63

HASTE NOT! REST NOT!

Without haste! without rest!

Bind the motto to thy breast;

Bear it with thee as a spell;

Storm or sunshine, guard it well!

Heed not flowers that round thee bloom,

Bear it onward to the tomb !

Haste not! let no thoughtless deed

Mar for aye the spirit's speed;

Ponder well and know the right,
Onward then with all thy might,
Haste not, years can ne'er atone
For one reckless action done.

Rest not! Life is sweeping by,
Go and dare before you die :
Something mighty and sublime
Leave behind to conquer time!
Glorious 't is to live for aye

When these forms have passed away.

Haste not! rest not! calmly wait;
Meekly bear the storms of fate!
Duty be thy polar guide.

Do the right whate'er betide!
Haste not! rest not! conflicts past,
God shall crown thy work at last.

64

PSALM OF LIFE.

Tell me not in mournful numbers:
Life is but an empty dream!
For the soul is dead that slumbers,

And things are not what they seem.

Life is real, life is earnest,

And the grave is not its goal; "Dust thou art, to dust returnest Was not spoken of the soul.

Art is long and time is fleeting,

And our hearts, though stout and brave, Still like muffled drums are beating Funeral marches to the grave.

In the world's broad field of battle,
In the bivouac of life-
Be not like dumb, driven cattle,—
Be a hero in the strife!

Lives of great men all remind us,
We can make our lives sublime;
And, departing, leave behind us.
Footprints in the sands of time.

Footprints that, perhaps, another,
Sailing o'er life's solemn main,
Some forlorn and shipwrecked brother,
Seeing, shall take heart again.

Let us, then, be up and doing,
With a heart for any fate;
Still achieving, still pursuing,
Learn to labor and to wait.

65

THE REFORMER.

O pure reformers! not in vain

Your trust in human kind,

The good which bloodshed could not gain

Your peaceful zeal shall find.

The truths ye urge are borne abroad

By every wind and tide ;

The voice of nature and of God

Speaks out upon your side.

The weapons which your hands have found
Are those which heaven has wrought:

Light, truth, and love; your battle ground-
The free broad field of thought.

Press on, and if we may not share,

The glory of your fight,

We'll ask at least in earnest prayer

God's blessing on the right.

66

NOT CAST AWAY.

(Day of Atonement.)

They of great faith have ceased,
Men girt with spirit-power,
Who, standing in the breach,
Became our shelt'ring tower.

They wrestled through the night,
Whilst we from God had turned ;
Lay prostrate in the dust,

As His fierce anger burned.

They changed to mercy-wrath,
And stay'd the chast'ning rod;
For their sakes we found grace
With an offended God.

Woe, woe! that through our sins
Our helpers we have lost!

They are now at their rest,
Whilst we by tempests tossed.

For those of mighty hearts

We search the earth in vain ;

And yet will not despair

God's gracious ear to gain.

Alone we come to Thee

In sorrow and in shame;
With daring hope and trust

Now Thy forgiveness claim.

O blest the gracious word,
Th' evangel of this day-
That none who turn to Thee
Are ever cast away.

67

THE LAW OF LOVE.

(II. Kings iv.)

Pour forth the oil-pour boldly forth;

It will not fail until

Thou failest vessels to provide

Which it may largely fill.

Make channels for the streams of love
Where they may broadly run;

And love has overflowing streams,

To fill them every one.

But if at any time we cease
Such channels to provide,

The very founts of love for us

Will soon be parched and dried.