Poems with Power to Strengthen the Soul Part 92

Walk like Isaac, praying G.o.d; Walk by faith and not by sight; And though darker grows the road Doubt not all will yet come right.

Things behind forgetting, hail Every future from above.

Doubt not when it drops the veil 'Twill be such as thou wouldst love.

Till at death-eve, when the past Rings dear Mother Earth's own knells, Bridal heaven unveils at last With a peal of marriage bells.

--William Robertson.

The night is mother of the day, The winter of the spring; And ever upon old decay The greenest mosses cling.

Behind the cloud the starlight lurks, Through showers the sunbeams fall; For G.o.d, who loveth all his works, Has left his hope with all.

--John Greenleaf Whittier.

IMAGINARY EVILS

Let to-morrow take care of to-morrow; Leave things of the future to fate; What's the use to antic.i.p.ate sorrow?

Life's troubles come never too late!

If to hope overmuch be an error, 'Tis one that the wise have preferred; And how often have hearts been in terror Of evils that never occurred.

Have faith, and thy faith shall sustain thee; Permit not suspicion and care With invisible bonds to acclaim thee, But bear what G.o.d gives thee to bear.

By his spirit supported and gladdened, Be ne'er by forebodings deterred; But think how oft hearts have been saddened By fear of what never occurred.

Let to-morrow take care of to-morrow; Short and dark as our life may appear We may make it still darker by sorrow, Still shorter by folly and fear!

Half our troubles are half our invention, And often from blessings conferred Have we shrunk, in the wild apprehension Of evils that never occurred.

--Charles Swain.

THE MORNING STAR

There is a morning star, my soul!

There is a morning star; 'Twill soon be near and bright, my soul, Though now it seem so dim and far.

And when time's stars have come and gone, And every mist of earth has flown, That better star shall rise On this world's clouded skies To s.h.i.+ne forever!

The night is well-nigh spent, my soul!

The night is well-nigh spent; And soon above our heads shall rise A glorious firmament.

A sky all clear and glad and bright, The Lamb once slain its perfect light, A star without a cloud, Whose light no mists enshroud, Descending never!

THREE LESSONS

There are three lessons I would write-- Three words as with a burning pen, In tracings of eternal light, Upon the hearts of men.

Have Hope. Though clouds environ now, And gladness hides her face in scorn, Put thou the shadow from thy brow-- No night but hath its morn.

Have Faith. Where'er thy bark is driven-- The calm's disport, the tempest's mirth-- Know this: G.o.d rules the host of heaven, The inhabitants of earth.

Have Love. Not love alone for one, But man as man thy brother call; And scatter like the circling sun Thy charities on all.

Thus grave these lessons on thy soul-- Faith, Hope, and Love--and thou shalt find Strength when life's surges rudest roll, Light when thou else wert blind.

--Johann Christopher Friedrich von Schiller.

Knowing this, that never yet Share of truth was vainly set In the world's wide fallow; After hands shall sow the seed, After hands from hill and mead Reap the harvests yellow.

--John Greenleaf Whittier.

Yet I argue not Against Thy hand or will, nor bate a jot Of heart or hope, but still bear up and steer Right onward.

--John Milton.

The world is growing better, No matter what they say; The light is s.h.i.+ning brighter In one refulgent ray; And though deceivers murmur, And turn another way, Yet still the world grows better And better every day.

Never give up! it is wiser and better Always to hope than once to despair; Fling off the load of Doubt's cankering fetter, And break the dark spell of tyrannical care; Never give up, or the burden may sink you-- Providence kindly has mingled the cup; And in all trials and troubles bethink you The watchword of life must be--Never give up.

It's wiser being good than bad; It's safer being meek than fierce; It's fitter being sane than mad.

My own hope is a sun will pierce The thickest cloud earth ever stretched; That, after Last, returns the First, Though a wide compa.s.s round be fetched; That what began best, can't end worst, Nor what G.o.d blest once, prove accurst.

--Robert Browning.

Hope, Christian soul! in every stage Of this thine earthly pilgrimage, Let heavenly joy thy thoughts engage; Abound in hope.

Hope through the watches of the night; Hope till the morrow brings the light; Hope till thy faith be lost in sight; Abound in hope.

G.o.d works in all things; all obey His first propulsion from the night; Wake thou and watch! the world is gray With morning light.

--John Greenleaf Whittier.

When the sun of joy is hidden, And the sky is overcast, Just remember--light is coming, And the storm won't always last.

The mist denies the mountains; The wind forbids the sea; But, mist or wind, I go to find The day that calls to me.

For there are mornings yonder And noons that call and call; And there's a day with arms outheld, That waits beyond them all.

--Josephine Preston Peabody.

Open the door of your hearts, my lads, To the angel of Love and Truth When the world is full of unnumbered joys, In the beautiful dawn of youth.

Casting aside all things that mar, Saying to wrong, Depart!