Questions & Answers

In the stronghold of God's power, Where no foe can come; Safe within that mighty fortress, I would make my home. Round about the towering bulwarks Error's forces roar; But the walls of Truth surround me: Love doth guard the door.

An arm of aid to the weak; A friendly hand to the friendless; Kind words, so short to speak, But whose echo is endless: The world is wide, these things are small, They may be nothings,—but they are all. R.

Rolling away the clouds of sin, Letting the floodtides of glory in, Rolling away the thoughts of pain, Soothing to rest the fevered brain, Rolling away the shades of death, Giving the nations breath, Rolling away the night of woe, Furling our banner o'er friend and foe, O, list! to a world in tears we bring, The glorified beauty of Christ, our King. Sweet as the breath of a new-born day, Soft as the moonbeam's shimmering ray, Fair as the fragrance that dwells within The soul of him who hath conquered sin, Bright as the dewdrops that glint in the sun, And clear as the day when the night is done,— It covers the earth with a glad refrain, The surcease of sorrow and sin and pain,— For Truth's mighty billows have swept the soul, And Good over evil has gained control.

Dost thou doubt the sun is shining When the clouds o'ercast the sky? Dost thou doubt the rain's refreshing When the brooklet's bed is dry? Dost thou doubt the tide's returning When the waves forsake the strand? Does the child distrust its mother When it does not grasp her hand? Since the birds neglect their sowing, Do they lose their Father's care? Since the lilies toil and spin not, Does their verdure seem less fair? Constant as the sun in heaven, Sure as tidal ebb and flow, Is the grace that God hath given To His loved ones here below. Soon the clouds of sense will vanish, Soon the arid wastes will bloom, Soon the smiles of heaven will banish All the shades of mortal gloom, If we fix our heart's affections On the perfect Love, divine, And through lives of consecration Let the light of heaven shine.

Oft there comes a gentle whisper o'er me stealing, When my trials and my burdens seem too great, Like the sweet-voiced bells of evening softly pealing, It is saying to my spirit, Only wait. When I cannot understand my Father's leading, And it seems to be but hard and cruel fate, Still I hear that gentle whisper ever pleading, God is working; God is faithful; only wait.

I say that man was made to grow, not stop. That help he needed once and needs no more, Having grown but an inch by, is withdrawn; For he hath new needs, and new helps to these, This imports solely, man should mount on each New height in view; the help whereby he mounts, The ladder rung his foot has left, may fall, Since all things suffer change save God and Truth, Man apprehends Him newly at each stage Whereat earth's ladder drops, its service done; And nothing shall prove twice what once was proved.

The following poem was written by the Rev. Mary Baker G.

The sweetest flowers that ever grow Are flowers of Love, Nurtured and cared for by a hand, Held from above. These flowers are acts of kindness Which, the more we wear.

Near shady wall a rose once grew, Budded and blossomed in God's free light, Watered and fed by morning dew, Shedding its sweetness day and night. As it grew and blossomed, fair and tall, Slowly rising to loftier height, It came to a crevice in the wall Through which there shone a beam of light.

We walk the earth as pilgrims, For here is not our rest, Our home is that condition Where peace hath made men blest,— The kingdom of the Spirit Where Life hath conquered sin, Where Light dispels the evil, And Love makes all men kin. We have passed through the waters The floods of whelming fear, And all our old task-masters Pursued but came not near; Though Marah's pools were bitter The waters were made sweet, And when we failed for hunger From heaven hath fallen meat.