The Danger of Spiritual Pride

If we fail on suitable occasions to declare what God has done for our souls, we shall be likely to offend our heavenly Father. But on the other hand, if we make such declarations, Satan will be likely to be present and tempt us to spiritual pride. Happy is the man, who can relate and extol God's gracious dealings with him, with such meekness and humility, as to furnish no entrance to evil.

— Religious Maxims (1846) LXVII.

The Measurement of Love

Go, count the sands that form the earth,
The drops that make the mighty sea;
Go, count the stars of heavenly birth,
And tell me what their numbers be,
And thou shalt know LOVE'S mystery;

No measurement hath yet been found,
No lines or numbers that can keep
The sum of its eternal round,
The plummet of its endless deep,
Or heights, to which its glories sweep.

Yes, measure LOVE, when thou canst tell
The lands where seraphs have not trod,
The heights of heaven, the depths of hell,
And lay thy finite measuring-rod
On the infinitude of God.

— Christ in the Soul (1872) XIII.

Seeking God's Will

The Life Power of the Blood

He dies, and from His bleeding veins,
The fountain of His life-blood drains
To cleanse the stains of sins;
And nothing less than that dear tide,
Which flow'd from Jesus' bleeding side,
Can make us pure within.

But underneath that fountain lies
A fount, unseen by outward eyes,
Eternal from above;
Of which the blood is but the sign,
Which gives that blood its power divine;
The deeper fount of LOVE.

LOVE flows beneath the purple flood;
LOVE is the life-power of the blood;
LOVE, offering to be slain;
'T is LOVE that to thy heart applies
The emblem of its sacrifice;
And washes out thy stain.

And wouldst thou learn the heavenly art,
To bear about a holy heart,
Let  kindred love be thine;
The same dear love, which ever flows,
In tears and blood, for others' woes,
And makes thy life divine.

— Christ in the Soul (1872) XII.

Thou Giver of the Rising Light

I.
Thou Giver of the rising light,
Thou Author of the morning ray,
At whose command the shades of night
Are changed to bright and sudden day;
Thou too canst rend the clouded heart,
Enveloped in the shades of sin;
And let the light, that dwelt apart,
The glory and the gladness in.

II,
Oh God, our Father and our Friend,
Dark is the cloud, that wraps us now;
But not in vain our prayers ascend,
Nor hopeless at thy feet we bow.
'T is in the dark, distressing hour,
That thou dost hear thy people's cry;
And come and clothe them in thy power,
And hide them in thy majesty.

— American Cottage Life (1850).

Christ, Our Refuge

Dark is the watery way

Of life's tempestuous sea:

And none, Oh Christ, are safe, but they

Who put their trust in Thee,

Loud is the stormy wind;

The seamen are afraid;

But those shall strength and mercy find,

Whose souls on Christ are stayed.

The winds they do not fear,

Nor dread the thunder's noise;

The Savior's cheering voice they hear,

And evermore rejoice.

It  is our Savior's skill,

Our Savior's arm of might,

Which guides the tossing ship at will,

And puts our fears to flight.

Praise  to the Pilot's power,

Praise to the Pilot's hand,

That faithful most in danger's hour,

Shall bring us safe to land.

— American Cottage Life (1850).

The Secret Sign

They know Him by the secret sign,
Which to their souls is given;
'T is written there in light divine,
With characters from heaven.

They may not tell it; but 'tis there,
Forever deep impressed;
Nor grief, nor pain, nor sharp despair,
Shall rend it from their breast.

The child the parent's accent knows,
The accents ever dear;
Unlike the treacherous voice of foes,
That fills his heart with fear.

He runs to meet it; and it falls
In blessings and in joys;
And thus wh'ene'er the Savior calls,
His people know his voice.

They know him by the secret sign,
Which to their souls is given;
'T is written there in light divine,
With characters from heaven.

— American Cottage Life (1850).