yet, Walter, though the leaves got higher, and the roots got lower, stretching out a little more and a little more every day,-yet the hyacinth has no soul; it does not say to itself, 'I will grow.' Nor do you yourself grow taller year after year by your own choice, do you? You can move from place to place just as you will to move: but choosing or willing to grow will not make you grow. Your own will cannot even cause your body to stop growing. It grows on, silently, slowly, and surely,-taller and taller, as the hyacinth does, whether you like it to grow or not; so that you see there is a Will always at work throughout the world, that is stronger than our will-stronger than anything else that we can conceive of-and this is the Will of God:-we might almost call God the Great Will, or the Supreme Will, using light and heat and moisture as His instruments. When He wills the trees and plants to grow, and the buds to burst, and let out the young green leaves, He uses light and heat and moisture to do it. And in causing us to grow too, He works by instruments that He understands and can use as He wills, though we know very little about them. The powers of nature, as they are called, are His instruments. Men know but very little about these powers, but even men make use of them sometimes to work their little wills." Walter." Mother, how nice it is to think about it! How strong God must be, mother! and how wise!" MRS. BARBAULD'S 6TH HYMN. Child of reason, whence comest thou? What has thine observed? and wither has thy foot eye been wandering? I have been wandering along the meadows, in the thick grass; the cattle were feeding around me, or reposing in the cool shade; the corn sprung up in the furrows; the poppy and the harebell grew among the wheat; the fields were bright with summer, and glowing with beauty. Didst thou see nothing more? Didst thou observe nothing besides? Return again child of reason, for there are greater things than these. God was among the fields: and didst thou not perceive Him? his beauty was on the meadows, his smiles enlivened the sunshine. I have walked through the thick forest; the wind whispered among the trees; the brook fell from the rocks with a pleasant murmur; the squirrel leapt from bough to bough: and the birds sung to each other among the branches. Didst thou hear nothing but the murmur of the brook? no whispers but the whispers of the wind? Return again, child of reason, for there are greater things than these. God was amongst the trees; His voice sounded in the murmur of the water his music warbled in the shade; and didst thou not attend? I saw the moon rising behind trees; it was like a lamp of gold. The stars one after another appeared in the clear firmament. Presently I saw black clouds arise, and roll toward the south; the lightening streamed in thick flashes over the sky; the thunder growled in the distance; it came nearer, and I felt afraid, for it was loud and terrible. Did thy heart feel no terror, but of the thunderbolt? was there nothing bright and terrible but the lightning Return, O child of reason, for there are greater things than these. God was in the storm, and didst thou not perceive Him? His terrors were abroad, and did not thine heart acknowledge Him? God is in every place. He speaks in every sound we hear; He is seen in all that our eyes I behold; nothing, O child of reason, is without God;-let God therefore be in all thy thoughts. Psalm Lxxiv. 13-17. Thou didst divide the sea by thy strength; The day is thine, the night also is thine : (See also the 104th Psalm.) From BRYANT'S "FOREST HYMN." (See the whole of it.) My heart is awed within me when I think From CowPER'S TASK, Book VI. "THE WINTER WALK AT NOON," (near the beginning.) There lives and works A Soul in all things, and that Soul is God. [pass, Where no eye sees them. And the fairer forms And ere one flowery season fades and dies, (See also the next passage.) not THOMSON'S HYMN TO THE SEASONS. These, as they change, Almighty Father, these |