Questions & Answers
Though the mounting waves of sorrow Roll around me like a flood; Though the hurt of human yearnings Drain my heart's most precious blood; Though the whispers of the tempter Greet my ear till wrong seems right,— I shall press on through the darkness, Trusting God to give me light. He will still the waves of sorrow Till they ripple into calm; He will soothe the hurt of yearnings With a touch of tenderest balm; He will hush the tempter's whisper Till my troubled thought grows clear,— Till the "angel of his presence" Shall salute, and I shall hear.
Thou canst begin again, O suffering heart, No matter what 't is said that thou hast done, What race hast run and lost, beneath the sun, E'en if some crime may at thy door be laid. If thou repentant art, O suffering heart, Turn from the past, look forward on the road, And thou shalt see Christ's hand held out to thee.
Our Father, as we reverently bow To lift our hearts to Thee, Give us to know Thy presence here and now And evermore to be. Speak to our weary hearts Thy word of peace, Our turbulence restrain, That as for us sin's dominance shall cease, Thy blessed calm we gain.
Father, I come with a willing heart, Here, in Thy vineyard, to do my part, Earnestly seeking some humble task, Patiently waiting the work I ask; Father, I pray, show me the way, What shall I do for Thee to-day? Like silver bells set ringing, Thought-angels answer, bringing The message clear: Lift up the Christ that all may see, This is your work to do for Me; Go prove the truth is healing, Thus God to man revealing As ever near. Father, I journey from sense to Soul; Sometimes afar seems the chosen goal; Error would hinder my fervent feet, Rob me of courage, attempt defeat; Father, I know progress seems slow, How shall Thy child more swiftly go? Like silver bells set ringing, Thought-angels answer, bringing The message clear: Lift up the Christ that all may see, This is your work to do for Me; Go prove the truth is healing, Thus God to man revealing As ever near.
How dark, how filled with fear, the days When thus we prayed to God on high: Send down Thy light upon our ways, And bless us ere we die; And grant, when Thou hast rent the veil, Which death shall place upon our eyes, The ransomed spirit may not fail To wake in paradise. 'T was thus, dear God, we dared betray The blessing of Thy fatherhood, And blindly shut ourselves away From ever present good.
Rise up, my consciousness, and fly to where, Above the clouds in pure, life-giving air, Dwell all things joyous, all things true and fair; There wilt thou God's celestial children see, And all His universe will glow for thee In Spirit's beauty, bright eternally. And thou, if thou be lifted up, wilt draw The gaze of others Christward, till in awe These, earth-sick, rise to find the higher law, The law which shows man free to love and give Unstinted as God's representative: O consciousness, rise up, and know, and live!
Dawn! and its splendor brightens In fair, unclouded day; Oh, heart of mine, be glad to know 'T is God that shows my feet the way, Lest human weakness have its will And bid them sadly stray. Noon! and the day unfolding With each full-freighted hour Sees budding faith with honest works Reveal fruition's perfect flow'r,— The noon of Truth that glows to light The path where shadows low'r.
God fills all space; And Love controls in every situation. No night so dark that Science cannot trace The path of Truth, to speed your destination, Where safe in Soul, upon a quiet shore, You find your goal, and rest, To want no more.
The morn awakes, and I behold with quick, glad eye The beauty of the hills. Once through my tears They loomed so far and bleak against the darkling sky That weary hopes grew into silent fears.
I sing not now as once I sang, In mournful strain, When clouds of sense dimmed all my skies, And years were vain. I sing not so, for God hath given A glad new song, Whose wondrous words hang on my lips, The whole day long,— A song of truth, effulgent, bright, With Love's sunshine; A song of freedom, health, and peace, Of joy divine.