THE OAKS. 91

gotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should
not perish, but have everlasting life. But after we
have learned this blessed gospel truth from the Serip-
tures, we can come back to the book of nature, with
its beautiful sunsets, and behold in every hue and every
cloud an emblem of God’s love and mercy. Therefore,
my children, believe in God, and then, when you turn
your eyes towards the crimson and gold of the gorge-
ous west, you may say to yourselves, ‘The God who

displays those lovely signs is my Father through Jesus
Christ.’”

Then they joined in singing the following version of
the 19th Psalm :—

**T love the volume of thy Word;
What light and joy those leaves afford
To souls benighted and distressed!
Thy precepts guide my doubtful way,
Thy fear forbids my feet to stray,
Thy promise leads my heart to rest.

Thy threatenings wake my slumbering eyes,
And warn me where my danger lies;

But ‘tis thy blessed gospel, Lord,
That makes my guilty conscience clean,
Converts my soul, subdues my sin,

And gives a free, but large reward.

Who knows the error of his thoughts?
My God, forgive my secret faults,

And from presumptuous sins restrain:
Accept my poor attempts of praise,
That I have read thy book of grace

And book of nature not in vain.”

It is a happy thing for our children when they go