Few, light, and worthless--yet their trifling weight Through all my frame a weary aching leaves; For long I struggled with my hapless fate, And stayed and toiled till it was dark and late-- Yet these are all my sheaves.

Full well I know I have more tares than wheat, Brambles and flowers, dry stalks and withered leaves; Wherefore I blush and weep as at thy feet I kneel down reverently and repeat, "Master, behold my sheaves!"

I know these blossoms cl.u.s.tering heavily, With evening dew upon their folded leaves, Can claim no value or utility-- Therefore shall fragrancy and beauty be The glory of my sheaves.

So do I gather strength and hope anew; For well I know thy patient love perceives Not what I did, but what I strove to do, And though the full ripe ears be sadly few Thou wilt accept my sheaves.

--Elizabeth Akers.

I pray not that Men tremble at My power of place, And lordly sway; I only pray for simple grace To look my neighbor in the face Full honestly from day to day.

--James Whitcomb Riley.

If thou art blest, Then let the sunshine of thy gladness rest On the dark edges of each cloud that lies Black in thy brother's skies.

If thou art sad, Still be in thy brother's gladness glad.

--Hamilton.

Flower in the crannied wall, I pluck you out of the crannies, I hold you here, root and all, in my hand, Little flower--but if I could understand What you are, root and all, and all in all, I should know what G.o.d and man is.

--Alfred Tennyson.

Praise not thy work, but let thy work praise thee; For deeds, not words, make each man's memory stable.

If what thou dost is good, its good all men will see; Musk by its smell is known, not by its label.

When thou art fain to trace a map of thine own heart, An undiscovered land set down the largest part.

--Richard Chenevix Trench.

Patient, resigned and humble wills Impregnably resist all ills.

--Thomas Ken.

He is one to whom Long patience hath such mild composure given, That patience now doth seem a thing of which He hath no need.

--William Wordsworth.

Be not too ready to condemn The wrong thy brothers may have done: Ere ye too harshly censure them For human faults, ask, "Have I none?"

--Eliza Cook.

Search thine own heart. What paineth thee In others in thyself may be; All dust is frail, all flesh is weak; Be thou the true man thou dost seek.

--John Greenleaf Whittier.

Through wish, resolve, and act, our will Is moved by undreamed forces still; And no man measures in advance His strength with untried circ.u.mstance.

--John Greenleaf Whittier.

Labor with what zeal we will, Something still remains undone.

Something uncompleted still Waits the rising of the sun.

--Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

In the deed that no man knoweth, Where no praiseful trumpet bloweth, Where he may not reap who soweth, There, Lord, let my heart serve thee.

O wad some power the giftie gie us To see oursels as ithers see us!

It wad frae mony a blunder free us, An' foolish notion.

--Robert Burns.

CONTENTMENT

RESIGNATION, PATIENCE, COMPENSATION

CONTENTMENT

Father, I know that all my life Is portioned out for me, And the changes that are sure to come I do not fear to see; I ask Thee for a patient mind, Intent on pleasing thee.

I ask Thee for a thoughtful love, Through constant watching wise, To meet the glad with joyful smiles, And wipe the weeping eyes, And a heart, at leisure from itself, To soothe and sympathize.

I would not have the restless will That hurries to and fro, Seeking for some great thing to do, Or secret thing to know; I would be treated as a child, And _guided_ where I go.

Wherever in this world I am, In whatsoe'er estate, I have a fellowship with hearts To keep and cultivate, And a work of lowly love to do For the Lord on whom I wait.

So I ask Thee for the daily strength-- To none that ask denied-- And a mind to blend with outward life, While keeping at thy side, Content to fill a _little_ s.p.a.ce, If thou be glorified.

And if some things I do not ask In my cup of blessing be, I would have my spirit filled the more With grateful love to thee; More careful not to serve thee much, But to please thee perfectly.

There are briers besetting every path, Which call for constant care; There is a cross in every lot, And an earnest need for prayer; But a lowly heart, that leans on Thee, Is happy everywhere.

In a service which Thy love appoints There are no bonds for me, For my secret heart has learned the truth Which makes thy children free, And a life of self-renouncing love Is a life of liberty.