The Optimist's Good Morning Part 8

February 29

_Henceforth I learn that to obey is best, And love with fear the only G.o.d, to walk As in His presence, ever to observe His providence, and on Him sole depend, Merciful over all His works, with good Still overcoming evil, and by small Accomplis.h.i.+ng great things--by things deemed weak Subverting worldly strong, and worldly wise By simply meek, that suffering for Truth's sake Is fort.i.tude to highest victory, And to the faithful death the gate of life-- Taught this by His example whom I now Acknowledge my Redeemer ever blest._

JOHN MILTON.

O Thou Eternal One before whom from day to day we walk and on whom we ever depend, help us to-day to love whatever is good and beautiful and to follow obediently the behests of Thy Spirit. May we overcome evil with good; and may we accomplish whatever tasks the hours as they pa.s.s demand of us, whether small or great, with such strength as may be vouchsafed us and with a wisdom begotten of meekness. If we must suffer for truth's sake may we manifest such humility and fort.i.tude as shall be conducive to the highest success. Open for us hourly the gates of life, as those who endeavor to be faithful to their high calling. These favors we ask in the name of Him who redeems our lives from all evil and crowns us daily with His loving kindness. Amen.

EDWARD DAY.

March 1

_All the strength of the world and all its beauty, all true joy, everything that consoles, that feeds hope, or throws a ray of light along our dark paths, everything that makes us see across our poor lives a splendid goal and a boundless future, comes to us from people of simplicity, those who have made another object of their desires than the pa.s.sing satisfaction of selfishness and vanity, and have understood that the art of living is to know how to give one's life._

CHARLES WAGNER.

Heavenly Father, help us to be like Thyself, as manifested in the person of Jesus Christ, Thy Son! It was His will to do the will of His Father by living and dying for others. Teach us so to live. Help us to learn by positive personal experience that supremest joy comes only "in ministering unto others." Teach us what Jesus meant when He said: "I am among you as he that serveth." Plant deeply within us His pa.s.sion for a life of service. May our morning hours be gladdened and inspired by this divine purpose. Let Thy holy will be done in us this day. Amen.

CHARLES PARKHURST.

March 2

_The year's at the spring And day's at the morn; Morning's at seven; The hill-side's dew-pearled; The lark's on the wing; The snail's on the thorn; G.o.d's in His heaven-- All's right with the world!_

ROBERT BROWNING.

Father in Heaven, refreshed and heartened by the night, we begin again with Thee the high adventure of our life. Add to the beauty of the world about us a finer spiritual beauty in our souls. Save us from our own undoing. If our thoughts are dark, s.h.i.+ne in upon them with Thy glory; if they be bright, make them to light the pathway of another. Have us wholesomely to forget ourselves, in the joy of Thy good world, the promise of our imperfection and the trust in G.o.d that maketh not afraid.

And when the duties of the day are done, dismiss us, Thy well-meaning children, with a quiet mind to rest. Amen.

ALBERT WELLMAN HITCHc.o.c.k.

March 3

_We will do something worth doing--that is the resolution for you and me._

EDWARD EVERETT HALE.

_We admire the man who embodies victorious efforts, the man who never wrongs his neighbor, who is prompt to help a friend, but who has those virile qualities necessary to win in the stern strife of actual life._

THEODORE ROOSEVELT.

Father of Lights in whom is no darkness at all, and in whose light we see light, help us to clearly see and never forget that only right deeds are worthy of a child of Thine. May we in no moment forget that to yield to the wrong is to bring upon us Thy just condemnation and sow for us a sure reaping of sorrowful repentance. By doing the things we know to be right and worth doing, the things worthy of our true selves and of our Father and of our Master whose we are, may this day, through us, yield some benefit to other children of Thine, and bring to us the sweet reward of Thine approval. Amen.

OSCAR F. SAFFORD.

March 4

_It is worth a thousand pounds a year to have the habit of looking on the bright side of things._

SAMUEL JOHNSON.

_Not by appointment do we meet delight and joy; They wait not our expectancy; But round some corner in the street of life, They, on a sudden, greet us with a smile._

GERALD Ma.s.sEY.

Our Father, at the beginning of a new day, refreshed by the night's rest, we turn to Thee for strength for the day's task. We know not what the hours hold for us, but this we do know, that come what may, Thou wilt go with us to bless, to cheer; we shall not walk or work alone. As we faithfully and cheerfully perform our work, conscious of Thy presence, there will come joys and smiles unexpected and unsought. This is Thy way of teaching us faithfulness and endurance. May we soon learn, that if we would make the day happy and worth while, we must not seek our own pleasure and good, but that of our brethren. May we so live that when the night shadows are again upon us, there shall be no cause for shame or regret. In the Master's spirit! Amen.

O. HOWARD PERKINS.

March 5

_Not in dumb resignation we lift our hands on high; Not like the nerveless fatalist, content to do and die.

Our faith springs, like the eagle's, who soars to meet the sun, And cries exulting unto Thee, "Oh, Lord, Thy will be done."_

_Thy will! It bids the weak be strong; it bids the strong be just; No lips to fawn, no hand to beg, no brow to seek the dust, Wherever man oppresses men beneath the liberal sun, O Lord, be there, Thine arm made bare, Thy righteous will be done._

JOHN HAY.

It is with the beautiful a.s.surance of Thy love and kindness, our Father, that we draw nigh unto Thee. It is Faith that seems to give us wings by which we rise above the darkness, into Thy Presence of light and love.

We feel our divine relations.h.i.+p to Thee, so that we lift up our hands to Thee, as the child to the parent. We are content to do Thy will, because we know then just what it is to love Thee. Our Master taught us this great lesson by His own faith in Thee. To do Thy will means strength to the weak, hope to the hopeless. To the sorrowing there can be seen, beyond the tear, the rainbow of Thy promise. Thus, as we realize our sons.h.i.+p will we work to make all men feel their own power, and all become one in Thy great love. May Thy Kingdom come and Thy will be done, in Christ our Lord. Amen.

C. E. FISHER.

March 6

_If you are my friend you cannot be indifferent to my faults of character, any more than you can be indifferent to my sickness or suffering. But, if you care to help me cure these faults, please let them alone! Please make much of my good qualities if you can discover any. And especially bless me with the encouraging sight of a better man than myself, and cheer me with a high example. I know that there are times when a sharp or gentle rebuke is in order, and that "faithful are the wounds of a friend." But the wiser doctors have lost their faith in blood-letting; and they know that clumsy surgery kills more than it cures._

CHARLES G. AMES.

In our prayer, our Heavenly Father, we desire to be consciously grateful for the opportunities this new day affords us of being helpful to each other. The inspiration so to act comes from Thee. Thou art the constant and never-failing Helper of Thy children. May we be mindful of the fact that our n.o.blest service to another may not be an alms, but a look of encouragement, a word of cheer. Enable us to be not too sensible of others' faults and failings. a.s.sist us to see and magnify the good in other lives. To this end may we be to others such examples in conduct and character as we would have them be to us. We offer and ask all in the spirit of Jesus. Amen.

LEROY W. c.o.o.nS.

March 7

_The mariner of old said to Neptune in a great tempest, "O G.o.d!

Thou mayest save me if Thou wilt, and if Thou wilt Thou mayest destroy me, but whether or no, I will steer my rudder true."_

MONTAIGNE.

_I go to prove my soul I see my way as birds their trackless way.

I shall arrive! what time, what circuit first, I ask not; but unless G.o.d send His hail Or blinding fire-b.a.l.l.s, sleet or stifling snow, In some time, His good time, I shall arrive; He guides me and the bird. In His good time!_