ght hand forgets
Its cunning now;
To march the weary march
I know not how.

I am not eager, bold,
Nor strong--all that is past;
I'm ready not to do
At last, at last.

My half-day's work is done,
And this is all my part;
I give a patient God
My patient heart,

And grasp his banner still,
Though all its blue be dim;
These stripes, no less than stars,
Lead after Him.

--M. W. Howland.

FATHER OF MERCIES

Father of mercies, thy children have wandered
Far from thy bosom, their home;
Most of their portion of goods they have squandered;
Farther and farther they roam.

We are thy children, and we have departed
To the lone country afar,
We would arise, we come back broken-hearted;
Take us back just as we are.

Not for the ring or the robe we entreat thee,
Nor for high place at the feast;
Only to see thee, to touch thee, to greet thee,
Ranked with the last and the least.

But for thy mercy we dare not accost thee,
But for thy Son who has come
Seeking his brothers who left thee and lost thee,
Seeking to gather them home.

Father of mercies, thy holiness awes us;
Yet thou dost wait to receive!
Jesus, the light of thy countenance charms us,
Father of him, we believe.

Back in the home of thy heart, may we labor
Others to bring from the wild,
Counting each creature that needs us our neighbor,
Claiming each soul as thy child.

--Robert F. Horton.

ANGELS

How shall we tell an angel
From another guest?
How, from common worldly herd,
One of the blest?

Hint of suppressed halo,
Rustle of hidden wings,
Wafture of heavenly frankincense--
Which of these things?

The old Sphinx smiles so subtly:
"I give no golden rule--
Yet would I warn thee, World: treat well
Whom thou call'st fool."

--Gertrude Hall.

HIS PILGRIMAGE

Give me my scallop-shell of quiet,
My staff of faith to walk upon,
My scrip of joy, immortal diet,
My bottle of salvation,
My gown of glory, hope's true gage;
And thus I'll take my pilgrimage.

Blood must be my body's balmer;
No other balm will there be given;
Whilst my soul, like quiet palmer,
Traveleth toward the land of heaven;
Over the silver mountains,