israel; he will bless the house of Aaron"? "The Lord is on my side: I will not fear what man can do 30 PRAISE IN TIMES OF AFFLICTION. unto me." Would you be disposed to say that the widow and the orphans, whose voices you recognized in the thankful anthem, were strangely employed? and that the utterances over the dead would have more fittingly been those of earnest petition unto God, of deep-drawn entreaty for the light of his countenance and the strength of his spirit? Nay, the widow and her orphans, if not actually praying the most effectual of prayers, would be thereby most effectually preparing themselves for praying unto God. If, now that their chief earthly stay is removed, they have to enter on a dark and dangerous path, they cannot do better than thus call to mind what the Almighty has proved himself to others and themselves. The anthem is the best prelude to the supplication; and their first step towards the Mount of Olives will be all the firmer, if, before they cry, "Hold thou up our goings in thy paths," they join in the song, "His merciful kindness is great towards us, and the truth of the Lord endureth forever; praise ye the Lord.". . . . Christ and his apostles "sang a hymn," ere "they went out into the Mount of Olives." What had music, cheerful and animated music, to do with so sad and solemn an occasion? Nay, there is music in heaven: they who stand on the "sea of glass mingled with fire" have "the harps of God" in their hands ; they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb." Why, then, should music ever be out of place with those whose affections are above? 66 It would not be out of place in the chamber of the dying believer. He has just received, through the holy mystery of the eucharist, the body and the blood of his blessed Redeemer. And now his own failing voice, and the voices of relatives and friends, join in chanting words the conclusion of the sacramental service: "Glory be to God on high, and on earth peace, good will towards men. We praise thee, we bless thee, we worship thee, we glorify thee, we give thanks to thee for thy great glory, O Lord God, heavenly King, God the Father Almighty." Wonder ye, that, when there was the option either to say or to sing, they chose the singing at such a moment? Nay, they all felt that they had a rough hill to climb; and they remembered that, when Christ and his apostles had finished their last supper, "they sang a hymn,” and then "went out into the Mount of Olives." REJOICING IN HEAVEN. MARY HOWITT. O SPIRIT, freed from bondage, Awake, and breathe the living air Awake to love that knows no change, Thou who hast done with time! 32 THE FAREWELL TO THE DEAD. Awake! lift up thy joyful eyes,- Thou who hast done with tears! Awake! ascend. Thou art not now The living God hath touched thy lips, THE FAREWELL TO THE DEAD. MRS. HEMANS. COME near. Ere yet the dust Soil the bright paleness of the settled brow, Come near. Once more let kindred lips be pressed On his cold cheek; then bear him to his rest. Look yet on this young face. What shall the beauty, from amongst us gone, Dim grows the semblance on man's heart impressed. |