To keep my health!To do my work!To live!To see to it I grow and gain and give!Never to look behind me for an hour!To wait in weakness and to walk in powerBut always fronting forward to the light,Always, and always facing toward the right.Robbed, starved, defeated, fallen, wide astray—On, with what strength I have!Back to the way!Charlotte Perkins Gilman.
To keep my health!To do my work!To live!To see to it I grow and gain and give!Never to look behind me for an hour!To wait in weakness and to walk in powerBut always fronting forward to the light,Always, and always facing toward the right.Robbed, starved, defeated, fallen, wide astray—On, with what strength I have!Back to the way!
Charlotte Perkins Gilman.
With this new day, O God, let some new strength be mine, to walk in patience, the way appointed for me. Let me be strong to battle with the ills that shall beset me, to toil with faith and honest heart, to keep myself untainted and make my life helpful to my fellowmen. Help me to be forgetful of myself, but thoughtful to do no evil to any man. Thy hand is strong and mine is weak. I need Thy guidance, let Thy strength be mine, that though I stumble I may not fall nor fail. And when the day is done, may happy memories be mine. Amen.
Almon Gunnison.
January 3
Build on resolve, and not upon regret,The structure of Thy future. Do not gropeAmong the shadows of old sins, but letThine own soul's light shine on the path of hopeAnd dissipate the darkness. Waste no tearsUpon the blotted record of lost years,But turn the leaf, and smile, oh, smile, to seeThe fair white pages that remain to thee.Ella Wheeler Wilcox.
Build on resolve, and not upon regret,The structure of Thy future. Do not gropeAmong the shadows of old sins, but letThine own soul's light shine on the path of hopeAnd dissipate the darkness. Waste no tearsUpon the blotted record of lost years,But turn the leaf, and smile, oh, smile, to seeThe fair white pages that remain to thee.
Ella Wheeler Wilcox.
O Thou All-persuasive God, who dost speak within the souls of men in language which the heart interprets as its own! enlarge our trust in that better self which beckons us, that we may be led out of the lingering darkness of regret, out of the shadow of embittered memory into the brightness of a new resolve where we may see Thy face. Smile upon us in the smiling day; in the joy of strength renewed, and opportunity reborn; in the beauty of the promise each hour whispers to us as it passes by. So fill us with Thyself that each new day shall mean new life led by the glory of those hopes which do not fade at evening. Amen.
Charles A. Knickerbocker.
January 4
We of our age are part, and every thrill that wakesThe tremulous air of Life its motion in us makes.The imitative mass mere empty echo givesAs walls and rocks return the sound that they receive.But as the bell, that high in some cathedral swings,Stirred by whatever thrill, with its own music rings,So finer souls give forth, to each vibrating toneImpinging on their life, a music of their own.W. W. Story.
We of our age are part, and every thrill that wakesThe tremulous air of Life its motion in us makes.The imitative mass mere empty echo givesAs walls and rocks return the sound that they receive.But as the bell, that high in some cathedral swings,Stirred by whatever thrill, with its own music rings,So finer souls give forth, to each vibrating toneImpinging on their life, a music of their own.
W. W. Story.
O living and loving One, brighter than the morning and fairer than the day, from Thee we come, to Thee we turn, who art more than Father and Mother to us all. Our times are in Thy hand. Thou, who hast set the sun and stars in the sky, hast appointed our place and part in this human world. May Thy light lead and Thy love win us into the harmonies of law and grace, that we may become responsive to every touch of nature, every whisper of truth, every appeal of humanity. So prepare us to serve our generation in the spirit of Him who has taught us to do Thy will on earth as it is done in heaven. Amen.
Charles G. Ames.
January 5
All such as worked for love, not wages—someWho, painting for a perfect tint did drainTheir hearts, or some to save their country slain,Or many who for truth braved martyrdom,Or more who, in what common days may come,Have toiled in hope, beyond the hope of gain,Of doing something well,—all such would fainSpeak thus: These gifts more free than flowers fromThe earth are given. Good world, if to our needYe offer bread and shelt'ring roof unsought,As guests our thanks we give, but not for greed,As if our gifts were bartered for and bought;And if, perchance, good world, ye offer nought,Ah, well, that were of life the lesser meed.J. S. Jackson.
All such as worked for love, not wages—someWho, painting for a perfect tint did drainTheir hearts, or some to save their country slain,Or many who for truth braved martyrdom,Or more who, in what common days may come,Have toiled in hope, beyond the hope of gain,Of doing something well,—all such would fainSpeak thus: These gifts more free than flowers fromThe earth are given. Good world, if to our needYe offer bread and shelt'ring roof unsought,As guests our thanks we give, but not for greed,As if our gifts were bartered for and bought;And if, perchance, good world, ye offer nought,Ah, well, that were of life the lesser meed.
J. S. Jackson.
Father in Heaven, we thank Thee, as we enter upon another day, for strength with which to work. We thank Thee for our tasks; for our opportunities to work for Thee and for those we love, we thank Thee. May we know the joy, when night shall come, of having accomplished something worthy. Help us to see in that satisfaction a part of our pay. Make each of us faithful in his place; and help the humblest worker to understand that consecration and not rank is the all-important thing. Above all, may we not forget that living is giving, and may our desire either for rest or gain keep us from no helpful act. May we follow Him who came to minister, and live as sons and daughters of God. Amen.
Frank W. Whippen.
January 6
The sculptor moulds his clay with reverent hand,That clay thro' which his fancy flashes free—Quick with an answer to his soul's demand,And pliant to his fingers' minstrelsy!Could ever bronze or marble so respondIn wordless echo of the being's will?Naught but the clay, as to a rapture fondCould he with fire of genius thus infill!And so the common people are the clay,Swift moulded by Divine Deific hand,Until transfigured, in the glorious day,The statue of humanity shall stand!It knows no tinsel crown, this masterpiece.But all the sovereignty of God's release!Mary Hanaford Ford.
The sculptor moulds his clay with reverent hand,That clay thro' which his fancy flashes free—Quick with an answer to his soul's demand,And pliant to his fingers' minstrelsy!Could ever bronze or marble so respondIn wordless echo of the being's will?Naught but the clay, as to a rapture fondCould he with fire of genius thus infill!And so the common people are the clay,Swift moulded by Divine Deific hand,Until transfigured, in the glorious day,The statue of humanity shall stand!It knows no tinsel crown, this masterpiece.But all the sovereignty of God's release!
Mary Hanaford Ford.
Heavenly Father, we are of Thy plain common people: we feel ourselves of very little worth. For what can we do of ourselves? But, if Thou wilt graciously use us, shaping us to Thine ends as the potter his clay, it may be that we shall serve some worthy purpose. We therefore yield ourselves to Thee, and beg Thee to use us this day. Make us pliant to Thy purposes, make us a help to someone who needs us today. So take us into partnership with Thyself, and so may this day be a day of delight, and our plain common lives be made rich with the Glory of service. Amen.
C. H. Wheeler.
January 7
And I, too, sing the song of all creation,A brave sky and a glad wind blowing by,A clear trail and an hour for meditation,A long day and the joy to make it fly,A hard task and the muscle to achieve it,A fierce noon and a well-contented gloom,A good strife and no great regret to leave it,A still night—and the far red lights of home.H. H. Bashford.
And I, too, sing the song of all creation,A brave sky and a glad wind blowing by,A clear trail and an hour for meditation,A long day and the joy to make it fly,A hard task and the muscle to achieve it,A fierce noon and a well-contented gloom,A good strife and no great regret to leave it,A still night—and the far red lights of home.
H. H. Bashford.
Almighty God, we thank Thee that Thou art our Father, and that Thou lovest us as though Thou hadst no other children; we adore Thee for the beautiful world in which Thou hast placed us; for trees and birds and flowers and sky, for friends and music and books and all the ten thousand mercies which crown our lives. We thank Thee too, for hard tasks and severe disciplines, for everything that is intended to make us strong and brave and true. Thou art the Lord of the day and of the night also. Give us grace to trust Thee and to believe in Thy motherly solicitude at all times. May Thy goodness lead us to repentance and to joyous unselfish living and may we so improve our opportunities for service that we shall make others think of Him who went about doing good and trusted in His Father with a perfect trust. Amen.
Dillon Bronson.
January 8
Have we not all, amid life's petty strife,Some pure ideal of a noble lifeThat once seemed possible? Did we not hearThe flutter of its wings and feel it near,And just within our reach? It was. And yetWe lost it in this daily jar and fret.But still our place is kept and it will wait,Ready for us to fill it, soon or late.No star is ever lost we once have seen:We always may be what we might have been.Adelaide A. Procter.
Have we not all, amid life's petty strife,Some pure ideal of a noble lifeThat once seemed possible? Did we not hearThe flutter of its wings and feel it near,And just within our reach? It was. And yetWe lost it in this daily jar and fret.But still our place is kept and it will wait,Ready for us to fill it, soon or late.No star is ever lost we once have seen:We always may be what we might have been.
Adelaide A. Procter.
O Thou, whose goodness is new to us every morning and fresh every evening, we bless Thee for Thy patient and unforgetting care of all of us. Though we transgress Thy beneficent laws and frequently lose sight of our cherished ideals, our hunger and thirst for righteousness never dies, for we partake of Thy Divine Nature. O that we might always be animated with Thy spirit of disinterested Love. We thank Thee this day for the inspiration of light and joy of our gifted poets and pray that we may meet the daily trials of life with a sweet and courageous spirit, remembering that "no star we have ever seen will cease to shine." Amen.
William G. Babcock.
January 9
The future is lighted for us with the radiant colors of hope. Strife and sorrow shall disappear. Peace and love shall reign supreme. The dream of poets, the lesson of priest and prophet, the inspiration of the great musician, is confirmed in the light of modern knowledge; and, as we gird ourselves for the work of life, we may look forward to the time when in the truest sense the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdom of Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.
The future is lighted for us with the radiant colors of hope. Strife and sorrow shall disappear. Peace and love shall reign supreme. The dream of poets, the lesson of priest and prophet, the inspiration of the great musician, is confirmed in the light of modern knowledge; and, as we gird ourselves for the work of life, we may look forward to the time when in the truest sense the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdom of Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.
John Fiske.
All-wise and all-loving Father, we invoke Thy aid at the opening of a glad, new day. For the past we thank Thee, remembering that each day yielded its blessings. We rejoice that the victories of yesterday are the promise of larger successes today. Whenever during the day, we shall be conscious of our littleness, give us at that moment the vision of our possible largeness. Teach us, however tumultuous be the outward conditions, to maintain the inward calm. Today may Thy love work its miracle upon our pain and pleasure. So through faithful, hopeful work may we find Thy kingdom nearer at this day's close. Amen.
A. Eugene Bartlett.
January 10
Blessings on the man who smiles! I do not mean the man who smiles for effect, nor the one who smiles when the world smiles. I mean the man whose smile is born of an inner radiance, the man who smiles when the clouds lower, when fortune frowns, when the tides are adverse. Such a man not only makes a new world for himself, but he multiplies himself an hundred fold in the strength and courage of other men.
Blessings on the man who smiles! I do not mean the man who smiles for effect, nor the one who smiles when the world smiles. I mean the man whose smile is born of an inner radiance, the man who smiles when the clouds lower, when fortune frowns, when the tides are adverse. Such a man not only makes a new world for himself, but he multiplies himself an hundred fold in the strength and courage of other men.
George L. Perin.
Blessed art Thou, O Lord, our Father in heaven and on the earth! Give to us of Thy blessedness that all this day we may rejoice in Thee. Incline our hearts to see Thy goodness and wisdom. Make the gladness of our hearts constant that it may illumine our presence, so that those who walk with us may walk in Thy light and give Thee thanks. Make Thy joy our strength, whether expressed in storm or sunshine, that we may consent to Thy will cheerfully. We ask these and all gifts in the name of Him who would have His joy abide in us, that our joy may be fulfilled. Amen.
Alexander McKenzie.
January 11
Talk happiness! The world is sad enough,Without your woes. No path is wholly rough;Look for the places that are smooth and clearAnd speak of those who rest the weary earOf earth, so hurt by one continuous strainOf human discontent and grief and pain.Talk health! The dreary, never changing taleOf mortal maladies is worn and stale.You cannot charm or interest or please,By harping on that minor chord, disease.Say you are well, or all is well with you,And God shall hear your words and make them true.Ella Wheeler Wilcox.
Talk happiness! The world is sad enough,Without your woes. No path is wholly rough;Look for the places that are smooth and clearAnd speak of those who rest the weary earOf earth, so hurt by one continuous strainOf human discontent and grief and pain.Talk health! The dreary, never changing taleOf mortal maladies is worn and stale.You cannot charm or interest or please,By harping on that minor chord, disease.Say you are well, or all is well with you,And God shall hear your words and make them true.
Ella Wheeler Wilcox.
Heavenly Father, by whose mercy we are permitted to greet another day, we offer Thee this morning our grateful praise for all the blessings of this life. We take from Thee with thankful heart the gift of health, conscious that we shall never know how rich the gift until we lose it. Now, while it is ours, may we use it with abounding joy for the good of those we may meet this day. To be able to bring light where there is darkness, hope where there is despair, comfort where there is sorrow, and so to be the children of our Father which is in Heaven, for this we pray, with the pardon of our sins, in Jesus' name. Amen.
Francis H. Rowley.
January 12
The crest and crowning of all good,Life's final star, is Brotherhood;For it will bring again to EarthHer long-lost Poesy and Mirth;Will send new light on every face,A kingly power upon the race,And till it comes, we men are slaves,And travel downward to the dust of graves.Come clear the way, then, clear the way;Blind creeds and kings have had their day,Our hope is in the aftermath—Our hope is in heroic men,Star-led to build the world again.To this event the ages ran;Make way for Brotherhood—make way for Man.Edwin Markham.
The crest and crowning of all good,Life's final star, is Brotherhood;For it will bring again to EarthHer long-lost Poesy and Mirth;Will send new light on every face,A kingly power upon the race,And till it comes, we men are slaves,And travel downward to the dust of graves.Come clear the way, then, clear the way;Blind creeds and kings have had their day,Our hope is in the aftermath—Our hope is in heroic men,Star-led to build the world again.To this event the ages ran;Make way for Brotherhood—make way for Man.
Edwin Markham.
O Lord, make us like Thee. There can be no greater ambition, no loftier desire, no holier purpose, for Thou holdest the secret of Brotherhood. Like Thee, the only begotten of the Father, the essence of love, the joy of angels, the hope of the world,—make us like Thee, O Christ. Let Thy light be our light; thy service our joy; Thy peace our inheritance. Touch our lips that we may say no unkind word; touch our hearts that we may feel no wrong desires. May our living be for the world's good, our acts precious helps to Thy kingdom, our all consecrated to Thy blessed service. May we be satisfied when we awake with Thy likeness. Amen.
William H. Main.
January 13
If there be some weaker one,Give me strength to help him on;If a blinder soul there be,Let me guide him nearer Thee.Make my mortal dreams come trueWith the work I fain would do;Clothe with life the weak intent,Let me be the thing I meant;Let me find in Thine employPeace that dearer is than joy!John Greenleaf Whittier.
If there be some weaker one,Give me strength to help him on;If a blinder soul there be,Let me guide him nearer Thee.Make my mortal dreams come trueWith the work I fain would do;Clothe with life the weak intent,Let me be the thing I meant;Let me find in Thine employPeace that dearer is than joy!
John Greenleaf Whittier.
Heavenly Father! We humbly beseech Thee to breathe upon us Thy Holy Spirit, that we may be Thy true disciples, that we may be quick to see our brother's need, and quicker to relieve it. If he has lost his way, may we be aided to show it to him clearly. May we see our brother in the Master's "prodigal," and find in every needy soul our sphere of service. Forgive our weak excuses, and make the flickering embers burn to fervent heat, that the ideal Thou hast given in Thy Word may command every power of our lives. For Jesus' sake, Amen.
George Whitaker.
January 14
A German allegory tells of two little girls. They had been playing together in a strange garden, and soon one ran in to her mother full of disappointment. "The garden's a sad place, mother." "Why, my child?" "I've been all around, and every rose-tree has cruel, long thorns upon it!" Then the second child came in breathless. "O Mother, the garden's a beautiful place!" "How so, my child?" "Why, I've been all around, and every thorn-bush has lovely roses growing on it!" And the mother wondered at the difference in the two children.
A German allegory tells of two little girls. They had been playing together in a strange garden, and soon one ran in to her mother full of disappointment. "The garden's a sad place, mother." "Why, my child?" "I've been all around, and every rose-tree has cruel, long thorns upon it!" Then the second child came in breathless. "O Mother, the garden's a beautiful place!" "How so, my child?" "Why, I've been all around, and every thorn-bush has lovely roses growing on it!" And the mother wondered at the difference in the two children.
Anonymous.
Divine Spirit and Soul of this day! We rejoice in its accomplished and its prophetic beauty and wealth which even our undisciplined hearts and minds may readily perceive, but may we increase the joy of its activities and its whole divine meaning by a deeper appreciation of its ministry to the disciplined life we bear. If there shall be fortunes in its passing which we would not choose, if there shall be encountered any experiences we would shun, may we remember that our reverses only emphasize our successes, that our sorrows intensify our joys, that even the humiliation and shame of the "far country" add divine meaning to the Father's House where wait the sandals and robes and rings for the comfort and beauty that are yet to be. May we learn that the thorn protects the rose, that the flaming sword turning in all directions protects the Tree of Life in every Eden of the world. May we remember that every great and good fortune of life is guarded by a seeming hostility which bears in its soul the secret of a lasting benevolence appointed for our own good. Amen.
E. L. Rexford.
January 15
We are haunted by an ideal life, and it is because we have within us the beginning and the possibility of it. God is our continual incitement because we are His children. So the ideal life is in our blood and never will be still. We feel the thing we ought to be beating beneath the thing we are. Every time we see a man who has attained our ideal a little more fully than we have it wakens our languid blood and fills us with new longings.
We are haunted by an ideal life, and it is because we have within us the beginning and the possibility of it. God is our continual incitement because we are His children. So the ideal life is in our blood and never will be still. We feel the thing we ought to be beating beneath the thing we are. Every time we see a man who has attained our ideal a little more fully than we have it wakens our languid blood and fills us with new longings.
Phillips Brooks.
O God, we thank Thee each morning for ideals which appeal to us with such persistence that we have no peace unless we pursue them. Even in our seeming indifference we are ill at ease, because Thy voice calling to us disturbs our fancied content. We are not satisfied with ourselves nor with our attainments. "We shall be satisfied only when we wake in Thy likeness." Weary though we often are in our service yet we thank Thee that Thou relentlessly pursuest us with even greater and higher demands. Help us in our onward and upward plodding. Revive our failing spirits. Lead us ever on. Help us to realize that "in our patience we shall win our souls." We pray as followers of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Theodore A. Fischer.
January 16
O Singer of today, this glorious hourIs all for you and me—what shall it giveTo us, and ask of fate—what splendid powerIn brain and hand, what glorious right to liveAmong our fellows and to war with sin?What quickening of the pulse as we aspireTo claim our right, and risk earth's joys to win,To conquer self, and force it through the fire!Give us this force, dear God, and evermoreGive us a deepening love of all our fellowmen;Give us new insight—courage to exploreWith all the tenderness of human kenThe lowliest heart that beats in human kind,Its glory and its soul to seek and find!William Ordway Partridge.
O Singer of today, this glorious hourIs all for you and me—what shall it giveTo us, and ask of fate—what splendid powerIn brain and hand, what glorious right to liveAmong our fellows and to war with sin?What quickening of the pulse as we aspireTo claim our right, and risk earth's joys to win,To conquer self, and force it through the fire!Give us this force, dear God, and evermoreGive us a deepening love of all our fellowmen;Give us new insight—courage to exploreWith all the tenderness of human kenThe lowliest heart that beats in human kind,Its glory and its soul to seek and find!
William Ordway Partridge.
O Soul of all souls! Baptize us afresh this morning into the lustral waters that we may devoutly thank Thee that Thou art and that Thou dost clearly reveal Thyself to Christian souls through Thy Son, as the Father of the great brotherhood of mankind. So wait upon us that we shall go forth to this day's duties resolved upon so living as to render the morning glad, the noon redolent with merciful activity, and the evening full of praise. Thus quickened and enlarged the night will afford rest and recuperation fitting us to welcome the morrow, still hoping, loving, progressing, obedient to the sainted call, "Up higher," being incessantly recompensed with the coveted refrain, "Well done." Amen.
S. H. McCollester.
January 17
There is one topic peremptorily forbidden to all well-bred, to all rational mortals, namely, their distempers. If you have not slept or if you have slept, or if you have headache, or sciatica, or leprosy or thunder stroke, I beseech you, by all angels, to hold your peace, and not pollute the morning, to which all the housemates bring serene and pleasant thoughts, by corruption and groans.
There is one topic peremptorily forbidden to all well-bred, to all rational mortals, namely, their distempers. If you have not slept or if you have slept, or if you have headache, or sciatica, or leprosy or thunder stroke, I beseech you, by all angels, to hold your peace, and not pollute the morning, to which all the housemates bring serene and pleasant thoughts, by corruption and groans.
Ralph Waldo Emerson.
Our Father, when we remember the multitude of Thy mercies our hearts are filled with peace and praise and we are ashamed to murmur and complain. Turn our thoughts toward the love and joy that this day holds for us; its opportunities, its privileges and victories. Let the morning light dispel the shadows on our faces and the fears in our hearts. Thou hast glorified us and will glorify us again. Help us to be grateful for the rose that smiles amidst the thorns and the light that ever shines behind the clouds. Grant that the spirit of trust may prevail in us and send us on our way with power to conquer. Amen.
Abram Conklin.
January 18
Simplicity is a state of mind. It dwells in the main intention of our lives. A man is simple when his chief care is the wish to be what he ought to be, that is, honestly and naturally human. And this is neither so easy nor so impossible as one might think. At bottom it consists in putting our acts and aspirations in accordance with the law of our being, and consequently with the Eternal Intention which willed that we should be at all. Let a flower be a flower, a swallow a swallow, a rock a rock, and let a man be a man, and not a fox, a hare, a hog, or a bird of prey; this is the sum of the whole matter.
Simplicity is a state of mind. It dwells in the main intention of our lives. A man is simple when his chief care is the wish to be what he ought to be, that is, honestly and naturally human. And this is neither so easy nor so impossible as one might think. At bottom it consists in putting our acts and aspirations in accordance with the law of our being, and consequently with the Eternal Intention which willed that we should be at all. Let a flower be a flower, a swallow a swallow, a rock a rock, and let a man be a man, and not a fox, a hare, a hog, or a bird of prey; this is the sum of the whole matter.
Charles Wagner.
Dear Heavenly Father, we rejoice in the awakening of body and soul to new activities. We thank Thee for the gift of divinity in the soul and for opportunity to give it expression. We would be true to ourselves, knowing we can thus alone be true to Thee. O God, hush the voice of evil passion. Quicken every noble aspiration. Grant the vision of Thy holy love that Thy image within us may remain clear in the turmoil of our life. We pray Thee stir the heart and mind that both may grow up to the full stature of man as it was in Jesus, our Saviour. Amen.
L. Ward Brigham.
January 19
God has put the keys to His kingdom into your own hands. Your intelligence is a key, your affection is a key, your conscience is a key. With these keys you are to unlock the great doors of life, and gain access to its heavenly treasures.
God has put the keys to His kingdom into your own hands. Your intelligence is a key, your affection is a key, your conscience is a key. With these keys you are to unlock the great doors of life, and gain access to its heavenly treasures.
James M. Pullman.
Master of life, as Thou hast opened our eyes to see the sun, open the eyes of our hearts to see the splendor of Thy law. And even as Thou dost bring to birth, through the marriage of our eye and the sun, all the beauty of this visible world, so through the union between our hearts and Thy holy will, create a world rejoicing in the beauty of truth and justice and peace. Lead us this day deeper into the mystery of Thy life and our life and make us interpreters of life to our fellows, through Him who by His death opened for us the book of life, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Henry S. Nash.
January 20
A noiseless, patient spider,I mark'd how on a little promontory it stood isolated,Mark'd how to explore the vacant, vast surrounding,It launch'd forth filament, filament, filament, out of itself,Ever unreeling them, ever tirelessly speeding them.And you, O my soul, where you stand,Surrounded, detached, in measureless oceans of space,Ceaselessly musing, venturing, throwing, seeking the spheres to connect them,Till the bridge you will need be form'd, till the ductile anchor hold,Till the gossamer threads you fling catch somewhere O my soul.Walt Whitman.
A noiseless, patient spider,I mark'd how on a little promontory it stood isolated,Mark'd how to explore the vacant, vast surrounding,It launch'd forth filament, filament, filament, out of itself,Ever unreeling them, ever tirelessly speeding them.And you, O my soul, where you stand,Surrounded, detached, in measureless oceans of space,Ceaselessly musing, venturing, throwing, seeking the spheres to connect them,Till the bridge you will need be form'd, till the ductile anchor hold,Till the gossamer threads you fling catch somewhere O my soul.
Walt Whitman.
Thou Infinite Spirit, we are glad of all human relationships. We are thankful for all companionship with nature. We rejoice in the fellowship with books, yet like the child who grows tired with every plaything and every childish task and lonely for a mother's love, we look to Thee with an infinite longing. In our effort to solve the problems of life, we throw our web of life hither and thither, but it will not hold. Only when at last we have thrown the thread of faith to Thee, shall the ductile anchor hold. Our Heavenly Father, as we go forth into this day, may we not leave Thee for any dream or phantom, but may we walk with Thee all day long, and find in Thee the answer to every longing and the solution of every problem. Though we may not see, we may trust and wait. Amen.
George L. Perin.
January 21
Do not think of your faults, still less of others' faults; in every person who comes near you, look for what is good and strong; honor that; rejoice in it; and as you can, try to imitate it; and your faults will drop off like dead leaves when their time comes.
Do not think of your faults, still less of others' faults; in every person who comes near you, look for what is good and strong; honor that; rejoice in it; and as you can, try to imitate it; and your faults will drop off like dead leaves when their time comes.
Ruskin.
With a clear sky, a bright sun, and a gentle breeze, you will have friends in plenty; but let fortune frown, and the firmament be overcast, and then your friends will prove like the strings of the lute, of which you will tighten ten before you find one that will bear the stretch and keep the pitch.
With a clear sky, a bright sun, and a gentle breeze, you will have friends in plenty; but let fortune frown, and the firmament be overcast, and then your friends will prove like the strings of the lute, of which you will tighten ten before you find one that will bear the stretch and keep the pitch.
Gotthold.
Dear Father, may the new day bring some fresh and inspiring thought of Thyself. May it give some tender communion with the universe, kindling into beauty as Thy smile shines through. May we make and keep a few dear friends. May some good book enrich the passing hours. May love flow through all acts, and the star of hope shine in all shadows. And trusting Thee supremely, may we humbly do our best that good may abound on earth. Amen.
Joseph H. Crooker.
January 22
The power of mere activity is often overrated. It is not what the best men do, but what they are, that constitutes their truest benefaction to their fellowmen. The things that men do get their value, after all, from the way in which they are able to show the existence of character which can comfort and help mankind.... It is the lives, like the stars, which simply pour down on us the calm light of their bright and faithful being, up to which we look and out of which we gather the deepest calm and courage.
The power of mere activity is often overrated. It is not what the best men do, but what they are, that constitutes their truest benefaction to their fellowmen. The things that men do get their value, after all, from the way in which they are able to show the existence of character which can comfort and help mankind.... It is the lives, like the stars, which simply pour down on us the calm light of their bright and faithful being, up to which we look and out of which we gather the deepest calm and courage.
Phillips Brooks.
Thou knowest, dear Father, how often we wish to do many things which are beyond our power. Help us to believe that Thou dost accept the wish when we cannot do the deed. But we thank Thee that we can do some things, though they are not large nor many. We know that as we grow in faith, in patience, in courage, in love, we radiate light and peace and power to those who are around us. As we begin a new day, we are uplifted by the thought that we have been called into being because Thou desirest the love of children, and because we are to co-work with Thee by loving and serving all whom we can reach. Always, we believe, art Thou ready to help us. Always art Thou brooding over us to draw us nearer to Thee, and to give us light and strength to be fellow-workers with Thee. In this new day, may we speak some word and do some work which shall please Thee and give us joy as we shall lie down to sleep. Amen.
Henry Blanchard.
January 23
We pride ourselves, in weighing worth and merit,Too much in virtues that we but inherit.Some punctual grandsire makes us hate delayAnd we are proud to keep our oath and day.But our ancestral follies and abusesWe still indulge in, and make for them excuses.Let him be proud, dared man be proud at all,Who stands where all his fathers used to fall,Holding their virtues fast and passing onStill higher good through his own victories won.Isaac Ogden Rankin.
We pride ourselves, in weighing worth and merit,Too much in virtues that we but inherit.Some punctual grandsire makes us hate delayAnd we are proud to keep our oath and day.But our ancestral follies and abusesWe still indulge in, and make for them excuses.Let him be proud, dared man be proud at all,Who stands where all his fathers used to fall,Holding their virtues fast and passing onStill higher good through his own victories won.
Isaac Ogden Rankin.
This morning, the sun shines by his own inherent worth. The clouds often intercept his influence but he shines back of them and finds a way through the slightest cleft to tip them with glory. He always reveals himself—his inner self—and makes all purer and more beautiful. May we so shine! The world needs the divinity there is in us. We are a part of Thee. Thou art our deeper self. The Nazarean prophet relied entirely upon his inner life and found ancient good uncouth. Whatever clouds intercept our influence, teach us to reveal what conscience dictates, what intuition illumines, what reason shows, to purify our time, and all unrighteousness, wrong thinking and useless and hurtful custom. To this end, give us purity, courage, and nobility. Amen.
William S. Morgan.
January 24
My faith begins where your religion ends,—In service to mankind. This single threadIs given to guide us through the maze of life.You start at one end, I the other; you,With eyes fixed only upon God, beginWith lofty faith, and, seeking but to knowAnd do His will who guides the universe,You find the slender and mysterious threadLeads down to earth, with God's divine commandTo help your fellowmen; but this to meIs something strangely vague. I see aloneThe fellowmen, the suffering fellowmen.Yet, with a cup of water in my handFor all who thirst, who knows but I one day,Following faithfully the slender thread,May reach its other end, and kneel at lastWith you in heaven at the feet of God?Alice Wellington Rollins.
My faith begins where your religion ends,—In service to mankind. This single threadIs given to guide us through the maze of life.You start at one end, I the other; you,With eyes fixed only upon God, beginWith lofty faith, and, seeking but to knowAnd do His will who guides the universe,You find the slender and mysterious threadLeads down to earth, with God's divine commandTo help your fellowmen; but this to meIs something strangely vague. I see aloneThe fellowmen, the suffering fellowmen.Yet, with a cup of water in my handFor all who thirst, who knows but I one day,Following faithfully the slender thread,May reach its other end, and kneel at lastWith you in heaven at the feet of God?
Alice Wellington Rollins.
Our Father in heaven, author of life and light, justice and mercy, liberty and love, we hail with joy and gratitude this new born day, token of Thy presence, good will and continued care. Help us with high ideals, pure thoughts and noble endeavors to hallow Thy name, trusting where we cannot prove, proving where we cannot trust, by a willing service to our fellowmen, ever advancing by faith, by works, with a strong heart, a firm step, a generous hand, a sunny smile, and a cheering voice, until we all come into the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ; and Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Amen.
Henry N. Couden.
January 25
If you would have sunlight in your home, see that you have work in it: that you work yourself and set others to work. Nothing makes moroseness and heavy-heartedness in a house so fast as idleness. The very children gloom and sulk if they are left with nothing to do. Every day there is the light of something conquered in the eyes of those who work. In such a house, if there be also the good temper of love, sunshine never ceases. For in it the great law of humanity is obeyed, a law which is also God's law. For what said Christ, "My Father worketh hitherto and I work." Sunlight comes with work.
If you would have sunlight in your home, see that you have work in it: that you work yourself and set others to work. Nothing makes moroseness and heavy-heartedness in a house so fast as idleness. The very children gloom and sulk if they are left with nothing to do. Every day there is the light of something conquered in the eyes of those who work. In such a house, if there be also the good temper of love, sunshine never ceases. For in it the great law of humanity is obeyed, a law which is also God's law. For what said Christ, "My Father worketh hitherto and I work." Sunlight comes with work.
Stopford A. Brooke.
O Thou, who art the source of light and life, we pause in Thy presence at the opening of the day, that in the light of thy countenance we may see ourselves as we are and as we ought to be, and receive the inspiration to consecrated effort and worthy achievement. We thank Thee that Thou hast done so much for us and yet left so much for us to do. May we think how important are these lives we are going to live today; that no matter how small we are, this universe in all its majesty can never be complete without our effort, and Thou, Almighty God, art waiting with infinite patience for us to do our part. Thus shall our work, however humble, be glorified by a Godlike temper and a Christlike faith. Amen.
Frederick A. Bisbee.
January 26
All that is, at all,Lasts ever, past recall:Earth changes, but thy soul and God stand sure;What entered into thee,That was, is and shall be.* * * * *He fixed thee 'mid this danceOf plastic circumstance,This Present, thou, forsooth, wouldst fain arrest;Machinery just meantTo give thy soul its bent,Try thee, and turn thee forth, sufficiently impressed.Robert Browning.
All that is, at all,Lasts ever, past recall:Earth changes, but thy soul and God stand sure;What entered into thee,That was, is and shall be.
* * * * *
He fixed thee 'mid this danceOf plastic circumstance,This Present, thou, forsooth, wouldst fain arrest;Machinery just meantTo give thy soul its bent,Try thee, and turn thee forth, sufficiently impressed.
Robert Browning.
We thank Thee, O Father, for the yet unwrought possibilities of this day. Show us Thy purpose; or, if it please Thee, withhold the entire plan, yet may our faith claim a divine sanction for each hour's work as a part of the fulfilment of Thy purpose. We pray for strength and patience to have our souls rightly impressed by the cares, the joys, and disappointments of life. Make the things of the body only incidental to us. Save us from all but the best things. Give us the happiness of harmony with Thee. Wilt Thou grant these things through the power of Thy spirit, and in the name of Thy perfect Son, the vision of whom transforms our lives. Amen.
George W. Owen.
January 27
Beloved, let us love so well,Our work shall still be better for our loveAnd still our love be sweeter for our work.Elizabeth Barrett Browning.
Beloved, let us love so well,Our work shall still be better for our loveAnd still our love be sweeter for our work.
Elizabeth Barrett Browning.
If your name is to live at all, it is so much more to have it live in people's hearts than only in their brains! I don't know that one's eyes fill with tears when he thinks of the famous inventor of logarithms, but a song of Burns or a hymn of Charles Wesley goes straight to your heart and you can't help loving both of them, the sinner as well as the saint.
If your name is to live at all, it is so much more to have it live in people's hearts than only in their brains! I don't know that one's eyes fill with tears when he thinks of the famous inventor of logarithms, but a song of Burns or a hymn of Charles Wesley goes straight to your heart and you can't help loving both of them, the sinner as well as the saint.
Oliver Wendell Holmes.
Our Father, who art in heaven, help us to hold Thee in our hearts this day, that we may live for Thee, from the love of Thee. Forgive us that we have not always a thankful spirit. Strengthen our wills to do good work, as in Thy sight, with clean hands and heart. Help us now as we pray, and flood the morning with the sunshine of Thy face, that we may be glad all the day long, and bring other lives into the brightness of Thy light. Save us from a partial mind, that we may love all Thy little ones with the same love of Him who said "Of such is the Kingdom of Heaven." Amen.
C. W. Holden.
January 28
All thoughts of ill; all evil deeds.That have their root in thoughts of ill;Whatever hinders or impedesThe noble action of the will;—All these must first be trampled downBeneath our feet if we would gainIn the bright fields of fair renownThe right of eminent domain.We have not wings, we cannot soar;But we have feet to scale and climbBy slow degrees, by more and more,The cloudy summits of our time.Henry W. Longfellow.
All thoughts of ill; all evil deeds.That have their root in thoughts of ill;Whatever hinders or impedesThe noble action of the will;—All these must first be trampled downBeneath our feet if we would gainIn the bright fields of fair renownThe right of eminent domain.We have not wings, we cannot soar;But we have feet to scale and climbBy slow degrees, by more and more,The cloudy summits of our time.
Henry W. Longfellow.
We bless Thee, Lord, for the new day and for the new chance which it offers to our wayward lives. Forgive the evil in them, and make the good efficient. Let the tides of Thy spirit bring to us cleansing, refreshment and power. In the day's business may we be brave, cheerful and considerate. Grant us a clear vision of the path of honor and the will to choose it at whatever cost. We wait upon Thee for renewal of our strength; for uplift as on eagle's wings; for unwearied running upon Thy larger errands, if Thou shalt ordain us to such high employ; but most of all, for grace to walk life's common ways without fainting. So at evening wilt Thou send Thy peace. Amen.
Edward M. Chapman.
January 29
Don't you touch the edge of the great gladness that is in the world, now and then, in spite of your own little single worries? Well, that's what God means; and the worry is the interruption. He never means that.... If you are glad for one minute in the day, that is His minute; the minute He means, and works for.
Don't you touch the edge of the great gladness that is in the world, now and then, in spite of your own little single worries? Well, that's what God means; and the worry is the interruption. He never means that.... If you are glad for one minute in the day, that is His minute; the minute He means, and works for.
Mrs. A. D. T. Whitney.
Dear Father, Thou hast made us fit for joy. Help us today to grasp our birthright of gladness. For those things which must be borne in sorrow give us submission. Let us taste the salt tonic of our tears and feel the strength born of struggle and the peace wrested from trial. Make us glad that friendly hands meet our own; that kindness is always sweet and sympathy divine. Teach us to lay hold on the radiance of each hour, that the morning bow of promise may become our evening glory and prophesy another glad new day. As children find content and joy by looking into their father's face so we turn to Thee. Amen.
Effie McCollum Jones.
January 30
Still must I climb if I would rest;The bird soars upward to his nest;The young leaf on the tree-top highCradles itself within the sky.I cannot in the valley stay:The great horizons stretch away;The very cliffs that wall me roundAre ladders unto higher ground.I am not glad till I have knownLife that can lift me from mine own;A loftier level must be won.A mightier strength to lean upon.Lucy Larcom.
Still must I climb if I would rest;The bird soars upward to his nest;The young leaf on the tree-top highCradles itself within the sky.I cannot in the valley stay:The great horizons stretch away;The very cliffs that wall me roundAre ladders unto higher ground.I am not glad till I have knownLife that can lift me from mine own;A loftier level must be won.A mightier strength to lean upon.
Lucy Larcom.
Heavenly Father, as the bird that soars first looks upward, we turn our souls to Thee, seeking inspiration that in the duties of today we may live to the full height of the faculties Thou hast given. Help us to know what is right and to follow it day by day continually. Grant that our toils this day may be acts of service as sacramental as our prayer. In our weakness, grant us of Thy strength that we may pass from glory to glory till we are transformed at last into the perfect image of Thy spirit. And when our work on earth is ended, when the clods of the valley are sweet to our weary frame, take us home to Thyself. Amen.
Nathaniel S. Sage.
January 31
Only a frown! Yet it pressed a stingInto the day which had been so glad;The red rose turned to a scentless thing:The bird-song ceased with discordant ring;And a heart was heavy and sad.Only a smile! yet it cast a spellOver the sky which had been so gray;The rain made music wherever it fell;The wind sang the song of the marriage-bell;And a heart was light and gay.Anonymous.
Only a frown! Yet it pressed a stingInto the day which had been so glad;The red rose turned to a scentless thing:The bird-song ceased with discordant ring;And a heart was heavy and sad.Only a smile! yet it cast a spellOver the sky which had been so gray;The rain made music wherever it fell;The wind sang the song of the marriage-bell;And a heart was light and gay.
Anonymous.
With our tribute of praise, O Father, we would begin this day; this day, which, with all its bounties, is Thy gift. Prepare us, we beseech Thee, for the experiences of the hours as they open before us. Gratefully remembering that we are Thy children, may our duties weigh with such sacredness upon our hearts that we may shun the evil way as unworthy those so richly endowed and blest. Write, we pray Thee, Thy law within us; and may our love of Thee make it so easy and so joyous to obey that we shall continually grow into the likeness of Him whose mission it is to fill the world with blessedness and peace. Amen.
Charles W. Tomlinson.
February 1
Father, I will not ask for wealth or fame,Though once they would have joyed my carnal sense.I shudder not to bear a hated name,Wanting all wealth, myself my sole defence.But give me, Lord, eyes to behold the truth;A seeing sense that knows the eternal right;A heart with pity filled, and gentlest ruth;A manly faith that makes all darkness light;Give me the power to labor for mankind;Make me the mouth of such as cannot speak;Eyes let me be to groping man and blind;A conscience to the base; and to the weakLet me be hands and feet; and to the foolish, mind;And lead still farther on such as Thy Kingdom seek.Theodore Parker.
Father, I will not ask for wealth or fame,Though once they would have joyed my carnal sense.I shudder not to bear a hated name,Wanting all wealth, myself my sole defence.But give me, Lord, eyes to behold the truth;A seeing sense that knows the eternal right;A heart with pity filled, and gentlest ruth;A manly faith that makes all darkness light;Give me the power to labor for mankind;Make me the mouth of such as cannot speak;Eyes let me be to groping man and blind;A conscience to the base; and to the weakLet me be hands and feet; and to the foolish, mind;And lead still farther on such as Thy Kingdom seek.
Theodore Parker.
Heavenly Father, we speak to Thee this morning out of a sense of rest and trust. We would begin the day with Thee and keep in Thy company to its close. Whether we work or pray, wilt Thou rule our spirits? Conscious in this moment of freedom, that we shall soon be pressed and absorbed by our own cares, we pray, Father, that we may keep in mind the privilege and joy of bearing each other's burdens and so fulfilling the law of Christ. Nor ever permit us to fall away from perfect faith in Thy purpose. Work in us and through us to usher in the morning when Truth shall spring out of the earth and Righteousness shall come down from heaven. Amen.
Isaac M. Atwood.
February 2
As when good news is come to one in grief, straightway he forgetteth his former grief, and no longer attendeth to anything except the good news which he hath heard, so do ye, also! having received a renewal of your soul through the beholding of these good things. Put on therefore gladness that hath always favor before God, and is acceptable unto Him, and delight thyself in it; for every man that is glad doeth the things that are good, and thinketh good thoughts, despising grief.
As when good news is come to one in grief, straightway he forgetteth his former grief, and no longer attendeth to anything except the good news which he hath heard, so do ye, also! having received a renewal of your soul through the beholding of these good things. Put on therefore gladness that hath always favor before God, and is acceptable unto Him, and delight thyself in it; for every man that is glad doeth the things that are good, and thinketh good thoughts, despising grief.
Marius the Epicurean.
O Lord, we know there are a thousand reasons why we should be glad. We cannot always forget our sorrows and our failures; there are manifold sources of temporary vexation and annoyance and harassing care, but in the face of Thine overmastering Providence and Love we cannot long be vexed nor sad. If tears have dimmed our eyes let us brush away the tears. If troubles and cares have burdened our hearts let us rise triumphant over them all and for this day be glad; and in our gladness let us find our strength. Amen.
George L. Perin.
February 3
Do not dare to be so absorbed in your own life, so wrapped up in listening to the sound of your own hurrying wheels, that all this vast pathetic music, made up of the mingled joy and sorrow of your fellowmen, shall not find out your heart and claim it and make you rejoice to give yourself for them.... Be sure that ambition and charity will both grow mean unless they are both inspired and exalted by religion. Energy, love, and faith,—these make the perfect man.
Do not dare to be so absorbed in your own life, so wrapped up in listening to the sound of your own hurrying wheels, that all this vast pathetic music, made up of the mingled joy and sorrow of your fellowmen, shall not find out your heart and claim it and make you rejoice to give yourself for them.... Be sure that ambition and charity will both grow mean unless they are both inspired and exalted by religion. Energy, love, and faith,—these make the perfect man.
Phillips Brooks.
O Thou who art not far from any one of us, but art the Source and Sustainer of our life, gratefully do we acknowledge the Mercy that has given us this new day with its certain opportunity for living the glad, true life. Directed by Thee, may this be for us a day of progress. May its duties be performed with alacrity and cheerfulness, its lessons learned with humility, its temptations met with resolute will, its crosses with patient hope. We thank Thee for the life of the Master who has shown us that if we would live Thy divine life, ours must be one of continual service and constant progression. If, tried by the seeming drudgery of duties daily repeated, we long for the end of our labors or dream of an idle heaven, O forgive our weakness, and help us trustingly to obey Thy voice as it whispers, "Up and on, this is not thy rest." Thus let the day close on hours well spent, and Thy joy and peace fill our hearts. Amen.
John Murray Atwood.
February 4
Who art thou that complainest of thy life of toil? Complain not. Look up, my wearied brother; see thy fellow-workmen there, in God's eternity; surviving there, they alone surviving; sacred band of the Immortals, celestial body-guard of the empire of mankind. To thee, Heaven, though severe, is as that Spartan mother, saying while she gave her son his shield, "With it, my son, or upon it." Thou too shalt return home in honor; to thy far distant Home, in honor; doubt it not,—if in the battle thou keep thy shield! Thou, in the Eternities, and deepest death-kingdoms, art not an alien; thou everywhere art a denizen. Complain not.
Who art thou that complainest of thy life of toil? Complain not. Look up, my wearied brother; see thy fellow-workmen there, in God's eternity; surviving there, they alone surviving; sacred band of the Immortals, celestial body-guard of the empire of mankind. To thee, Heaven, though severe, is as that Spartan mother, saying while she gave her son his shield, "With it, my son, or upon it." Thou too shalt return home in honor; to thy far distant Home, in honor; doubt it not,—if in the battle thou keep thy shield! Thou, in the Eternities, and deepest death-kingdoms, art not an alien; thou everywhere art a denizen. Complain not.
Thomas Carlyle.
O Thou God of goodness and grace, who dost turn Thy smiling countenance upon the upturned faces of Thy children, help us to find in the light of another day the continued proof of Thy fatherly care and tender mercy. Since Thou art so well disposed towards us, give us courage to attempt anything which the duties of this day require, remembering that Thou canst not ask anything beyond our strength, or withhold from us the blessing of Thy Divine approval. Living under Thy smile help us to be strong and calm and confident, delighting Thy heart by our faith in Thee and our love for our fellowmen. Amen.
Samuel C. Bushnell.
February 5
This goodly frame, the earth, seems to me a sterile promontory; this most excellent canopy, the air, look you, this brave o'er-hanging firmament, this majestical roof fretted with golden fire, why, it appears no other thing to me than a foul and pestilent congregation of vapors. What a piece of work is a man! how noble in reason! how infinite in faculty! in form and moving how express and admirable! in action how like an angel! in apprehension how like a god!
This goodly frame, the earth, seems to me a sterile promontory; this most excellent canopy, the air, look you, this brave o'er-hanging firmament, this majestical roof fretted with golden fire, why, it appears no other thing to me than a foul and pestilent congregation of vapors. What a piece of work is a man! how noble in reason! how infinite in faculty! in form and moving how express and admirable! in action how like an angel! in apprehension how like a god!
Shakespeare.
Our Father in Heaven, we pray Thee that this may be a bright and happy day in each of our lives. May there be sunshine in our hearts because they are attuned to Thine. Going about our daily tasks, Thy spirit within us, may we make our little portion of the earth not a sterile promontory but a rich garden abounding in the fruits of the spirit, and may we, by Thy grace, be enabled to dispel some of the pestilent vapors of wordliness and doubt. In all things, may we remember our divine parentage and conform our lives more and more to the pattern shown us by Thy dear Son, Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen.
Francis E. Clark.
February 6