The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-09-27

cannot fail 10 assist You. OF what /. between
the covers Of your Bible I need not speak.
trust you have found something Of what ID
there Tor You already.
Make concessions. | ind that much trouble
IN caused by letting others see that you start
with the idea that you are quite right In your
views while they. are altogether wrong.
power through a failure 10 recognize o GER
tam latent goodness that. in many instances.
IL only waiting TO be encouraged TO bear
more fruit. 81. Paul felt the existence Of this
hidden goodness when he spoke to King
Agrippa "Believest thou tho prophets!
know that thou belieyest." The Prayer
Book breathes il when. instead OF saying,
Send us Thy Holy Spirit. it says. Take
not Thy Holy Spirit from u.s." IL is
better to try to direct and encourage the
growth of what has already starteds than
T. uproot IL and replace 1t with something
that is too strong TO live IN what IL not yet
prepared TO support il. Think OF this when
YOU are asked % help those who ara seeking
for faith. Do not say you should think
this and you ought 70 do this. but find out
what people do believe and take that FOR a
beginning. Let them feel that there may DO
something in their W hearts to start with.
and help them 20 recognize its presence.
You have heard the old Illustration of the
wind which feeds or extinquishes the flame of
a candle according % its strength, and the
spirit of man is the candle of the Lord" See
T. II that you do nothing TO diminish its
light.
l have only space for these few suggestions,
but, If you are working in earnest your own
hearts will teach you the rest. Think a little
OF the words which naturally come into your
minds with a work Of this nature. Take, for
example. Sympathy 10 suffer with a per-
son, or look up the substitutes for the verb
20 cheer" ito encourage. to inspirit' to
gladden., - and let those synonyms help you
10 an active rendering OF the words; IL you
are not quite ready to ask others 70 join your
slsterhood. try it yourself, first. Enter upon
n novitiate of our own for a week, q day,
with a prayer in your heart. and in your
tongue the law Of kindness. and, at the end
of that time. look back upon what IL has been
10 others, what II has been TO you, and then
think what it would be if you joined that
sisterhood-for life.-The Churchman.
Alfred the Great.
Alfred was a Christian king, and his harp
was as dear TO him as was King Davids. OF
much more ancient time, and David's psalms
were also very dear to Alfred, who himself
translated them into English, and is said TO
have constantly carried a copy in his bosom.
His harp was also his almost constant COM
panion. and by its means, disguised as a tray-
cling minstrel, he at one time obtained
entrance within tho lines OF his enemies.
where they detained MN tureo Gays, no ue-
lighted were they with his music, and be thus
obtained information which enabled him to
save his country and his crown.
All these things are well known of King
Alfred, but IL is not so generally known that
he was q poet and bymnist of no mean order,
besides being the author OF works of other
kinds, and the founder of seminaries and Of
the University OF Oxford. His best known
hymn is still to be found III many church
hymn books.
As the sun doth daily rise,
Bright ming all the morning skies,
SO to thee with one accord
Lift we up our hearts, y Lord.
Day by day provide us food,
For from thee come all things good;
Strength unto our soul afford
from thy living bread, . Lord,
BE our guard in sin and strife,
BE the leader of our life:
Lest like sheep we stray abroad,
Stay our wayWard feet, y Lord
Ouickened by the Spirits grace,
All thy holy will to trace,
While We daily search thy Word,
Wisdom true lmpart, y LORD.
When the hours are dark and drear,
When tho tempter lurketh near,
BY the strength ning grace outpoured,
Save the empted ones, OLord.
Musical Herald.