of authors with whom the compiler does not agree in regard to certain points of Christian doctrine. Passages from these authors have found a place here, not only because they are pertinent and well expressed, but because they strikingly illustrate the fact that the human mind, whatever creed it may hold, turns naturally and with a strong impulse to an all-wise, all-powerful and supremely benignant Being, and is not satisfied without being, in some way, brought into communion with him. That unutterable yearning of the spirit to hold converse with the Creator, of which the apostle speaks, is not repressed even by those sceptical tendencies which pare down the religious belief of the individual to the slenderest remnant of doctrine.

To conclude, this work is designed for those who would cultivate the habit of beginning and closing the day with some grateful recognition of the goodness of God, some supplication for his continual protection, some petition for his blessing upon their brethren of the human race; some acknowledgment of the frailty of their own virtue, and the need of his aid to strengthen their good resolutions. In the contents of this volume, gathered from a large variety of sources, it is hoped that they may find passages which by the force of expression or aptness of illustration may so impress their minds that they may willingly and frequently recur to its use.

WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT.

Roslyn, Long Island, October, 1877.

MORNING AND EVENING MEDITATIONS.

Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King and my God; for unto thee will I pray.

My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.

In the morning fix thy good purpose, and at night examine thyself what thou hast done, and how thou hast behaved thyself in word, deed and thought; for in these perhaps thou hast oftentimes offended both God and thy neighbor. [Thomas à Kempis.]

PRAYER.

I opened my window, and seated myself in view of the heavens to collect my mind for the daily tribute of adoration to my Maker. The mere act of directing my mind to Him, in the presence of his glorious work, filled me with an inexpressible, though tranquil and rational, delight. I said to myself, What a glorious gift conscious existence is in itself! Heaven must essentially consist in the absence of whatever disturbs the quiet enjoyment of that consciousness - in the intimate conviction of the presence of God.-[Blanco White.]

And Jesus said, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely, this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself: there is none other commandment greater than these.

There is a sentiment of the morning. The darkness is rolled away from the earth; the iron slumber of the world is broken; it is the daily resurrection-hour of rejoicing millions. God hath said again, "Let there be light"; and over the mountain-tops and over the waves of ocean it comes, and streams in upon the waking creation. Each morning that signal light, calling to action, is at thy window; duly it cometh, as with a message, saying, “Awake, arise!" Thou wakest; from dreamy slumbers, from helpless inactivity; and what dost thou find? Hast thou lost anything of thyself in that slumber of forgetfulness? Hath not all been kept for thee? Hath there not been a watch over thy sleep? Thou wakest; and each limb is filled with life; each sense holds its station in thy wonderful frame; each faculty, each thought is in its place; no dark insanity, no dreary eclipse hath spread itself over thy soul. What shall the thoughts of that hour be, but wondering and adoring thoughts? Well are a portion of our prayers called matins. Morning prayers-morning prayers; orisons in the first light of day, from the bended soul, if not from the bended knee; were not the morning desecrated and denied, if a part and portion of it were not prayer? [O. Dewey.]