Poems

How can we praise Thee, Lord, When clouds obscure the light, And shadows seem so real, Though phantoms of the night? How can we praise Thee, Lord, When joys seem far away? For hope and faith grow dim, When from Love's realm we stray. How can we praise Thee, Lord, Till we awake to know How vain is this earth dream Of fear and sin and woe? But now we praise Thee, Lord, Awakened by Truth's call, Rejoicing, whole, and free To know that God is All.

I do not ask what bounteous gifts Love holds in store for me, I only know my daily needs Are met unfailingly. At times my oil and meal supply Seems limited in store— I drain my cruse and pour my meal, And always there is more.

O man , your wealth is measureless today. I do not speak of worldly goods, or hold The counting true that tells your wealth in gold; For God has taught us all a better way To tell His riches to a needy world.

Joy wakens at the voice of Truth, As wakes the bird to day, And woe that shadowed deep the heart, Defeated, fades away. Joy waked by Truth within thine heart No man can take from thee, For God is Truth, and where God is Joy dwelleth constantly.

Rise up and walk, my brother; It is the mist of doubt That dims discernment and would shut Your real dominion out. Rise up and walk—Love's image Is straight and strong and true; Unfailing strength is ever yours— This seeming is not you.

God's love is ever with us, Wherever we may go Its tender, sweet enfoldment Each moment we may know. It heals the sense of sorrow, And takes away all sin—This loving, radiant presence Which ever dwells within.

"Good to forget," yet better if you have already forgiven The deeds of a brother, once loved, who ceased to abide as your friend; It may be kind to forget, so the past be entombed without sorrow, Yet kinder the living hope that forgiveness holds without end. How great the compassion of God to all who seek for atonement; "Sins flung to the depths of the sea," "transgressions remembered no more," "As far as the East from the West," so far our errors removed; We honor the Father by loving, but by forgiving adore.

WISE is the man who knows, When pressed by human foes, In God to seek repose. But wiser he who lays At God's own feet the praise Received in earthly ways; Who asks that Love divine His human love refine: "Thy holy will, not mine.

"I am the bread of life," the Master said; This is the living truth which makes us free From fear and hunger, knowing we are fed With manna that sustains eternally. Who drinketh of the water that I give— Such were his words—shall never thirst again.

Sincerely do we thank Thee, God, That we may tread where Jesus trod, To where, within the calm of Mind, Our restless heart its home may find. Thus we, with expectation shod, Press on, and leave the world behind.