Poems with Power to Strengthen the Soul Part 45

All mine is thine, say but the word; Whate'er Thou willest--be it done; I know thy love, all-gracious Lord-- I know it seeks my good alone.

Apart from Thee all things are naught; Then grant, O my supremest bliss!

Grant me to love Thee as I ought; Thou givest all in giving this.

--Ignatius Loyola, tr. by Edward Caswall.

THE ACQUIESCENCE OF PURE LOVE

To me 'tis equal whether love ordain My life or death, appoint me pain or ease My soul perceives no real ill in pain, In ease or health no real good she sees.

One good she covets, and that good alone, To choose thy will, from selfish bias free; And to prefer a cottage to a throne, And grief to comfort, if it pleases Thee.

That we should bear the cross is Thy command, Die to the world and live to self no more; Suffer unmoved beneath the rudest hand When s.h.i.+pwrecked pleased as when upon the sh.o.r.e.

--Madame Guyon, tr. by William Cowper.

I preached as never sure to preach again, And as a dying man to dying men.

--Richard Baxter.

PRESSING TOWARD THE MARK

Thee will I love, my strength and tower, Thee will I love, my joy and crown, Thee will I love with all my power, In all my works, and Thee alone.

Thee will I love, till that pure fire Fills my whole soul with strong desire.

Give to mine eyes refres.h.i.+ng tears; Give to my heart chaste, hallowed fires; Give to my soul, with filial fears The love that all heaven's host inspires; That all my powers, with all their might, In thy sole glory may unite.

Thee will I love, my joy, my crown, Thee will I love, my Lord, my G.o.d; Thee will I love beneath thy frown Or smile, thy scepter or thy rod; What though my head and flesh decay?

Thee shall I love in endless day.

--Johann A. Scheffler, tr. by John Wesley.

DWELL DEEP

Dwell deep! The little things that chafe and fret, O waste not golden hours to give them heed!

The slight, the thoughtless wrong, do thou forget, Be self-forgot in serving others' need.

Thou faith in G.o.d through love for man shalt keep.

Dwell deep, my soul, dwell deep.

Dwell deep! Forego the pleasure if it bring Neglect of duty; consecrate each thought; Believe thou in the good of everything, And trust that all unto the wisest end is wrought.

Bring thou this comfort unto all who weep: Dwell deep, my soul, dwell deep.

--James Buckham.

Out from thyself, thyself depart; G.o.d then shall fill thine empty heart; Cast from thy soul life's selfish dream-- In flows the G.o.dhead's living stream.

--Scheffler, tr. by Frederic Rowland Marvin.

PEACE

REST, CALM, STILLNESS

THE PEACE OF G.o.d

When winds are raging o'er the upper ocean, And billows wild contend with angry roar, 'Tis said, far down beneath the wild commotion, That peaceful stillness reigneth evermore.

Far, far beneath the noise of tempest dieth, And silver waves chime ever peacefully; And no rude storm, how fierce soe'er he flieth, Disturbs the Sabbath of that deeper sea.

So to the soul that knows thy love, O Purest, There is a temple peaceful evermore.

And all the babble of life's angry voices Dies hushed in stillness at its sacred door.

Far, far away the noise of pa.s.sion dieth, And loving thoughts rise ever peacefully; And no rude storm, how fierce soe'er he flieth, Disturbs that deeper rest, O Lord, in thee.

O rest of rest! O peace serene, eternal!

Thou ever livest, and thou changest never; And in the secret of thy presence dwelleth Fullness of joy, forever and forever.

--Harriet Beecher Stowe.

Life's burdens fall, its discords cease, I lapse into the glad release Of Nature's own exceeding peace.

--John Greenleaf Whittier.

BE STILL

Let nothing make thee sad or fretful, Or too regretful; Be still.

What G.o.d hath ordered must be right; Then find in it thy own delight, My will!

Why shouldst thou fill to-day with sorrow About to-morrow, My heart?

G.o.d watcheth all with care most true; Doubt not that he will give thee too Thy part.

--Paul Fleming.

SIT STILL

(Ruth 3. 18.)