1. WHAT is this that stirs within,
Loving goodness, hating sin,

Always craving to be blest,

Finding here below no rest?

2. What is it? and whither, whence,
This unsleeping, secret sense,
Longing for its rest and food
In some hidden, untried good?

3. 'Tis the Soul,-mysterious name!
Him it seeks from whom it came :
While I muse, I feel the fire

Burning on, and mounting higher.

4. Onward, upward, to Thy throne,
O Thou Infinite, Unknown!
Still it presseth, till it see

Thee in all, and all in Thee.

75.

W. H. Furness.

481.

Thy Kindling Love.

II.IO.II.IO.

1. FATHER, in Thy mysterious presence kneeling,
Fain would our souls feel all Thy kindling love:
For we are weak and need some deep revealing
Of trust, and strength, and calmness from above.

2. Lord, we have wandered forth through doubt and

sorrow,

And Thou hast made each step an onward one; And we will ever trust each unknown morrow,— Thou wilt sustain us till its work is done.

3. In the heart's depths a peace serene and holy

Abides; and when pain seems to have its will, Or we despair,—O may that peace rise slowly,

Stronger than agony, and we be still!

4. Now, Father, now, in Thy dear presence kneeling,
Our spirits yearn to feel Thy kindling love;
Now make us strong: we need Thy deep revealing
Of trust, and strength, and calmness from above.

482.

I.

The Open Soul.

LIE open, soul! around thee press

A thousand things divine;

All glory and all holiness

Are waiting to be thine.

2. Lie open, soul! be swift to catch

Each glory ere it flies;

S. Johnson.

C.M.

Life's hours are charged, to those who watch,
With heavenly messages.

3. Lie open, soul! the Beautiful

That all things doth embrace,
Shall every passion sweetly lull,
And clothe thee in her grace.

4. Lie open, soul! the great and wise
About thy portal throng;

The wealth of souls before thee lies,
Their gifts to thee belong.

5. Lie open, soul ! lo, Jesus waits
To enter thine abode ;

Messiah lingers at thy gates,—
Let in the Son of God.

6. Receive Him, soul! He with Him brings
The blest ones from above;

The heavenly hosts stretch forth their wings
To seek and know thy love.

7. Lie open, soul ! in watchfulness
Each brighter glory win;

483.

The Infinite thy peace shall bless,
And God shall enter in.

Aspiration.

Herbert New.

1. THIRSTING for a living spring,
Seeking for a higher home,

Resting where our souls must cling,
Trusting, hoping, Lord, we come.

2. Glorious hopes our spirit fill,

When we feel that Thou art near;
Father! then our fears are still,
Then the soul's bright end is clear.
3. Life's hard conflict we would win,
Read the meaning of life's frown;
Change the thorn-bound wreath of sin
For the Spirit's starry crown.

4. Make us beautiful within

By Thy Spirit's holy light:

Guard us when our faith burns dim,
Father of all love and might!

484.

I.

Sincere Prayer.

75.

F. P. Appleton.

HELP me, my God, to speak

True words to Thee each day;
True let my voice be when I praise,

And trustful when I pray.

S.M.

485.

I.

2. Thy words are true to me,

Let mine to Thee be true;

The speech of my whole heart and soul,
However low and few.

3. True words of grief for sin,
Of longing to be free,
Of groaning for deliverance,
And likeness, Lord, to Thee.
4. True words of faith and hope,
Of godly joy and grief;
Lord, I believe, O hear my cry,
Help Thou my unbelief!

Retirement and Meditation.

Y God, permit me not to be

MY

A stranger to myself and Thee:
Amidst a thousand thoughts I rove,
Forgetful of my highest love.

2. Be earth with all her scenes withdrawn ;

Let noise and vanity begone:

In secret silence of the mind,

My heaven, and there my God I find.

H. Bonar.

L.M.

Isaac Watts.

486.

I.

Meditation.

HE who himself and God would know,

Into the silence let him go,

And, lifting off pall after pall,
Reach to the inmost depth of all.

2. Let him look forth into the night

What solemn depths, what silent might!
Those ancient stars how calm they roll,-
He but an atom 'mid the whole !

L.M.

3. And as the evening wind sweeps by,
He needs must feel his God as nigh;
Must needs that unseen Presence own,
Thus always near, too long unknown.

4. How small in that uplifted hour,

Temptation's lure, and passion's power!
How weak the foe that made him fall,
How strong the soul to conquer all!

5. A mighty wind of nobler will

Sends through his soul its quickening thrill;
No more a creature of the clod,

He knows himself a child of God.

487.

I.

I

WOULD that I were better; that to childhood's fervent soul

The strength were joined of solemn years, o'er which life's noon doth roll:

2. The strength to think, to feel, to do, only the holy Right,

To yield no step in the awful race, no blow in the fearful fight.

3. I would that I were better, that I loved with holier zeal

That source of love whose goodness wide our hearts so poorly feel;

4. That I could feel, as well as know, He is that One we seek,

When our blind creeping souls explore earth's desert

cold and bleak.