FOR INSPIRATION 



17 



Trust 



I cannot see, with my small human sight, 

 Why God should lead this way or that for 

 me; 



I only know he saith, "Child, follow me" — 



But I can trust. 

 I know not why my path should be at times 

 So straitly hedged, so strangely barred be- 

 fore; 



I only know God keepeth wide the door — 



But I can trust. 

 I find no answer, often, when beset 

 With questions fierce and subtle on my way, 

 And often have but strength to faintly pray — 



But I can trust. 

 I often "'onder, as with trembling hand, 

 I cast the seed along the furrowed ground, 

 If ripened fruit for God will there be found; 



But I can trust. 

 I cannot know why suddenly the storm 

 Should rage so fiercely round me in its 

 wrath ; 



But this I know, God watches still my path. 

 And I can trust. 



— Unidentified. 



® 



What of the Morrow? 



"If the day's brief pain and passing care 

 Have seemed too much and too hard to 

 bear; 



If, under its trivial press and smart. 

 Thou hast failed in temper and lost in heart; 

 If the undiscouraged, journeying sun. 

 As it sinks to rest with its travail done. 

 Leaves thee all spent with trouble and 

 sorrow — 



How shalt thou face the harder tomorrow?" 



— Unidentified. 



® 



Only a Dream 



We lived under the pear tree, 

 We dined upon tarts and cream; 



I married you there forever, 

 But, dear, 'twas only a dream! 



We sailed away in the branches 

 To countries strange and new, 



For we owned estates in Dreamland, 

 But, sweetheart, it isn't true! 



We made a church in the pear tree. 

 Where the angels came to sing; 



We stroked their wings — but, dearest. 

 You musn't believe a thing! 



We cut our names in the tree trunk, 

 So the bark could never grow. 



And the Dryad cried! But, my darling, 

 'Twas none of it really so! 

 — Josephine Dodge Daskam, in MeCliire's 

 Magazine. 



Little Things 



The memory of a kindly word 

 For long gone by. 

 The fragrance of a fading flower 

 Sent lovingly. 



The gleaming of a sudden smile 

 Or sudden tear. 



The warmer pressure of the hand. 

 The tone of cheer. 



The hush that means, "t cannot speak. 



But I have heard;" 



The note that only bears a verse 



From God's own Word — 



Such tiny things we hardly count 



As ministry. 



The giver deeming they have shown 

 Scant sympathy; 



But, when the heart is overwrought. 



Oh, who can tell 



The power of all such tiny things 



To rnake it well! — Unidentified. 



® 



The Happiest Heart 



Who drives the horses of the sun 



Shall lord it but a day; 

 Better the lowly deed were done. 



And kept the humble way. 



The rust will find the sword of fame, 

 The dust will hide the crown; 



Ay, none shall nail so high his name 

 Time will not tear it down. 



The happiest heart that ever beat 



Was in some quiet breast 

 That found the common daylight sweet, 



And left to heaven the rest. 



— John Vance Cheney. 



® 



Sufficiency 



If thou hast apprehended well 



The tender glory of a flower 



Which moved thee, by some subtle power. 

 Whose source and sway thou couldst not tell — 



Then hast thou drunk the heavenly dew; 

 Then have thy feet in rapture trod 

 The pathway of a thought to God; 



And death can show thee nothing new. 



—J. G. Holland. 



® 



The Hearths Husbandry 



I planted scorn; it died in the garden mold. 

 I planted love: it bore a flower of gold. 

 I planted doubt: it withered, lacking root. 

 I planted faith: it ripened precious fruit. 

 — Ida Whipple Benham, in Lippincotfs Mag* 

 azine. 



