The longer I live the more I see

Of the struggles of souls towards the heights above, The stronger this truth comes home to me:

That the Universe rests on the shoulders of love; A love so limitless, deep, and broad,

That men have renamed it and called it - God. ELLA WHEELER WILCOX.

God has made you after his own plan, and he places you just where he wishes you to work with him to bring about the highest results for yourself. He has given you every opportunity. Make yourself what you will. Remember it lies with you.

takes!

God can make no mis

ALICE FREEMAN PALMER.

O Thou, who hast made us in Thine own image who knowest our weaknesses, no less than the strength which, through Thee, is possible for us-look in mercy we pray Thee upon this day's failures. Remember them no more against us. Establish Thou the work of our hands upon us. Help us to stay our hearts on Thee. Keep us from complaints and misjudgments of ourselves or of our fortune. Incline our spirits to perceive Thy will and to seek eagerly that which, in perfect wisdom, Thou hast ordained. May the evening and the night come upon us in heavenly benediction and the morrow find us, as never before, exultant children of God. Amen. DE WITT S. CLARK.

Our little thoughts gambol close to God's abyss,
Children whose home is by the precipice.
Fear not thy little ones shall o'er it fall:
Solid, though viewless, is the girdling wall.

So faith is strong

WILLIAM

Watson.

Only when we are strong, shrinks when we shrink.
It comes when music stirs us, and the chords,
Moving on to some grand climax, shake our souls,
With influx new that makes new energies,
It comes in swellings of the heart and tears
That rise at noble and at gentle deeds.
GEORGE ELIOT.

Heavenly Father, God of the Day and of the Night, Thou whom we need so much at all times but especially when darkness enshrouds and we are alone; Thou who knowing better than ourselves our need are ever nearer than we think, grant us this night the unconsciousness and perfect rest without which we cannot renew our strength. Work Thou for us while we sleep, so that when we wake we shall find the puzzling problem solved, the anxiety gone, fear displaced by hope, weariness by energy. Why is it that we are not always strong and joyous and confident when Thou, who hast never failed us, offerest freely for our use all the Divine store of Thy strength and joy and buoyant faith? We purpose to do better tomorrow. Lord forgive us yet once more as we lie down to sleep tonight. Amen.

CHARLES P. FAGNANI.

You sail and you seek for the Fortunate Isles,
The old Greek Isles of the yellow-birds' song?
Then steer straight on through the watery miles,
Straight on, straight on, and you can't go wrong.
Nay, not to the left, nay, not to the right,

But on, straight on, and the isles are in sight,
The Fortunate Isles where the yellow-birds sing,
And life lies girt with a golden ring.

And what are the names of the Fortunate Isles?
Why! Duty and Love and a large Content.
Lo! these are the Isles of the watery miles,
That God let down from the firmament.
Lo, Duty and Love, and a true man's Trust;
Your forehead to God, though your feet in the dust;
Lo, Duty and Love, and a sweet babe's smiles,
And these, O friend, are the Fortunate Isles.

JOAQUIN MILLEr.

O Father of Compassion, we do not ask Thee this night for good fortune, but only for faithfulness. For the sake of our own souls, for the sake of those who love us, for the sake of those who trust in us, hold us to the steady course of Thy pleasurable will! Remind us by Thy Spirit this night that we are not lone mariners but our lives are as vessels crowded with many souls and we ourselves the captains of their salvation or destruction. Thou hast created us with influence upon others, with constant contacts and relationships. Oh grant us, Father, that we may bring them all in safety to the Isles of Grace. Amen. JOHN MARVIN DEAN.

Every day brings a ship,
Every ship brings a word;
Well for those who have no fear;
Looking seaward well assured
That the word the vessel brings
Is the word they wish to hear.

RALPH WALDO EMERSON.

Tomorrow hath a rare, alluring sound;
Today is very prose; and yet the twain
Are but one vision seen through altered eyes.
Our dreams inhabit one; our stress and pain
Surge through the other. Heaven is but today
Made lovely with tomorrow's face, for aye.

RICHARD BURTON.

We thank Thee, Our Father, that we are come to the season for rest and refreshment with a vision for tomorrow. This day has brought duties and pleasures. It has held for us successes and disappointments. The real things of today have not seemed to us the fulfillment of the dreams of yesterday. We pray that we may use these experiences even though they seem to us commonplace as the foundation stones on which we shall build the bright anticipation of the future. Wilt Thou so guide our thought that we shall look forward to a Heavenly joy which is made up of a day's commonplace service lived in the spirit of loving obedience to Thee. Teach us we pray to grow within us that spirit of love and service which throws the mantle of glory over the homely duties of life, making them the joys of heaven. Amen.

ASA M. BRADLEY.

(George Washington. Born 1732)

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Let a man fasten himself to some great idea, some large truth, some noble cause, even in the affairs of this world, and it will send him forward with energy, with steadfastness, with confidence. This is what Emerson meant when he said, Hitch your wagon to a star." These are the potent, the commanding, the enduring, the inspiring men, in our own history, men like Washington and Lincoln. They may fall, they may be defeated, they may perish; but onward moves the cause, and their souls go marching on with it, for they are part of it, they have believed in it.

HENRY VAN Dyke.

Almighty God, our Heavenly Father, we rejoice in the great ideas that are born in the minds of men, and the great emotions kindled in their hearts. We thank Thee for the great leaders of thought, for the heads of great causes. If we may not be leaders, teach us, we pray Thee, to be followers and disciples. We rejoice in our own country's heroes whose thoughts and deeds keep alive the flame of patriotism. We thank Thee for the greatest leader of all, our Master and theirs. Let us bravely follow where He leads. Amen.

GEORGE L. PERIN.