The age-herald., 1900-03-04
THE MURMUR
 OF THE WORLD

Lead, kindly Light, amid tn encircling
 gloom.
 Lead Thou me on;
 The night Is dark, and l ann far from
 nome,
 Lead Thou me on.
 Keep Thou my feet; I do mot ask ito see The distant scene; one step enough for me l was not ever linus, nor prayed that Thou
 Shouldst lead me on; loved to choose and see my path; but now
 Lead Thou me on.
 loved the gaHish day; and sphte of fears. Pride ruled my will; remember mot past
 years.
 So long Thy power hath blest me. sure 1t
 stfll
 Win lead me on,
 Der moor and fen, er craig and torrent,
 The naght is gone
 And with the morn those angel faces smile, Which I have loved lomg since, and losat
 awhile.
 In these calm Lenten days we may take counsel of our better selves, my beloved, and commune one with another in sober comradeship It is time for introspection; it is prayer-time for souls that would cry "AAsN NiAO 7hNiAdhS AAASAAl 1Ot SulhelihtS dAollS the way of truth and justice and righteous ness. It is time for seIf-den.al for the putting away of un1indness, uncharitable- ness, envy malice, false pride and the eilencUng of siander,s foul tongue shouting 6nfamy outside the holy places! It is cleansing 4tfme for the soul, time to struzs- gle to be pure of heart and unspotted from the world, time to rise above temptation and pass over te the other side from sin; time to fling ourselves upon the new-green- ing turf and gather strength and hope from the bosom of the mother earth, where one day we shall come at last to rest the weary body for ever. It is penitentiaa thine. and God help him that is not peni- tent!
 The whisper of prayer is heard tenderfy in heaven when men cry for strength 10 resist the little meannesses of life. Hate, envy, jealousy covetousness scandal, dis regard of neighborliness, deafness to char fty's pleading, rrow-mindedness intoler- ance-these weaknesses make men to ap- pear very small and mean in the eyes of their fellows and very wicked in the eyes of the Master. Amazing it is that such men fnhaibit the earth in this highnoon of civilization. Yet their number is small. and it is for honest men to pity them and not be angry. Such men sometimes seek high places, for which they are no better fitted than they are for priestly office. They constitute the muffled discord that would hush the universal harmony, and make sorer the widows bruised heart, more fearful the eyes of the orphan with out comfort. They would stihe the baby bird that begins to fly and to sing. and trampe upon the flowers blossoming along the daffodil way of them that love and re- Joice in loving; that catch the first notes of dawn's sweet music from the noun tain's summit
 But goodness and charity govern tho world, and shall continue to sway it's vast destinies, its immeasurable virtues, Even some of the unworthy shall be lifted from the dust, cleansed and roloed in the white garments that are appointed for them that toll upward to the crest of the mount of the spiritual transfguration. There Is ai- ways voice ito cheer and to soothe, hapd to guide, a prayer to uplift and to strengthen When sorrow comes there is the blessed benediction of the beloved. ''iAAeii Pdih idSho, llht IHSIcllul stand DY the couch, and outside the door await in hope the loving. Flowers come to lend their beauty and fragrance and messages counseling hope and courage. Reason may depart for time and the low moan fall like sigh, but love reels not in its course. and comes in the end with its precious gifts and promises and prophecies Then it is that he who has come through tor fi1 fz f1N1D t,t-1 of the world. Through all the blaokness or pain, the gloom of the unrestful night of suffering, there shine cherished faces luminously as white-robed angels uplifted by the Angelus, or gladdened by vesper bells! Ah marvellous power of human love and human sympathy to soothe human sufferingl
 Wild merrymaking and joyous gaiety rioted to the very threshold of the Lenten time, and there paused for penance. The loved and lovely queen of the carnival. her gracious majesty of joy. doffed her robes of state and entered upon the vigil of the faithful. Glorious queen of the young years, right regal she appeared as she drove through@the crowded ways and smiled and laughed and graciously pended as her lov-
 
 affected loyaltyl Supreme hour of her bright and youthful life, glad time for the multitude that loved herl All her impulses are ever noble and good. all her emotions in the festival hour were glad all her life is beautiful, all her benisons are blessed! No crown ever became throned monarch better than the crown of youth and good deeds so regally worn by our beloved queen sn carnival hours and penitential days An, cherished little queen of the soon-counted years, may the softened plaudits of love and joy ring in your ears and echo in your heart until the last day here be spent, and the kindly Light stin leads you on!
 Life is very beautiful, wondrous sweet and dear. my beloved. This world is not a world of lies hates or uncharitableness it is world of love and helpfulness and hope. When the spring cometh to unlock .