Questions & Answers
Love in its wideness circles round The yearning thought, the guileless heart; Here shall the plowman gently part The furrows of a holy ground. This heart, this thought, is heaven's mead, Here shall His purposes appear; Tread softly and tread lightly here Who come to sow the fruitful seed.
I have no enemy, unless it be A shadowy concept, Lord, of Thee In my own thought, as when a trail of cloud Will film the sun and earth enshroud In shadows grim, despite the sunbeam's glow! Since Thou art All and good, I know That hatred, malice, sickness, loss, and fears Are false; yet suffering, and bitter tears That sometimes hot and searing briefly flow, Serve friendly purpose, if my heart shall grow A little sweeter, purged of sin or pride, And I draw closer to Thy side.
O Life that knows no death, O Truth that knows no pain, Come, flood my fearful, anxious thought. And make me whole again.
This morn, as eyelids fluttered first awake, And thoughts returned to cares of yesterday, Glad rays of radiant promise filled the room— Proclaimed the reign of harmony divine. While pondering o'er this wondrous law which holds Creation all in concord grand, complete, It seemed I saw beside my bed a book Upon whose opened page my name appeared, With this arresting phrase: Today is thine.
Oh, the joy of staying thought on Thee, Dwelling in the atmosphere divine; Oh, the sense of peace that comes to me With my thought at one with Thine. Oh, the joy the perfect man to see, When my thought is filled with Love divine; Oh, the sense of health that comes to me With my thought at one with Thine.
Oh , let me do my work today With singing in my heart, And let me feel the righteous joy Of bearing nobly my full part. For if I strive with purpose pure And love the whole day through, The master of the vineyard keeps Yet higher tasks for me to do.
Peace is an ever operative will to good, A poise, a settled attitude of calm Reliance on the truth, which, understood, Is irresistible and all-pervading as the balm Of woodland scents upon the night, Or the approaching light! And, as the rose unfolds upon the spray, So shall the flowers of love and gentle peace Unfold within the consciousness of men, And discord cease. Imperative, resistless, is the day Which follows dawn.
How wise Elijah was at Zarephath! No self-assertion made him cast aside The widow's meager store of humble food— He let her see it shared and multiplied. Elisha stretched compassionate hands to one Burdened with debts she saw no means to pay; Increased the oil already in her house, Till freed and grateful she could go her way.
O perfect Life, all human sense transcending, Help us to live, from error's thrall be free; Help us to know, our thought on high ascending, That, as we love, we live eternally! O perfect Truth, o'er error's subtle seeming Shine with the light of true reality; Scatter the mists of earth's delusive dreaming; Rend the gray veil, which dims our view of Thee! O perfect Love, help us to help our brother, See him as perfect, Thy reflection be; So shall we come, all loving one another, To see Thee, face to face, in unity! Life, Truth, and Love, one Principle all-guiding, Held in Thy arms we evermore are free. Father and Mother, in Thy love abiding, We find our heavenly home, and dwell with Thee.
Give me, O God, a listening ear, The quiet voice of Truth to hear; A seeing eye, that where I go Thy constant image I may know; A willing hand and patient feet To follow in thy precepts sweet. Steadfast when error clamors: Hence! Give me, O God, obedience.