Ye seek for happiness—alas the day!Ye find it not in luxury nor in gold,Not in the fame nor in the envied sway,For which O willing slaves to custom old,Severe taskmistress, ye your hearts have sold.Ye seek for peace, and, when ye die, to dreamNo evil dreams; all mortal things are coldAnd senseless then; if aught survive, I deemIt must be love and joy, for they immortal seem.Shelley.
Ye seek for happiness—alas the day!Ye find it not in luxury nor in gold,Not in the fame nor in the envied sway,For which O willing slaves to custom old,Severe taskmistress, ye your hearts have sold.Ye seek for peace, and, when ye die, to dreamNo evil dreams; all mortal things are coldAnd senseless then; if aught survive, I deemIt must be love and joy, for they immortal seem.
Shelley.
O Thou Eternal God who hast given us life, help us to love Thy will and to walk in Thy way this day. If flowers chance to grow beside our path we would pluck them, but most of all would we rejoice in Thee alone, knowing that in Thy will is perfect peace. Fill our souls with Thy joy and strengthen us in the spirit of self-forgetfulness to spill it out into the lives of others. Give us hearts "roomy, radiant, and full of laughter," learned of "Jesus Christ, whom not having seen we love; on whom though now we see Him not, yet believing, we rejoice greatly with joy unspeakable and full of glory, receiving the end of our faith, even the salvation of our souls." Amen.
Walter Healy.
April 8
A gush of bird song, a patter of dew,A cloud and a rainbow's warning,Suddenly sunshine and perfect blue—An April day in the morning.Harriet P. Spofford.There is something in the airThat's new and sweet and rare—There's something too that's new,In the color of the blueThat's in the morning sky,Before the sun is high.Nora Perry.
A gush of bird song, a patter of dew,A cloud and a rainbow's warning,Suddenly sunshine and perfect blue—An April day in the morning.
Harriet P. Spofford.
There is something in the airThat's new and sweet and rare—There's something too that's new,In the color of the blueThat's in the morning sky,Before the sun is high.
Nora Perry.
Infinite and Holy One, be with us in the beauty of this new day. May the dewy sweetness of the dawn Thou hast given to us be regarded as a token of Thy love for Thy children. As an atmosphere of joy and peace may be the thought of Thy consolation and Thy care. The delicate tints of Thy sky arching over us may we compare to the blue of a constancy that is divine, and which is freely shown to even the humblest and more erring of Thy flock. Bless us and guide us on our pilgrim way, and inspire our hearts and our hands to perform well their daily task. In His name do we ask it. Amen.
Edmund Q. S. Osgood.
April 9
As I have walked in Alabama my morning walk,I have seen where the she-bird—the mocking-bird sat on her nest in the briers hatching her brood,I have seen the he-bird also,I have paused to hear him near at hand inflating his throat and joyfully singing,And while I paused it came to me that what he really sang for was not there only,Nor for his mate nor for himself only, norAll sent back by the echoes,But subtle, clandestine, away beyond,A charge transmitted and gift occult for those being born.Walt Whitman.
As I have walked in Alabama my morning walk,I have seen where the she-bird—the mocking-bird sat on her nest in the briers hatching her brood,I have seen the he-bird also,I have paused to hear him near at hand inflating his throat and joyfully singing,And while I paused it came to me that what he really sang for was not there only,Nor for his mate nor for himself only, norAll sent back by the echoes,But subtle, clandestine, away beyond,A charge transmitted and gift occult for those being born.
Walt Whitman.
Thou great Spirit of Life, Our Father, in heaven, and in the earth, with what myriad voices dost Thou speak to us, sometimes with the voice of thunder and sometimes with the voice of bird. Even the rocks and hills have their language. With every manifold voice Thou tellest us that we do not live nor work for a day only. The song and the word and the work of today have larger relations. They pass over into other days. We pray this morning that the thoughts we think, the words we speak, and the work we do may be so true that they may be fit for another day. So may we beginnowto realize the meaning of Eternal Life. Amen.
George L. Perin.
April 10
If the stream had no quiet eddying place, could we so admire its cascade over the rocks? Were there no clouds, could we so hail the sky shining through them in its still calm purity?
If the stream had no quiet eddying place, could we so admire its cascade over the rocks? Were there no clouds, could we so hail the sky shining through them in its still calm purity?
The night is mother of the DayThe Winter of the Spring,And ever upon old DecayThe greenest mosses cling.Behind the cloud the starlight lurks,Through showers the sunbeams fall:For God, who loveth all His works,Has left His Hope with all!John Greenleaf Whittier.
The night is mother of the DayThe Winter of the Spring,And ever upon old DecayThe greenest mosses cling.Behind the cloud the starlight lurks,Through showers the sunbeams fall:For God, who loveth all His works,Has left His Hope with all!
John Greenleaf Whittier.
Our Father, with childhood's glowing morning face we would turn to Thee and be conscious that the brightness of life comes only to those upon whom the sun of righteousness shines with clear light. Full of trust, full of joy, we turn our faces towards the light and take up the labors of life with entire confidence in the Divine care and guidance that blesses the open vision, the faithful hand and the loving heart. We would follow our Master, feeling that we could choose no better way, and content if we be not called to suffer more than He in His life of service and sacrifice, while our hearts praise the giver of spiritual things with unceasing happy songs. Amen.
Ralph Edwin Horne.
April 11
Oh, the little birds sang east, and the little birds sang west,And I smiled to think God's greatness flowed around our incompleteness,—Round our restlessness, his nest.Elizabeth Barrett Browning.
Oh, the little birds sang east, and the little birds sang west,And I smiled to think God's greatness flowed around our incompleteness,—Round our restlessness, his nest.
Elizabeth Barrett Browning.
And I saw that there was an Ocean of Darkness and Death; but an infinite Ocean of Light and Love flowed over the Ocean of Darkness; and in that I saw the infinite Love of God.
And I saw that there was an Ocean of Darkness and Death; but an infinite Ocean of Light and Love flowed over the Ocean of Darkness; and in that I saw the infinite Love of God.
George Fox.
Father of Light, in whom is no darkness at all, to Thee we lift our longing eyes again. Shine away the darkness of our minds by the light of Thy presence. Complete our incompleteness. Bring us out of our restlessness into Thy rest. We thank Thee for our daily gifts,—bread to feed the body, strength to sustain the soul, light to guide the feet. Help us to put away the mistakes of the past, remembering them only with the penitence that shall cause Thee to remember them no more. Help us all through this day to know ourselves surrounded by Thine Infinite Love. Amen.
A. Gertrude Earle.
April 12
Just as you now play a piece without the music and do not think what notes you strike, though once you picked them out by slow and patient toil, so, if you begin of set purpose, you will learn the law of kindness in utterance so perfectly that it will be second nature to you and make more music in your heart than all the songs the sweetest voice has ever sung.
Just as you now play a piece without the music and do not think what notes you strike, though once you picked them out by slow and patient toil, so, if you begin of set purpose, you will learn the law of kindness in utterance so perfectly that it will be second nature to you and make more music in your heart than all the songs the sweetest voice has ever sung.
Francis E. Willard.
Father, we rejoice and will be glad all the day that Thou hast made it possible for us and all Thy children to learn the sweet song of true life and that Thou dost give us so many opportunities for its practice. O Lord, give us patience and kindness toward our fellowmen and trust in Thee, so that whether the lessons be easy or hard we may take them cheerfully, believing that Thou dost give us only that which is best. Grant that we may be earnest and faithful until our souls can sing the highest, purest and sweetest notes, until we are in harmony with All Good. Amen.
Abbie E. Danforth.
April 13
So many little faults we find:We see them, for not blindIs love—we see them; but if you and IRemember them, perhaps, some by and byThey will not beFaults then, grave faults to you and me,But just odd ways, mistakes, or even less—Remembrances to bless.George Klingle.
So many little faults we find:We see them, for not blindIs love—we see them; but if you and IRemember them, perhaps, some by and byThey will not beFaults then, grave faults to you and me,But just odd ways, mistakes, or even less—Remembrances to bless.
George Klingle.
Our dear Father in Heaven: for this day help us to be good. All through the long night Thou hast watched over us. Under Thy wing have we been sheltered as the chickens under the wing of the mother. Now that light has come we will help Thee to keep this world sweet and bright and clean. Help us to be true to this our promise; we resolve to be patient, steadfast, cheerful, kindly, sturdy, and good. Our Father, we need Thee. We want to walk in Thy way. Help us, for we are Thy children. Amen.
William Channing Brown.
April 14
The man without a purpose is like a ship without a rudder; a waif, a nothing, no man. Have a purpose in life, if it is only to kill and divide and sell oxen well, but have a purpose; and having it, throw such strength of mind and muscle into your work as God has given you.
The man without a purpose is like a ship without a rudder; a waif, a nothing, no man. Have a purpose in life, if it is only to kill and divide and sell oxen well, but have a purpose; and having it, throw such strength of mind and muscle into your work as God has given you.
Thomas Carlyle.
Neither a borrower nor a lender be;For loan oft loses both itself and friend,And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry.This above all: to thine own self be trueAnd it must follow, as the night the day,Thou canst not then be false to any man.Shakespeare.
Neither a borrower nor a lender be;For loan oft loses both itself and friend,And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry.This above all: to thine own self be trueAnd it must follow, as the night the day,Thou canst not then be false to any man.
Shakespeare.
Almighty God, at the commencement of this day's work may we look on high, and measure everything we are about to do by the scale of eternity. Keep us from all littleness; may we not be turned aside by things that are insignificant and unworthy. Help us, we beseech Thee, to make the glory of our life commensurate with the splendors of our privileges. May we live life in a great spirit, realizing that there is no duty so simple, no position so humble, but that we may show forth the grandeur of trust, and obedience toward Thee. May the great and holy purpose we cherish find its expression as we cooperate with the divine purpose. Amen.
J. H. Barker.
April 15
'Twas one of those charmed daysWhen the genius of God doth flow,The wind may alter twenty ways,A tempest cannot blow;It may blow north, it still is warm;Or south, it still is clear;Or east, it smells like a clover farm;Or west, no thunder fear.Ralph Waldo Emerson.
'Twas one of those charmed daysWhen the genius of God doth flow,The wind may alter twenty ways,A tempest cannot blow;It may blow north, it still is warm;Or south, it still is clear;Or east, it smells like a clover farm;Or west, no thunder fear.
Ralph Waldo Emerson.
Father of Lights, from whom cometh every good and perfect gift, we thank Thee for the morning and for the sunshine. We rejoice in the light, but when it is hidden from us, we are thankful that in the upper air above our clouded morning it still fills Thy heavens. Thou gavest us good things while we slept, and now, refreshed by Thy Spirit, may we go forth to our appointed tasks with cheerful obedience and joyful expectation. If trial and trouble await us, or if, in the heat of the day the burden seems too great, may we still be comforted, because we put our trust in Thee. Amen.
George Batchelor.
April 16
But spring-wind, like a dancing psaltress, passesOver its breast, to waken it, rare verdureBuds tenderly upon rough banks betweenThe withered tree-roots and the cracks of frost,Like a smile striving with a wrinkled face;The grass grows bright, the boughs are swol'n with bloomsLike chrysalids impatient for the air,The shining dors are busy, beetles runAlong the furrows; ants make their ado;Above, birds fly in merry flocks, the larkSoars up and up, shivering for very joy;Afar the ocean sleeps; white fishing gullsFlit where the sand is purple with its tribeOf nested limpits; savage creatures seekTheir loves in wood and plain—and God renewsHis ancient rapture.Robert Browning.
But spring-wind, like a dancing psaltress, passesOver its breast, to waken it, rare verdureBuds tenderly upon rough banks betweenThe withered tree-roots and the cracks of frost,Like a smile striving with a wrinkled face;The grass grows bright, the boughs are swol'n with bloomsLike chrysalids impatient for the air,The shining dors are busy, beetles runAlong the furrows; ants make their ado;Above, birds fly in merry flocks, the larkSoars up and up, shivering for very joy;Afar the ocean sleeps; white fishing gullsFlit where the sand is purple with its tribeOf nested limpits; savage creatures seekTheir loves in wood and plain—and God renewsHis ancient rapture.
Robert Browning.
O Lord, who givest to mankind liberally, and upbraidest not, we thank Thee for the blessings Thou bestowest from day to day. We thank Thee for this material world, now clad in its garment of Northern beauty, for the great sun which all day pours down his light upon the waiting and the grateful world, and for the earth underneath our feet. We bless Thee for the grass, bread for the cattle, its harvest of use spread everywhere, and for the various beauty which here and there spangles all useful things which Thine eye looks down upon. May we use this world of matter to build up the being that we are to a nobler stature of strength and of beauty. Amen.
Theodore Parker.
April 17
O brothers all! come nearAnd hearA bird'sMelodious dreaming set to words, and flungThe spring's new leaves and tender buds among,For very joy of life, and hope, and loveIn a world made broad enoughFor all God's creatures to be merry in,With joyous clash and din,And yet too smallFor any greed at all!Lo! deep and sureIs cut this truth in heaven's book of gold:Out of one mother in the garden oldWere born the rich and poor.Maurice Thompson.
O brothers all! come nearAnd hearA bird'sMelodious dreaming set to words, and flungThe spring's new leaves and tender buds among,For very joy of life, and hope, and loveIn a world made broad enoughFor all God's creatures to be merry in,With joyous clash and din,And yet too smallFor any greed at all!Lo! deep and sureIs cut this truth in heaven's book of gold:Out of one mother in the garden oldWere born the rich and poor.
Maurice Thompson.
Our Father, may we begin this day with a song in our hearts,—a song as rich and full and free as the bird sings at the earliest dawning of the sun's light,—a song so attuned with infinite life and hope and love that it must be sung. Thou giver of abundance unto the rich and poor alike, help our souls to mount unto the highest reaches of living thoughts and generous deeds, that we may give unto others as Thou givest. Unfettered by unholy passions and freed from the spirit of greed, may we feel the unity of the bonds of a universal brotherhood, and be just and true, honest, and helpful in all our dealings with all men this day. Amen.
Henrietta G. Moore.
April 18
O spring, of hope and love and youth and gladnessWing-winged emblem! Brightest, best and fairest!Whence comest thou when with dark Winter's sadnessThe tears that fade in sunny smiles thou sharest?Sister of Joy! thou art the child who wearestThy mother's dying smile, tender and sweet:Thy mother Autumn, for whose grave thou bearestFresh flowers, and beams like flowers,Disturbing not the leaves which are her winding-sheet.Shelley.
O spring, of hope and love and youth and gladnessWing-winged emblem! Brightest, best and fairest!Whence comest thou when with dark Winter's sadnessThe tears that fade in sunny smiles thou sharest?Sister of Joy! thou art the child who wearestThy mother's dying smile, tender and sweet:Thy mother Autumn, for whose grave thou bearestFresh flowers, and beams like flowers,Disturbing not the leaves which are her winding-sheet.
Shelley.
God unchanging, and still the creator of the seasons, we look up to Thee, as the springtide works out the miracle of the resurrection from the sleeping forms of the past season, in confidence and in trust that ever Thou wilt bless us with a nobler, holier, sweeter, more wholesome life, as the seasons come and go. The resources of trusting hearts are always reinforced and reinvigorated by contact with Thy life, Thy power, Thy goodness and Thy love. Out of the winter of our discontent, we enter the springtime of love, that leads us forward in confidence through the glad summer of growth to the soul's fruition and the place of rest and peace in our Father's Home beneath Thine everlasting Love. Amen.
Francis A. Gray.
April 19
One sound always comes to the ear that is open; it is the steady drum-beat of Duty. No music in it, perhaps,—only a dry rub-a-dub. Ah, but that steady beat marks the time for the whole orchestra of earth and heaven! It says to you: "Do your work,—do the duty nearest you!" Keep step to that drum-beat, and the dullest march is taking you home.
One sound always comes to the ear that is open; it is the steady drum-beat of Duty. No music in it, perhaps,—only a dry rub-a-dub. Ah, but that steady beat marks the time for the whole orchestra of earth and heaven! It says to you: "Do your work,—do the duty nearest you!" Keep step to that drum-beat, and the dullest march is taking you home.
George S. Merriam.
O Thou great impelling Spirit, whom we see manifest in all the world, as we open our eyes to the light of another morning, may we be as responsive to Thy influence as the sun and the flowers which brighten our way. May we be very sensitive to Thy promptings as we go about our day's work. May we be very quick to do the things Thou wouldst have us do. May we give ourselves to Thy service without reserve. When again the night shades draw about us, may our hearts be filled with deepest gratitude for all the experiences of the day, and, deep within, may our spirits be conscious of Thy approving benediction, "Well done, good and faithful servant; enter Thou into the joy of Thy Lord." Amen.
Frank Lincoln Masseck.
April 20
Thyself and thy belongingsAre not thine own so proper as to wasteThyself upon thy virtues, they on thee.Heaven doth with us as we with torches doNot light them for themselves; for if our virtuesDid not go forth of us, 'twere all alikeAs if we had them not. Spirits are not finely touchedBut to fine issues, nor Nature never lendsThe smallest scruple of her excellenceBut like a thrifty goddess, she determinesHerself the glory of a creditor,Both thanks and use.Shakespeare.
Thyself and thy belongingsAre not thine own so proper as to wasteThyself upon thy virtues, they on thee.Heaven doth with us as we with torches doNot light them for themselves; for if our virtuesDid not go forth of us, 'twere all alikeAs if we had them not. Spirits are not finely touchedBut to fine issues, nor Nature never lendsThe smallest scruple of her excellenceBut like a thrifty goddess, she determinesHerself the glory of a creditor,Both thanks and use.
Shakespeare.
Father, with faith and confidence in Thee we begin the day's duties, with a blithe song upon our lips, expressing the melody of our souls, thanking Thee for opportunities for work, and thought and love. We ask not for more blessings but to be more worthy of those we have, using and not abusing them. May our minds be open to Thy truth, and hearts to Thy love, and when received may we be almoners of both to the waiting world. May we keep by giving Thy love abundantly, and grow through the glory of self-sacrifice. Give us the heart, O God, to sanctify our work and to lift it above drudgery into the divinest service, and give us strength to perform it. Amen.
U. S. Milburn.
April 21
A man is simple where his chief care is the wish to be what he ought to be; that is honestly and naturally human. We may compare existence to raw material. What it is matters less than what it is made of; as the value of a work of art lies in the flowering of a workman's skill. True life is possible in social conditions the most diverse and with natural gifts the most unequal. It is not fortune or personal advantage, but our training them to account, that constitutes the value of life. Fame adds no more than does length of days; quality is the thing.
A man is simple where his chief care is the wish to be what he ought to be; that is honestly and naturally human. We may compare existence to raw material. What it is matters less than what it is made of; as the value of a work of art lies in the flowering of a workman's skill. True life is possible in social conditions the most diverse and with natural gifts the most unequal. It is not fortune or personal advantage, but our training them to account, that constitutes the value of life. Fame adds no more than does length of days; quality is the thing.
Charles Wagner.
Heavenly Father, our eyes are ever toward Thee. We do not pray for the things of the world. Teach us to walk in Thy truth. Though our days be few, may our lives be hopeful and cheerful. Though our bodies be frail, may we be invincible in spirit. All Thy children are immortal, but it is for us to attain the eternal life. May we know Thee through Jesus. Then days and hours and minutes will disappear in the liberty and glory and peace of the life eternal. Then poverty of worldly goods will be forgotten in the riches of the Spirit. Then the cares of the world that now is will be lost in the joy of the life that is to be. Amen.
Reignold K. Marvin.
April 22
A little sun, a little rain,A soft wind blowing from the west—And woods and fields are sweet againAnd warmth within the mountain's breast.So simple is the earth we tread,So quick with love and life her frame,Ten thousand years have dawned and fled.And still her magic is the same.Stopford A. Brooke.
A little sun, a little rain,A soft wind blowing from the west—And woods and fields are sweet againAnd warmth within the mountain's breast.So simple is the earth we tread,So quick with love and life her frame,Ten thousand years have dawned and fled.And still her magic is the same.
Stopford A. Brooke.
Gracious God, we thank Thee for the gift of sight whereby we behold the marvels of the outer world. But greater is our gratitude for the inner sight, the power to see things as they ought to be. If we but look deep enough, we find Thy central laws ever at the heart of all life. With such insight, apparent confusion shall not bewilder us, life's cares shall not harden us, the world's show cannot dazzle us. Give us, we pray Thee, unceasing ability to wonder and admire, which brings perpetual youth; to hope, to believe, to trust; to rest content in working with Thee, the Eternal One, Lord of the seasons, this is our heart's desire. Amen.
Edward A. Horton.
April 23
"What is the secret of your life?" asked Mrs. Browning of Charles Kingsley; "tell me, that I may make mine beautiful too." He replied, "I had a friend." Somewhere in her "Middlemarch," George Eliot puts it well: "There are natures in which, if they love us, we are conscious of having a sort of baptism and consecration; they bind us over to rectitude and purity by their pure belief about us; and our sins become the worst kind of sacrilege, which tears down the invisible altar of trust."
"What is the secret of your life?" asked Mrs. Browning of Charles Kingsley; "tell me, that I may make mine beautiful too." He replied, "I had a friend." Somewhere in her "Middlemarch," George Eliot puts it well: "There are natures in which, if they love us, we are conscious of having a sort of baptism and consecration; they bind us over to rectitude and purity by their pure belief about us; and our sins become the worst kind of sacrilege, which tears down the invisible altar of trust."
William C. Gannett.
Our Heavenly Father, we thank Thee for all the sweet and sacred influences of life. Music comes with its invisible fingers to weave a magic charm around our souls;—the home with its love is ours,—but we thank Thee to-day for the sweet and saving influence of friendship,—for the counsel and fellowship of those who are wise and good and faithful to us. We would not walk alone—we would find strength in the strength of others, and faith in other's faith. Let us cherish such fellowships and give back to those, who love us, love again. Amen.
George L. Perin.
April 24
Live in the sunshine, don't live in the gloom,Carry some gladness the world to illume.Live in the brightness, and take this to heart;The world will seem gayer if you'll do your part.Live on the housetop, not down in the cell;Open air Christians live nobly and well.Live where the joys are, and, scorning defeat,Have a good-morrow for all whom you meet.Live as a victor, and triumphing goThrough this queer world, beating down every foe.Live in the sunshine, God meant it for you!Live as the robins, and sing the day through.Margaret Sangster.
Live in the sunshine, don't live in the gloom,Carry some gladness the world to illume.Live in the brightness, and take this to heart;The world will seem gayer if you'll do your part.Live on the housetop, not down in the cell;Open air Christians live nobly and well.Live where the joys are, and, scorning defeat,Have a good-morrow for all whom you meet.Live as a victor, and triumphing goThrough this queer world, beating down every foe.Live in the sunshine, God meant it for you!Live as the robins, and sing the day through.
Margaret Sangster.
O God, our heavenly Father, Thou who givest us the sunshine of this new day, Thou who art the God of life and light, we ask Thy help and Thy strength as we again go out to our separate duties and cares. Help us to fill this day with good deeds, to give cheer and comfort to all we meet. May our lips be clean. May our hearts be pure. And when the even time comes, may it find us conscious that we have put no cloud upon the day, that we have walked through its hours true disciples of the Master who went about doing good. Amen.
William H. Morrison.
April 25
To weigh the material in the scales of the personal, and measure life by the standard of love; to prize health as contagious happiness, wealth as potential service, reputation as latent influence, learning for the light it can shed, power for the help it can give, station for the good it can do—to choose in each case what is best on the whole, and accept cheerfully incidental evils involved; to put my whole self into all that I do, and indulge no single desire at the expense of myself as a whole; to crowd out fear by devotion to duty, and see present and future as one; to treat others as I would be treated, and myself as I would my best friend; and to recognize God's coming kingdom in every institution and person that helps men to love one another.
To weigh the material in the scales of the personal, and measure life by the standard of love; to prize health as contagious happiness, wealth as potential service, reputation as latent influence, learning for the light it can shed, power for the help it can give, station for the good it can do—to choose in each case what is best on the whole, and accept cheerfully incidental evils involved; to put my whole self into all that I do, and indulge no single desire at the expense of myself as a whole; to crowd out fear by devotion to duty, and see present and future as one; to treat others as I would be treated, and myself as I would my best friend; and to recognize God's coming kingdom in every institution and person that helps men to love one another.
William DeWitt Hyde.
For the dear love that kept us through the night,And gave our senses to sleep's gentle sway,For the new miracle of dawning light,Flushing the east with prophecies of day,We thank Thee, O, our God!For the fresh life that through our being flows,With its full tide to strengthen and to bless,For calm, sweet thoughts, upspringing from repose,To bear to Thee their song of thankfulness,We praise Thee, O, our God!Thou knowest our needs, Thy fulness will supplyOur blindness—let Thy hand still lead us on,Till, visited by the dayspring from on high,Our prayer, one only, "Let Thy will be done,"We breathe to Thee, O, God!Amen.W. H. Burleigh.
For the dear love that kept us through the night,And gave our senses to sleep's gentle sway,For the new miracle of dawning light,Flushing the east with prophecies of day,We thank Thee, O, our God!For the fresh life that through our being flows,With its full tide to strengthen and to bless,For calm, sweet thoughts, upspringing from repose,To bear to Thee their song of thankfulness,We praise Thee, O, our God!Thou knowest our needs, Thy fulness will supplyOur blindness—let Thy hand still lead us on,Till, visited by the dayspring from on high,Our prayer, one only, "Let Thy will be done,"We breathe to Thee, O, God!Amen.
W. H. Burleigh.
April 26
Is it not possible, then, that the hindrances which arrest our progress, and the obstacles that lie broadly in our path, are the divinest agents of help which our Creator could give us? The painful struggles to overcome and remove them develop in us strength, courage, self-reliance, and heroism. They are the hammer and chisel that release the statue from the imprisoning marble,—the plow and the harrow that break up the soil, and mellow it for the reception of the seed that shall yield an abundant harvest. Perfection lies that way.
Is it not possible, then, that the hindrances which arrest our progress, and the obstacles that lie broadly in our path, are the divinest agents of help which our Creator could give us? The painful struggles to overcome and remove them develop in us strength, courage, self-reliance, and heroism. They are the hammer and chisel that release the statue from the imprisoning marble,—the plow and the harrow that break up the soil, and mellow it for the reception of the seed that shall yield an abundant harvest. Perfection lies that way.
Mary A. Livermore.
We seek Thy face anew this day, O our Father, and ask Thee that Thou wilt help us to live our lives in constant communion with Thee. Let us see Thee at every turn in the way. Let us find Thy hand in all our duties, all our meditations, all our intercourse with men, all our doings and all our deeds. Help us to make Thee our counsellor every hour. Help us to undertake nought without Thy blessings, to finish nought without Thy benediction. Morning and evening may we turn in prayer to Thy throne. At every meal may we seek Thy grace and give Thee thanks. So may we find the blessing of them that abide in Thy house. Amen.
J. Coleman Adams.
April 27
I think the sweetest thought, the very central idea, of the revelation of the character of God to me, is this: that He does everything out of His supreme will. There is no one thing that I can say with more heartiness, or that has in it more echoes of joy, than "Thy will be done." If anything works righteousness in me or in you, it is God. The nature of God is fruitful in generosity. He is so good that He loves to do good, and loves to make men good, and loves to make them happy by making them good. He loves to be patient with them, and to wait for them, and to pour benevolence upon them, because that is His nature.
I think the sweetest thought, the very central idea, of the revelation of the character of God to me, is this: that He does everything out of His supreme will. There is no one thing that I can say with more heartiness, or that has in it more echoes of joy, than "Thy will be done." If anything works righteousness in me or in you, it is God. The nature of God is fruitful in generosity. He is so good that He loves to do good, and loves to make men good, and loves to make them happy by making them good. He loves to be patient with them, and to wait for them, and to pour benevolence upon them, because that is His nature.
Henry Ward Beecher.
Father, we thank Thee for the blessing. We know what are our privileges, we know what are our duties, and we are before Thee again to consecrate this day in all its glory and beauty to Thee, the Father of perfect Love. Thou wilt be with us as we strive to be with Thee. Thou wilt make us strong when we are weak. Thou wilt make us see where we are in darkness. Thou wilt send us forth on Thine infinite mission to the world. Boys or girls, men or women, here we are, the living children of the living God, sent forward by Thee to proclaim it that all may be one as Christ Jesus with Thee and Thou with Him, that this world may be perfected into one, that men may know that Thou art Father and what the Father has given us to do, that each one of us may lift up what has fallen down, that each one may open the eyes that are blind and the ears that are deaf, that each one of us may proclaim the gospel of Thy perfect love. This is our prayer and our hope, in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Edward Everett Hale.
April 28
With every rising of the sun,Think of your life as just begun.The past has shrived and buried deep,All yesterdays; there let them sleep.Nor seek to summon back one ghostOf that innumerable host.Concern yourself with but today.Woo it, and teach it to obeyYour will and wish. Since time beganToday has been the friend of man;But in his blindness and his sorrow,He looks to yesterday and tomorrow.You, and today! a soul sublime,And the great pregnant hour of time,With God himself to bind the twain!Go forth, I say, attain, attain!Ella Wheeler Wilcox.
With every rising of the sun,Think of your life as just begun.The past has shrived and buried deep,All yesterdays; there let them sleep.Nor seek to summon back one ghostOf that innumerable host.Concern yourself with but today.Woo it, and teach it to obeyYour will and wish. Since time beganToday has been the friend of man;But in his blindness and his sorrow,He looks to yesterday and tomorrow.You, and today! a soul sublime,And the great pregnant hour of time,With God himself to bind the twain!Go forth, I say, attain, attain!
Ella Wheeler Wilcox.
Infinitely wise and loving Father, our minds and hearts reach out to Thee in this morning hour thankful that the rest of the night has prepared us for the work of the new day, and that the light brings the call to service. The past cannot be recalled, but today is ours. I and today, with God and in the Spirit of Jesus! Priceless privilege! Grant us, O Father, to use it for Thee, for humanity and "In His name." Amen.
Samuel Gilbert Ayers.
April 29
Life is full of new beginnings. Some change may come, something is sure to come, to close one chapter and begin another. Life is planned just so, ... that there should be a break from former link and habit, often from imperfection and mistake, and a clear, clean start for the fulfilment of the best one has grown to, even in desire, unhampered by the poorest one has ever happened to be, or to get credit for.
Life is full of new beginnings. Some change may come, something is sure to come, to close one chapter and begin another. Life is planned just so, ... that there should be a break from former link and habit, often from imperfection and mistake, and a clear, clean start for the fulfilment of the best one has grown to, even in desire, unhampered by the poorest one has ever happened to be, or to get credit for.
Mrs. A. D. T. Whitney.
O, Thou who dwellest in the light, help Thy children this morning to see the light of Thy truth and feel the warmth of Thy love. We thank Thee for the open doors of opportunity for helpful service; for the exhibition of kindness and for growth in the kingdom of Heaven. May we clearly see the way to the Eternal life and have strength to walk therein. May we so welcome Thy truth that we shall be free from error and sin. May Thy wisdom so guide our energies that we shall reach after greater perfection. May the evening of this day find us more in harmony with God than we now are. And may the evening of life find us rich in the treasures of heaven. Amen.
Andrew Willson.
April 30
True worth is in being, not seeming;In doing each day that goes by,Some little good—not in the dreamingOf great things to do by and by,For whatever men say in blindness,And spite of the fancies of youth,There's nothing so kingly as kindness,And nothing so royal as truth.We get back our mete as we measure:We cannot do wrong and feel right;Nor can we give pain and gain pleasure,For justice avenges each slight.The air for the wing of the sparrow,The bush for the robin and wren,But always the path that is narrowAnd straight for the children of men.Alice Cary.
True worth is in being, not seeming;In doing each day that goes by,Some little good—not in the dreamingOf great things to do by and by,For whatever men say in blindness,And spite of the fancies of youth,There's nothing so kingly as kindness,And nothing so royal as truth.We get back our mete as we measure:We cannot do wrong and feel right;Nor can we give pain and gain pleasure,For justice avenges each slight.The air for the wing of the sparrow,The bush for the robin and wren,But always the path that is narrowAnd straight for the children of men.
Alice Cary.
Almighty Father, who with every morning dost give us a new day and with each day some fresh duty, mercifully equip us for every task that awaits us! Give us eyes to see, and hearts to love the truth and right, and the disposition that makes every duty a delight, and the doing of good to others a sacred privilege. Save us this day from angry passions and low desires. Forgive us when we are selfish; recall us when we go astray; save us from wronging ourselves by thinking ill of others, and in all places and to all people give us the mind which was in Christ Jesus. Amen.
John Cuckson.
May 1
To the Woods:—Whoso goeth in your paths readeth the same cheerful lesson, whether he be a young child or a hundred years old, comes he in good fortune or in bad, ye say the same things, and from age to age. Ever the needles of the pine grow and fall, the acorns on the oak, the maples redden in autumn and at all times of the year the ground pine and the pyrola bud and root under foot. What is called fortune and what is called time by men, ye know them not. Men have not language to describe one moment of your life.
To the Woods:—Whoso goeth in your paths readeth the same cheerful lesson, whether he be a young child or a hundred years old, comes he in good fortune or in bad, ye say the same things, and from age to age. Ever the needles of the pine grow and fall, the acorns on the oak, the maples redden in autumn and at all times of the year the ground pine and the pyrola bud and root under foot. What is called fortune and what is called time by men, ye know them not. Men have not language to describe one moment of your life.
Ralph Waldo Emerson.
Thou God of Nature and of the human heart, we thank Thee for our human relations, but we thank Thee also for our kinship with the birds. We thank Thee for that instinct which makes us to sympathize with the mating of the bird lovers and for that music of the heart which makes us to love the song of the birds. We pray this morning for a life so simple and natural that we shall be able to enter into sympathetic relations with everything that lives—the flowers of the garden, and the field—the bees that sip the flowers' honey, and the bird that makes her nest among the trees. If Thou speakest to men in the glory of the heavens, Thou speakest also in the manifold voices of all Thy loving creatures. May our ears be trained to hear Thee when Thou speakest thus. Amen.
George L. Perin.
May 2
Hail bounteous May, that doth inspireMirth and youth, and warm desire;Woods and groves are of thy dressing,Hill and dale doth boast thy blessing,Thus we salute thee with our early song,And welcome thee and wish thee long.John Milton.
Hail bounteous May, that doth inspireMirth and youth, and warm desire;Woods and groves are of thy dressing,Hill and dale doth boast thy blessing,Thus we salute thee with our early song,And welcome thee and wish thee long.
John Milton.
Almighty and All-loving Father, who dost make all the earth to rejoice in the brightness of returning springtime, fill our hearts with like joy and renewal. Graciously awaken in us the life that the cold or care or trouble or sorrow of the world often has caused to fade and go out. As our eyes behold all this outward beauty and glory, give unto us that spiritual vision by which we behold the beauty and glory of divine things. Then when the springtime of our life passes with the summer and the summer ripens into the autumn, and our work is done, may we bring unto Thee the harvest of spiritual riches. Amen.
James DeNormandie.
May 3
Success! It is won by a patient endeavor,Energy's fire, and the flame-glow of Will;By grasping the chance with a "Now, now or never!"Urging on, on! while the laggard stands still.Success! It is facing life's trials, undaunted;Fighting the present—forgetting the past:By trusting to Fate, though for years she has taunted,And bearing Time's scars; facing front, to the last!Success! Would you win it and wear its bright token?Smile and step out to the drummer's light lilt;Fight on till the last inch of sword-blade is broken.Then do not say die. Fight on with the hilt!Mary Markwell.
Success! It is won by a patient endeavor,Energy's fire, and the flame-glow of Will;By grasping the chance with a "Now, now or never!"Urging on, on! while the laggard stands still.Success! It is facing life's trials, undaunted;Fighting the present—forgetting the past:By trusting to Fate, though for years she has taunted,And bearing Time's scars; facing front, to the last!Success! Would you win it and wear its bright token?Smile and step out to the drummer's light lilt;Fight on till the last inch of sword-blade is broken.Then do not say die. Fight on with the hilt!
Mary Markwell.
We thank Thee, Our Father, that Thou hast enriched our being with those faculties which prompt to noble endeavor. We rejoice in our power, guided by Thy free Spirit, both to overcome evil and to do good. Help us, dear Father, to recognize the great incentives of conscience and of duty, assured that in cheerful conformity thereto we shall find the sweetest zest of life. Increase our faith in Thee, O Lord. Enable us more clearly to realize that in the end truth and right will gain the victory. Thus may we be inspired to live brave, true and wholesome lives. May we fight the good fight of faith and win the crown of life promised to all those who follow the conquering Christ. In His name. Amen.
Henry W. Rugg.
May 4
The green grass is bowing;The morning wind is in it;'Tis a tune worth the knowing,Though it change every minute.'Tis a tune of the Spring;Every year plays it over.Ralph Waldo Emerson.God does not send strange flowers every year.When the spring winds blow o'er the pleasant placesThe same dear things lift up the same fair faces.The violet is here.Mrs. A. D. T. Whitney.
The green grass is bowing;The morning wind is in it;'Tis a tune worth the knowing,Though it change every minute.'Tis a tune of the Spring;Every year plays it over.
Ralph Waldo Emerson.
God does not send strange flowers every year.When the spring winds blow o'er the pleasant placesThe same dear things lift up the same fair faces.The violet is here.
Mrs. A. D. T. Whitney.
O God, Father Almighty, who bringest light out of darkness and at whose word night yields to day, we offer Thee glad worship and praise. We thank Thee for Thy gifts which are beautiful and good; for flowers which renew old friendships and awaken new affections; for songs in which voices of all yesterdays sound through today's melodies; for rich memories of the past; for the joy of living now; for the hope of better days; for new expressions of abiding truth and fresh breathings of eternal love; for courage to do right and for confidence in righteousness. May we this day, mindful of earthly duty and of heavenly promise, humbly follow Him "who went about doing good" and "gave Himself a ransom for many." Amen.
W. I. Ward.
May 5
Bishop Brooks taught me no special creed or dogma; but he impressed upon my mind two great ideas—the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man, and made me feel that these truths underlie all creeds and forms of worship. God is love, God is our Father, we are His children; therefore the darkest clouds will break, and though right be worsted, wrong shall not triumph. He said: "There is one universal religion, Helen—the religion of love. Love your Heavenly Father with your whole heart and soul, love every child of God as much as ever you can, and remember that the possibilities of good are greater than the possibilities of evil; and you have the key to Heaven."
Bishop Brooks taught me no special creed or dogma; but he impressed upon my mind two great ideas—the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man, and made me feel that these truths underlie all creeds and forms of worship. God is love, God is our Father, we are His children; therefore the darkest clouds will break, and though right be worsted, wrong shall not triumph. He said: "There is one universal religion, Helen—the religion of love. Love your Heavenly Father with your whole heart and soul, love every child of God as much as ever you can, and remember that the possibilities of good are greater than the possibilities of evil; and you have the key to Heaven."
Helen Keller.
Infinite Spirit! We shall not look upon Thee as a friend looketh upon the face of his friend, but may we learn to see Thee in every form of life and beauty and service here in this great world of Nature and of Man. May we discover Thee in the midst of common things and then they shall no more be common, but all things shall be sacred and divine. May we see Thy face in all human faces, clasp Thy hand in all human hands, and when we have walked with a friend, or talked with those we love, may it be as a walk with Thee and a communion with Thee. May we not think of Thee as afar off but always near, making all things holy. May we realize that it is a diviner thing to serve the lowly who need our help than to praise the Infinite who needeth not. May the sense of Thy presence in all things be the inspiration and interpretation of all days for us. Amen.
E. L. Rexford.
May 6
The brown, brown woods of MarchAre the green, green woods of May,And they lift their arms with a freer swingAnd shake out their pennons gay.And the brown, dead world of March,Is the living world of today;Life throbs and flushes and flashes outIn the color and fragrance of May.Anonymous.
The brown, brown woods of MarchAre the green, green woods of May,And they lift their arms with a freer swingAnd shake out their pennons gay.And the brown, dead world of March,Is the living world of today;Life throbs and flushes and flashes outIn the color and fragrance of May.
Anonymous.
Infinite Spirit of the winter and the summer and of the night and the morning, Thou hast watched over and guarded, during its winter sleep and rest, this earth which Thou hast made, and which Thou hast made for a purpose—to be beautiful and fruitful in its season, to be a humble and obedient servant of Thy will of goodness. And now, as the woods of May are radiant in the beauty of springtime, and ready to do Thy will; so as we wake to the opportunity of this new day, may we rejoice in the privilege of living to Thee and doing Thy will in the glad service of lives lived as the Master lived. Amen.
George Wallace Penniman.
May 7