Then shall they fast in those days.–St. Mark ii. 20.

Dark glade and lonely hill, to feast

and praise, What promise, that to grief forbids despair, Thrills all the silence of thy fearful air ? Forty the days of flood, then undefiled Earth rose again; such years within the wild For Israel closed in Canaan's vision fair; “Yet forty days,” a prophet cried, “and sin Shall be your doom !” but king and lord and slave Wept them away, and He who warned forgave; And humbly thus did sad Elias win That strength wherewith through forty days he trod His dreary path to Horeb, Mount of God.

1

Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be

tempted of the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He was afterward an hungred... Then the devil leaveth Him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto Him.

St. Matt. iv. 1, 2, 11.

ASTING

and prayer: then conflict: then

repose.
Alone, and like the seer, through forty

days

A greater than Elias fasts and prays.
Nor now of all His friends is one who knows
Or shares His bitter need : of all His foes
Not one is missed, for all are here in one:
Here the Arch-fiend, and here the Incarnate Son;
And in their strife all human issues close !
Lust of the Flesh, lust of the Eyes, Life's pride-
Each weapon that o'erwhelmed the primal world-
'Gainst Him in vain, and thrice in vain, are hurled.
Then lo, He rests with Angels at His side.
So wars and rests His Church.

In Him she goes
Through fasting, prayer, and conflict to repose.

For this is the will of God, even your sanctification.

1 THESS. iv. 3.

AKE pure thy heart: it is the Father's

throne, The Son's elect abode, the Spirit's

shrine;

See that thou keep it holy to the TRINE For rule and rest and worship. He will own No realm, home, fane, which are not His alone. Make pure thy hand : oh, eloquent the sign Whereby the Piercèd Hand appeals to thine Itself to yield to That that did atone ! Make pure thine eye: it is an avenue Right to thine heart, a herald to thy hand; Subdue it to the tender stern command Of that which hath thy very soul in view : The lidless Eye of Him whose word and will For His own day hath sealed thy life from ill.

Walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us.-EPHES. V. 2.

HOU shalt subdue the pride of life by Love.
Love is the light that, ever round thee

springing,
Shall show thee thy poor self: so closer

clinging
To Him who loved thee, all His Heaven above
Shall open to thine eye, the Holy Dove
About thee hover, and His Angels, winging
Melodious flight, encompass thee with singing
So sweet thine heart will be too blest to rove.
So strong is Love: and only Love is strong
To stay thy feet upon the pinnacle.
Light of reproof and winning power of song
Are of the nearness of Emmanuel.
Only with JESUS, oply at His side,
Loving, beloved, canst thou conquer Pride.

And a great multitude followed Him... And Jesus took the

loaves; and when He had given thanks, He distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down.

ST. JOHN vi. 2 and 11.

OLLOW," the Voice said from the wilder

ness ; “But oh! the long-loved joys I leave

behind, The dear delights of flesh and eye and mind l' the fair and lordly city! Can He bless To the height and depth of these?” So in distress Of sordid doubt I paused. Yet on the wind Still came the calling- They who lose shall find,” Whereon I rose and followed in the press. Oh, rugged was the path, and long the day, And bare the wild! But then the Prophet turned And taught me, and my heart within me burned, And I forgot those sorrows of the way. And then-O Master, resting at Thy feet, I knew no joys like Thine, no Food so sweet !