August 3

Jesus Himself drew near, and went with them; but their eyes were holden that they should not know Him.

O POWER, more near my life than life itself (Or what seems life to us in sense immured),

Even as the roots, shut in the darksome earth,

Share in the tree-top's joyance, and conceive

Of sunshine and wide air and winged things

By sympathy of nature, so do I

Have evidence of Thee so far above,

Yet in and of me! Rather Thou the root

Invisibly sustaining, hid in light,

Not darkness, or in darkness made by us.

If sometimes I must hear good men debate

Of other witness of Thyself than Thou,

As if there needed any help of ours

To nurse Thy flickering life, that else must cease,

Blown out, as 'twere a candle, by men's breath,—

My soul shall not be taken in their snare,

To change her inward surety for their doubt,

Muffled from sight in formal robes of proof:

While she can only feel herself through Thee,

I fear not Thy withdrawal; more I fear,

Seeing, to know Thee not, hoodwinked with dreams

Of signs and wonders, while, unnoticed, Thou,

Walking Thy garden still, commun'st with men,

Missed in the commonplace of miracle.

JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL.

2 E

433.

IT IS WELL