October 21

Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the loving-kindness of the Lord.—Ps. cvii, 43.

Count each affliction, whether light or grave,

God's messenger sent down to thee: do thou

With courtesy receive him: rise and bow:

And ere his shadow pass thy threshold, crave

Permission first his heavenly feet to lave;

Then lay before him all thou hast, allow

No cloud of passion to usurp thy brow,

Or mar thy hospitality: no wave

Of mortal tumult to obliterate

The soul's marmoreal calmness: grief should be

Like joy, majestic, equable, sedate:

Confirming, cleansing, raising, making free;

Strong to consume small troubles; to commend

Great thoughts, grave thoughts, thoughts lasting to the end.

AUBREY DE VERE.

Nothing useless is or low,

Each thing in its place is best,

And what seems but idle show,

Strengthens and supports the rest.

H. W. LONGFELLOW.

Every day our Heavenly Father sends messengers to bring us closer to Himself: the familiar field flowers, which remind us of our innocent childhood; the old songs, which we loved when our lives were simpler and truer than now; the unselfish deed of some modern hero; a line in a poem or a newspaper; a chance-spoken word, or even the face of a stranger. There is no creature of God so lowly that He may not use it as His interpreter and messenger, filling our hearts with a sudden tenderness, and steadying our souls with new faith and a brighter hope.

The Youth's Companion.