Questions & Answers
Couldst thou but know the hallowed peace, The heavenly gladness in the heart, When Truth's ennobling power doth start, And beetling storms of error cease: Wouldst thou arise to holier plane, Depart from pathways of the past, And break false fetters binding fast Each erring thought that seems a chain? Ah, wouldst thou not awinged ascend To meet the wondrous light revealed, And all thy empty selfhood yield, Then to Love's will in meekness bend? Thus mayst thou see, with vision pure, The Life divine so near to thee,— Couldst thou again an earth-child be, Couldst thou a worldly thought endure? Oh, let thy inward eyes unclose, And waken from the mortal dream: How vain all that to sense may seem, Eternal all that Science shows!
Though boughs were interlaced and old, The seeking sunbeams yet found room To kiss with light each waiting frond Of brave ferns growing in the gloom. And there be patient hearts that grow In places where the shade is dense; Though barriers be thick and old, Love reaches these with recompense.
Oh , healing words! that thwart the power of pain And bring the erring thought to light again,— That, opening wide the rust-grown door of years, Proclaim man's heritage to list'ning ears. Oh, healing thought! that silently forgives, Knowing no breath of aught but goodness lives,— That brings the sinner to his bended knee And bids God's child arise in sanctity.
Oh , healing words! that thwart the power of pain And bring the erring thought to light again,— That, opening wide the rust-grown door of years, Proclaim man's heritage to list'ning ears. Oh, healing thought! that silently forgives, Knowing no breath of aught but goodness lives,— That brings the sinner to his bended knee And bids God's child arise in sanctity.
I deemed I saw him plead his piteous cause, Him that a heartless world unheard would ban,— Would hurl to darkest doom,—him that the laws Of earth and heaven would hold since time began Basest of mortals,—whom defend who can? For he for filthy bribe betrayed and sold His friend, the heaven-born friend of friendless man. Methought he gazed upon the ground, and told Through his thick-falling tears his misery multifold.
With Truth to guide, on wings of heavenly light My faith shall soar and part the sable night Of error, and behold that radiant star, Its bright effulgence ever gleaming far, The priceless jewel of God's diadem, The star that first arose o'er Bethlehem; And as this token of Thy love I see, O Father, let its radiance fall on me.
Sweet day of peace, we welcome thee! Thy coming, angels sang of old And prophets through the night foretold, Ere dimmer eyes could see. No subtle strife in thy fair light Can brew again the storms of hell, For lo! our God with men doth dwell In glory and in might.
Before my firelight late I sat one eve, And let the loom of long-past memories weave A fabric all its own. First, thoughts trooped by Of eager childhood days with cloudless sky; And lastly, thoughts of years when, prone to fear, I almost dared to doubt that God was near.
Come, and let us sing together, Sing a song of joy and praise: Do you know the wind and weather Answer to the songs we raise? Gladsome songs bring gentle showers Through the earth; these softly drain. Till with fruits and grain and flowers Earth repays her debt again.
Seeking for Truth, she cried, Canst tell me what life is, from whence it came, And how: know'st thou the meaning of it all? She toiled, but added nothing to her store Of vital truth. All was vague hypothesis; This thing was true today, tomorrow false; So, wearily she turned to other fields.