Poems

What is healing? The vanishing of pain, or life made richer in the joy you gain through walking fearlessly, unhampered, free from weight of worry, ills, or poverty? Well, these may follow healing, it is true, but they are only added things to you. Far richer, lovelier than these, is thought acquainted now with God, and by Him taught.

Keep me alert to Christ's command, "Love one another. " And let me humbly understand, O Father-Mother, That every gift—each perfect gift Which cometh down from Thee To bring Thy light, to banish night— Is meant no more for me Than for my brother.

Not as a hireling, Father, would I be, that, when fierce wolves of error come, I flee. Ah, no, a trusted, faithful shepherd would I be to watch and guard so tenderly Thy sheep for Thee.

" And he must needs go through Samaria.

When Jesus was a little lad, He journeyed to Jerusalem. His family and friends were glad To have him walk the miles with them; But starting home they found that he Was not among the company.

Has the thought ever struck you That you are free? Angels are God's thoughts, And they pass to man. Between two soldiers in the prison Peter lay, bound with two chains, And keepers without stood watch.

When I have shut my eyes on temporal things, And closed my ears to tales of human woe, And held my tongue from useless arguings, And of the consciousness of self let go; When I have dropped the arrogance of will, Which boasts itself to know the better way, When I have ceased to struggle up the hill And fight against the frictions of the day, Then have I found the Father's loving arms Enfolding all in tender, patient care; Then have I found my refuge from the storms And really known that God is everywhere. Let me be strong and swift to turn to Thee, And heed the voice of Truth eternally.

Only the heart can truly sing that sees Beyond what may have been some cutting blow; Only the heart that lifts itself, and frees Itself, can see such things as nought, and know They are no plan of God's—and knowing good, See evil as unreal. These hearts are brave, And ever strong; fearless and calm, they've stood Each test and known the power of Truth to save.

The earthquake did not loose his chains for Paul, Nor swing the gates that sealed his prison wall. It was his understanding set him free: He knew the meaning of true liberty.

Now at Jerusalem there was a pool Beside the market where the sheep were sold; Bethesda was its name in Hebrew tongue. It had five porches leading into it, In which there lay a multitude of folk Called impotent, and blind, and withered too, All waiting for the water to be moved When angel thought should break its sluggish calm; For he who first stepped in was then made whole, Men thought, of any plague he seemed to have.