Questions & Answers
There's joy in the radiant morning, And in the sunshine's gold, Joy in the dew-washed meadows, And blossoms that unfold. Joy in the lilting bird songs That gratefully arise, Joy in watching fleecy clouds Sailing across blue skies.
Across the heavens' endless space The rainbow arch of promise comes, Encompassing, complete, and comforting. Rimmed with the red of vibrant love It glows through orange into golden joy, And on through green of pure, unfolding life Into the blue of constancy and peace That fuses into royal violet.
Jesus to his disciples said, I call you friends: And Abraham was called the "Friend of God. " A word of beauty, full of grace, is friend.
A fog blew in from the sea, and gray And lowering grew the sky. But through The gloom a flashing song like a ray Of light, a bird's clear song was heard.
"The night is dark!" "Nay, child, there is no night, Love's ray shines ever, illumining the way; Our Father-Mother God, He is thy light, So shall the darkness seem as clear as day. Awake from false beliefs, look upward nor repine, Pillar of cloud by day, of fire by night, is thine.
What is our Church? A habitation pure Which, set apart From all the cares and worries of the heart, A refuge is; for all our ills a cure. Where is our Church? In consciousness divine Where perfect Mind, Serene and sure with Truth and Love entwined, The Builder is, of structure fair and fine.
Naaman hears the prophet's word, Dip thyself in Jordan's wave; Seven times thou shalt go down; So thy cleanness thou shalt save. Nay, but Naaman will not stoop In the dull descending stream: Abana, winding bright and sweet Over many pleasant stones, Pharpar, wide and warm and fleet— These alone shall lave his feet! Still he hears the prophet's word, Wash in Jordan seven times; Wash, and cleanness thou shalt know.
Not more two thousand years ago than now Did human anguish need the Christlike touch, The truth that maketh free, the solemn vow Of the Christ's ever-presence. And to such As seek God's will to do in thought and deed, Ready to minister unto their brothers' need, Hopeful and patient, loving, quiet, true, To-day Christ speaks.
To Thee, O Lord, I lift my thought in sorrow, When fear, or doubt, or pain beset my way, When dark forebodings of the unknown morrow Becloud the light of Thine eternal day. To Thee I lift mine eyes when tired with seeking, And crave that peace which only Thou canst give; I strain my ear to hear the still voice speaking, And pray that I may yet know how to live.
Though in the wilderness we find the pathways rough and steep, The wild and tangled places, and the valleys dark and deep, Yet as we tread the pathways o'er with willing, patient feet, We find them fringed with flowers of God and budding roses sweet. We see the dry and thirsty ground there in the wilderness, The desolate, deserted land, all dim with weariness; Yet there we see the little streams of living water flow, Reviving, healing, blessing all the land wherein they go.