W. R. HUNTINCTON.

December 14

_And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of G.o.d_.--GAL. vi. 16.

Lord, I have given my life to Thee, And every day and hour is Thine,-- What Thou appointest let them be; Thy will is better, Lord, than mine.

A. WARNER.

Begin at once; before you venture away from this quiet moment, ask your King to take you wholly into His service, and place all the hours of this day quite simply at His disposal, and ask Him to make and keep you _ready_ to do just exactly what He appoints. Never mind about to-morrow; one day at a time is enough. Try it to-day, and see if it is not a day of strange, almost curious peace, so sweet that you will be only too thankful, when to-morrow comes, to ask Him to take it also,--till it will become a blessed habit to hold yourself simply and "wholly at Thy commandment for _any_ manner of service." The "whatsoever" is not necessarily active work.

It may be waiting (whether half an hour or half a life-time), learning, suffering, sitting still. But shall we be less ready for these, if any of them are His appointments for to-day? Let us ask Him to prepare us for all that He is preparing for us.

F. R. HAVERGAL.

December 15

_Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee_.--PS. cxvi. 7.

_We which have believed do enter into rest_.--HEB. iv. 3.

Rest is not quitting The busy career; Rest is the fitting Of self to its sphere.

'T is loving and serving The highest and best!

'T is onwards, unswerving,-- And that is true rest.

J. S. DWIGHT.

As a result of this strong faith, the inner life of Catherine of Genoa was characterized, in a remarkable degree, by what may be termed rest, or quietude; which is only another form of expression for true interior peace.

It was not, however, the quietude of a lazy inaction, but the quietude of an inward acquiescence; not a quietude which feels nothing and does nothing, but that higher and divine quietude which exists by feeling and acting in the time and degree of G.o.d's appointment and G.o.d's will. It was a principle in her conduct, to give herself to G.o.d in the discharge of duty; and to leave all results without solicitude in His hands.

T. C. UPHAM.

December 16

_Thou understandest my thought afar off_.--PS. cx.x.xix. 2.

_Who can understand his errors? cleanse Thou me from secret faults_.--PS.

xix. 12.

My newest griefs to Thee are old; My last transgression of Thy law, Though wrapped in thought's most secret fold, Thine eyes with pitying sadness saw.

H. M. KIMBALL.

Lord our G.o.d, great, eternal, wonderful in glory, who keepest covenant and promises for those that love Thee with their whole heart, who art the Life of all, the Help of those that flee unto Thee, the Hope of those who cry unto Thee, cleanse us from our sins, secret and open, and from every thought displeasing to Thy goodness,--cleanse our bodies and souls, our hearts and consciences, that with a pure heart, and a clear soul, with perfect love and calm hope, we may venture confidently and fearlessly to pray unto Thee. Amen.

COPTIC LITURGY OF ST. BASIL.

The dominion of any sinful habit will fearfully estrange us from His presence. A single consenting act of inward disobedience in thought or will is enough to let fall a cloud between Him and us, and to leave our hearts cheerless and dark.

H. E. MANNING.

December 17

_The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance_.--GAL. v. 22, 23.

_Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples_.--JOHN xv. 8.

O Breath from out the Eternal Silence! blow Softly upon our spirits' barren ground; The precious fulness of our G.o.d bestow, That fruits of faith, love, reverence may abound.

G. TERSTEEGEN.

Is it possible we should be ignorant whether we feel tempers contrary to love or no?--whether we rejoice always, or are burdened and bowed down with sorrow?--whether we have a praying, or a dead, lifeless spirit?--whether we can praise G.o.d, and be resigned in all trials, or feel murmurings, fretfulness, and impatience under them?--is it not easy to know if we feel anger at provocations, or whether we feel our tempers mild, gentle, peaceable, and easy to be entreated, or feel stubbornness, self-will, and pride? whether we have slavish fears, or are possessed of that perfect love which casteth out all fear that hath torment?

HESTER ANN ROGERS.

December 18

_We trust in the living G.o.d_.--I TIM. iv. 10.

Thy secret judgment's depths profound Still sings the silent night; The day, upon his golden round, Thy pity infinite.

I. WILLIAMS. _Tr. from Latin_.

Now that I have no longer any sense for the transitory and perishable, the universe appears before my eyes under a transformed aspect. The dead, heavy ma.s.s which did but stop up s.p.a.ce has vanished, and in its place there flows onward, with the rushing music of mighty waves, an eternal stream of life, and power, and action, which issues from the original source of all life,--from Thy life, O Infinite One! for all life is Thy life, and only the religious eye penetrates to the realm of true Beauty.

J. G. FICHTE.

What is Nature? Art thou not the "Living Garment" of G.o.d? O Heavens, is it, in very deed, He then that ever speaks through thee; that lives and loves in thee, that lives and loves in me? Sweeter than dayspring to the shipwrecked in Nova Zembla; ah! like the mother's voice to her little child that strays bewildered, weeping, in unknown tumults; like soft streamings of celestial music to my too exasperated heart, came that Evangel. The Universe is not dead and demoniacal, a charnel-house with spectres; but G.o.dlike, and my Father's.

T. CARLYLE.