42 BOYS OF THE BIBLE.

upon the face of the earth, they were to find, in their way,
in their new and strange experience, what our own poet
Whittier has so sweetly sung in these later years, that, wonder
.as you will, you cannot get beyond the mercy and the care

of God.
“J know not where His islands lift
Their fronded palms in air;
But this I know, we cannot drift
Beyond His love and care.”

When you boys grow a little older, you will do well to
read carefully a very beautiful poem, by Elizabeth Barrett
Browning, entitled “A Drama of Exile.” In that poem you
will find much food for thought and many charming fancies.
But the great lesson of the whole poem is that our exiled
parents were exiled but not lost! In beautiful strains the
poet sets all the spirits of Eden singing in chorus a song of
hope to the poor wanderers. Down the shining path, where
the tall angel stands with glittering sword, the happy music

rolls:

“Future joy and far light
Working such relations.
Hear us singing gently

Exiled is not lost !
God, above the starlight,
God, above the patience,
Shall at last present ye
Guerdons worth the cost.
Patiently enduring,
Painfully surrounded
Listen how we love you—
Hope the uttermost—
Waiting for that curing
Which exalts the wounded
Let us sing above you—
Exiled, but not lost !

We do not follow these exiles far into the wilderness
before we find them rich in blessings that Eden never knew.