That He unable is to loose the reins To Justice, till released from these chains! As tow, and yet the Lord of Lords Who gave that strength to Samson, can not BARTER MARGARET WIDDEMER If in that secret place Where thou has cherished it, there yet is lying Though thou hast guarded it with hurt and crying Unlock the bolted door and let God in And lay it in his holy hands to take: How such an evil gift can please Him so But, keeping it for wages, he shall make Thy foul room sweet for thee with blowing wind (He is so serviceable and so kind) And set sweet water for thy thirst's distress And he shall bend and spread Green balsam boughs to make a springing bed Who would not pay away his dearest sin UNANSWERED PRAYERS ELLA WHEELER WILCOX Like some school master, kind in being stern, Their self-development, so God abides What a world Were this if all our prayers were answered. Not In my fierce youth I sighed out breath enough to move a fleet, Voicing wild prayers to heaven for fancied boons Which were denied; and that denial bends My knee to prayers of gratitude each day Of my maturer years. Yet from those prayers I rose always regirded for the strife And conscious of new strength. Pray on, sad heart, That which thou pleadest for may not be given, But in the lofty attitude where souls Who supplicate God's grace are lifted, there b. GENERAL PRAYERS DESIRE MATTHEW ARNOLD Thou, who dost dwell alone; From the world's temptations, From that fierce anguish Wherein we languish, Wherein we lie asleep, Heavy as death, cold as the grave,- When the soul, growing clearer, When the soul, mounting higher, To God comes no nigher; But the arch fiend Pride Mounts at her side, Toiling her high emprise, Sealing her eagle eyes, And when she fain would soar, Make idols to adore, Changing the pure emotion Of her high devotion To a skin-deep sense Of her own eloquence; Strong to deceive, strong to enslave,— Save, O, Save! From the ingrained fashion From doubt, where all is double, Hungry and barren, and sharp as the sea, PAGAN PRAYER ALICE BROWN You that uphold the world You that light the sun, Bear with me my sorrow: O'er the road we may know not THE LARGER PRAYER EDNAH D. CHENEY At first I prayed for Light: And next I prayed for Strength: With firm, unfaltering feet, and win And then I asked for Faith: But now I pray for Love: Deep love to God and man A living love that will not fail, However dark his plan. |