The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1866-08-22
Now,-'tis single sudden drop

Yet blessed be God for the blessed rain,
Though angry and dark the cloud,
That shuts out the light from hamlet and plain,
While through meadow and mountain,
Over forest and fountain,
Roll laundering echoes loud!
A mother watches the lowly bed,
Where her suffering darling sleeps,
Caresses the precious golden head,
And silently weeps!
With bony fingers and pinched face,
And brows deep furrowed with hopeless care,
They meet in the same neglected place,
The children of want for their scanty fare,
And eagerly clutch each meagre share!
A maiden bows her head she does not speak,
Fair white. winged pleasures tripuuheededby,
The bloom of beauty fading from her check
The brightness from her eyel
All! who would say that such cruel rain
Brings blessing and beauty in Its train,
Each drop that falls. adds bitter smart ,p
To the many woes of burdened heart
Yet it beats with reckless pitiless mirth,
Crushing the flowers of hope to earth!
Hush SOUL and murmur not,
Trust! though He kill,
Thy woes are not forgot,
Trust! it's His will!
He marks each secret spot,
Where, in thy grief,
Thou goest to weep and find,
In tears, relief
He knows thy bitter lot,
He keeps those tears in mind,
Loving thee still
Take hope, my soul l-e'en though thy skies
are clouded
Though bitter binding tears thine eyelids fill,
Thy Fathers vision is not dimned or shrouded,
He sees and loves thee still
Take hope, not simply since epoet singeth,
Behind the clouds, the blessed sun still beams,
Nor yet, that through whatever shade sin
bringeth,
The daylight, darkened, CLEANS:
But hence take hope;-these very clouds that
gather
These very drops that pelt MS as they fall,
The lurid bolt, the shaded sunlight, rather,
Are blessings after all
For Patience, Trust and every Christian duty
Now in the heart thus humbled, softened tried,
As fairest flowers spring us in blushing beauty
After the storms subside!
Listen, there, to the rain
Singing in saddened strain,
"Soul, never fear again, .N
Hope for the best -
Shadows may DER thee fly,
Clouds gather in thy sky
Still know that by and by
Thou will be blcst!"
The maiden, weeping for the absent one,
Till pale and sad and speechless with emotion,
Thus proves the preciousness Of him, though
gone, H
The strength of pure devotion.
Gaunt want, with visage lank, and sunken eye,
Teaches the children of his sore depressing,
The worth of effort, and increasingly,
To struggle for the blessing!
The mother, bowed beneath afiiction's rod,
Learns, as she feels the kindly tribulation,
Comfort In patience, and to trust her God
With hopeful resignation!
And thus it is the clouds that hide
The sweet sunlight, teach us to bide
HIS will, who hath all good supplied!
And thus it is, the drops that fall ~
On flower or weed, in hut or hall,
Come with blessing unto all!
Oh let us learn there in the rain,
There is no drop, that falls In vain,
Though harsh the stroke; 'tie for our gltn
Then blessed be God for the blessed rain,
Refreshing the thirsty earth again, as
Tenderly bringing
With its sweet singing st
Blessings on mountain, on woodland and plain,
Colors Of glory to fading flowers,
Perfumed breezes to cool the hours,
Pearls of light to the maiden morn,
Tears, sweet tears, to souls newborn,
Lessons of love to sad and lorn,
Balm of healing to hearts sore torn