在痛苦和责难的苦难日子里，当以色列的孩子们悲伤地环顾四周，他们的眼睛因等待他们的主而失明;当在每一个可怕的绿色拱门下，在每一个山顶上，上帝选择的场景，纯洁的心崇拜，巴力:这是很好的，真诚的心应该暂时退隐到神圣的地方，安静地向往应许的更永恒的恩典;让我们与以利亚一同躺在何烈山，在那里，在山上，在沙土上，在天空上，神的车轮都留下了清晰的痕迹;在那里，如果我们在嫉妒和强烈的轻蔑中向罪人的罪神抱怨，不合时宜地在这里寻求天堂的平安-“够了。耶和华啊!现在求你使我像我列祖一样死。我算什么、竟站在他们徒然所争的地方呢。-也许我们的神会问我们的良心:“你这软弱的流浪者在这里做什么?你把那几只羊留在野外了吗?”当我们看到祭坛被毁，先知被杀，上帝的约柜被灵魂的鲜血玷污时，我们应该为内心的痛苦辩护;他站在磐石上，叫我们站起来，看见他奥秘的征程，他与人任性的心永无休止的争战;首先，他向罪人显示他的大能! at His angry blast the rocks unclose, And to their base the trembling mountains part Yet the Lord is not here: 'Tis not by Power He will be known--but darker tempests lower; Still, sullen heavings vex the labouring ground: Perhaps His Presence thro' all depth and height, Best of all gems that deck His crown of light, The haughty eye may dazzle and confound. God is not in the earthquake; but behold From Sinai's caves are bursting, as of old, The flames of His consuming jealous ire. Woe to the sinner should stern Justice prove His chosen attribute;--but He in love Hastes to proclaim, "God is not in the fire." The storm is o'er--and hark! a still small voice Steals on the ear, to say, Jehovah's choice Is ever with the soft, meek, tender soul; By soft, meek, tender ways He loves to draw The sinner, startled by His ways of awe: Here is our Lord, and not where thunders roll. Back, then, complainer; loath thy life no more, Nor deem thyself upon a desert shore, Because the rocks the nearer prospect close. Yet in fallen Israel are there hearts and eyes That day by day in prayer like thine arise; Thou know'st them not, but their Creator knows. Go, to the world return, nor fear to cast Thy bread upon the waters, sure at last In joy to find it after many days. The work be thine, the fruit thy children's part: Choose to believe, not see: sight tempts the heart From sober walking in true Gospel ways.