J. SMITH DODGE.

December 4

_He was a friend to man, and lived in a house by the side of the road._

HOMER.

_There are hermit souls that live withdrawn In the peace of their self-content; There are souls, like stars, that dwell apart, In a fellow-less firmament; There are pioneer souls that blaze their paths Where highways never ran:-- But let me live by the side of the road And be a friend to man._

_Let me live in a house by the side of the road.

Where the race of men go by-- The men who are good and the men who are bad, As good and as bad as I.

I would not sit in the scorner's seat, Or hurl the cynic's ban:-- Let me live in a house by the side of the road And be a friend to man._

SAM WALTER FOSS.

Our Father in Heaven, we come with thanksgiving for the light of another day and all the blessings which it brings from Thee. May the precious moments before us be filled with activity. Forgive us if we have been remiss in seizing our opportunities and so lead us this day that if we shall be called to Thee, the sweet voice of the Master may greet us with, "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto Me." In Jesus' name. Amen.

J. E. CHARLTON.

December 5

_One old lady kept a sighing; Said she wasn't young, Didn't look as sweet's she used to, Times were all unstrung; Troubles doubled aches, and favors Went a flying past, Wrinkles stung like thorns, and eyesight Kept a failing fast._

_One old lady kept a saying Life was like the spring, Brighter blossoms always coming, Birds around to sing; Troubles came--and went; she let 'em, Didn't count the throng.

Thanked the Lord 'most every morning She'd been young so long!_

JESSIE M. SHAW.

Our Heavenly Father, wilt Thou forgive us for the sighs and tears and frowns and doubts of yesterday? Especially wilt Thou forgive us for all that was little and petty and mean? May we begin again today with larger vision, higher hope and n.o.bler ambition. May there be no sighs for lost beauty, no grief over faded youth and no lamentation over lost fortune.

Thankful and glad for what we have, may we find our joy in using it for some high end. So may we conserve the youth of the heart and the light of the soul. Amen.

GEORGE L. PERIN.

December 6

_There is never a sky of winter To the heart that sings alway; Never a night but hath stars to light, And dreams of a rosy day._

_The world is ever a garden Red with the bloom of May; And never a stormy morning To the heart that sings alway!_

FRANK L. STANTON.

O Thou who art the Love, the Light, and the Life in whom is no discord, no darkness, no disease nor death; but who art ever radiating sympathy, vision and health; we give Thee hearty thanks for the consciousness of Thy abiding presence when we possess a humble and contrite spirit. May we ever remember that nothing but our own selfishness, pride, and forgetfulness can break this constant communion with Thee. Open our hearts just now for the inflow of the divine Love in order that we may pa.s.s it on to others today. Open our eyes today that we may see Thee everywhere striving against selfishness in the lives of all men. Fill us with Thy Life today in order that there may go out to others a heavenly harmony, a song, a symphony, that will dispel discord, darkness and disease; that will overcome evil with good. Amen.

E. J. HELMS.

December 7

_As the bird trims her to the gale, I trim myself to the storm of time, I man the rudder, reef the sail, Obey the voice at eve obeyed at prime; "Lowly faithful, banish fear, Right onward drive unharmed; The port, well worth the cruise, is near, And every wave is charmed."_

RALPH WALDO EMERSON.

Heavenly Father, keep our faces in the light and upward. Make us courageous in the storm. Help us to consecrate all our powers against the contrary winds and listen for the loving voice of Him who walks the rough waves and comes toward our frail barks. May we never be afraid; may we know peace and rest and trust. O Saviour, help us to know the reality of Thy love and friendship, and hear Thee say in the darkest hour, "All is well." May no storm be too severe, no burden too heavy, no task too hard. So let us believe and live. Amen.

CORTLAND MYERS.

December 8

_Love thyself last: cherish those hearts that hate thee, Corruption wins not more than honesty.

Still in thy right hand carry gentle peace, To silence envious tongues. Be just, and fear not: Let all the ends thou aim'st at be thy country's, Thy G.o.d's, and truth's; then if thou fall'st, O Cromwell, Thou fall'st a blessed martyr!_

SHAKESPEARE.

Father Almighty, we do trust in Thee, and we ask Thee for everything.

Thou art pleased to give us everything. Thou dost give us the light by which we see. Thou dost give us this air which we breathe and with which we speak. Best of all, Thou hast shown us that we are one family of Thy children, alive in Thy life and strong in Thy strength. Thou dost give us the water that we drink and the food that we eat. Everything is Thine while it is ours. Now, Father, we are here to consecrate these gifts to Thy service, to come and go indeed as Thy children; when we speak, to speak the word that Thou shalt teach; when we act, to do the thing that Thou wouldst. Moreover, inspire us with Thine holy spirit, that we may so come and go in our Father's service, and for the coming of Thy kingdom in this world, that all men may be one, and may bear one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. Amen.

EDWARD EVERETT HALE.

December 9

_Each soul, alone unto herself, must bear The heartache out of which man wins despair Or hope according to his faculty.

Nathless one thing is certain; who hath known Truth, beauty, goodness, shining in their sphere, Shall not be lost through any lesser lure.

On black tempestuous waves he may be thrown; Yet to the right port shall he surely steer, And G.o.d Himself shall make his doing pure._

JOHN ADDINGTON SYMONDS.

O G.o.d, with the dawn we would lift our grateful hearts to Thee! We know not what Thou hast in store for us this new day, but we rejoice that we are in Thy thought, and that we cannot pa.s.s beyond the reach of Thy love. Helpless and weak, we pray for courage to be undaunted by the uncertainties of life, and that we may meet all its duties with a firm and tranquil mind. Grant that we may be helpful to all with whom we come in contact and forbid that we should judge others hastily or uncharitably. May our minds and hearts be open to the truth, that we may know and do Thy gracious will. Guided and guarded by Thee, may the day be full of peace, purity and power. Amen.

GEORGE M. HOWE.

December 10

_There was never a song that was sung by thee, But a sweeter one was meant to be.

There was never a deed that was grandly done, But a greater was meant by some earnest one.

For the sweetest voice can never impart The song that trembles within the heart._

_And the brain and the hand can never quite do The thing that the soul has fondly in view.

And hence are the tears and the burdens of pain, For the shining goals are never to gain But enough that a G.o.d can hear and see The song and the deed that were meant to be._

BENJAMIN R. BULKELEY.

Almighty G.o.d, our Heavenly Father, who hast illumined the morning with the brightness of Thy life, we rejoice in the potency of the influence that brings us into communion with Thee. For the blessed revelation of Thyself, for life and all things that nourish it, for the earth and the fulness thereof, for daily comforts and mercies and for the Light that lighteth every man who cometh into the world, we give Thee thanks. We thank Thee too for the songs that we have sung and for the better songs that are in our hearts. We thank Thee for every n.o.ble deed and also for the dreams of n.o.bler deeds that men have cherished. O Lord, bless our work and fill us with aspiration for n.o.bler service. Bless the poor, the sick, and those that mourn. Hear this our prayer and answer our pet.i.tion through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.