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July 3
_Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see G.o.d. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of G.o.d.
Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake._
MATTHEW v. 3, 8, 11.
O G.o.d, our Heavenly Father, we thank Thee that Thou dost overrule our weakness, failure and sins to the accomplishment of Thy divine plan for us. We recall with pleasure our successes in the past year, and if we have failed, wilt Thou show us where and when and teach us the way of amendment. We thank Thee for our Hope and Faith which have come to us from the Bible. Here, on every page and in every biography, have we learned of Christ Jesus, the Way, the Truth and the Life. We thank Thee that through Him our sins are forgiven, and we have learned to know Thee, O blessed Father, which knowledge is eternal life. May we walk with Him, moment by moment in a life of loving service to all mankind, during all the remaining days of our life. Amen.
E. M. WARNER.
July 4
_One flag, one land, one heart, one hand, One nation, evermore!_
OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES.
_And for your country, boy, and for that flag, never dream a dream but of serving her, though the service carry you through a thousand h.e.l.ls! No matter what happens to you--no matter who flatters or abuses you--never look at another flag, never let a night pa.s.s but you pray G.o.d to bless that flag._
EDWARD EVERETT HALE.
Thine, O G.o.d, is the kingdom. And blessed is the nation whose G.o.d is the Lord. We believe that Thy hand has been in the founding and the fortunes of this land. We do homage to it for its ideals, its principles, its glorious company of apostles of truth, its n.o.ble army of martyrs for liberty and humanity; we love and cherish it as our home and our shrine; but we hallow it, we stand in awe of it, as the scene of Thy special activity, the instrument of Thy holy purposes. May its vision not pa.s.s; may the clouds that hang over it be dispersed by the clear s.h.i.+ning of the sun of righteousness and peace; may the dream of freedom with fraternity be realized here, even here, upon these sh.o.r.es, that Thy saving health may be known among all nations. Amen.
C. ELLWOOD NASH.
July 5
_Far up the crag, 'twixt sea and sky, Where winds tempestuous, blowing by, Leave giant boulders swept and bare; Where forked lightnings fitful flare, And petrels sound their stormy cry._
_A dainty bluebell, sweet and shy, Lifted its head complacently, As guarded by the tenderest care, Far up the crag._
_And now, whenever fear draws nigh, In thought I stand 'twixt sea and sky, And, as of old in my despair, I bless the Power that set it there-- That tiny thing with courage high, Far up the crag!_
FLORENCE E. COATES.
Eternal Presence, may we now speak to Thee? or, consciously within Thy presence, should our lips be still? Art Thou the Infinite Mercy, and shall we say, be merciful? Shall we persuade the love that can not once withhold itself? We would not ask, were prayer to change established law. But, we will open here our hearts, and so receive the blessedness that seeks us and has sought us,--sought us as the sunlight sought us early,--seeks us as the raindrops seek us in the storm. Not more canst Thou withhold the goodness from us. We wait receptively, unbarring all our rust-hinged doors to welcome the true favors that now find us. In sweet trust, asking or unasking, we abide ever in Thee. Amen.
PERRY MARSHALL.
July 6
_G.o.d is a kind Father. He sets us all in the places where he wishes us to be employed, and that employment is truly "our Father's business." He chooses work for every creature which will be delightful to them, if they do it simply and humbly. He gives us always strength enough and sense enough for what He wants us to do; if we either tire ourselves or puzzle ourselves, it is our own fault. And we may always be sure, whatever we are doing, that we cannot be pleasing Him if we are not happy ourselves._
JOHN RUSKIN.
Father Divine, Thou art indeed kind. Thine are the ways of kindness, of wisdom, and of love,--the ways of pleasantness and the paths of peace.
In simple and humble spirit as becometh Thy children, may we walk with Thee accomplis.h.i.+ng the work to which Thou dost call us. Our work is Thy work, our business the Father's business; the business of justice, mercy and truth. When loyal and true, we are what we are, and do what we do by Thy grace. So help us to honor Thee in all the duties of life,--"Not slothful in business,--fervent in spirit,"--pleasing Thee and therefore happy ourselves. Amen.
ISAAC P. CODDINGTON.
July 7
_Threefold is the form of s.p.a.ce: Length, with ever restless motion, Seeks eternity's wide ocean; Breadth with boundless sway extends; Depth to unknown realms descends._
_All as types to thee are given; Thou must onward strive for heaven, Never still or weary be, Wouldst thou perfect glory see; Far must thy researches go Wouldst thou learn the world to know; Thou must tempt the dark abyss Wouldst thou prove what Being is._
_Naught but firmness gains the prize,-- Naught but fulness makes us wise,-- Buried deep, truth ever lies!_
PROVERBS OF CONFUCIUS.
Our Heavenly Father, help us this day to make good our privilege to feel and think of Thee as we do. Help us this day to make ourselves part of our brotherhood, and our brotherhood part of Thee. We know not what the day hath in store for us, but we pray Thee to help us have in store for it our better heart, our better hands. Send Thy holy spirit into our life to calm and to strengthen; that we may be steadfast and true; that we may give and be forgiven. Bless all Thy children this day, and may our labor end as it began, in Thee, with Thee, for Thee. Amen.
LOUIS H. BUCKSHORN.
July 8
_O Impatient Ones! Do the leaves say nothing to you as they murmur to-day? They are not fas.h.i.+oned this spring, but months ago; and the summer just begun will fas.h.i.+on others for another year. At the bottom of every leaf-stem is a cradle, and in it is an infant germ; and the winds will rock it, and the birds will sing to it all summer long, and next season it will unfold. So G.o.d is working for you and carrying forward to the perfect development all the processes of our lives._
HENRY WARD BEECHER.
O Eternal Father, giver of all spiritual grace, we thank Thee for Thy presence in our hearts. May we realize that Thou hast the best possible plan for every human life. Help us to be patient and joyful in the consciousness that Thou art carrying forward Thy blessed work in us. Thy love, O Lord, is equal to Thy wisdom, and Thou wilt always do what is best for us. May Thy holy will be our delight, so that we may each trust in Thee at all times and cheerfully say, Thy will, O Lord, not mine, be done. Thou who dost care for the birds and the lilies art ever mindful of us, Thy children. Deliver us from worry and may Thy peace guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
GEORGE H. CHENEY.
July 9
_Let us hope that one day all mankind will be happy and wise; and though this day never should dawn to have hoped for it cannot be wrong. And in any event, it is helpful to speak of happiness to those who are sad, that thus at least they may learn what it is that happiness means. They are ever inclined to regard it as something beyond them, extraordinary, out of their reach. But if all who may count themselves happy were to tell, very simply, what it was that brought happiness to them, the others would see that between sorrow and joy the difference is but as between a gladsome, enlightened acceptance of life and a hostile gloomy submission; between a large and harmonious conception of life, and one that is stubborn and narrow._
MAETERLINCK.
O Lord, we thank Thee for the special providence which is over everything which Thou hast created, and wherein Thou residest with all Thine infinite perfections. We thank Thee that Thou carest for us all, that in our day of joy we know it is Thou who fillest our cup, by giving us the faculties which make it run over at the brim. We thank Thee that Thou art with us in our days of hards.h.i.+p and of calamity, that when our own heart cries out against us, Thou art greater than our heart, and, understanding all things, blessest us in secret ways; and when we are cast down and go stooping and feeble, with hungering eyes and a failing heart, that Thou still art with us, and leadest us from strength to strength and blessest us continually. Amen.
THEODORE PARKER.
July 10
_Were any of us really disappointed or melancholy in a hayfield?
Did we ever lie fairly back on a hayc.o.c.k and look up into the blue sky, and listen to the merry sounds, the whetting of scythes and the laughing prattle of women and children, and think evil thoughts of the world or our brethren? Not we! Or, if we have so done we ought to be ashamed of ourselves, and deserve never again to be out of town during hay-harvest._
