THOMAS HUGHES.

Dear Heavenly Father, we devoutly thank Thee for the beautiful open face of Nature shining upon us; for the splendor of the fields where the birds wing their merry flight; for the breath of the flowers and the gra.s.s beneath the scythe, like the odor of incense; and most of all, for the merry shouts of women and children and men in the meadow, in the heyday of happiness, as they fill their souls with the freedom of the children of G.o.d, and live in the open where no evil breath can come.

Grant that we may live spiritually forever in the fragrant hayfields of life, where the birds sing and the children shout, and where no covering or roof can ever shut out the sunshine of life's eternal bliss. Amen.

ROBERT S. KELLERMAN.

July 11

_A story is told of a king who went into his garden one morning and found everything withering and dying. He asked an oak that stood near the gate what the trouble was. He found that it was sick of life and determined to die, because it was not tall and beautiful like the pine. The pine was out of heart because it could not bear grapes like the vine; the vine was going to throw its life away, because it could not stand erect and have as fine fruit as the pomegranate; and so on throughout the garden. Coming to the heart'sease, the king found its bright face uplifted, as full of cheerfulness as ever. Said the king, "Well, heart'sease, I am glad to find one brave little flower in this general discouragement and dying. You don't seem one bit disheartened." "No, your majesty. I know I am of small account; but I concluded you wanted a heart'sease when you planted me. If you had wanted an oak, or a pine, or a vine, or a pomegranate, you would have set one out. So I am bound to be the best heart'sease that ever I can."_

WILLIAM MOODIE.

Like the wise King of old, I pray Thee, gracious Lord, give unto me wisdom. May Thy Pillar of Light guide my footsteps so that I go not astray in the wilderness of sin and selfish ambition. Help me to acquire a pure heart and a contented spirit. Amidst all the vicissitudes of fortune, let faith induce me to say, "Whatever G.o.d doeth is well." Amen.

M. M. EICHLER.

July 12

_What shall I do to be just?

What shall I do for the gain Of the world--for its sadness?

Teach me, O seers that I trust!

Chart me the difficult main Leading out of my sorrow and madness, Preach me the purging of pain._

_Shall I wrench from my finger the ring To cast to the tramp at my door?

Shall I tear off each luminous thing To drop in the palm of the poor?

What shall I do to be just?

Teach me, O Ye in the light, Whom the poor and the rich alike trust; My heart is aflame to be right._

HAMLIN A. GARLAND.

Infinite Spirit, Thou seest us just as we are. In Thy sight there can be no make-believe; we need not seek to offer Thee as a penance for our sins some cheap alms to the poor, for Thy favor cannot be bought. We pray simply that we may be just,--that we may be true. If we have wronged anyone, help us to right the wrong. If we have been false to ourselves or false to our neighbors, O Lord, make us true,--we seek no easy admission to a far-off heaven, we seek Thy presence here and now, today, by the only pathway open, the pathway of righteousness and truth.

That we may enter this pathway, grant us we pray Thee the illumination of Thy Holy Spirit. Amen.

GEORGE L. PERIN.

July 13

_The law of worthy life is fundamentally the law of strife. It is only through labor, painful effort, by grim energy and resolute courage, that we move on to better things._

THEODORE ROOSEVELT.

_If we would please G.o.d we must watch every stroke and touch upon the canvas of our lives; we may not think we can lay it on with a trowel and yet succeed. We ought to live as miniature painters work, for they watch every line and tint._

SPURGEON.

As we begin this new day, O our Father, may such energy and vigor, such strength and courage, such faith and hope be ours that the problems and tasks awaiting us may be boldly and gladly met as challenges to our powers. May that abundant life be in us which shall make our difficulties a tonic, and the struggle to achieve high aims a joy. May we be resourceful, equal to life, adequate to every situation, able to stand this universe,--men who can. May we count it a privilege to live, to have a vision of life's possibilities, and to have the fellowship of so many good men and women by the way. Amen.

GEORGE R. DODSON.

July 14

_With place, with gold, with power--oh, ask me not With these my little hour of life to blot.

A little hour indeed! and I would fain Its moments spend in what is worth its pain.

What traveler would faint through troublous lands To gather only what must leave his hands The moment that he takes his homeward ship?

Earth's goods and gauds give every man the slip; But wealth of thought and richer wealth of love, Must pa.s.s for coin in any world above.

The good to others done while here I strive Is all at last that shall my dying shrive; And, setting sail, my slight self-conquest's store Is all my freight if I shall come to sh.o.r.e._

ANONYMOUS.

O Father, G.o.d! The span of our influence is both near and far; may it also be direct and strong. Thou hast planted mighty virtue and unquenchable love in our hearts. Love knows the secret of imparting virtue's value to all the wretchedness in life. So, we beseech Thee, direct our hearts to alt.i.tudes of holiness and set our feet in the highways of helpfulness. May the charm of gentleness be in every service to-day, and may the tone of tenderness carry love's message over all barriers to the hearts that need. Thus would we keep our confidence with Thee and bind ourselves more profitably to our fellows. So shall Thy great name be honored among men. Amen.

J. O. RANDALL.

July 15

_What seems to grow fairer to me as life goes by, is the love and peace and tenderness of it. Not its wit and cleverness and grandeur of knowledge, but just the laughter of little children, and the friendship of friends, and the cosy talk of the fireside, and the sight of flowers and the sound of music._

J. R. GREEN.

Now that Thou givest us the light of a new day, grant that it carry with it the brightness of hope and courage for whatsoever the day may offer.

Always behind the clouds is the shining that never fails; always beyond the labor which irks us is the joy of attainment. Open our eyes that we may see the best which shall be in the day; its love of friends, its sights of beauty, its music, its wisdom such as no day before could possess, its voices of the Spirit awaiting the listening ear, its tears of compa.s.sion and sympathy. Give us our daily bread such as shall feed the heart and enrich the mind and grant us forgiveness when we are blind to the common treasures of this Thy world. Amen.

GEORGE A. THAYER.

July 16

_Methought that in a solemn church I stood.

Its marble acres, worn with knees and feet, Lay spread from door to door, from street to street.

Midway the form hung high upon the rood Of Him who gave His life to be our good; Beyond, priests flitted, bowed, and murmured meet Among the candles shining still and sweet.

Men came and went, and worshipped as they could; And still their dust a woman with her broom, Bowed to her work, kept sweeping to the door.

Then saw I slow through all the pillared gloom Across the church a silent figure come.

"Daughter," it said, "Thou sweepest well my floor!"

"It is the Lord!" I cried, and saw no more._

GEORGE MACDONALD.

Our Father, who art ever with us, help us this day so to reveal Thee through our common tasks, our relations with one another, in our homes and at our work, that men may know and love Thee better. This is Thy most beautiful world. May we not mar its glory by our selfishness, but by the gentleness and sweetness of our lives make it more beautiful. May we this day not add to another's burden of care or pain. But may we by our words and deeds sweeten and brighten and strengthen the lives of those whom we meet. For Thy goodness and mercy to us, for the opportunity of service, for love and sympathy, we thank Thee and pray that our devotion to Thy truth may reveal the thankfulness of our hearts. Amen.

ARTHUR L. WHEATHERLY.

July 17