O Clavis David
O Key of David, and Sceptre of the House of Israel,
Thou That openest and no man shutteth, and shuttest, and no man openeth:
Come, and loose the prisoner from the prison house,
and him that sitteth in darkness, from the shadow of death.
O Radix Jesse
O Root of Jesse, Who standest for an ensign of the people,
at Whom Kings shall shut their mouths,
unto Whom the Gentiles shall pray:
Come and deliver us, and tarry not.
O Adonai
O Lord and Ruler of the House of Israel,
Who appearedst unto Moses in a flame of fire in the bush,
and gavest unto him the Law of Sinai:
Come redeem us with a stretched-out arm.
O Sapientia
O Wisdom, Which camest forth out of the mouth of the Most High,
and reachest from one end to the other,
mightily and sweetly ordering all things;
Come and teach us the way of prudence.
Someone asked me recently: what is it that haunts you? I said, “I can tell you exactly; it is the sense of time slipping through my fingers like fine sand. And there is nothing I can do to slow it.” One of the Psalms prays: “O Lord, help me to see the shortness of life that I may gain wisdom of heart.”
Owing to hard times which prevailed during the greater part of the past year among several of the tribes, it was impossible to visit them as usual; and much had to be left undone that might otherwise have been attempted. But I hope that the Christian leaders were enabled to supply this want in some degree.
I wish to speak solely of those ceremonies into which enters nothing of a suspicious nature, and of which many people make use nowadays with indiscreet devotion, attributing such efficacy and faith to these ways and manners wherein they desire to perform their devotions and prayers, that they believe that, if they fail to the very slightest extent in them, or go beyond their limits,
Sun from the world has gone;
Cold is the night and still.
Night covers all the land;
Listen! the silence rings:
Fled is the light of dawn;
As God wishes us to be good, because He is good, none of His judgments ought to displease us. For not to give Him thanks in all things, what else is it but to blame Him in some degree. Man’s folly too often dares to murmur against his Creator, not only in time of want, but also in time of plenty, so that, when something is not supplied, he complains, and when certain things are in abundance he is ungrateful.
God’s future is not that he will be as he was and is, but that he is on the move and coming towards the world. God’s Being is in his coming, not in his becoming. If it were in his becoming, then it would also be in his passing away.