There was a judge, who fear’d not God,
    Nor yet regarded man;
  There came to him a widow poor,
    His judgment to obtain.

  “Avenge me of mine enemy,”
    She cried from day to day;
  And though he did not her regard,
    Yet she did daily pray.

  And soon he said within himself,
    “Though I regard no man,
  And fear not God, yet to her words
    Resistance is in vain.

  “For if she thus, with pleadings loud,
    Besets my door each day,
  Her coming soon will weary me,
    I’ll send her then away.

  “I will at once grant her request,
    And judge her enemy,
  And then she will depart in peace,
    And no more trouble me.”

  Now hear what the unjust judge saith;
    And will not God regard
  His children when to Him they cry,
    Depending on His word?

  He will regard their humble prayer
    Their simplest, feeblest sigh,
  And stooping down, will bless them from
    His gracious Throne on high.

IX.

The pharisee and the publican.

  Now some the Saviour spake to there,
    Were good in their own eyes,
  Who look’d with scorn upon the poor,
    And did their life despise.

  He spake to these a Parable,
    And said, There were two men,
  One of them was a Pharisee,
    And one a Publican,

  Who went into the Temple once
    To offer solemn prayer,
  The one did show a haughty face,
    The other shed a tear.

  The one, he pray’d, “I thank Thee, God,
    I’m not as other men,
  I am not an extortioner,
    Nor as this Publican.”

  The other did not dare so much
    As lift his eyes to heaven,
  But smote upon his breast and pray’d’
    That he might be forgiven.

  The Pharisee went to his house,
    Elated with his pride;
  The Publican turn’d towards his home,
    The rather justified.

  For those who do exalt themselves,
    Shall feel humility;
  But those who are abased on earth,
    Shall high exalted be.

  Now when you come to God in prayer,
    Confess your every sin;
  And if you humble are, He’ll give
    To you His love Divine.

[Illustration:  Christ Stilling the Tempest.]

[Illustration:  Missing]

X.

THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS.

  There, was a certain rich man once
    Who sumptuously did fare,
  His form was clothed in purple fine
    And costly linen rare.

  There also was a poor man laid,
    Down at the rich man’s gate,
  The crumbs that from the table fell
    Were given him to eat.

  It came to pass the poor man died,
    And he was borne away,
  In Abraham’s bosom, to rejoice
    In an eternal day.