Old Testament Precepts.

কককককককককককককককককককককক

14441

January 1.

Acquaint thyself with God, and be at peace.

WHA

Job xxii. 21.

HATE'ER Thou dost bestow, whate'er withdraw,

Whether we be with joyful thoughts upraised, Or bowed with anguish down in grief and awe, Eternal Father! be Thou ever praised!

I trembled and I murmur'd at my lot;

And, faint of heart, I quail'd beneath Thy
rod:

But now the fear of death appals me not;
Yea, all is bright within me, O my God!

Take Thou away, or give, as doth Thee please;
Declare Thy will to smite us or to spare;
And sure, whate'er eternal Love decrees,
Upheld by grace, our earthly hearts can

bear.

De La Motte Fouque.

Þ444x]

A day in thy courts is better than a thousand.
Ps. lxxxiv. 10.

LORD of Hosts, the mighty Lord,
How lovely is the place

Where Thou, enthroned in glory, show'st
The brightness of Thy face.

My longing soul faints with desire
To view Thy blest abode;
My panting heart and flesh cry out
For Thee the living God.

For in Thy courts one single day
'Tis better to attend,

Than, Lord, in any place besides
A thousand days to spend.

Tate and Brady.

January 3.

Affliction cometh not forth of the dust, neither doth trouble spring out of the ground.

Job v. 6.

WHEN affliction lays us low,

And the waning pulse beats slow;
When the tremulous hand grows weak,
And the tongue can hardly speak ;-
Then we learn, in sweet content,
Why affliction should be sent;
Then, like children, we lie still,
Bear and bless our Father's will.
Firmly fix'd on Christ the Rock,
What can our assurance shock?
Though affliction try us here,
Courage, sufferer! Heaven is near!