i Munt— i B i vrjirma ' MC i M ttiaagawMwJ— 11^ 
 
LIBILIRY OF CONGRESS. 
 
 jy/..// >.I/..k..5' I 
 
 . ^ 
 
 . UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. !' 
 
SONGS IN THE VALLEY OF ACHOR 
 
SONG S IN THE VALLEY 
 OF ACHOR. 
 
 BY 
 
 SOPHIE E. C. DOWNING, 
 
 WJTB AN INTRODUCTION. 
 
 In inemoriam. 
 
 AND SHE SHALX* SINQ T H E R E."— JZOS^a il. 15. 
 
 i\^4^M^^; 
 
 NEW TORE: 
 ANSON D. F. RANDOLPH & COMPANY, 
 
 770 BROADWAY. 
 

 Entered according to Act of Congress In the year 1874, by 
 
 Anson D. F. Randolph & Company, 
 
 In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C. 
 
 ROBERT RUTTER, 
 
 BINDER, 
 
 84 BEEKMAN STflEET, N. T. 
 
 EDWARD 0. JENKINS, 
 
 PRINTER AND STEREOTYPER. 
 
 20 NORTH WILLIAM 3T., N. Y. 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 DEDICATION, 
 
 INTRODUCTORY SKETCH, 
 
 THE VALLEY OF ACHOR, 
 
 WATCHING AND WAITING, 
 
 WHOSE HOUSE ARE WE ? 
 
 PASSION FLOWERS, 
 
 ''WE ARE A SPECTACLE (THEATRE) UNTO 
 
 WORLD," 
 
 "TO KNOW HIM AND THE FELLOWSHIP O 
 
 SUFFERINGS," .... 
 
 SHADOWS ON THE DOOR, 
 
 LILIES, 
 
 JEWELS, 
 
 ONE LIGHT 
 
 RED AND WHITE CARNATIONS, 
 IF SO BE WE SUFFER WITH HIM, 
 ''HE THAT HATH THE KEY OF DAVID 
 A HEART CRY, 
 
 THE 
 
 F HIS 
 
 " THOU KNOWEST THAT I LOVE 
 THE TWO KNOCKINGS, 
 WHAT ;r^^ DEATH? 
 WHAT /S DEATH ? 
 
 n-.E, 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 WATCH, ... 
 
 AFRAID, 
 
 -LET HIM KISS ME WITH THE KISSES OF HIS 
 MOUTH," ... 
 
 " I SLEEP, BUT MY HEART WAKETH," 
 
 '' MY LORD DELAYETH HIS COMING," 
 
 A THANKSGIVING HYMN, 
 
 •' THE STASTER IS COME, AND CALLETH FOR THEE," 
 
 PAGE 
 
 49 
 
 SELECTIONS FROM EARLIER POEMS. 
 
 THE GRACIOUS INVITATION, 
 
 " I AM THY SALVATION," 
 
 THE ATTRACTING POWER OF THE CROSS, 
 
 NOTHING CAN HARM THE CHRISTIAN, 
 "WHEN I AM WEAK, THEN AM I STRONG, 
 CHRIST ALL AND IN ALL, 
 " SHADOWS," . , . . 
 
 LIGHT, 
 
 " HE KNOWS AND HE LOVES," 
 OCTOBER 31ST., 1867, 
 
DEDICATION. 
 
 Saviour, these songs are Thine ! 
 For, if within my soul, there is one trace 
 
 Of holy love, or heavenly fire, 
 
 Of noble thought or pure desire, 
 And it was planted by Thy wondrous grace ; 
 
 Therefore, these songs are Thine ! 
 
 Saviour, these songs are Thine I 
 Though sung in accent faltering and weak, 
 
 Yet of a heart entirely given to Thee, 
 
 Of earnest love for Him who died for me, 
 Most dear and loving Master, let them speak 
 
 Saviour, these songs are Thine! 
 
INTRODUCTORY SKETCH. 
 
 I. 
 
 " To the praise of the glory of His grace." 
 
 IN that day when the Lord of Hosts makes up 
 His jewels, He will not hide them or show them 
 only to a favored few ; but, since their beauty is 
 His workmanship, and their comeliness His glory, 
 He will, we may believe, be admired in them by 
 all His hosts. 
 
 So also, if, even before that day, the traces of 
 His wonderful working, and the comeliness He puts 
 upon any of the souls He loves, be easily discern- 
 ible, and worthy of special and grateful recogni- 
 tion and admiration, they should not be — He 
 would not have them — hidden from the knowl- 
 edge of His people here on earth. They are a 
 theatre on which His gracious dealings, the won- 
 ders of His transforming, sanctifying, and sup- 
 porting power are displayed, to cheer and instruct, 
 
 (iiO 
 
iv INTRODUCTORY SKETCH. 
 
 to comfort and encourage others in the way, and 
 it is " to the praise of the glory of His grace " to 
 make them known. 
 
 The songs of which this little volume is com- 
 posed, were mostly written during the last few 
 weeks of the earthly life of such a saint of God. 
 The emotions to which they give utterance, how- 
 ever, were nothing new in her experience. For 
 many years her lot, though marked by many and 
 peculiar blessings, had been also one of peculiar 
 suffering and many trials, through which, long be- 
 fore the end, she learned to walk — not simply sub- 
 missive to her dear Lord's will, but gladly, rejoic- 
 ing, glorying even in infirmity. It was no new 
 thing for her to sing in the night season a song of 
 her Beloved, nor to talk of His faithfulness all the 
 day long. Those v/ho knew her most intimately 
 will most unhesitatingly testify to the truth of her 
 own declaration, — 
 
 *' I have long lived in the glory, 
 Fadeless, ineffable, bright," 
 
 of His countenance, and of the land of which He 
 is the light. 
 
 Of a naturally delicate constitutiou, the provi- 
 
JNTRODUCrORY SKETCH. y 
 
 dence of God — mysterious to others, yet never 
 questioned by her— placed her in circumstances 
 where its utmost strength was tried and finally 
 exhausted. From a child instructed in the Scrip- 
 tures, and so early made wise unto salvation 
 through faith that is in Jesus Christ, that she 
 could never remember the time when she did not 
 love Him, her naturally ardent and even enthusi- 
 astic temperament, fired with love and zeal tor 
 Him, was constantly urging her to do something, 
 und something worthy, for Him who had done so 
 much for her. Wherever and whenever it was 
 possible, the strength she had was freely given to 
 His service. Even risks that would appall many 
 a heart, and sacrifices from which most would 
 shrink, were gladly accepted by her that she 
 might do what she could to glorify her Lord, and 
 lead others also to know and taste the riches of 
 His grace. For a short time, in youth, she took 
 great delight in teaching in the Sabbath-school, as 
 also at long intervals and for brief periods in later 
 years. 
 
 During the earlier portions of her married life, 
 her husband was connected with the United 
 States Army as Assistant Surgeon, in the hospitals 
 
vi INTRODUCTORY S A' ETCH. 
 
 at Washington, and in the frontier posts of New 
 Mexico. On one occasion, the miserable remnant 
 of a little company of emigrants was brought by 
 soldiers into Fort Union — the fort of which her 
 husband was then- surgeon-in-charge. The party 
 had consisted originally of twelve persons, but was 
 reduced by the ravages of small-pox to five, who 
 were themselves helpless with the same disease. 
 She immediately went to them, washed them, vis- 
 ited them daily, seeking to guide the dying to the 
 Lamb of God, and to secure the complete recov- 
 ery of the rest. Those who did recover v/ ere un- 
 able to comprehend why a strange and delicate 
 lady should come, day after day, to perform the 
 most menial offices for strangers. She all the time 
 rejoiced that the Lord had given her this oppor- 
 tunity to honor Him, by visiting the sick and point- 
 ing the eyes of the dying to His cross. 
 
 Yet even the ordinary avenues and opportuni- 
 ties of service, so freely open to others, were, for 
 the greater part of her life, closed to her. The 
 Lord had appointed for her another — and what 
 she felt increasingly to be a higher service, one in 
 which she came to take great delight — the service 
 of suffering. That service began early and lasted 
 
IN TR OD UC TOR ] ' SKE TCH. y i i 
 
 to the utmost bound of her earthly life. In the 
 privations and hardships of frontier life, cut off 
 from society and friendship not only, but even 
 from the kindly offices of woman, where those of- 
 fices are most needed and most grateful ; under the 
 loss of two infant sons, successively born to her 
 in her exile, and gladdening her heart for a brief 
 space, and then taking their flight to Him who 
 gave them ; through months and years of weary 
 and distressing sickness, which confined her for 
 months together to a couch of sleeplessness and 
 pain — sickness and pain so unbroken, that in her 
 last illness, she declared that for fifteen years she 
 had not known what it was to be free from suffer- 
 ing or enjoy a restful night; under painful and 
 protracted medical and surgical treatment of the 
 severest character ; under all these and more, her 
 constant testimony was, " I can do all things 
 through Christ which strengtheneth me." So 
 strengthened, she manifested ever the same un- 
 failing patience, the same cheerful courage, the 
 same joy in tribulation, the same glad acceptance 
 of the lot of suffering, instead of the coveted yoke 
 of service. 
 
 With reference to these sufferings, she once said, 
 
viii INTRODUCTORY SKETCH. 
 
 years ago, " My friends often pity me who am far 
 above pity; they ought rather to envy me." Her 
 courage was often the admiration of her physi- 
 cians, as of all who knew her. Yet of it she said : 
 " I do not bear; I cast it all on Jesus. I just say, 
 ' Lord, I cannot bear it ; thou must bear it for me.' 
 
 Dr. E used to say I was brave. But it was 
 
 not I ; I cannot stand it at all myself. My weakness 
 has been my salvation." This was her joy for 
 years, and increasingly, to the very end. To her, 
 neither pain nor pleasure seemed to come amiss, 
 nor to be preferred before the other, since in both 
 she walked with Him. For pleasure was the smile 
 of His countenance, and every pain a token in a 
 different guise, of His faithful and exhaustless love. 
 As she drew nearer to the '' half-open " door, 
 through which at length she passed into His pres- 
 ence, the hope of other service was laid aside. 
 Even the cherished desire to serve Him with her 
 pen was given up, and the wish grew, not simply 
 to suffer for her Lord, but with Him. This was 
 her constant desire, to know ever more of the fel- 
 lowship of His sufferings. This was her comfort, 
 that He was showing it to her. This was her 
 prayer, that He would not cease till she had 
 
IN TROD UCrOR Y SKE 7 CH. ix 
 
 learned perfectly all that He had to teach her in 
 this school of grace so rare and precious. And 
 this was her abounding and increasing joy, that to 
 her it was thus given to offer Him a service which 
 even Heaven cannot know ; for there is " no more 
 death, neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall 
 there be any more pain." 
 
 If, therefore, this little sketch should aim espe- 
 cially to preserve and present the memory of those 
 later and last days, in which, in the depths of the 
 " Valley of Achor," and watching the shadows on 
 the " door of hope," she sang there those songs 
 ^iven to her, as she loved to think, by Him 
 who had led her thither, it will not be won- 
 dered at. Two motives, were there no others, 
 would suffice to lead in that direction : firsts that 
 it may appear that these " Songs of the Valley of 
 Achor " are not the utterance of a mere poetic 
 fervor, but of a real Christian experience ; a con- 
 scious and a constant attitude of patient expecta- 
 tion for the coming of her Lord. And, second^ that 
 it maybe seen, " to the praise of His glory," how 
 faithfully and tenderly, and how wonderfully the 
 Lord, whom she trusted, fulfilled to her every word 
 on which for years He had caused her to hope. 
 
X IN TR on UC TOR V SKE TCH. 
 
 For thus her longing desire will be most fully 
 gratified, when her '' Wonderful Jesus " is most 
 fully honored in His grace to her. The words He 
 spoke to her heart, are words fit to comfort the 
 hearts of all His people in such places, proving, as 
 they do, how by His presence and His grace the 
 ^weakest may be made strong to bear the heaviest 
 burden ; the most impulsive, calmly and quietly 
 confident in Him ; the most delicate and shrinking, 
 full of joy in suffering, and gladness in the approach 
 of death — " not in the least afraid," but rather 
 thrilled with a rapture of delight at the thought 
 of meeting her Beloved; how sickness and pain 
 and sorrow may, by the same grace, be transfigured 
 into a more than angelic service, and even death 
 robe itself in light. 
 
 For years she had lived in the constant con- 
 viction that death might be very near. More 
 than three years before the final summons came 
 for which she waited, she wrote to one whom she 
 loved : " Yesterday I found myself dwelling more 
 than usual on the thought which is always up- 
 permost with me in sickness, ' What if this sick- 
 ness should be the key to unlock that door ? ' 
 You know what I love to think : 
 
INTR OD UC TOR Y SKE TCH. xi 
 
 " ' Death holds no more dark tr)-st ; 
 There is no Death. Only a door 
 Is opened, and forevermore 
 The Christian is with Christ.' 
 
 *' Dear , if I go before you, will you say a 
 
 few words to those who come together to take a 
 last look at my worn-out * dwelling-house ? ' And 
 will you take for your text, ' The Master is come 
 and calleth for thee ; ' or, ' Be of good comfort, 
 rise, He calleth thee ' — whichever you like best. 
 You would speak of the fullness of glory, of the 
 unspeakable rapture of being called. You would 
 tell how Jesus has been my Strength and Joy, 
 through all my pilgrimage, and how He will be 
 the Light and Crown of Heaven. If there is but 
 one hymn sung— and I should like one — I should 
 like— 
 
 '" How sweet the name of Jesus sounds ;' 
 or, 
 
 " 'Jesus, the very thought of Thee, 
 With gladness fills my breast ;' 
 
 and if two, 
 
 " ' There is a land of pure delight.' 
 
 When you fulfill this request I shall be there, 
 praising as I ought. Think of it ! " 
 
 Yet this conviction, as will be seen alreadv, 
 
xii IN TROD UCTOR V SKE TCH. 
 
 cast no shadow on her life, nor even gave the 
 faintest tinge of an unhealthy color to the views 
 she took of it. With all her soul she entered 
 into its pure pleasures. The grace that wrought 
 in her, heightened her joy in living and lov- 
 ing, because, through every cherished object, 
 and in each event, God seemed to speak to her 
 and tell her of His love. " I never come into a 
 room where flowers are," she said, " without feeling 
 that it is a holy place ; God seems to have taken 
 such special pains with each leaf." 
 
 In every engagement or duty, even the least 
 and apparently most trivial, as well as in every 
 pleasure and delight, she loved to feel that her 
 Lord had a part. " I never dressed myself with- 
 out doing it for Jesus." 
 
 And in the letter from which the quotation 
 above was made, she wrote : '' I am very happy, 
 and have everything to bind me to earth. The 
 very love which makes the longing to see the 
 King in His beauty so intense, says, gladly and 
 sincerely, ' Thy v/ill be done.' And that very love 
 and longing make the earth-life brighter, happier, 
 holier." 
 
 Perhaps it was her strong and growing desire 
 
INTRODUCTORY SKETCIT xiii 
 
 that, as she felt on this subject, others might be 
 
 brought to feel, that caused her to speak so much 
 
 of death, even so long before her departure. Not 
 
 seldom brought to face it very closely, as it seemed 
 
 to her, and finding how little real power it had to 
 
 harm a believing soul, it seemed to her a thing 
 
 un-Christian, a thing unworthy the disciples and 
 
 friends of Him " who hath abolished death," to 
 
 shrink from it. It was no longer, and it could 
 
 not be, the coming of the " King of Terrors," but 
 
 of the returning Lord Himself, to call and carry 
 
 home His own, whom He had loved unto the end. 
 
 This thought will be found running through many 
 
 of the Songs, repeating itself in them like a glad 
 
 refrain of joyful expectation. So strong was this 
 
 feeling, that her pleasure in her favorite hymn — 
 
 " My faith looks up to Thee," 
 
 was unmistakably diminished by the thought in 
 
 the opening lines of the last stanza — 
 
 "When death's cold sullen stream 
 Shall o'er me roll." 
 
 It seemed to her nearer the truth to sing — ' 
 
 " Death like a narrow stream divides 
 That heavenly land from ours " — 
 
 ci narrow stream not only, but one through which 
 
xiv INTRODUCTORY SKETCH. 
 
 her Jesus would lead her dry-shod, through the 
 way He Himself had opened, into rest. 
 
 That those she loved, and those especially who, 
 through fear of death, were subject to bondage, 
 might share with her this precious faith, was her 
 constant desire. " If I were a minister," she 
 would say, " it seems to me that I would often 
 preach about dying in such a way as to show how 
 happy a thing it is for a Christian." And when, 
 as she came to die, she found the strength and 
 peace and joy of it to be all, and more than all, she 
 had anticipated, she gladly saw and even sent for 
 many whose peace she had at heart, that she 
 might testify and they might see the faithfulness 
 of their Saviour in His grace to her. 
 
 Yet though so fearless of dying, and made to 
 feel that death in almost any form would be 
 " surcease of sorrow " and relief from pain, she 
 was not only kept, to the very end, from any 
 shrinking from the fullest measure of pain and 
 suffering the Lord might see fit to mete out to her, 
 but she rejoiced in it. So long as He withheld 
 not Himself He might send or withhold what He 
 would, her heart was glad with exceeding and 
 unfailing joy. 
 
INTR OD UC TOR V SKE TCH. xv 
 
 " I feel sometimes," she writes, " as if heaven 
 were begun on earth. And, indeed, if it be true 
 that Christ is heaven, and heaven is Christ, it is 
 heaven wherever He is. It would be utterly im- 
 possible for me to tell you how He blesses me. 
 He has answered my prayer, ' Say unto my soul 
 I am thy salvation.' He floods my life with His 
 own glory. Everything is bright in His smile. 
 ' The Lord will command His loving-kindness in 
 the day-time, and in the night His song shall be 
 with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.' 
 It is literally fulfilled, so that often it is an effort 
 not to obey literally the injunction, * Let them 
 sing aloud upon their beds.' The rest of it I can- 
 not help obeying, ' Let the saints be joyful in 
 glory, and let the children of Zion be joyful in 
 their King.' That is the beauty of it — it is in my 
 King. I never was more sure that I was rejoic- 
 ing, not in His gifts, but in Himself. For this has 
 been a trying summer. I have not gained strength. 
 Indeed, I think I lose ; and my pain is absolutely 
 without cessation save when I sleep, and then it 
 wakes me and keeps me awake. I tell you this 
 only that you may imagine a little of the magni- 
 tude of that grace which not only helps me to 
 
xvi INTRODUCTORY SKETCH. 
 
 endure, but transforms here every cross into a 
 crown. I can only cry, * Blessed be the Lord 
 God, which daily loadeth me with benefits;' and 
 'Thy marvellous loving- kindness ! ' is the con- 
 stant exclamation of my heart and lips." 
 
 And so it was. For weeks before her end, 
 almost the most frequent utterance in recognition 
 of some new and unexpected mercy was, " That 
 was my wonderful Jesus." " My wonderful 
 Jesus." "Is He not wonderful.'*" And these 
 utterances, so far from being the language of ex- 
 travagant and exceptional emotion, or of periods 
 of peculiar and exalted feeling, only express the 
 constant tenor of her joyful faith for months and 
 years, which was as " absolutely without cessa- 
 tion " as the pain of which she speaks. Through 
 all the painful discipline, these two thoughts were 
 ever uppermost : that by it He was teaching her, 
 and that in it she was glorifying Him. " How can 
 I do anything," she wrote, " but glor^' in infirmities, 
 that the power of Christ may rest upon me } I 
 have been wondering lately whether Paul could 
 have written Hebrews. ' No chas-tening for the 
 present seemeth to be joyous but grievous,' docs 
 not chime with w^hat he says elsewhere. 'The 
 
IN TROD UC TOR Y SKE TCH. x vii 
 
 fellowship of His sufferings ' is a /r^^<?/// blessed- 
 ness. It needs not to await the ' afterward,' to 
 show the joy and strength found therein." 
 
 So, joyfully as well as steadfastly enduring, 
 waiting with quiet submission to His will the in- 
 dications of her Lord's purpose concerning her, not 
 too eagerly elate, nor longing to depart, nor yet 
 ever once shrinking in timidity or " earthly cling- 
 ing," she went on to the end, " leaning upon her 
 Beloved." 
 
 " I am looking forward to the coming winter 
 with joyous and yet awe-struck anticipations, for 
 I know that I am entering upon a new term in my 
 school-life, I know that the lessons set for me 
 are higher, holier, more glorious, than any I have 
 learned yet I know, too, that they will be harder 
 to learn ; but the harder they are, the tenderer 
 and more patient is my Teacher ; the more He 
 helps me, the faster I learn. I think, sometimes, 
 perhaps I am almost through school. I am cer- 
 tainly growing weaker. I do not know how it 
 will be. I do know that either way, whether He 
 keeps me here, or takes me to Himself, it will be 
 fullness of joy ! " 
 
 The winter had little more than begun, when 
 
xviii INTRODUCTORY SIvETCH. 
 
 she heard the welcome voice, for which she waited 
 and listened day and night, 
 
 " I have come 
 To take thee home ;" 
 
 and the long school-days were ended. 
 
 II. 
 
 " We are made a spectacle unto the world, and to an/^els, and to 
 men." 
 
 'T^HE end was manifestly near, and those who 
 ■*■ loved her, and also longed after her for the 
 exceeding grace of God which was in her, were 
 wont to make as frequent visits as possible to the 
 chamber where she lay, and whence at last her 
 freed spirit took its heavenward flight. It would 
 be impossible to convey to any one who had not 
 been so privileged as to see it, or scenes like this, 
 where Christ displayed the riches of His grace, 
 any conception of the sweet peace of that room of 
 unceasing suffering, yet unclouded light. No 
 shadow ever seemed to rest within it. "Are you 
 
INTRODUCTORY SKETCH. xix 
 
 not glad for me ? " was her smiling greeting, be- 
 fore which sorrow could not stand, and tears and 
 vain regrets seemed profanation. Her gladness 
 seemed infectious, and the weak made many- 
 strong, comforting them with the comforts with 
 which she herself was comforted of God. 
 
 On one such visit she described a sort of waking 
 dream, in which, to use, as nearly as may be, her 
 own words, " I seemed to be climbing a high 
 mountain, having its summit in the glory of 
 heaven. I saw many others going up, beside 
 myself, or wandering on the mountain - sides. 
 They seemed to have easy paths, gradually 
 ascending, while the Master's hand, taking hold 
 of mine, seemed to lead me directly up, — straight 
 toward the summit; over rocks and precipices, 
 apparently impassable, right through the woods, 
 never turning aside, nor resting, nor seeking an 
 easier way. I hardly knew whether to be glad or 
 sorry. I could not but be glad to reach the top 
 so soon, led by His hand, even \i the way was so 
 hard ; but it seemed a selfish thing to go so quick- 
 ly and so easily, being helped so mightily, and 
 leave all the rest behind." 
 
 The thought was suggested, that in so leading 
 
XX I^ TROD UCTOR Y SKE TCH. 
 
 and lifting her to himself, the Master might in- 
 tend to make her a spectacle to others ; that her 
 course, made short and straight and easy by His 
 grace, though over difficulties and through terrors 
 that might well appall the stoutest heart without 
 Him, must and would serve to encourage those 
 \^ho were led in securer, but more circuitous 
 paths; and as they looked on her they would 
 take the assurance of the same faithful and 
 Almighty care, and the same blessed and trium- 
 phant end. As they gazed on her, they could 
 not but look upward, and looking upward, could 
 not but see more than they had seen before of 
 the tender faithfulness and overcoming power of 
 Christ, the Master. 
 
 A few days afterward she Avrote, in one oi the 
 very last notes from her pencil : " You gave me a 
 treasure in calling my attention to that passage in 
 I Cor. iv. 9. After you left I studied it. The 
 margin is ''theatre.' It overwhelmed me almost, 
 while it exalted me. Who thinks of the platform 
 on which the actor stands, the walls within which 
 he speaks, while hanging entranced upon his 
 thrilling accents, his matchless genius? To be 
 the theatre on which Jesus displays His wondrous 
 
IN TROD UCTOR Y SKE TCH. xxi 
 
 grace and power ! What greater, higher honor can 
 He give me here ? " 
 
 In these remaining pages, a few tokens of that 
 grace and power are gathered, which He displayed 
 upon the theatre He had so prepared for Himself, 
 during the last few weeks of her earthly life; 
 weeks that can never be forgotten by those who 
 were so blessed as to see with their own eyes the 
 " acting " of the Master. But little has been done 
 other than to thread together some of the utter- 
 ances of the faith and joy that she made " touching 
 (her) King," as they dropped almost unceasingly 
 from her lips, till they ceased to speak to us at all. 
 It will readily be seen how many of the "Songs " 
 took their rise or suggestion from the incidents or 
 thoughts of that time. Yet she loved to think, 
 and unhesitatingly, believed, that they were not 
 her own, but were given to her by the same loving 
 One, who had led her into what she always loved 
 to call ''The Valley of Achor." He had given 
 them that she might sing there of His love, after 
 He had spoken to her heart. 
 
 On the 14th of September, 1873, she began to 
 write, as she lay upon her bed, the thoughts that 
 occurred to her, which she desired to leave behind 
 
xxil IN TROD UCTOR V SKE TCH. 
 
 her, especially for the purpose of encouraging and 
 comforting a few of her dear friends who were 
 invalids, and to whom she desired that sickness 
 might be made, as it had been to her, " a very 
 mount of vision." " If I go before them into 
 the full and perfect unfolding of the glory, it may 
 perhaps cheer and help them, to read these expe- 
 riences of their ' companion in tribulation, and in 
 the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ.' " 
 
 After some delightful meditations on the beauty, 
 the clear atmosphere, the heavenly sweetness of 
 " The Valley of Achor," written upon the Sab- 
 bath, Sept. 2 1 St, there follows the song beginning : 
 
 *' No sanctuar}' songs to-day 
 Fall on m}' ear." 
 
 On Monday, 22d, " This came to me to-day;" 
 and then follows the song entitled " Passion 
 Flowers." 
 
 Oct. 3. " This was given me : 
 
 * A message from the King,'" etc. 
 
 Oct. 4. " I was awakened this morning (or at 
 least it was the first sound I heard), by a voice 
 saying, ' I will shov/ her how great things she shall 
 suffer for my name's sake.' It thrilled me with a 
 
INTRODUCTORY SKETCH. xxiii 
 
 questioning awe, ' What shall I be called to en- 
 dure ? ' — with a reverent gratitude, ' It will be for 
 Him.' I can imagine griefs that seem unbearable, 
 from which heart and flesh shrink back appalled. 
 But truly, even knowing that God has power to 
 send anything, to take away anything that He 
 chooses, still I do count all things but loss ' that I 
 may know Him and the fellowship of His suffer- 
 ings.' That word is so sweet — the honor, the joy 
 to be His fellows, friends, companions — what can 
 be too much to give for that ? 
 
 " There are so many things of which we say, 
 * Well, I cannot know it now ;' or, 'I cannot do it 
 now, but I shall in Heaven.' But that fellowships 
 if we do not know it here, we shall never know it. 
 It is the highest class ; the deepest, loftiest, most 
 delightful lesson in all our school course. And 
 what will it be to graduate perfect in that 1 It is 
 the lesson He loves best to teach ; being Himself 
 the Teacher and the lesson. After breakfast, this 
 was given to me, some promise of what the teach- 
 ing shall be," — and then follows the song entitled 
 " The Valley of Achor." 
 
 When the power to write failed, the two songs 
 that remained were written by other willing iin- 
 
xxiv INTRODUCTORY SKETCH. 
 
 gers, at her dictation. Rapidly, without hesitation 
 and without correction, as she herself had written 
 the others, they were uttered and written as she 
 uttered them, and are so printed, with the correc- 
 tion of but two or three words. 
 
 From about the 12th of October, those who were 
 with her constantly began — without her knowledge 
 and unobserved — to put down the "words of 
 grace " she was continually speaking, with lips 
 touched by Him whom she seemed even then al- 
 most to see face to face. 
 
 " The door was open a little this morning (Oct. 
 14), and the sun came through the east window in 
 a narrow line of light into the room, and I felt as 
 if I were just getting a little glimpse of my bright 
 
 home. Then J opened the door and the light 
 
 poured in upon my bed. He went out into the 
 other room, and it seemed as if he passed into the 
 glory. So, I thought, when my Lord comes for 
 me, it will be only passing from my darkened room 
 into the glory ' where He dwelleth.' " 
 
 Oct. 15. "It seems as if you must hear Jesus 
 speaking to me ; it is so real, so wonderful. It is 
 not always in words, but such floods of rapture — 
 such a sense of His presence with and smile upon 
 
INTRODUCTORY SKETCH. xxv 
 
 me. Somehow I feel as if it must be the language 
 of Heaven I hear. Oh, I am so happy ! 
 
 '' I wish people would not pity me so. They 
 think too much of my suffering. But it is not so 
 much for me as for one not used to pain. And 
 then my dear Lord holds me so fast, that it seems 
 only a pleasure to suffer pain. It brings me al- 
 ways closer and closer to him." 
 
 Her word, after a sleepless night, was, " I have 
 had such a blessed night ; Jesus talked with me all 
 the time. He talks of the many mansions. I do 
 not feel as if I was to go alone, nor as if angels 
 were to be sent for me. I know He will come for 
 me; He has said so — and He t;glls me so now." 
 
 Some symptoms became more alarming October 
 31, yet her morning greeting was : " I am so glad ; 
 it is just as if J were away, and, at every sta- 
 tion, he sent me a little note to say he was nearer." 
 
 Nov. I. "I see Him all the time; even with 
 my eyes open. His form robed in white, glory 
 radiating from Him. I do not see His face, it is 
 as if there were a veil between, and I think how 
 soon He will turn and look upon me, and I shall 
 see His face clearly — I see Him by my bedside ; I 
 see him coming in the door !" 
 
xxvi IN TROD UCTOR V SKE TCH. 
 
 In the midst of a spasm, she exclaimed : " I am 
 so happy — so particularly happy!" and, after she 
 was better, she said : " It seemed to me as if I 
 could hear Jesus saying to me, over and over, ' My 
 dear child,' in such a tender, loving voice, it filled 
 my heart with rapture." 
 
 It was told her that one of her friends had said 
 that his talks with her would have a sanctifying 
 influence upon him, because she had made him 
 realize the power and presence of Christ more 
 than he had ever done before. She replied, her 
 whole face beaming : " Oh, J , is not that de- 
 lightful ? it is worth more than all my pain. I would 
 gladly have all my limbs paralyzed, if I could only 
 be so blessed as to show others the po\yer and 
 preciousness of my dear Lord Jesus." 
 
 Nov. 4. " My sleepless nights are really my 
 good nights, for then my Lord is with me and 
 talks to me all the time." 
 
 M replied, " He talks to you always, dar- 
 ling, in the daytime, and we are glad to have you 
 sleep at night." 
 
 " But you know, dear M , the songs in the 
 
 night are always the sweetest," 
 
 O said to her, " It is hard to believe that 
 
IN TROD UC rOR V SKK TCH. xx vii 
 
 you are going to die ; you look so bright and seem 
 so strong." 
 
 "Of course I do," was her joyful answer; 
 " how could I be otherwise than bright, so near 
 the eternal glory — and strong, so near the eternal 
 strength ? " 
 
 Again, to another : " Do I look happy ? I feel 
 as if I could shout upon my bed, I am so happy. 
 I hardly wonder that some Christians are afraid, 
 at least feel bad to die, they seem to know so lit- 
 tle of Jesus. But, I know Him so v/ell, He has 
 been such a dear friend here, it seems joy to go 
 with Him there where I shall know him better." 
 Adding, at another time, " It must hurt Him so to 
 think His children are afraid to have Him come." 
 
 Nov. 5. "I have been thinking about the office 
 of the Holy Spirit as Comforter. His work ceases 
 here. If we went to Heaven without suffering, 
 we could not know anything of the fellowship of 
 Christ's sufferings, nor the sweet offices of the 
 Comforter." 
 
 Nov. 8- " The Communion has always been so 
 much to me. I think there is so much expressed 
 in the taking the emblems, of the entirety in which 
 Christ gives Himself to us — eating His flesh, drink- 
 
xxviii IN TROD UCTOR V SKE TCB. 
 
 ing His blood — entering into our very being. I 
 was thinking of all this last night, and I thought 
 if I had enjoyed such rapture here, what must it 
 be there, where emblems have no place, but He 
 gives Himself to us." 
 
 Nov. 9. " I have always heard so much of the 
 depressing effects of dyspepsia, that I feared it 
 might make me fretful and impatient, especially as 
 it was so new to me ; but my Lord is so good to 
 me, that even in the most severe pain I could sing 
 for very gladness, for He makes me so glad with 
 His love." 
 
 Nov. 15. " I thought to-day that perhaps I was 
 selfish to be so glad to go, but He gave me a word 
 for you : ' You will have Heaven, but they will 
 have Jesus.' " 
 
 The same day, she said : " Do you think He 
 called me to-day His watching servant.^ and said : 
 * Blessed is that servant Avhom the Lord, when He 
 Cometh, shall find watching.' I wish you could 
 hear Him say ' Blessed,' He makes the word so 
 full of meaning, it fills my soul with rapture." 
 
 " Do you know," she asked M , " the other in- 
 terpretation of that expression, ' unspeakable words 
 which is not lawful for man to utter,' is ' Xiol possi- 
 
INTRODUCTORY SKETCH. xxix 
 
 bW for Him? H once said that he thought 
 
 one reason why there could not be communica- 
 tion between heaven and earth was, that it would 
 be impossible for us to understand what they who 
 spoke should say to us. I am beginning to un- 
 derstand how this may be, for my soul is filled 
 with such wonderful things I cannot find language 
 to express them. What will it be there ? " 
 Nov. 1 8. She asked M to repeat 
 
 " Ye angels who stand round the throne." 
 
 " I do not think that is right," she added, " to 
 struggle and pant to be free. It is well to long 
 after the Master, but better to do His will. I 
 can take pleasure in my infirmities because I 
 know they come by His will." 
 
 " How unreasonable," she said one day, " and 
 how absurd to speak of Jesus as only a man, when 
 * Every man that hath heard and hath learned of 
 the Father, cometh unto me ' (John vi. 45 ). When 
 the whole work of the Father and the Spirit is 
 shown to be the revealing of the Son, ' He shall 
 not speak of Himself, He shall glorify me ' (John 
 xvi.13, 14). Thus it grows upon you in studying the 
 Word, that this is the object of the Scripture teach- 
 
XXX INTRODUCTORY SKETCH. 
 
 ing, to glorify Christ. So the study of the Word 
 must bring us nearer to Him, make us know Him. 
 'The Spirit searcheth the deep things of God;' 
 ' O the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom 
 and knowledge of God ; ' ' Christ, the power of 
 God and the wisdom of God.' Is not that beauti- 
 ful.? and though 'Eye hath not seen, etc., God 
 hath revealed them by His Spirit : for the Spirit 
 searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.' 
 ' All the promises of God in Him are yea, and in 
 Him, amen.' Whenever you begin to study the 
 Bible, no matter what the subject is, you always 
 end in Christ. I never thought of that word 
 ' depths ' so much before. ' The Spirit searcheth 
 the depths. In Him are hid all the treasures of 
 wisdom and knowledge.' That is 77iy Redeemer, 
 and ' His name shall be called Wonderful' " 
 
 It was by that Name she loved to speak of 
 Him. It was ever on her lips, " My wonderful 
 Jesus.'' " I think," she said, " that is almost the 
 best of His many beautiful names, He is such a 
 wonderful, wonderful Lord;" and when asked 
 one time for a last message for a dear absent 
 friend, her reply was, " What better word could I 
 give her than, my wonderful Jesus." 
 
IN TROD UC TOR V SKE TCH. xxxi 
 
 She commenced quoting, " All things are yours, 
 
 whether Paul " — As she stopped there, A 
 
 added, " or ApoUos," etc. " No," she said, 
 " *" whether Paul ' — I love to stop there ; the Lord 
 showed Paul that His grace was sufficient, so I 
 learned of him ; Paul's experience is mine, Paul is 
 rnine." 
 
 To M , who was brushing her hair to soothe 
 
 the pain, sh^said : " When He comes for me, He'll 
 brush by you." And on M 's saying, " I can- 
 not do anything when you talk so, you mustn't 
 think I am too brave," she added : " Why, I 
 thought it would make you brave to think of His 
 seamless robe touching you." 
 
 For weeks she had been able to take scarcely 
 any nourishment, but at last the pain and vomit- 
 ing grew so distressing, that it was impossible for 
 her to take anything, so that from the twentieth 
 of November, until the day the Master came for 
 her, she lived without food. 
 
 When the pain first became so much more 
 severe, she looked up and smiled, and said, "It's 
 my wonderful Jesus. I am tossed on waves and 
 billows, and He has put forth His hand and lifted 
 me on heights above them all." Again a smile, 
 
xxxii INTRODUCTORY SKETCH. 
 
 and " I said, ' My dear Lord,' and He said, * My 
 dear child.' Oh, I'm so happy ! " 
 
 J brought a spray of white begonias. "' My 
 
 wonderful Jesus sends me here a little note to 
 remind me of the white robes and crowns of 
 glory." 
 
 During the evening of Wednesday of that week, 
 we watched beside her, thinking each moment 
 would be the last on earth. At times her pulse 
 ceased altogether, and the " beloved physician " 
 said many times, " He will soon be here." 
 
 " If this is dying, tell Mrs. M and all of them, 
 
 that it is more beautiful than even 1 thought it 
 w^as. ' His left hand is under my head ; His right 
 hand doth embrace me.' He holds me so close." 
 Again, " I thought that perhaps, after all, I might 
 feel a little shrinking from death at the last, but 
 there is none. I am so glad, so happy, so peaceful." 
 
 Once and again she said, " I hope my last 
 word will be Jesus, my wonderful Jesus." 
 
 Often she asked, " Will He soon be here ? " 
 
 And once, when we almost thought her gone, 
 she said v/ith clear, strong voice, " Now is brought 
 to pass the saying that is written, death is swal- 
 lowed up in victory." 
 
IN TROD UCTOR Y SKE TCH. xxxiii 
 
 But the Master tarried. Again on Friday and 
 Saturday, we watched beside her for His coming, 
 but still He delayed. 
 
 When, on that Sabbath morning, her pulse 
 
 came back as before, she said to J , on whose 
 
 breast she leaned, with tears of disappointment, 
 but a smile as well, " Put me down to bear." 
 
 H said, to comfort, " My grace is sufficient 
 
 for thee." 
 
 Scarce able to speak, she whispered, " Most 
 gladly, therefore, will I rather glory in infirmities, 
 that the power of Christ may rest upon me." 
 
 Afterward she said, " I knew He was not com- 
 ing for me, for He told me the sweetest thing the 
 saints did in heaven, was His will." And a little 
 later, " The Lord asked me whether I was willing 
 to return to live and suffer more, write more, talk 
 more for Him. What could I say but ' Yes .? ' 
 But I felt much as I suppose Elijah would have 
 felt, if, when he had got half way up to heaven, he 
 had been thrown out of the chariot back to earth. 
 Still His will is best, yes indeed, and sweetest." 
 
 That same day she asked H , " Do you not 
 
 think I might say a Utile that I have fought a 
 good fight .^" 
 
Xxxiv IN TROD UCTOR Y SKE TCH. 
 
 " I think you might say it a good deal, say it 
 entirely," he replied. 
 
 " I will then, and it has been all for Jesus. Oh, 
 I am so happy ! " 
 
 " You know, dear," she said the next morning, 
 " in a school most of the pupils have favorite 
 studies, and mine has always been ' the fellow- 
 ship of His suiferings,' and I want to graduate per- 
 fect." 
 
 A little while aftenvards, she said: "When 
 F said to me that I might stay till Thanks- 
 giving Day, it seemed to me as if I could not bear 
 it; but my dear Lord began to talk with me, and 
 He has made me willing to wait. How good He 
 is ! that is always the way ; as soon as anything 
 troubles me, He comes and talks with me, and 
 makes it all plain, and easy, and bright. If there 
 is one verse in the Bible I do believe from my own 
 experience, it is, ' I will manifest myself unto 
 Him.' " 
 
 One day she said to M , " Satan showed me 
 
 just the tip of his tail this morning. He told me 
 that perhaps all this joy and peace, and this talk- 
 ing with Jesus, Avas the effect of my imagination, 
 and was not real." 
 
I.V TROD UC TOR Y SKE TCII. xxxv 
 
 " And what did you say to him ? " 
 
 '^ I did not say anything ; I would not answer 
 him. I answered him for the last time several 
 weeks ago. I just said 'Jesus,' and He said, 
 ' Leave her alone ; she is mine ' — and now I am 
 sure he will not trouble me again." 
 
 At another time she asked, " Is it wrong for 
 me to say that ' I have meat to eat that ye know 
 not of? He surely does feed me; for, when the 
 hunger comes and I call to Him to help. He gives 
 me some word of His that does really take it away, 
 for it feeds my soul so fully." 
 
 Her friends dreaded the return of the convul- 
 sions, which v/ere so distressing to bear and to 
 
 witness. Turning to T , she said: "If he 
 
 sends me another convulsion, don't you mind ; it 
 will be in love,, just like all the rest." 
 
 Nov. 25. She asked: "Do you not think that 
 this is a very hard death to die ? I am so glad you 
 do; for it shows His power and grace so much 
 more, so that none may say it was easy to bear. 
 It is so sweet to be made use of, to show His grace 
 and power to sustain. It is sweet pain; I am glad 
 to suffer a little more for Him." 
 
 After reading the verse, " If any man's work 
 
xxxvi INTRODUCTORY SKETCH. 
 
 abide, he shall receive a reward," A asked, 
 
 "What would be the reward you would ask, 
 dear ? " 
 
 " If He will only say, ' Thank you, dear child.' " 
 " How beautiful it has all been — the pain and 
 the suffering, as well as the peace." 
 
 Nov. 26. After a sleepless night of intense suf- 
 fering, she asked : " Shall I tell you a lovely con- 
 versation .? " 
 
 " Lord, I am so weak, I cannot bear it ; give me 
 some help." 
 
 " Let him take hold of My strength." 
 " But, Lord, I am too weak to take hold of it ; 
 give me something else." 
 
 " Underneath are the everlasting Arms." 
 " Lord, dost Thou really love me } " 
 " I have loved thee with an everlasting love. As 
 the Father hath loved Me, so have I loved you ; 
 let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be 
 afraid." 
 
 As the day wore away, she said : " I felt so 
 
 badly when F said I should- probably be here 
 
 on Thanksgiving Day, but I do not feel so now. 
 If I am here, I shall offer perhaps the most heart- 
 felt thanksgiving of any one in this place." 
 
IN TROD UCTOR V SA'E TCH. xxxvii 
 
 It was indeed true, as her last Song, a " Thanks- 
 giving Hymn," dictated without hesitation on that 
 morning, clearly shows. Her wonderful peace 
 
 called forth from M , " My precious, patient 
 
 sufferer." 
 
 " I am not patient." 
 
 " What are you, then .? " 
 
 " I am joyous. I do not bear; it is all borne 
 for me. You know what Faber says : 
 
 " ' And that which is unbearable, 
 Is Thine, not mine, to bear.' " 
 
 But as the agonizing pain, and hunger, and 
 thirst, and, above all, the intense weariness and 
 painful weakness grew even greater, she learned to 
 love the word, patience. Thus, on December 3, 
 she said, " I am only patient and peaceful to-day ; 
 I have not strength to be joyful." And later, 
 " Do you know what I think is the sweetest thing 
 in the world .'* Patience ! It is so sweet to lie 
 still, and wish nothing but His will." 
 
 In the night of the 29th of November, which, 
 like most of the others, was entirely sleepless, 
 during an hour of special pain, she said, " I could 
 not bear it if Jesus did not bear it with me. If 
 
X cxviii IN TROD UCTOR V SKE TCH. 
 
 God spared not His own Son, He surely will not 
 spare what is necessary to refine me. He will 
 help and strengthen me to the end. If I am too 
 weak to tell you so, you must be sure that I am 
 peaceful, and joyfully waiting for Jesus to come 
 and take me with Him where He is." 
 
 The day before she had said, " I think I am 
 losing the control of my mind. I am just as 
 happy, just as peaceful, just as willing to wait as 
 ever ; but I cannot control my thoughts. I will 
 begin to think of some text, and in a few minutes I 
 will run off to something to eat — think how nice a 
 piece of steak would taste. I know it is not my 
 spirit, but this morning I felt as if my body could 
 not bear it any longer, but I know He will help 
 me to the end. Only think, if it causes you all so 
 much pain to see me suffer, how much more it 
 would pain Him, if He could not see so plainly 
 the beautiful end! He could not fan the furnace 
 flame, if He did not expect to see the soul coming 
 out of the fires purified. There is so much love in 
 sitting as a refiner till the purification is accom- 
 plished, I do thank Him for it." 
 
 Her love for flowers, so strongly exhibited in 
 some of her " Songs," was manifested all through 
 
INTRODUCTORY SKETCH. xxxix 
 
 her sickness. And through the kindness of 
 friends, she was never a day without them. " I 
 think my Lord is so good to send me so many 
 flowers just now, when I cannot eat, for I feed 
 upon them — their beauty and fragrance. I 
 am sure there must be flowers in heaven, for He 
 likens Himself to them — the lily, and the rose — 
 and you know He says, ' He feedeth among the 
 lilies.' Was it not good in Jesus to put it into 
 
 Mrs. C 's heart to send me these.'* You see 
 
 He knows how I love them." And again, with 
 tears in her eyes, " It was so good in the Lord to 
 send me that Daphne to-day." 
 
 During all her sickness, she had been unwilling 
 to resort to any remedy that would cause uncon- 
 sciousness, having a desire, as she said, to bear every 
 pain her dear Lord sent, and to meet Him at His 
 coming with body as well as soul, expectant and 
 conscious. Her physicians and friends, however, 
 were pursuaded that she ought to use the means 
 of relief which God had made, and at last, taking 
 their wishes as the expression of God's will, she 
 consented, and from the 5th of December, she 
 was kept most of the time under the influence of 
 anaesthetics. Through some peculiarity of the 
 
xl INTRODUCTORY SKETCH. 
 
 disease, however, though large doses were admin- 
 istered, the effect was much of the time partial. 
 They seemed most of the time, however, to lull 
 the pain, and brought her many hours of refresh- 
 ing sleep, but always, on waking, her mind was as 
 clear as ever. 
 
 In speaking of this, she said, " You see I trusted 
 in the Lord, and He did bring it to pass. Isn't 
 He lovely, altogether lovely ? I have had such a 
 
 lovely night. I think, dear M , you will 
 
 always remember this night with pleasure. Isn't 
 it wonderful how my dear Lord has made the 
 morphia act, controlling the pain perfectly, and 
 yet leaving my mind clear .? It is all my wonder- 
 ful Jesus, He is so good. 
 
 " I wish I could tell you a little of what is pour- 
 ing into my heart — such beauty, such glory. It is 
 wonderful. 
 
 *' My wonderful Jesus has been so good to me." 
 
 Then, after a little pause, " I can just feel him, 
 
 dear M , gather me up and hold me close to 
 
 His breast." 
 
 And again, " I can tell you one thing ; there's 
 always Jesus." 
 
 " Poor child ! " A said that day. 
 
IN TROD UCrOR V SR'E TCII. xli 
 
 "No; happy, blessed chWd,'' she replied. 
 
 " Does He still talk to you ? " 
 
 " All the time, and He tells me such beautiful 
 things of the joys before me, and how He will 
 comfort you." 
 
 *' He keeps me here to learn a little more of 
 the sweet lesson that can be only learned on 
 earth — the lesson I love to learn — ' The fellow- 
 ship of His sufferings.' " 
 
 The next morning she said : "Another day of 
 my weakness and my Saviour's power. Don't be 
 afraid ; I shall have great strength given me ; I 
 am not afraid." 
 
 As the pain returned with increased vigor, she 
 said : " The furnace is heated seven times hotter, 
 but the Son of Man is in it." 
 
 Again and again would she ask, " Have I been 
 patient } " And, upon receiving the assurance 
 that she had, would invariably add, " My dear, 
 wonderful Jesus, He has been so merciful ; " or, 
 " It was all for His Name's sake." Everything 
 seemed to remind her of Him. Once, when I was 
 bathing her hands, she said, "All my springs are 
 in Thee." 
 
 S alluded to her having given him Mrs. 
 
xlii IN TROD UC TOR V SKE TCH. 
 
 Browning's poem, " He giveth His beloved sleep." 
 " I want you all to remember that," she said, " I 
 have suffered so terribly froni want of sleep." 
 
 Dec. 8. She commenced to repeat — "They 
 shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more ; for 
 the Lamb " — she paused, and M finished it. 
 
 " How sweet it will be to be there ! I do want 
 to go so much." 
 
 " Then why," asked M , " do you not ask 
 
 Him, darling, to come for you 1 " 
 
 " I don't want to; He will come as soon as He 
 is ready." 
 
 " But, perhaps. He waits to have you ask Him 1 " 
 
 " No, He does not. I have said to Him, ' ail 
 things are possible to him that believeth,' and He 
 knows." 
 
 That nightj between twelve and one, she said : 
 " The only thing I can do, is trust in Jesus. I am 
 so weak, I can't trust in anything or anybody 
 else — only in Jesus." Later, she added, " I am 
 so thankful I have not got to get ready to die. 
 So ready, so trustful, so happy and blessed ! " And 
 the next morning, " Suppose I had to feel around 
 for something to cling to now ! " 
 
 Dec. lo, 3 P.M. "There is one thing you 
 
INTRODUCTORY SKETCH. xliii 
 
 haven't understood, and perhaps I did not under- 
 stand myself. You have all thought I have had 
 more than I could bear; but with so much that 
 has seemed unbearable, has always come the 
 sense of His sweetness and love, which was itself 
 unbearable. But now 1 am going where I shall 
 be able to bear it all, and more." 
 
 During a short waking interval, she exclaimed, 
 " I realize fully ' no separation ; ' I believe it 
 utterly!" And again, " Oh ! I never saw it so 
 plain before; He endured all His passion that we 
 might never sorrow more ! 
 
 Dec. lo, 5:30 P.M. "I wish I could tell you 
 how shaken and how firm, how wretched and how 
 triumphant I am." 
 
 Thursday morning, Dec. 11. Pushing away 
 
 the chloroform, as J was about to administer 
 
 it, she said, " Wait ; there are two things that 
 remain as intense as ever— my love for you all, 
 and my love for Jesus." 
 
 That afternoon we " watched the door unclose 
 at last." Thus was her longing fulfilled, that her 
 last word on earth should be " Jesus," as doubt- 
 less it was her first in heaven. 
 
xliv INTRODUCTORY SKETCH. 
 
 III. 
 
 "Sanctify them through Thy truth : Thy word is truth." 
 
 ^HE sources of such a life are not far to seek. 
 It will be readily believed that they are not 
 
 1 
 
 found in mere liveliness of emotion or sensibility, 
 nor yet in peculiarities of natural temperament or 
 mental constitution. No doubt we may trace the 
 influence of a peculiarly ardent and affectionate 
 nature, and a strong and brilliant fancy ; yet her 
 own heart assured her of that to which every spir- 
 itual judgment will assent, that the spring from 
 which her life was drawn lay deeper than all these, 
 and was infinitely fuller — was, indeed, "hid with 
 Christ in God." 
 
 " It pains me so much to have people tell me 
 that it is my natural disposition to be patient, and 
 to prefer God's will to my own. It seems so much 
 like withholding the glory from God, for I am so 
 sure that it is not my disposition, and that it is 
 nothing but God's grace given to me. 
 
 " You know how impatient I always used to be. 
 
IN TROD UCTOR Y SKE TCH. xlv 
 
 I do not mean irritable — for I know I was not that 
 — but in anything in which I was interested, I was 
 always so impatient to do or to have done. And 
 I always did like so much to have my own way. 
 And now I see how much this was my fault, and 
 how much trouble and anxiety I used to give you 
 
 and dear F by this trait in my character — this 
 
 fault. And I want you to promise me that when 
 you hear people say that it was my disposition, you 
 will tell them how it was; I do so want the grace 
 of God to be magnified." So truly had she learned 
 to say and feel, "All my springs are in Thee." 
 
 Had she not sought and obtained access to that 
 fountain of life and grace, the very ardor of her 
 natural impulses and affections, and the keenness 
 of her sensibilities, which afforded such a field for 
 the display of her Redeemer's power, would have 
 made her shrink from the very things in which she 
 gloried and rejoiced most heartily, the fellowship 
 of his^ sufferings, the cross of pain and sorrow, the 
 pangs of earthly separa'tions, the slow, sure, pain- 
 ful approach of death. All things to her, and in 
 her, were of God in Christ. As she had learned 
 to know Him in His Word, so, receiving that Word 
 with the simple faith of a little child, without a 
 
xlvi INTRODUCTORY SKETCH. 
 
 question, she found him in the inner teaching of 
 His Holy Spirit and the experience of her heart 
 and life. .The searching study of His Word was, 
 therefore, both her strength and her delight — her 
 almost constant occupation. And this it was that 
 gave to her a breadth and clearness of spiritual 
 vision, and a vigor of understanding, that were the 
 admiration of not a few whose duty and privilege 
 it had been for years to study and minister the gos- 
 pel of the grace of God. It was no infrequent thing 
 for her to suggest new connections in Scripture 
 passages, through the discovered presence of 
 Christ in them all ; or to delight her friends, in 
 conversation or correspondence, by some happy 
 illustration from the Word ; by some new and 
 forcible interpretation or application of a familiar 
 passage ; by bringing to light some familiar and 
 precious truth, as it had lain buried and unsus- 
 pected in less familiar and less studied portions of 
 the Bible ; or by the clearness of her conceptions 
 and the simple power of her faith, giving new life 
 and meaning, a new aspect of reality, to that 
 which was old and known, but not more than half 
 believed or understood. It was especially her 
 delight to find and show Christ as revealed in the 
 
INTRODUCTORY SKETCH. xlvii 
 
 Old Testament, and for a long period she studied 
 with absorbing interest the second chapter of 
 Hosea, from which many of her favorite express- 
 ions are drawn, and in which she loved to find an 
 epitome of all His gracious dealings with His 
 people and with her. 
 
 Hence it was not difficult to see, and she her- 
 self felt most strongly, that whatever fruits of 
 sanctifying grace were wrought in her, they were 
 wrought " through the truth." And her desire 
 was strong, that since the same truth, and the 
 same sanctifying spirit, were offered and open 
 freely to all, the same knowledge and grace might 
 be more heartily sought and more generally pos- 
 sessed by the disciples of Christ our Lord. 
 
 " I want some one," she said, " to tell at my fu- 
 neral, that in order to have such joy as mine upon 
 a dying bed, there must be first an absolute giving 
 oneself up to Christ, and second^ an earnest, dili- 
 gent study of His Word, that he may be known 
 more perfectly. I know that mine is a rare expe- 
 rience. I cannot help knowing it. But I also 
 know that it need not be. The Lord is just as 
 ready to give it to all His people as to me, if they 
 will only desire and seek it. 
 
Xlviii IN TROD UCTOR Y SKE TCH. 
 
 "People speak to me as if this peace and joy 
 were a special and unusual gift. It pains me to 
 have them say sOy for I am sure it is open to all 
 who desire it. I think the reason of my being now 
 more joyful and peaceful, is that I have studied 
 my Bible faithfully, and there I have learned to 
 know Jesus so well. And then, as I studied, it 
 never entered into my mind not to believe all He 
 said. And He does fulfill all that He promises." 
 
 Is there any other philosophy of the Christian 
 life than this? 
 
 The Master whom she so learned to know and 
 trust and love, could have wrought no more pre- 
 cious and worthy work by means of her life, and 
 all His dealings with her, and her peaceful and 
 triumphant death, nor any that would more com- 
 pletely accord with her own longing desire, or fill 
 her soul with joy to overflowing, than that some 
 souls should be encouraged to seek and cherish the 
 like precious faith, and be enabled to reap the 
 same precious fruits of knowledge, joy and peace. 
 
''§ctc is t\)t :patictice of t1)c saint©; Ijete are 
 tlicg tljat keep tl]c commanbments of (3oli aiib 
 tl)e faitij of Jt^sus/' 
 
SONGS IN 
 THE VALLEY OF ACHOR. 
 
 THE VALLEY OF ACHOR. 
 
 Hos. 2 ; 15. Is, 65 : 10. 
 
 It looked so dark to me, when first 
 
 I entered the dread valley, 
 But soon ujxin my vision burst 
 A green and shaded alley, 
 That shone and brightened more and more 
 Until it reached a shining Door. 
 
 And glory from that Door was shed, 
 
 And struggled with the shadow, 
 And shone soft on a path that led 
 Into a smiling meadow, 
 Where weary flocks and herds did lie, 
 Folded beneath the Shepherd's eye. 
 
 And vineyards there I saw, and fruit 
 That grew in shady bowers. 
 
SOA^GS IN THE 
 
 And grand old trees, and every root 
 Was hidden deep in flowers ; 
 And oh ! the air was soft, and sweet, 
 And bahny, in that cool retreat. 
 
 And here and there, among the rocks, 
 
 There were green resting places ; 
 There was no sound of strife or shocks, 
 No rush of troubled faces ; 
 I could hear nothing but that Voice 
 That sweetly cried, " Rejoice, rejoice." 
 
 I did rejoice, for there I found, 
 
 In closest, holiest union, 
 My soul's Beloved ; and not a sound 
 To break that blessed communion 
 Was there. My soul lay on his breast, 
 In perfect calm, in Heavenly rest. 
 
 He plucked the clustering grapes, and said 
 
 " These are for thee, beloved, 
 Into this valley I have led 
 
 Thy steps ; thou now hast proved 
 My truth. When forth thou go'st with Me 
 Thou shalt take ^ vineyards ' rich with thee.'* 
 
 2 
 
VALLEY OF ACHOR. 
 
 He taught me songs of joyous love, 
 
 Of grateful adoration ; 
 Naught had before availed to move 
 To such high jubilation 
 My soul, that now so tried and strong, 
 Rested in Him Who was my song. 
 
 He led me through the shining Door, 
 
 And up to Mounts of Vision ; 
 My eyes enraptured wandered o'er 
 The glorious scene elysian ; 
 I could not bear the rapture long. 
 But He on whom I leaned was strong. 
 
 He told me there, in accents sweet, 
 
 A wondrous thrilling story, 
 The while I worshipped at His feet ; 
 He promised me such glory. 
 One day upon my eyes should shine, 
 As now would break this heart of mine. 
 
 As yet, I ne'er had seen His face ; 
 
 Then it should shine upon me ; 
 He'd come again, oh, matchless grace ! 
 
 With His own hand to crown me. 
 3 
 
SONGS IN THE 
 
 " Wait patiently, a little space," 
 
 He said, " then thou shalt see my face." 
 
 I linger in the valley yet, 
 
 By my dear Jesus tended. 
 Sheltered from all life's care and fret, 
 And when the way is ended. 
 Trusting the promise of His grace, 
 I know that I " shall see His face." 
 
 WATCHING AND WAITING. 
 
 Luke 12 : 36. 
 
 I AM watching for the coming 
 
 Of my dear, my absent Lord, 
 I am hearkening for His footstep, 
 
 I am listening for His word. 
 Eagerly longing and waiting 
 
 For Him to take me home, 
 Crying with every heart-beat, 
 
 " Come, Lord Jesus ! Come ! " 
 
 I have been so long expecting ; 
 
 I have watched thro' many a night ; 
 4 
 
VALLEY OF ACHOR. 
 
 He lingers, oh, He lingers ! 
 
 Shall I never have the sight 
 For which my eyes are aching, 
 
 Of that tender, loving face, 
 Of those eyes so full of beauty, 
 
 Of that smile so full of grace ? 
 
 Thro' all life's many changes 
 
 He has walked along with me, 
 He has turned the thorns to roses, 
 
 He has calmed the raging sea, 
 He has shone through deepest darkness. 
 
 He has sheltered me from harm, 
 And always when I was weary 
 
 Upheld me with His arm. 
 
 Often and often in sorrow, 
 
 When earthly light was dim, 
 I have walked in a heavenly radiance, 
 
 And knew that it came from Him. 
 When my dear ones have vanished from me, 
 
 He has made me ever rejoice. 
 For He thrilled my soul with rapture 
 
 By the tones of His tender voice. 
 5 
 
SONGS IN THE 
 
 Thro' hours of wasting sickness 
 
 He has watched beside my bed, 
 He has soothed the restless anguish, 
 
 He has pillowed my weary head ; 
 Pillowed it soft and closely 
 
 On his mighty, loving breast ; 
 Soothed me like tenderest mother, 
 
 And lulled me to perfect rest. 
 
 In sleepless hours of darkness, 
 
 When no loving one was near, 
 I have heard that tenderest whisper, 
 
 " Fear nothing, I am here !" 
 And then He would sit beside me 
 
 And from out that loving Heart, 
 Would pour on me such a blessing 
 
 As no words could e'er impart. 
 
 And every day He grew dearer. 
 Each hour revealed new grace, 
 
 I felt Him and heard him each moment. 
 But I could not see his face ; 
 
 And I longed with a speechless longing 
 For that soul-entrancing sight, 
 6 
 
VALLEY OF ACHOR. 
 
 The sight of His perfect beauty, 
 Of His gentle, matchless might. 
 
 But He answered my ardent longing 
 
 With " Wait a little while ; 
 Soon thou shalt see My beauty, 
 
 Soon thou shalt see My smile. 
 Wait and watch for thy Master, 
 
 Morning, and night and noon. 
 For truly, oh, longing spirit ! 
 
 I will come unto thee soon." 
 
 So I'm waiting, watching and longing ; 
 
 Will He never, never come .? 
 I am getting more and more weary. 
 
 And longing more for home. 
 But 'tis Him above all that I long for, 
 
 Only to look on His face, 
 Only to touch His garment, 
 
 Only to know His grace. 
 
 As I never can know till I see Him; 
 
 To feel His hand on mine, 
 To hear in His voice the fondness, 
 
 To see in His eyes the shine 
 7 
 
SOA'GS IN THE 
 
 Of the love that knows no measure, 
 A sea without a shore ; 
 
 And to know that the sight of that beauty- 
 Shall be mine forever more. 
 
 But He's coming, He said he was coming ! 
 
 I shall surely see Him soon ; 
 And I listen to hear His footfall, 
 
 Morning and night and noon ; 
 I shall hear the first sound of his knocking, 
 
 I shall run and open to Him, 
 And He'll fill my cup of rejoicing 
 
 Full to the very brim. 
 
 He said He should come from the wedding 
 
 In festal garments clad. 
 All sorrow shall flee from His presence, 
 
 He will make my spirit glad ; 
 I know there are wondrous treasures 
 
 Laid up for me by His grace ; 
 But this joy surpasses all others, 
 
 That I shall see His face ! 
 
 August^ 1873. 
 
VALLEY OF ACHOR. 
 
 WHOSE HOUSE ARE WE? 
 
 Psalms 4 : 7. 
 
 No sanctuary songs to-day 
 
 Fall on my ear, 
 Yet in a holy place I pray, 
 
 For God is here ! 
 
 No human accents, low in prayer, 
 Or high in praise. 
 
 Are heard within this chamber fair 
 Full many days. 
 
 My ear has missed the sweet accord 
 Of chanting choirs ; 
 
 Alone, to my most glorious Lord, 
 My heart aspires 
 
 With joyous trust, and eager faith, 
 
 And ardent love, 
 Making a Sabbath service here 
 
 Like that above. 
 9 
 
SOA'GS IN THE 
 
 Sight more than faith, and praise than prayer, 
 
 Fill my glad breast ; 
 My eyes uplifted see Him ihere^ 
 
 And when they rest 
 
 Within my room, I see Him here 
 
 Beside my bed, 
 And His bright " candle," pure and clear, 
 
 Shines on my head. 
 
 He pours His glory on my way ; 
 
 No shade can dim 
 The splendors of the perfect day 
 
 That beams from Him. 
 
 These lovely flowers from His hand, 
 Chime, like sweet bells, 
 
 A clear refrain ; each fragrant breath 
 His glory tells. 
 
 Upon my soul. Heaven's joy and peace 
 
 Pour in full tides. 
 Making a temple of the place 
 
 Where Christ abides. 
 
 Sunday, Sept. 21st. 
 
 10 
 
VALLEY OF ACILOR, 
 
 PASSION FLOWERS. 
 
 Oh, fair and mystical flowers ! 
 
 You seem like a thing apart 
 From the rest of the flower-creation ; 
 
 As from you steals into my heart, 
 
 Like a strain of sacred music, 
 
 The refrain of the thrilling word : 
 
 " Always bearing about in the body 
 The dying of the Lord." 
 
 You are marked with the cross of Jesus, 
 And the signs of His passion deep ; 
 
 The cruel nails, the crown of thorns. 
 You in tender pity keep. 
 
 What a linking of sorrow with beauty ! 
 
 The Cross, with its story so sad. 
 Stands forth on these delicate flowers. 
 
 And as we gaze, we are glad ; 
 
 For the Cross is our joy and glory, 
 The pledge of our Saviour's love, 
 
 The " infusion of heavenly sweetness " here, 
 And the guide to a crown above. 
 II 
 
SOJVGS /AT THE 
 
 And though now we see not the glory, 
 Yet through all earth's pain and loss, 
 
 We know that our lives are made holy, 
 And signed with the blessed Cross. 
 
 And we pray, as we watch you, sweet flowers, 
 That deep in our inmost hearts, 
 
 We may treasure the holy lesson 
 That your beauty strange imparts ; 
 
 That the Christian's badge of honor 
 
 Is the bearing of the Cross, 
 That to suffer with the Master 
 
 Is the richest gain, not loss ; 
 
 That the soul is crowned, transfigured 
 
 With a glory full and free; 
 That ever with love remembers 
 
 Jesus has died for me ; 
 
 That that life is blessed and saintly 
 
 That fulfills the sacred word, 
 " Always bearing about in the body 
 
 The dying of the Lord." 
 
 Monday, Sept. -zid. 
 
 12 
 
VALLEY OF ACHOR. 
 
 WE ARE A SPECTACLE (THEATRE) UNTO 
 THE WORLD." 
 
 A MESSAGE from the King ! 
 " Prepare a place for Me, 
 I am coming to honor thee. 
 What wilt thou ? that I bring 
 A ro)^al suite of pomp and glory, 
 That shall live and shine in song and story ? 
 Or shall I come with no sign to show 
 Who it is that honors thee so 1 
 
 Come as a friend to a friend .'*" 
 
 Come as Thou wilt, my King ! 
 
 Who am I to choose 
 
 The measure of state Thou shalt use ? 
 I care not what Thou dost bring, 
 
 So that Thyself I see, 
 
 So that Thou comest to me. 
 
 Thy words have often come 
 
 Like angels to my home. 
 
 Now do Thou come, not send. 
 
 An answer from the King ! 
 
 " I will come, and show forth my grace ; 
 13 
 
SONGS IN THE 
 
 I will glorify the place 
 Which thou hast prepared. I will bring 
 My garments of purest white, 
 My robes of heavenly light. 
 But wilt thou yield all to Me 1 
 Wilt thou be content to see 
 My glory, not thine own V 
 
 Thy glory, oh, my King \ 
 
 Is what I so long to see. 
 
 How can it ever be 
 That Thou wilt come ! I will sing 
 
 To Thee such songs of praise. 
 
 As a loving heart can raise, 
 
 When it longs, with a longing too deep 
 
 For words to tell, to steep 
 Itself in Thy glory above. 
 
 A message from the King [ 
 
 " I will come, oh, waiting heart ! 
 I will come, and a wondrous part 
 
 I will act in thee. I shall bring 
 Sharp tools, and shall cut and hew, 
 For the stage must be straight and true 
 On which I act My part : 
 14 
 
VALLEY OF ACHOR. 
 
 Canst thou bear, oh, waiting heart, 
 That I should come thus to thee V 
 
 I *can bear it all, my King ! 
 
 For wilt not Thou be here ? 
 
 What room is there for fear 
 In Thy presence ? Still I will sing, 
 
 Though Thou cut and hew and tear ; 
 
 For well I know that where 
 
 Thou art, there is peace. Oh, stay 
 
 No longer, but come, I pray ! 
 Oh, hasten and come to me ! 
 
 " I am coming, I, thy King ! 
 I am coming to act in thee ; 
 My glory thou shalt see. 
 And I know that thy heart will sing. 
 For though I wound, I heal ; 
 And when thou art faint thou shalt feel 
 Around thee My tender embrace ; 
 Thou shalt know that My matchless grace 
 Is shining forth in thee. 
 
 " I will dwell with thee, I, thy King ! 
 
 I'll perfect in thy weakness My strength •, 
 15 
 
SO.VGS IN THE 
 
 In thy need I will help, and at length, 
 Iii the midst of thy pain thou shalt sing, 
 For My smile shall be ever light, 
 It shall shine in the depth of the night; 
 I will use thee to show forth My praise, 
 And men shall adore as they gaze, 
 And ascribe all the glory to Me.'* 
 
 October 31/. 
 
 "TO KNOW HIM AND THE FELLOWSHIP 
 OF HIS SUFFERINGS." 
 
 A LONELY path, did you say, my friend } 
 
 Ah 1 that it is not, not ever ; 
 It is thorny often, and sometimes dark, 
 
 But it is lonely, never. 
 For close beside me in deepest night, * 
 
 Making even the shadows bright. 
 
 Is ever my loving Jesus. 
 
 When clouds are thick, and the storm winds blow. 
 Through the uproar I hear Him speaking, 
 
 " Lean on me, child, I will shelter thee ; 
 Remember the tempest is wreaking 
 
 Its fury not only on thee, but on Me, 
 16 
 
VALLEY OF ACHOR. 
 
 For I am bearing it all with thee;" 
 Oh, tender, loving Jesus ! 
 
 When the night is dark, and the way is strange, 
 And I see not a hand-breadth before me, 
 
 He leads me along, and I feel with a thrill, 
 That His banner of love is o'er me. 
 
 " Cling close," He cries, " and fear no more, 
 
 'Tis the way I have trodden for thee before, 
 Thy suffering Brother Jesus." 
 
 And w4ien my heart is torn with grief, 
 
 And my tears are wildly falling 
 Over some precious, speechless form, 
 
 Vainly for answer calling ; 
 Then plainly I hear that voice benign^ 
 " Take courage, sad heart, for thy grief is Mine, 
 
 I am suffering with Thee, Jesus." 
 
 And oh, I have learned to know Him well 
 In these quiet " desert places," 
 
 And every hour He shows to me 
 More clearly His matchless graces; 
 17 
 
SO.VGS IN THE 
 
 So that I cry, in my calm retreat, 
 
 Truly the " fellowship " is sweety 
 
 " Of the sufferings " of Jesus ! 
 
 And so you see^ with this precious Friend 
 
 I can be lonely never. 
 Though trials come, and fierce winds blow, 
 
 He is beside me, and ever 
 AVith tenderest soothing in His strong arms 
 He bears me above all earthly harms, 
 
 My strong and loving Jesus ! 
 
 And I always think when I hear it said, 
 " How sweet to the sufferer is heaven,'* 
 
 That it will not be for the perfect rest 
 That I know will there be given, 
 
 That 'twill be so sweet for me to go ; 
 
 But because IVe learned so well to know 
 My dear, my precious Jesus? 
 
 Octoher 13,//^. 
 
 18 
 
VALLEY OF A CLIO R. 
 
 SHADOWS ON THE DOOR. 
 
 The door of my room is half open, 
 
 And over it, come and go 
 Shadows of those in the other room, 
 
 Who are passing to and fro. 
 
 The door of my life is half open, 
 
 And upon it I constantly see 
 The shadow of my dearest Lord, 
 
 Who is coming soon for me. 
 
 I love to watch His shadow. 
 
 So dear, so full of grace ; 
 But what will it be when He really comes, 
 
 And I see His lovely face ! 
 
 He will enter through the doorway ; 
 
 Oh, glad, oh, sweet surprise ! 
 And shadows shall die in the cloudless light, 
 
 That beams from his loving eyes. 
 
 October ia^/i. 
 
 19 
 
SONGS IN THE 
 
 TWO ROSES 
 
 Oh, lovely rose ! Gift from His hand, 
 Who fashioned all beauty, Who made all sweetness 
 Gazing on thee, in thy fair completeness, 
 Bright fancies steal 
 Into ray soul, 
 And over me roll 
 In a flood of beauty, and I feel 
 That clear and sweet as the voice of an angel, 
 Is thy voice, God's beautiful evangel ; 
 Telling His power, telling His love. 
 Sweet messages from His home above. 
 And from out thy closed heart of living bloom, 
 Thy rich perfume 
 Floods all the room. 
 Wraps my charmed senses in delight; 
 And as I watch thy beauty bright, 
 Lovingly gazing, I seem to see 
 God's fingers unfolding it for me. 
 
 In the land to which I'm going 
 
 Are such roses always blowing } 
 Ah, that I cannot know till I see 
 What my dearest Lord has prepared for me. 
 20 
 
VALLEY OF ACHOR. 
 
 But I know that there in beauty grows 
 God's fairest flower, Sharon's Rose. 
 And I know that its fragrance floods those plai.i^ 
 Where " the noon-tide of glory eternally reigns." 
 Even here that sweet Rose blooms for me, 
 Even here its beauties I can see ; 
 And in Him, that heart of living bloom 
 " Are all treasures hid;" 
 Even here the lid 
 Is partly raised, and the rich perfume 
 Floats out, and entrances this soul of mine ; 
 But I long for the day when His beauty shall shine 
 More fully upon me; when shall unclose 
 The petals fair of Sharon's Rose ; 
 
 And I shall watch through eternity 
 God's fingers unfolding it for me. 
 
 October iqth. 
 
 LILIES. 
 
 As pure as mountain snows 
 
 Of gleaming white. 
 And sweet as fragrant rose 
 Formed to delight, — 
 So pure, so sweet, my longing soul would be 
 A lily fair, oh, dearest Lord, for Thee ! 
 
 21 
 
SOJVGS IN THE 
 
 In holy, sheltered ground, 
 
 Oh, let me grow ; 
 Thou wilt keep guard around, 
 For well I know 
 It doth Thy loving, tender heart delight, 
 To feed among Thy lilies pure and white. 
 
 Thy lily, Lord, Thine own. 
 
 And only Thine. 
 For Thee, O Lord, alone 
 My soul would shine. 
 Shining the light that beams from Thee, my Sun, 
 Fair with the purity Thy blood hath won. 
 
 Shine bright, and still more bright, 
 
 Oh, glorious Sun ! 
 Clothe me in purer white — 
 Thou hast begun. 
 Perfect in me Thy work, O Heavenly Love, 
 'Till in Thy garden fair, I bloom above. 
 
 Thy garden knows no drouth. 
 
 Watered by Love ; 
 Oh, soft wind from the south 
 
 Upon it move. 
 
VALLEY OF ACHOR. 
 
 Send forth its spices, by Thy gentle might 
 Draw forth rich fragrance from the lilies white. 
 
 Fragrance for Thee, Beloved, 
 
 Delay no more ; 
 With joy Thy garden's mvoed; 
 Thou at the door, 
 Wilt enter in, O Christ, and gladly see 
 How fair and sweet Thy lilies are for Thee ! 
 
 JEWELS. 
 
 Which are the fairest jewels? 
 
 Rubies of glowing light, 
 Pearls that gleam like the moon's soft beam, 
 
 Or diamonds flashing bright ? 
 Sapphires that hold the hue of the sky, 
 
 Emeralds of living green. 
 Amethysts showing soft purple glooms. 
 
 Or the topaz' glittering sheen.? 
 
 Fairer, I think, in the sight of God, 
 
 Are tears, that while they fall. 
 Still brightly shine in the light divine 
 
 Which Jesus sheds over all; 
 23 
 
SO.VGS IN THE 
 
 Even now the gleams of glory shine 
 
 And the beauty flashes here, 
 With which the Saviour's loving smile 
 
 Irradiates a tear. 
 
 With eager hope, our trusting hearts 
 
 Look forward to the day, 
 When God's loving hand, in the cloudless land, 
 
 Shall wipe all tears away ; 
 We know they are kept in His treasury,* 
 
 To shine with a glory meet, 
 To deck the crowns which with joyful love, 
 
 We shall cast at our dear Lord's feet. 
 
 October ■20th. 
 
 ONE LIGHT. 
 
 Oh ! Land, all lands surpassing, 
 
 Of glory and of light. 
 Where the fairest and rarest of every age 
 
 Shines in the splendor bright ; 
 How shall we tell of thy beauty 1 
 
 We find no language fit 
 
 * " Thou hast put all my tears into Thy bottle ! " 
 24 
 
VALLEY OF ACHOR. 
 
 To paint that clime of bliss sublime, 
 But the sacred words of ringing chime, 
 " The Lamb is the light of it." 
 
 There, are there joys transcendent, 
 
 Beauty surpassing speech ; 
 For the treasured, unmeasured wealth of God, 
 
 Our fancy cannot reach ; 
 There all the saints home gathered 
 
 In " heavenly places sit," 
 Their souls all bright, in that wondrous light, 
 Clad in raiment of spotless white. 
 
 Where " the Lamb is the light of it." 
 
 Oh ! Lamb, divine, far shining, 
 
 Here too. Thou art the Sun ! 
 With Thy smiling, beguiling the weary heart. 
 
 Here is the glory begun ; 
 Here, on our earthly journey. 
 
 Thou makest all things bright ; 
 Here the light divine of that smile of Thine, 
 Makes everything in beauty shine ; 
 
 The Lamb is our earthly light. 
 
 It is Christ, my Lord, my Master ! 
 It is Christ, my Joy, my Strength ! 
 
SONGS IN THE 
 
 'TIs His splendor, so tender, floods all my way 
 
 In all its breadth and length ; 
 'Tis not a far, far country 
 
 To which my soul aspires. 
 There is but a door, when this life is o'er, 
 To open, and then forevermore — 
 
 Oh ! Sum of my desires. 
 
 I shall dwell in the glory excelling ! 
 
 Oh ! matchless, wondrous grace ! 
 Jesus, Brother, no other joy do I crave 
 
 But this, to see Thy face ! 
 I have long lived in the glory. 
 
 Fadeless, ineffable, bright ; 
 But what will it be, Thy face to see. 
 Through endless ages to gaze on Thee, 
 
 Where Thou, the Lamb, art the light ? 
 
 November ^rd. 
 
 RED AND WHITE CARNATIONS. 
 
 Red, red as the Blood 
 
 That poured its crimson tide 
 From the Heart that bled and broke for us, 
 
 From our Saviour's riven side ; 
 26 
 
VALLEY OF ACHOR. 
 
 The Blood that made our peace, 
 
 That washed away our stams, 
 That bought for tried and weary hearts 
 
 The Rest that aye remains. 
 
 White, white as the soul 
 
 That is washed in the cleansing tide. 
 Clothed in Christ's robe of Righteousness, 
 
 Sanctified, justified ; 
 Breathing the fragrance sweet 
 
 Of a pure and spotless life, 
 To Him Who won us, to Him Who crowns 
 
 The victors in the strife. 
 
 Beautiful, fragrant bloom 
 
 On a warped, unsightly tree. 
 All the beauty in Thee, oh, Christ ! 
 
 The ugliness in me : 
 Wonderful, wonderful Lord ! 
 
 Who died for these souls of ours ; 
 And then, to melt our hearts with love, 
 
 Tells us the tale in flowers. 
 
 November -^d. 
 
 27 
 
SONGS IN THE 
 
 IF SO BE, WE SUFFER WITH HIM. 
 
 Giver of every good and perfect gift ! 
 
 On every land 
 Thou scatterest generous, lavish, far and wide, 
 
 With kingly hand, 
 
 Thy regal gifts of beauty and of wealth ; 
 
 The teeming mine. 
 The fertile field and forest, all show forth 
 
 Thy power divine. 
 
 Thy hand has decked the earth with flowers, 
 
 With running streams ; 
 And from Thy sun. Thou sendest down 
 
 Life-giving beams. 
 
 All glad delights of home and friends 
 
 Are from Thy love ; 
 Faint types and shadows of the joys 
 
 Laid up above. 
 
 These joys Thou givest unto all. 
 
 Unasked, unknown ; 
 One joy Thou hast reserved, to give 
 
 Unto Thine own. 
 28 
 
VALLEY OF ACHOR. 
 
 That joy, the richest and most sweet 
 That tongue can sing, 
 
 Christ's holy, blessed fellowship 
 Of suffering ! 
 
 Woe comes to all, all earthly light 
 Must soon grow dim; 
 
 Christ's servants aye rejoice, for they 
 Suffer with Him I 
 
 He never leaves His own to faint 
 
 Beneath distress ; 
 They never feel that bitterest pang 
 
 Of loneliness. 
 
 But where He brings His sacred cross, 
 
 Himself He brings; 
 And the tired soul, taught by His voice, 
 
 Looks up and sings. 
 
 We ask a bright, unclouded lot, 
 
 No shade or fears ; 
 Christ gives the brightness, but it shines 
 
 Fairest through tears. 
 
 29 
 
so A' OS IN THE 
 
 Tears, blessed tears^ that fall from eyes 
 Which, while they weep, 
 
 Look up into those loving eyes 
 Which ever keep 
 
 Their ceaseless, guarding, tender watch 
 
 Over His own ; 
 O blessed eyes, that learn to see 
 
 Jesus alone ! 
 
 And suffering is the " desert place," 
 
 The place " apart ; " 
 Where Christ in fellowship draws near 
 
 Unto the heart. 
 
 We turn to Him, we cling to Him, 
 
 We need Him so ; 
 We find no moment there, when we 
 
 Can let Him go. 
 
 And He ! What pen can show the strength 
 
 He there imparts ! 
 What tongue can tell what Jesus is 
 
 To suffering hearts ! 
 30 
 
VALLEY OF ACHOR. 
 
 He comes so close, His beauty sweet, 
 
 His matchless grace, 
 Stand full revealed, we almost see 
 
 His lovely face. 
 
 He knows those rugged pathways well, 
 
 For He has trod 
 Them all before ; O tender Friend ! 
 
 O Son of God ! 
 
 We thank Thee with full hearts, that Thou 
 
 Dost take us there. 
 And show us as Thou only canst, 
 
 How bright and fair 
 
 Thou art ; dost promise, when before Thy smile. 
 
 These shadows flee : 
 Those who have suffered with Thee here, 
 
 Shall reign with Thee ! 
 
 O blessed suffering ! glorious reign ! 
 
 O matchless grace ! 
 "We suffer with Him " here, and there 
 
 " Shall see His face." 
 
 Novanber ^th. 
 
 31 
 
SOA^GS IN THE 
 
 "HE THAT HATH THE KEY OF DAVID." 
 
 He shall shut and none shall open." | 
 
 1 
 
 I HAVE shut the " gates of Death and Hell 
 
 With My mighty pierced hand ; 
 No powers of darkness or of sin 
 
 Against my Church can stand ; 
 I am the Lord, the Conqueror 
 
 Crowned Victor in the strife ; 
 Vanquished are all the hosts of Death 
 
 By the power of the Life ! 
 
 I have shut the door of the sheepfold, 
 
 Unbroken guard to keep 
 Against the wolves, who long to tear 
 
 My dear, My purchased sheep ; 
 I am the Guard, the Shepherd, 
 
 My pierced Hand alone 
 Can keep the door ; when I am near 
 
 No harm can touch My own. 
 32 
 
VALLEY OF A CI 1 OR. 
 
 My own that I loved and died for; 
 
 My sheep that I bought with blood; 
 Through thorns I followed their straying steps, 
 
 To bring them home to God ; 
 I hold them fast in My mighty Hand, 
 
 Their lasting, sure defence ; 
 I have shut my fingers about them, 
 
 And none can pluck them thence. 
 
 II. 
 
 ** He shall open and none shall shut." 
 
 I HAVE opened the door to 'the Father, 
 
 For each lost and wandering child; 
 That I sought, and followed with patient love, 
 
 Through pathways drear and wild ; 
 I am the Son, the Brother, 
 
 And I bring My brethren home, 
 Through the door that I opened, and no man 
 shuts : 
 
 O My beloved, come ! 
 
 I have opened the door of glory, 
 
 Through the darkness of earth it streams; 
 
SOXGS AV THE 
 
 It brightens the sunlight, and gilds each cloud 
 
 With its shining, glowing beams. 
 I am the Light, the glory. 
 
 The radiance streams fronrr Me, 
 And that open door no man can shut, 
 
 Unclosed for aye it shall be. 
 
 I opened the door of Heaven, 
 
 When I vanquished death and sin ; 
 And " to him that overcometh, 
 
 Will I give to enter in." 
 With the Hand that was pierced for sinners, 
 
 I opened that shining door, 
 And I swear, " the Faithful Witness," 
 
 It is open for evermore. 
 
 Jesus, our King, our Glory ! 
 
 Thou breakest our hearts with love ; 
 What words can we find in earthly speech, 
 
 Our gratitude to prove ? 
 Teach us the tongue of Heaven, 
 
 Notes of the angel choir, 
 Words that are made of melting love, 
 
 And glowing, ardent fire. 
 34 
 
VALLEY OF ACHOR. 
 
 We cannot praise Thee, O Saviour ! 
 
 Here on this earthly shore, 
 As we would ; but oh, when the time shall come 
 
 That we enter through that door 
 With crowned hosts of Heaven, 
 
 We, Thy redeemed, shall sing. 
 Blessing, and glory, and honor be 
 
 To Christ our matchless King ! 
 
 November 6tk. 
 
 A HEART CRY. 
 
 Jesus ! my Lord ! I need Thee, 
 Oh, come near ! 
 Thou art so dear, 
 So tender and so sweet. 
 
 To those who need Thee, come, my Lord, 
 And let me hold and kiss Thy blessed feet. 
 
 Thy pierced feet I on Calvary 
 Pierced for me ! 
 Those wounds I see, 
 And when I feel the dart 
 
 Of sorrow pressing sharp and deep. 
 Those cruel wounds of Thine heal my torn heart. 
 35 
 
SONGS IN THE 
 
 Oil, Thou art tender, Jesus! 
 Thou art love ! 
 Lcok from above, 
 And smile upon Thy child ; 
 
 For even the deepest shades of night, 
 Thou lightenest with Thy tender glances mild. 
 
 Thy earthly lot was sorrow ; 
 Thou dost know 
 The keenest woe : 
 There is no grief like thine. 
 
 All that we suffer now Thou dost 
 Bear with us, and make light, O Strength Divine ! 
 
 I feel that Thou art near me, 
 Not Thy feet, 
 Blessed and sweet. 
 Thou yieldest to my hold ; 
 
 But in Thine arms, so dear and strong. 
 My trembling Spirit Thou dost closely fold. 
 
 Thou tellest me, in accents 
 Sweet and strong, 
 " The way is long, 
 But child, I am thy way ; 
 
 36 
 
VALLEY OF ACHOR. 
 
 I dwell in thee, and thou in Me, 
 And thus together journey to the day 
 
 *' When sorrow shall be ended. 
 
 Till that day, 
 
 Through all the way, 
 My strength shall ever thee defend ; 
 
 No stranger voice shall greet thee then 
 But mine, thy life-long, ever-present Friend. 
 
 November jth. 
 
 "THOU KNOWEST THAT I LOVE THEE." 
 
 Saviour ! Thou knowest every thought and 
 feeling 
 Of this weak human heart, which Thou hast 
 made; 
 Open it lies, to Thy keen glance revealing 
 In clearest vision, all its light and shade ; 
 Reading its page. Thou knowest that this word 
 Is deep and heartfelt truth ; I love Thee, Lord ! 
 
 I love Thee, oh, Thou dear and precious 
 Saviour ! 
 Light of my life, my God, my Joy, my 
 Strength ; 
 
 37 
 
SOiVGS IN THE 
 
 Earth's pilgrimage is brightened by Thy favor, 
 Thy love shall crown my soul in Heaven at 
 length. 
 Thou into my adoring heart hast poured, 
 The love with which I love Thee, dearest Lord ! 
 
 When earthly light grows dim and skies are 
 clouded, 
 And my sad heart is torn with sharpest grief, 
 Then through the mists in which my life is 
 shrouded, 
 Thy radiant, tender smile brings sweet relief; 
 And still my heart, with glad unchanging word. 
 Breaks forth in song, " Thou knowest I love Thee, 
 Lord ! " 
 
 And when, at length, I walk by faith no longer, 
 When through the working of Thy wondrous 
 grace 
 My longing eyes, made clearer, brighter, stronger, 
 At last shall see thy beauty "face to face," 
 Then, oh, my King, my Jesus, my Adored ! 
 I'll sing in worthy strains, I love Thee, Lord! 
 
 November %th. 
 
 38 
 
VALLEY OF AC ff OR. 
 
 THE TWO KNOCKINGS. 
 
 " Behold, I stand at the door and knock. " 
 
 One Stands knocking at a door, 
 Which, with rusted hinge and bolt, 
 
 And dead vines matted o'er. 
 Looks as it would open 
 Never more ! 
 
 His is face of kingly beauty, 
 
 Yet so sweet ! 
 And His form is grand, majestic, 
 But His feet. 
 Soiled with travel, pierced with thorns, 
 While the semblance of a crown His brow adorns. 
 
 And He stands and knocks and knocks ; 
 Though there comes no voice to greet Him, 
 
 Or to bid Him stay ; 
 Comes no loving step to meet Him, 
 No sweet voices to entreat Him, 
 
 " Do not go away I " 
 39 
 
sojVgs in the 
 
 Will there never come an answer 
 
 To that knock ? 
 
 No hand upon the lock, 
 To throw wide upon its hinges 
 
 That dark door ? 
 Will that gracious, kingly stranger, 
 
 Knock forever more ? 
 
 Hark ! He calls in melting accents, 
 
 " Open to me, soul ! 
 I have come to seek and save thee. 
 
 And to make thee whole. 
 See, I stand with hands rich laden. 
 
 All for thee; 
 Hear Me, oh, thou lost and dying ! 
 
 Open unto Me ! " 
 
 Then at last there comes an answer 
 From that door-way dark. 
 
 And the Stranger bends still lower, 
 Earnestly to hark. 
 
 To that cry so sad and dreary. 
 
 From that soul so worn and weary. 
 
 " Oh, I cannot ! oh, I cannot ! " 
 Cries the soul, 
 40 
 
VALLE Y OF A CHOR. 
 
 " Sin has been so long the master 
 ' Of my wretched heart, 
 That I cannot now upstart 
 From the clinging, choking bondage; 
 
 All control 
 Of myself has long since left me, 
 
 I can only long 
 For some hand benign and strong, 
 
 To set me free ; 
 There is One of Whom I've heard, 
 * Mighty to save,' in deed and word," — 
 
 Said the Stranger, " I am He." 
 
 " Shall I enter by My might ? 
 
 Shall I break thy chain ? 
 Scatter all the shades of night, 
 By the glory of My light. 
 
 And set thee free again ?" 
 
 " If Thou canst," the soul replied, 
 " Throw the close locked portal wide. 
 I have chafed and fretted long 
 Against my chain, 
 . But my Master is so strong. 
 And he holds a mighty throng 
 41 
 
SONGS IN THE 
 
 At his bidding." Said the Stranger, 
 With a voice serene and gracious, 
 *' I am stronger than the strong !" 
 
 " But I have no wealth to pay 
 
 For such grace of Thine. 
 I have squandered all away 
 That once was mine ; 
 I long for Thee, 
 And weary to be free, 
 But I have naught to give ; 
 Then how can I receive 
 Such gift and grace divine ? " 
 
 " I ask no gift, only say, ' Come ! ' 
 Admit Me to thy home ; 
 I cannot enter unless thou dost greet 
 With joy the coming of My feet. 
 If thou dost wish for Me, 
 Then I will come to thee, 
 And make thy heart all glorious as My home. 
 Only say * Come !" 
 Oh, Ihou for whom I died ! " 
 
 " Oh, fling the portal wide, 
 Thou who art love, undreamed, unknown ! 
 42 
 
VALLEY OF ACHOR. 
 
 Come in, come in ! 
 
 And banish sin, 
 Dispel the shadows of my life's long dream, 
 And raise a throne where Thou shalt reign su- 
 preme." 
 
 A smile shone forth upon that kingly face, 
 
 A smile of heavenly grace ; 
 
 And from those eyes, so deep, so sweet, 
 
 A loving light beamed out the soul to greet. 
 
 The pierced hand was raised, 
 
 And even as I gazed. 
 Shattered fell all the bars and bolts of sin, 
 And Christ had entered in ! 
 
 II. 
 
 " When he cometh and knocketh." 
 
 'Tis the same door ; 
 Now wreathed o'er 
 With vines of vigorous growth 
 And lusty shoot. 
 Bearing rich clusters 'neath the shading leaves, 
 Of ripe and luscious fruit. 
 43 
 
SO.VGS IX THE 
 
 Again a knock ! 
 
 But not now as before, 
 Does the King wait an answer ; 
 A hand quick turns the lock, 
 And opens wide the door, 
 And the rejoicing soul comes forth with eager word 
 To meet and greet his loved and longed for Lord. 
 
 " Oh, art Thou come at last ? 
 My Lord, so dear, so sweet ! 
 With rapturous joy I greet 
 The coming of those blessed feet. 
 
 For which I've watched so long." 
 
 And thus with joyous song 
 The soul did greet his Lord ; 
 No stranger now, but loved, adored. 
 And longed for, with a longing deep, 
 
 And true and strong, 
 As that with which the eyes that keep 
 
 A weary watch for morning long. 
 
 " Yes," said the King, in accents clear and sweet. 
 That fell like Heaven's ov/n music on that list'- 
 ning heart ; 
 
 44 
 
VALLEY OF ACHOR. 
 
 " Yes, I have come 
 To take thee home ; 
 Rise, and with Me from sense and sin depart." 
 
 With rapt, clear eyes upraised 
 
 Unto that beauteous face, 
 With eyes that gazed, and gazed 
 
 Upon that matchless grace, 
 And could not turn away, 
 The soul looked up. And Christ looked down 
 
 To meet that upturned gaze, 
 With love, that like a ray 
 Of glory, did transfigure and did crown 
 
 That waiting one. so blest. 
 Found by his Master watching. 
 " Come," said the King again. 
 
 And clasped him to His breast, 
 And bore him in His loving arms 
 
 To glory, joy, and rest ! 
 
 45 
 
SONGS IN THE 
 
 I. 
 
 WHAT WAS DEATH? 
 
 Death was a frowning barrier, 
 
 Shut on life ; 
 A going forth unfriended, 
 
 To a region rife 
 With doubts, and fears^ and questions. 
 
 Meeting no reply ; 
 Sorrow behind and gloom before 
 
 Him who was called to die. 
 
 Death was a surging river, 
 
 A cold and sullen stream. 
 On which no sunlight ever 
 
 Shed e'en a clouded gleam ; 
 A tide that, with sweep resistless, 
 
 The shuddering soul did bear 
 From all life's joys, to deepest night, 
 The soul that asked in wild affright 
 
 The answerless question, " Where ? ' 
 
 Death was " the King of Terrors," 
 Standing with icy dart, 
 46 
 
VALLEY OF ACHOR. 
 
 Ready to plunge its venomed tip 
 In the trembling human heart ; 
 
 An awful, shrouded figure, 
 With cold and cruel hands 
 
 Binding his unresisting prey- 
 In adamantine bands. 
 
 E'en then the earth was lovely, 
 
 And voices sweet did call, 
 'Neath smiling skies, but a shadow 
 
 Darkened over all ; 
 One word could chill the gladness, 
 
 It came with bated breath, 
 And the bright cheek paled and the pulses thrilled, 
 
 And that awful word was Death ! 
 
 ir. 
 
 WHAT IS DEATH? 
 
 Death is the gate to the regions of glory, 
 Flooded with splendor, ineffable, bright, 
 
 'Tis the first page of Eternity's story, 
 Written in letters of light. 
 47 
 
SOiVGS IN THE 
 
 Death is the end of our sorrows and labors, 
 
 The bound where earth's crosses are gladly laid 
 down ; 
 *Tis the glad hour when, with triumph, the Master 
 Gives to each sufferer a crown. 
 
 Death is the pause in life's symphony endless, 
 Earth's part is finished, its discords and jars ; 
 
 Then the soul wakes to the anthems of glory, 
 Swelling beyond the bright stars. 
 
 Death is the bursting of bud into blossom, 
 'Tis the reward of the Husbandman's care, 
 
 'Tis the rich harvest of grain full and golden, 
 Clusters of fruit ripe and fair. 
 
 Death is the waking of thought into action, 
 
 'Tis the fulfillment of earth's brightest dream ; 
 
 All the soul's powers unfettered, untrammeled. 
 Working in glory supreme. 
 
 Death is the gathering of souls into Heaven, 
 
 'Tis the sweet welcome of v/anderers who roam, 
 'Tis the dear sound of our Father's kind accents, 
 " Child, it is time to come home !" 
 48 
 
VALLEY OF ACHOR. 
 
 Death is the coming of Jesus our Brother, 
 To take to the mansions above ail His own, 
 
 Tenderly bearing each soul on His bosom, 
 Bearing to glory unknown ! 
 
 Death is the rending of earth's veiling curtain, 
 'Tis the bright hour when faith's glass is re- 
 moved ; 
 
 When, " face to face," we shall see His full glory, 
 " Whom, having not seen, we have loved." 
 
 Death ? 'tis not death that shall work all these won- 
 ders ; 
 Death has been vanquished in glorious strife : 
 Jesus, the Victor, has broken his fetters — 
 Death is destroyed by the Life ! 
 
 November iii/t. 
 
 WATCH! 
 
 Matt. 24 : 42. 
 
 " Watch ! for ye know not the hour," 
 When Christ your Lord shall come ; 
 
 Come, with tender impatience, 
 To take His chosen home ; 
 49 
 
SO.VGS IN THE 
 
 Home to " the place " He has made them, 
 
 Of beauty untold above ; 
 Home to the house of the Father, 
 
 Home to His glory and love ! 
 
 " Watch ! for ye know not the hour ! " 
 
 It may be He stands at the door ; 
 It may be but a moment, 
 
 And your care and sin are o'er ; 
 It may be His hand is lifted, 
 
 Even this moment to knock ; 
 Are you waiting, are you watching, 
 
 With your hand upon the lock ? 
 
 " Watch ! for ye know not the hour ! " 
 
 Suppose that He should come, 
 And find that you were not watching, 
 
 Or thinking of going home ; 
 With all the house ungarnished. 
 
 And all the lights grown dim ; 
 Suppose He should knock unheeded. 
 
 And no welcome ready for Him ! 
 
 " Watch ! for ye know not the hour ! '* 
 I am waiting, Lord, to catch 
 50 
 
VALLEY OF ACHOR. 
 The first sound of Thy footfall, 
 
 With my hand upon the latch ; 
 I am waiting, oh, blessed Jesus, 
 
 For the sound of Thy longed-for knock; 
 Then with an eager welcome, 
 
 Quick I shall turn the lock. 
 
 O glad, O blessed hour ! 
 
 It draweth on apace. 
 When my glorious Lord shall enter, 
 
 And I shall " see his face ; " 
 And well do I remember, 
 
 That He calls those servants blest, 
 Who are found by their Master watching. 
 What words can tell the rest ? 
 
 November xith. 
 
 AFRAID? 
 
 "Aren't you afraid in the least ?" 
 
 I'm waiting for Jesus to take me 
 
 To the home that He has made ; 
 I am waiting to hear His longed-for knock, 
 My hand all ready to turn the lock: 
 Of what should I be afraid ? 
 51 
 
SO.VGS IN THE 
 
 Is the daughter afraid to go home, 
 
 When the long school-days are ended ? 
 Afraid of the welcome of father and mother, 
 The glad-ringing voice of sister and brother, 
 In loving welcome blended ? 
 
 Is the child afraid to turn homeward. 
 
 When the evening hour is come ? 
 Does he fear, when he hears the summons sweet, 
 Sounding so clear, his ears to greet, 
 And give new strength to his weary feet — 
 
 " Come, my darling, come home ? " 
 
 Does the maiden fear the blissful hour, 
 
 When the chosen- of her heart 
 Shall come to claim her as his own, 
 To live with him, and for him alone, 
 
 Never till death to part ? 
 
 No, I have no fear, for my trusting heart 
 
 Can see nor doubt nor shade : 
 I am the daughter, whose school-days are over; 
 I am the tired and weary rover ; 
 I am the maiden awaiting her lover : 
 
 Then how can I be afraid ? 
 52 
 
VALLEY OF ACHOR. 
 
 " But are'nt you afraid of the River 
 
 That rolls its sullen tide 
 Between this life and the other Shore — • 
 The awful River you must past o'er, 
 
 So dark and deep and wide? " 
 
 Who told you there was any River ? 
 
 My dear, and tender Lord, 
 Has told me everything I know 
 About that home to which I go ; 
 But of that River's resistless flow. 
 
 He has never said one word. 
 
 " But then there is the ' Valley 
 
 Of the Sha4ow of Death ; ' 
 Do you not fear the awful shade ? 
 Is not your very soul afraid 
 
 Of that Valley's icy breath ? " 
 
 Yes, there is the " Valley of Shadow," 
 Of that my Lord has told me ; 
 But He says it is a restful shade, 
 Wherein I cannot feel afraid. 
 For His " rod and staff," my help are made, 
 While on His breast He will hold me. 
 53 
 
SOA'GS IN THE 
 
 " Your sins, surely they must affright you ? " 
 
 They were all on Jesus laid ; 
 " In His own body on the Tree." 
 He took them all away from me, 
 And cast them deep into the sea. 
 
 Then how can I be afraid.? 
 
 No, my Sun shines brighter and brighter, 
 
 My sky is without a shade ; 
 I know He will come to bear me to rest, 
 I know that the watching servants are blest ; 
 I know that my longing His face to see, 
 Is nothing compared to His longing for me ; 
 I know He " prepared," near his Father's throne, 
 " A place for " me, His very o\^ ; 
 I know that in that blessed place 
 I " shall serve " and see Him " face to face : " 
 
 Then how can I be afraid } 
 
 November i^k. 
 
 54 
 
VALLEY OF ACHOK, 
 
 " LET HIM KISS ME WITH THE KISSES OF 
 HIS MOUTH." 
 
 If it were not in the Bible, 
 
 None could ever believe it ; 
 No one would dare to raise such prayer, 
 
 Or ask for faith to receive it. 
 Can It be, O heart of mine ! 
 That this wondrous Word is thine.? 
 I know how His smile can shine, 
 That His "love is better than wine : " 
 But, 
 Will He kiss me "with the kisses of His mouth.?'' 
 
 In the legend old of Moses, 
 
 As the Rabbins tell the story. 
 When the man of God, the Mount had trod, 
 
 And seen the promised glory; 
 There, on the lone mountain side, 
 Silence round him far and wide. 
 With his Maker by his side, 
 They say that he in rapture died ; 
 For 
 God kissed him " with tlie kisses of His mouth." 
 55 
 
SO.VGS IN THE 
 
 Is this story naught but fable — 
 
 Have we no right to believe it ? 
 It well may seem but a fanciful dream, 
 
 To him who cannot receive it ; 
 But, Heart, say how would it be, 
 If Jesus, who died for me, 
 Whose face I so long to see. 
 Should treat me so graciously. 
 As 
 To " kiss me with the kisses of His mouth ? " 
 
 I am sure if He should do it, 
 
 I could not wait ariy longer ; 
 My soul could not stay in bonds of clay. 
 
 Its wings by that kiss made stronger. 
 I think that when He shall come 
 To carry my spirit home, 
 That I may not doubt or fear. 
 He will draw me very near. 
 And 
 " Kiss me with the kisses of His mouth ! ' 
 
 Then I shall die of rapture, 
 Like Moses in the story ; 
 Clasped to His breast in perfect rest, 
 56 
 
VALLEY OF ACIIOR. 
 
 I shall enter the realms of glory : 
 While eternal ages roll 
 O'er my blest and sinless soul, 
 I can ne'er forget that hour supreme, 
 My waking from earth's long dream, 
 When 
 He kissed me " with the kisses of His mouth ! 
 
 November x^th. , 
 
 -I SLEEP, BUT MY HEART WAKETH." 
 
 Wearied with pain, O Lord ! 
 
 Thy gentle touch 
 Has soothed the quivering nerves, 
 And such 
 The virtue flowing from Thy healing fingers, 
 That my eyes cease to keep 
 Their weary watch. I sleep. 
 But while the wished and watched for daylight 
 lingers 
 In the still gloom that fills the room, 
 My heart waketh. 
 57 
 
SONGS I.V THE 
 
 Waketh for Thee, O Lord ! 
 
 Thy blessed feet ! 
 Quickly to lift the latch, 
 And meet 
 Thy gracious, loving glance, so sweet and cheering. 
 So, even while I sleep. 
 My heart doth ceaseless keep 
 The watch of those who love Thy bright appearing. 
 Until Thou come to take me home, 
 My heart waketh ! 
 
 November x^th. 
 
 MY LORD DELAYETH HIS COMING. 
 
 Lord, dost Thou know I am waiting. 
 
 Longing, and watching for Thee ? 
 Counting the moments as hours, 
 
 Until Thy face I see ; 
 Questioning, " is He not coming .?" 
 
 Asking it o'er and o'er — 
 Listening for Thy knock. Lord, 
 
 Longing to open the door. 
 
 I thought last night He was coming, 
 That I heard Him at the gate ; 
 58 
 
VALLE Y OF A CMOR, 
 
 But He only sent a message— 
 
 " A little longer wait ; 
 I, too, am watching, and waiting 
 
 For the glad hour to come, 
 When I shall bear thy spirit 
 
 Rejoicing to thy home. 
 
 " But I want thee, O my servant. 
 
 To suffer for Me still ; 
 'Tis well to long for thy Master, 
 
 But 'tis better to do His will." 
 So I cried unto my strong Jesus 
 
 Whose love is so tender and great ; 
 Strengthen my longing spirit, 
 
 Make me willing to wait. 
 
 I am glad that He asked me to suffer ; 
 
 Because I surely know 
 I can never do that for Him, 
 
 In the Home to which I go. 
 And I am sure I shall not be sorry 
 
 When My Lord does really come ; 
 That I suffered a little longer 
 
 Before He took me Home. 
 
 November I'jtk. 
 
 59 
 
SOJVGS IN THE 
 
 A THANKSGIVING HYMN. 
 
 I THANK Thee, O my God ! for all the grace 
 Vouchsafed to me, so needy and so weak ; 
 
 The ceaseless shining of Thy radiant face ; 
 
 Thy tender voice, which constantly doth speak 
 
 To me such words of strength and cheering love, 
 
 A foretaste of the intercourse above, 
 
 I thank Thee, O my God ! that though my pain 
 Grows greater every day, and my strength less, 
 
 That more and more Thou 'stablishest Thy reign 
 Within my heart, and more and more dost bless 
 
 Thy weary one, who, safe from doubts and harms, 
 Rests ever in the " Everlasting Arms." 
 
 I thank Thee, O my God ! that Thou dost sit 
 
 Patient, as the Refiner of my soul ; 
 Guiding the flames that melt the dross from it, 
 
 With the w^ise love that has decreed the whole ; 
 Watching until the pure and silvery shine 
 Flash back in beauty that sweet smile of Thine. 
 60 
 
VALLEY OF ACTIO R. 
 
 I tliank Thee, O my God ! that though to me 
 Thou hast denied the festive joys of earth, 
 
 Yet on my bed of pain I lift to Thee 
 
 A grateful heart of love and holy mirth. 
 
 And sing with ardent love and glowing praise 
 
 Thy Name, who art the joy of all my days. 
 
 For it is all of Thee, Thy radiant light, 
 O tender Christ ! illumines all my way ; 
 
 Thou givest me sweet songs in deepest night, 
 Therefore I keep this glad Thanksgiving Day. 
 
 Well may I raise a loving song to Thee, 
 
 O blessed Lord, who art so much to me ! 
 
 Well may I keep Thanksgiving day, who dwell 
 Safe in the shelter of Thy secret place ; 
 
 Well may my heart with joy and rapture swell, 
 Who hope so soon to see Thy lovely Face. 
 
 Take, Lord, this song, unworthy though it be, 
 
 Until I spend Thanksgiving Day with Thee ! 
 
 November ■z'^th. 
 
 6i 
 
SO.VGS IN THE 
 
 "THE MASTER IS COME, AND CALLETH 
 FOR THEE." 
 
 To one dear to her, she said : '' There is 3'et one song I should like 
 to write, ' The Master has Come, and Calleth for Thee,' but I shall 
 have to leave it till I get to Heaven," 
 
 " Unless I Write it for you ? " 
 
 " I wish you would," she replied. 
 
 Early in the afternoon, 
 Ere the work of the day was done, 
 For our loved one came the Master. 
 Long had she waited for His knock, 
 With her hand " ever on the lock/' 
 For she knew that He would come. 
 We had often thought before 
 His blessed feet were at the door, 
 
 And, " Dear Heart," we had said, 
 " He has come, and calleth for thee." 
 
 Yet He spoke not. But instead 
 She whispered, " Lay rae down to bear ; 
 It is sweet to lie here still, 
 Wishing nothing but His will." 
 
 And still the days of mortal pain 
 Came and went ; until again 
 We said, " Surely He has come." 
 62 
 
VALLEY OF ACHOR. 
 
 Yet He tarried, that she might fulfill 
 Still more perfectly His will ; 
 And through thirst and hunger know- 
 As she only could below, 
 His " fellowship of suffering ;" 
 His will, she found her blessed " meat," 
 He gave her the " Bread of Life " to eat ; 
 And often when our hearts were breaking, 
 And her parched throat and lips were aching, 
 She would say, all comfort taking, 
 " His love is better than wine." 
 
 Patient, " happy, blessed child," 
 
 She lay there " watching ever ;" 
 Longing, yearning for His face, 
 
 Yet impatient never ; 
 Dwelling in " His secret place," 
 
 " Under His wings abiding,"* 
 Tasting all the wondrous grace 
 
 Of His dear providing ; 
 Proving more and more each day, 
 
 As she went her " blessed way," 
 The love of her " Wonderful Jesus !" 
 
 But at last, one afternoon, 
 We knew that He had come. 
 
so JVC S IN THE VALLEY OF ACHOR. 
 
 And low, so that we could not hear, 
 
 He whispered in that list'ning ear, 
 
 " I have come to take thee home." 
 
 By that dear " waking " heart was heard 
 
 The Master's longed-for blessed word, 
 
 And smiling, she opened her loving eyes 
 
 In the full light of Paradise, 
 
 To dwell with Him, His face to see, 
 
 " For where He is shall His servants be ;" 
 
 And whither our loved one went we know, 
 
 Some happy day, we too shall go ; 
 
 And sweet to our ears will the message be, 
 
 " The Master is come, and calleth for thee." 
 
 64 
 
SELECTIONS FROM EARLIER POEMS. 
 
 6S 
 
SONGS IN THE VALLEY OF ACHOR. 
 
 THE GRACIOUS INVITATION. 
 
 Matt, ii: 28. 
 
 When th*e heart is bowed with anguish, 
 
 When bright hopes and dreams are o'er ; 
 When in deepest night we languish, 
 Weeping, mourning, oh, so sore ! 
 Then, like strains of sweetest music, 
 
 Thrilling every weary breast, 
 Comes this precious word of Jesus : 
 " Oh, ye weary, heavy laden, come to Me and 
 rest !" 
 
 Earth looks dark, and Heaven looks distant, 
 
 Tears bedim our weeping eyes ; 
 In the spirit's utter weakness 
 
 Faithless fears and questions rise : 
 Then like holy benediction 
 
 To the soul by troubles pressed, 
 Comes the gracious invitation, 
 " Oh, ye weary, heavy laden, come to Me and 
 rest !" 
 
 67 
 
SOA'GS IN THE 
 
 When we're weary with the journey 
 
 Up life's hill-side, hard and steep ; 
 When through dark and gloomy hours 
 
 Ceaseless watch our spirits keep ; 
 From those lips of rarest sweetness, 
 
 To each weary soul addressee^, 
 Comes the gracious invitation, 
 Oh, ye weary, heavy laden, come to Me and 
 rest ! " 
 
 Sweetest words, oh, blessed Saviour, 
 
 Are those words of love and power ! 
 Comforting in deepest sorrow. 
 
 Cheering e'en the darkest hour ; 
 Softly, gently, through earth's noises. 
 
 To the soul by cares oppressed, 
 Comes the gracious invitation, 
 " Oh, ye weary, heavy laden, come to Me and 
 rest ! " 
 
 Sweetest rest for weary pilgrims, 
 Sweetest rest for aching hearts ! 
 
 From the bosom of the Saviour 
 Loving pity ne'er departs ; 
 68 
 
VALLE Y OF A CHOR. 
 
 Ever in life's stormy battle, 
 
 Tenderly to souls distressed, 
 Comes the gracious invitation, 
 " Oh, ye weary, heavy laden, come to Me and 
 rest ! " 
 
 Not till life on earth is ended. 
 
 Must the weary spirit wait 
 For the rest so sorely needed ; 
 
 Long before we reach the gate 
 Of the bright, celestial City, 
 
 To the weary, saddened breast, 
 Comes the gracious invitation, 
 "Oh, ye weary, Jieavy laden, come to Me and 
 rest ! " 
 
 "I AM THY SALVATION." 
 
 My Lord, I come to Thee, 
 
 I cannot choose but come ; 
 Thou drawest me by Thy love 
 No more to roam. 
 But I am sad and burdened sore with sin, 
 Tender Lord Jesus, wilt Thou take me in ? 
 69 
 
SONGS IN- THE 
 
 " Child, did I e'er reject 
 
 One soul that came to me ? 
 My full heart's crimson tide 
 Was shed for thee ; 
 In that pure stream I will wash out thy stains : 
 Tremble no more ; what doubt or fear remains?' 
 
 O Lord, I am not fit 
 
 To touch Thy blessed feet ; 
 It cannot be for me 
 Thy mercy sweet ; 
 I cannot touch Thee, Lord, so fair, so clean — 
 My sins, O Lord ! my sins they come between. 
 
 " My child, that cannot be, 
 For all thy sins I bore 
 Upon the shameful cross ; 
 This strife give o'er, 
 Lay down thy sins and sorrows at my feet. 
 And thou shalt find my loving welcome sweet." 
 
 But, Lord, they are so dark, 
 
 They are so great, so deep ; 
 They hold me tight and close ; 
 70 
 
VALLEY OF AC FLO R. 
 
 They seem to steep 
 My soul in blackness as of night, 
 It cannot enter in Thy holy sight. 
 
 " My child, list thou to Me, 
 And mark well every word : 
 Thou knowest Him Who speaks, 
 Thy faithful Lord ; 
 Thou knowest that my lips can never lie, 
 Thou knowest I cannot mine own self deny. 
 
 " / say, thou art forgiven ; 
 / say that thou art clean, 
 No guilt upon thy soul 
 Can come between 
 Thee and the rest and healing thou dost crave ; 
 O doubting soul ! 'twas thee I died to save. 
 
 " If there had never been 
 Any but thy lost soul, ♦ 
 I should have died for thee : 
 Thou hast the whole 
 Of that rich tide of love that once did start 
 From out thy Saviour's bleeding, broken heart. 
 71 
 
sojvgs in the 
 
 " Child, is it not enough ? 
 Must I do more for thee ? 
 Child, oh, thou weary child ! 
 Come, come to Me : 
 Closely I'll clasp my loving arms about 
 Thee, and I'll never, never cast thee out. 
 
 " Thy sins do hold thee close, 
 But not so close as I ; 
 Strong have I been to love. 
 And strong to die. 
 Come, and for thee the conflict I wilj win, 
 For I am stronger far, than all thy sin. 
 
 THE ATTRACTING POWER OF THE CROSS. 
 
 What mean these hurrying throngs, these angry 
 faces. 
 
 These raging voices borne upon the air ? 
 The crowds come pouring forth from distant places, 
 
 We see them, hear them shouting everywhere. 
 
 They come with steady tramp without the city, 
 Dragging among them one weak, helpless form ; 
 
VALLEY OF ACHOR. 
 
 Onward they march, relentless, without pity ; 
 Oh, the dread mutterings of that human storm ! 
 
 On to the height of Calvary's rude summit 
 They drag their Victim, full of cruel wrath ; 
 
 Regarding not His weariness and languor, 
 Tliey force Him onward up the stony path. 
 
 With taunts and jeers and harsh and cruel sneering 
 They fill His ears. Whose every word was love; 
 
 Not all their Victim's gentle, wordless patience, 
 Availeth aught their purposes to move. 
 
 They bear Him on, and to the tree accursed 
 Affix those gentle hands, those tireless feet. 
 
 That roamed for them Judea's hills and valleys, 
 Engaged in works of love and healing sweet. 
 
 The awful deed is done — the sun is darkened. 
 The earth upheaves, the rocks and graves are 
 torn ; 
 
 The Son of God has died, His work is finished, 
 Upon the cross He yields His life 'mid scorn 
 
 And shame and woe. Forsaken by His Father, 
 He drank for us the bitter, bitter cup. 
 73 
 
SOATGS IN THE 
 
 His mission is accomplished, between eafth and 
 Heaven 
 He on the shameful tree is " lifted up." 
 
 Yes, " lifted up," indeed. Thou art, O Saviour ! 
 
 Not on a throne of kingly pomp and power, 
 But lifted up before all hearts forever 
 
 Wert Thou in that Thy darkest, bitterest hour. 
 
 And from the depth of Thy humiliation 
 
 Shall shine with glory bright Thy wondrous love, 
 
 The cross, of earthly shame and scorn the symbol. 
 Shall be all highest, brightest crowns above. 
 
 For centuries the poet and the painter 
 
 Have dwelt upon the haunting, moving tale, 
 
 And men have gazed, and turned again to ponder 
 Upon those wondrous scenes, that never fail 
 
 To fill the heart with strange and ceaseless wonder ; 
 
 And men have listened v/hile the poet sung 
 Of Jesus Christ the crucified, and lingered 
 
 And on his lips with breathless interest hung. 
 
 And strong and cultured intellects have studied, 
 And through the ages sent the question on, 
 
 74 
 
VALLE Y OF ACHOR. 
 
 " What think ye of Christ Jesus ? The great 
 Teacher, 
 Was He in very truth of God the Son ? " 
 
 And to the sad and darkened human spirit, 
 
 Filled with earth's anguish, burdened with 
 earth's load, 
 
 The story comes like sweetest, heavenly music, 
 And lifts the heart in love and praise to God. 
 
 Thus are fulfilled the words that Thou didst utter; 
 
 Through all the agony, the shame, the loss, 
 Thou didst foresee that naught in all earth's story 
 
 Could rival the sweet story of the Cross. 
 
 Around the Cross, our hope and trust all gather, 
 Beneath that cross in reverent love we lie, 
 
 And as the ages roll, shall grow jits power. 
 
 Drawing all men to Thee, Who there didst die. 
 
 Still draw us by Thy cross, O blessed Saviour; 
 
 Still let its light shine forth from sea to sea, 
 Till every blood-bought soul of every nation, 
 
 Shall find all life and joy and love in Thee. 
 
 75 
 
SONGS IN THE 
 NOTHING CAN HARM THE CHRISTIAN. 
 
 HosEA 2 : i8. 
 
 Nothing can harm the Christian ! 
 
 In sorrow's deepest night, 
 Above him still love's radiance beams, 
 Upon him still the glory streams 
 
 From Him who is " the Light." 
 
 Nothing can harm the Christian ! 
 
 All Satan's deadliest wiles, 
 His poisoned darts and secret snares. 
 Are foiled by faith's entreating prayers. 
 
 Beneath the Saviour's smiles. 
 
 Nothing can harm the Christian ! 
 
 Forever at his side 
 There stands one Friend thro' day and night; 
 Through sorrow's storm and pleasure's light ; 
 
 He will for aye abide. 
 
 Nothing can harm the Christian ! 
 Death keeps no more dark tryst ; 
 76 
 
VALLEY OF ACHOR. 
 
 There is no Death, only a door 
 Is opened, and forevermoie 
 The Christian is with Christ ! 
 
 Nothing can harm the Christian ! 
 
 E'en God's all-seeing eye 
 Can find no record in His Book 
 Against His soul ; from His dread look, 
 
 The Christian need not fly. 
 
 Nothing can harm the Christian ! 
 
 For he is not alone : 
 Clothed by those pierced, atoning Hands, 
 Wrapped in Christ's Righteousness, he stands 
 
 Before the Great White Throne, 
 
 Nothing can harm the Christian ! 
 
 God finds in him no stain. 
 Who can condemn } 'Tis Christ that died ; 
 Forever at his dear Lord's side, 
 
 In glory he shall reign. 
 
 77 
 
SOA'GS IN THE 
 
 WHEN I AM WEAK, THEN AM I STRONG," 
 
 I AM too weak to cling ! 
 
 My weary bands 
 Nerveless and empty fall ; 
 Jesus my Strength, my All ! 
 
 Before Thee my weak spirit stands : 
 Look, O my King ! 
 
 I struggled long in vain ! 
 
 The fearful shock 
 Took strength and sense away ; 
 I could not even pray, 
 
 Nor stretch my trembling grasp towards the 
 Rock; 
 See Thou my pain. 
 
 Thy loving hand was near, 
 
 It touched my hand ; 
 Thy strong arm clasped me close ; 
 Beneath Thy blessed Cross 
 Sheltered and firm I stand, without a fear. 
 78 
 
VALLEY OF ACHOR. 
 
 The " Everlasting Arms," 
 
 With swift embrace, 
 Lift me to Thy dear breast ; 
 There held by Thee I rest, 
 
 Almost I see Thy radiant face ; 
 I fear no harms. 
 
 Firmly I trust Thy love, 
 
 For Thou hast given 
 To me that loving faith 
 That knows in life or death 
 
 Thou givest strength, and love, and heaven 
 That strength I prove. 
 
 Though grief my heart may tear, 
 
 Yet Thou art near ; 
 Though sorrow's heavy pall 
 On my weak spirit fall — 
 
 Beneath that shade I cannot fear 
 For thou art there. 
 
 Then, when too weak to cling, 
 
 My struggles cease, 
 I fall upon Thy breast, 
 And find a heavenly rest; 
 
 For I am kept in " perfect peace " 
 By Thee, my King ! 
 79 
 
SOA'GS IN THE 
 
 CHRIST ALL AND IN ALL. 
 
 Earth's joys are bright and dazzling, 
 
 Their beauty I can see ; 
 But they have no power to charm my soul, 
 
 For Christ is all to me. 
 
 Dost thou know what He did to save me ? 
 
 Listen ! I'll tell it to thee ; 
 And then thou no longer wilt wonder 
 
 That Christ is All to me. 
 
 I was bound in a deadly bondage, 
 
 I did not care to flee; 
 He showed me my woe, and he told me, 
 
 That He would be All to me. 
 
 At first I did not believe Him — 
 
 At first I would not see ; 
 But He showed me at last the need of my soul, 
 
 That He should be All to me. 
 
 I could not cast off that bondage, 
 
 Though I longed, and toiled to be free ; 
 
 Then Jesus vanquished my soul's dark foe, 
 And made Himself All to me. 
 80 
 
VALLEY OF ACHOR. 
 
 I had sinned, ah ! deeply and darkly, 
 
 God's wrath I could not flee ; 
 I could never bear the penalty, 
 
 But Christ was All to me. 
 
 Do you know how He paid my ransom % 
 
 In agony on the Tree ; 
 'Mid scorn, and shame, and cruel pangs — 
 
 Do you wonder He's all to me ? 
 
 And then He patiently led me 
 
 That grace and love to see ; 
 By His Spirit of wisdom and patient love, 
 
 He made Himself All to me, 
 
 I cannot describe His patience-— 
 How He willed that I should be 
 
 Wholly His own ; how He worked in my soul, 
 He, who is All to me. 
 
 His love He has lavished upon me, 
 
 Boundless, unspeakable, free; 
 Now, you cannot wonder that Jesus 
 
 Is "All and in All to me." 
 8i 
 
solves IN THE 
 
 His presence is with me always, 
 
 Though His face I cannot see ; 
 But when earth-life is ended and glory is mine, 
 When that loving smile upon me shall shine. 
 Oh ! then I shall sing on the Heavenly shore, 
 The song I have sung on earth before — 
 
 Christ is "All and in All " to me. 
 
 "SHADOWS." 
 
 " Oh \ sadly fall on hill and lea 
 The shadows of the weary day ; 
 And wafted from the wailing sea, 
 A low long murmur seems to say. 
 To say : 
 ' Shine on, thou golden sun ; 
 Thine hour will soon be done ! 
 Ah ! well-a-day ! ' 
 
 " Cold drives the rain upon the world, 
 
 And homeless is the north wind's cry ; 
 And 'mid the darkness, thickly curled, 
 Sad tones of sorrow seem to sigh, 
 82 
 
VALLEY OF ACHOR. 
 
 To sigh : 
 ' Bloom on, thou shining rose, 
 Thy short life soon will close, 
 
 For thou must die ! * 
 
 " Oh ! sadly fall on loving hearts 
 
 The shadows of life's weary way ; 
 And heedless of the tear that starts, 
 A mournful message seems to say, 
 To say : 
 * Thee and thy love, the tomb 
 Soon, soon will fold in gloom ! 
 Ah ! well-a-day ! ' " 
 
 From the N. V. Trzlinnf, 
 
 [answer.] 
 
 LIGHT. 
 
 Oh ! brightly falls through rifted clouds 
 
 The radiance of the coming day ; 
 And through the hovering mist that shrouds 
 Our earthly future, seems to say, 
 . To say : 
 " Hope on through toil and sorrow, 
 83 
 
SONGS IN THE 
 
 For soon the glorious morrow 
 Shall be to-day ! " 
 
 Patience, her gentle finger lays 
 
 On weary heart and weeping eye ; 
 Beyond still wait us golden days, 
 And from above we hear a cry, 
 A cry : 
 " Sorrow's fierce strokes shall cease, 
 Thou shalt find endless peace, 
 With Christ on high ! " 
 
 Tears falling fast shut out the light ; 
 
 Onward we go, what hope, what choice ? 
 Before us lies the tomb's dark night; 
 But listen I we can hear His voice, 
 His voice : 
 " I have abolished death ; 
 Be strong in that bright faith — 
 Look up, rejoice." 
 
 84 
 
VALLEY OF ACHOR. 
 
 "HE KNOWS AND HE LOVES." 
 
 He knows, ah ! well He knows, for He was 
 tempted, 
 That He might deeper love and succor give. 
 If He, the Son of God, was not exempted, 
 
 How can we murmur that so oft we grieve ? 
 If through His griefs our "Captain" "perfect'* 
 
 grew. 
 May not our trials make us perfect too ? 
 
 He knows, my Blessed Saviour knows my sorrow, 
 He yearns to comfort, and He stoops to cheer; 
 
 He points my faltering faith to that to-morrow 
 When I shall meet again my children dear ; 
 
 When I shall clasp them to my raptured heart, 
 
 In that bright Heaven, never more to part ! 
 
 He knows that often Satan's dark suggestions 
 A warring tumult in my bosom make ; 
 
 That he, by murmuring rebellious questions. 
 Attempts my love and faith in God to shake ; 
 
 He asks so often, " Is it for the best ? " 
 
 That it is hard in perfect trust to rest. 
 85 
 
SO.VGS IN- THE 
 
 How oft he takes advantage of my sadness, 
 
 To whisper to me murmuring doubts and fears ; 
 He asks me, " Canst thou still believe in glad- 
 ness ? 
 Canst thou see future joy through these sad 
 tears ? 
 Canst thou believe that after this dark night, 
 Shall dawn a joyful morning, sunshine bright ? " 
 
 And I can answer, " Yes ! " For He who knoweth 
 My utter weakness and my Tempter's power, 
 
 To my faint heart in strength and glory showeth, 
 That though above me heavy clouds may 
 lower, 
 
 Shadowing my pathway, ever still above 
 
 Shines from my Father's Throne the light of love. 
 
 He loves ! It was His love ordained my trial. 
 He sent my sorrows, He imposed my loss ; 
 
 That, in the midst of grief znd self-denial, 
 
 I should " come after" Him, bearing my cross, — 
 
 Knowing that when I lay my burden down. 
 
 As I have shared His cross, I'll share His crown. 
 
 And still, though heavy clouds around me gather, 
 I knov/ in grief His faithfulness He proves ; 
 ^6 
 
VALLEY OF ACHOR. 
 
 Therefore I will not doubt or fear, but rather 
 Rejoice in the sweet thought, " He knows and 
 loves ; " 
 He knows my sorrow, all my weakness proves, 
 And, in His tenderness, forgives and loves. 
 
 And when life's cares and griefs shall all be 
 ended. 
 When my glad eyes have bid farewell to tears ; 
 When through Death's portal, by my Lord be- 
 friended, 
 I shall pass safe, feeling no doubts nor fears, — 
 In the bright light that shines from Jesus' Throne, 
 Earth's darkness past, — I'll "know as I am 
 known ! " 
 
 OCTOBER 31ST, 1867. 
 
 He has been in Heaven three years to-day, 
 My beautiful boy with the soft brown eyes ; 
 
 He has been in Heaven three years to-day, 
 Three years in glory beyond the skies. 
 
 Three years in the Saviour's arms of love. 
 Three years in the Gentle Shepherd's fold ; 
 87 
 
SONGS IN THE VALLEY OF ACL/OR. 
 
 Three years in the Beautiful Land above, 
 Three years in the wonderful City of Gold. 
 
 Together they dwell, my boys so fair, 
 
 Together they praise the Lord they love : 
 
 Together one day I shall find them there. 
 When I, too, am called to my home above. 
 
 On earth o'er their graves I will not weep ; 
 
 Tears may not fall when Faith can soar 
 And see the glory in which they dwell — 
 
 The radiant light of the Heavenly Shore. 
 
 No ! I thank Thee, dear Saviour, that with Thee 
 above, 
 
 Dwell my darlings, forever safe and blest, 
 Wrapped in a fonder than mother's love. 
 
 Sheltered so tenderly on Thy breast. 
 
 I joy in their Joy, I am glad in their bliss, 
 I would not recall them, if that could be ; 
 
 For naught do I thank Thee more truly than this, 
 That my boys are forever safe with Thee. 
 
 88 
 
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