P s 3501 R57\-5 v 1910 1 (0^1&$©jilliil 1 %*?£) Hk ^^WjjJjSsjg^^ 'jM Wm Class ,_ Bodc_ GojpghtN? COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. Wi\t ^Ctgfyi uf ,3In0ptratt0n. PREFACE. It's not the mountain peaks I seek But the valleys green with their flowers sweet. It's not the eagle but the dove I would send to bear my message of love. For in his flight so wild and free he might forget my message to thee. But the dove with its nature faithful and true will bear my loving message to you. Dedicated to my family and friends and the ever- green hills of Oregon. Mrs. Nora Armstrong. Portland, Oregon, Copyright 1910. Press of Bulletin* Publishing Company, Portland, Ore. ©CI. A 25 IF I WERE THE EARTH AND YOU WERE THE SUN. F I were the earth and you the sun, We would woo and wed together, And unto royal heirs give birth, Forever and forever. If I were the spring and you were the showers, We w r ould wed and woo from heaven such flowers As never angel hands could bring, If I were the showers and you were the spring. If I were the field and you were the grain, How gladly we would grow; And oh, what abundance we would yield To all who plant and sow. If I were the earth, the sea and sky, And you a beautiful tree, How rich and rare and sweet The fruits would grow, for you and me. And so through all the kingdom wherever we met as one, I the beautiful broad green earth, and you the glori- ous sun, How rich would be the harvest of flowers, and fruit, and grain, Bringing the Garden of Eden and joy back to man again, Filling all life with gladness, blending all souls as one, If I were the broad green earth, and you the glorious sun. THE SECOND BIRTH. Long years ago when I was young and innocent as a dream, A wealth of flowers seemed on my brow and colored every scene. Far down the beautiful valley of time and all of hope and joy was mine. And when a thorn lay in my path, I knew its sting could never last As long as the fragrance of the flower That bloomed for me in youth's bright bower. But tho' sweet hope was kind to me, My bark was drifting o'er life's sea And I knew no quiet haven of rest Where peace could hold full sway in my breast. Until I received a second birth and then a light on my vision burst. Brighter far than the rosy scene Viewed by me in youth's bright dream. For it did not contain just my lover and me But was broad as the universe and deep as the sea. And now when the waves roll mountain high, The Father's face reflects from the sky. And when they gently roll at my feet, I hear the sound of voices sweet, And I know the words that are wafted to me Across the waves of the rolling sea Are sweeter by far than those of earth, I heard before my spirit birth. For they speak of a life eternal and grand. Progressing for aye in the summer land, Where the perfect love that rounds out the soul The reality of a dream doth hold. And here and now we can feel the joy Of the hopes of youth beyond the sky That are renewed at the second birth, And flood with sunshine all the earth, And fill the heart, the soul and mind With a tender love for all mankind, Which is played upon, like the lofty trees Are played upon by the passing breeze. And caused it to whisper soft and low, To the buds that burst and the flowers that grow, "Receive, receive, from the world on high, From the gentle breezes passing by, To the earth beneath and the sky above, For all is sent in the name of love." MY INVISIBLE TEACHER. Oh guide my bark I pray thee Across life's storm tossed sea For somehow I fall to drifting When the guiding is left to me. And then a fear comes o'er me When the storm clouds gather fast That if I do the guiding My barque will go down at last. And I ask in the name of the darkest wave Thy guiding hand my barque will save And bring me into a heaven of peace Where I may sit down to a heavenly feast. And know that the love That guided me here Is the love That casteth out all fear. .And the waves that wash The sun-kissed shore Will drive my barque On the rocks no more. Then I can throw out the life line To ones on the storm-tossed waves And may through love and patience Lend a hand to save. TO THOSE IN SORROW. I, too, have had sorrow, but glimpses of light Would flash through the darkness like star gems at night, And out of a rift in the clouds I could see The faces of angels smiling at me. And when I was silent I knew I could hear Their sweet words of comfort, of courage and cheer, That lifted me up when I fain would lie down In anguish and grief with my face on the ground. And when all my sorrow was carried away I could see precious flowers on the ground where I lay. And the fields that in winter were barren and bleak Are now filled with promise that makes life complete. WHAT ARE WORDS f What are words, and where do they start? Do they come from the self-same place in the heart? Some are so gentle, low and sweet, Like fragrant flowers that bloom at your feet; And their sweetness wreathes your lips with a smile That shortens the length of the wary mile; And you cherish them in your heart like a gem, And you long to hear them over again. But some of our thoughts, when put into words, Cut into the heart like a two-edged sword, And you shrink away with deep surprise, Till the teardrops rise and fill your eyes; And your heart seems crushed, bleeding and sore, While you hear their harshness o'er and o'er, As your eyes grow dim and )'ou cannot see; It may be a friend that is speaking to thee. That has not learned just how to unfold And speak the language of the soul, That is ever gentle, true and sweet, Like the fragrant flowers that bloom at our feet. To give us comfort when life seems sad, And help you forget the words that were said, And make you know that perfect love Is gentle as the voice of a dove. And soothing as the summer breeze That floats away among the trees, Cooling the heat of the mid-day sun, Bringing sweet rest to everyone. THEY SAY I WAS ONCE A PRINCESS. Yes, I must have been a Princess In the ages long gone by, For a scene of royal splendor Oft times floats before my eye. For I feel the robe upon me And the crown upon my head, And see the light around me By the flashing jewels shed. As I sit in royal grandeur, While the couriers around me stand, And list to catch my slightest word And heed my every command. And thus the life around me Was to take and never give, And in that cramped surrounding All my earthly days I lived. And when my reign was over And they bore my body away, To lofty Pyramids of old Where kings and princes lay. My spirit was but an infant In the higher realms above, And they taught me as a little child My first sweet lessons of love. How the heart was the royal palace And the soul the ruling power, And Love in the Garden of the Gods, The only perfect flower. All else is but the glitter Of earthly pomp and fame, And except you carve it out in love, Ye will have no lasting name. And so with that sweet lesson I am back again on Earth, Bearing my share of its burdens, Content in an humble birth. As long as the bright cheeks glowing In every land and clime, Be fed by the warm blood flowing From the same great Fountain as mine. A LESSON FROM NATURE. (This poem is said to be an account of the last days of Robert L. Stevenson.) There's an island far out in the ocean I dreamed of one night in my sleep, Where the blue waves forever are rolling Along on the beautiful beach. And one day I sailed from the main land Far out to that beautiful isle, Where the sun kissed the waves in the morning And faded at night with a smile. Like the bidding adieu of a lover Whose absence would last but an hour, Then return with a bright smile of greeting With all of love's magical power. And out on that island of beauty I made me a home on its breast; And I thought that of all God's kingdom This isle was the fairest and best. And there I lived hours in the sunshine, Watching the waves on the beach, Knowing that every bright ripple Some precious lesson could teach. And I prayed that some power from heaven Would teach me to read as I run, And write down some lesson from Nature I learned from the waves and the sun. And there on that beautiful island, Far out from the dark haunts of men, I learned to commune with the angels And write down their words with my pen. And the world knows well the story Of Robert Louis Stevenson, Who lived far out in the ocean And an author's laurels won. Who longed ofttimes in the twilight, In his own native birth-place to be, Yet could not remain in the body, Except on that isle in the sea. So health that one ever is seeking, li he has not that jewel of his own, Let me out to that beautiful island Away from my own native home. And there in the sound of the billows When earth life was ebbing away, I saw a bright vision of heaven, And heard all the songs that they play. And their notes were the same as the robin, Caught up from the musical spheres, And rolled out upon life's broad billows Throughout all eternity's years. And I asked of the angels in heaven, If they had any lesson for me, That I could not glean out of the sunbeams And out of the waves of the sea. And they answered : "Just Nature's our teacher. No matter how high you may go, It's the same that teaches the robin, And no other the Archangels know." THE SYMBOL OF THE SUN. Far down o'er the sloping hillside, And out o'er the mountain crest, The sun, in all its glory, Has silently sunk to rest. And its beams, still red and golden, Light up the western sky, And linger along the hilltops, Kissing the flowers good-bye. And, w T ith the selfsame sunbeams That linger and then are gone, Is the sky on the other side of the earth Lit up with a golden dawn. 10 And the eyes that were closed in slumber Awake to a newborn day ; And the darkness that was around them Silently rolled away. And thus does the soul awaken To the light of the new-born day, And thus is the darkness around them Silently rolled away. And the spirit walks forth in its freedom, And views the tinted sky, And catches the sound of voices Silently saying good-bye, And knows as much of its meaning As the flowers on the green hillside, For not the smallest part of the soul Through the darkness and dawn have died, But awakes in the fresh, new morning, As bright as it was before: With the snow-capped waves of the ocean of life , Washing the golden shore Of times that had no beginning And never an ending will know, For the soul of man in its upward flight Will need all time to grow — Will need the beautiful symbol Of the sun sinking in the west, Marking the dawn to the world beyond, Like the sun on the mountain crest. As it paints the flowers all golden Along on the green hillside; So love tints the memory of friends Whenever the form has died. 11 THE SPIRITUAL ROCK. How grand it is to stand alone And watch the waves dash their foam Wildly upon the ocean beach, And know that you stand beyond their reach. And thus my friends I feel to-day, When the Ocean of life dashes up its spray, Of turmoil and strife around my feet That I stand on a rock beyond its reach. As I lift my eyes to the rising Sun And feel that my mission has just begun, For the place on which our feet doth stand Is a settled rock and not one of sand. The waves that are dashing their foam aand spray Can never wash this rock away; For this rock is Spirit and Spirit alone Cannot be reached by the Ocean foam. As it cannot be moved by a little spray Of the troubles of Earth and be washed away ; For Spirit is all there is of Life And this knowledge will lift us above Earth's strife. And open our souls to the realms above Where w T e live in the joys of Truth and Love. And Truth walks ever by our side As sweet and pure as a new made bride. And the Star of Hope, high over the way, Shines brighter and brighter for us each day; And in that haven along the shore We may guide our barks to be tossed no more. For he that is conscious that Spirit is Life Is lifted above Earth's turmoil and strife; .Although the waves roll close to his feet He catches sounds of voices sweet. 12 And reaching a hand to the ones long gone He joins them in their Heavenly song, Until its echoes roll far and wide And we know that the angels are by our side, To give us courage and strength each day And love to last us all the way. A joyful thought, how firm we can stand And reach out to all a helping hand. And throw out the Life line upon the wave And try some storm-tossed soul to save; And bring them into this Haven of Peace, Where the Knowledge of Spirit is God's Holy Feast. TIME AND L Time and I are just as happy As two old chums could be, For he told me not to worry And the truth would set me free, He had soothed so many sorrows, Dried so many bitter tears In the hours and days of practice He has had these long, long years, I could count upon his presence To do as much for me If I'd tarry just a moment And my blessings try to see. Try to feel that he was present Every moment of the day; And would help my eyes in seeing All the flowers along the way, 13 All the wonders he was working, Not with sickle by his side, As the mind of man has pictured When some precious one has died, But the mowing down of error, Weeding out all thought unkind, Sowing seeds of love and kindness In the heart, the soul, the mind. Gathering up the heartstrings broken Binding them with golden cord, Brought to him in tender mercy By the angels of the Lord, Then we took a little journey back In all the ages past, And I found that no great sorrow In the mind of man could last. For he came and took it from them, Planting little seeds of joy That would grow when least they dreamed it, And would bless them by and by. BUTTERFLY COLORS. Some people I know think that butterflies gay Were made with bright shades since the very first day. But a secret I've learned from fairyland bright — The first butterflies were all perfectly white, Till a rainbow exploded one showery day, In butterfly fairy land, far, far away. And some of the colors arched over the sky, Fell down here and there on the white butterfly. 14 And ever since then, in color and shade, They have carried the colors the rainbow made; And they sport in the sunshine, happy and free, So all little chidren their bright wings may see. And know what was done one sweet summer day, In butterfly fairyland, far, far away, When a rainbow, in forming an arch o'er the sky, Exploded all over the white butterfly. MY WEAVING. I was touched by the beauty of heaven, And wooed by the Spirit of Love; To fix my hopes on Eternal things In the realm of the Spirit above. For we know this life is transient, Death' speaks, and we must obey; And then we live in the Spirit, And not in this house of clay. O ! to be true to that knowledge ! O! to be strong and brave! And cloud not the soul with a habit We would blush for beyond the grave. For there we're stripped of earth's garment And stand in the Spirit's pure light; We see and are seen in our glory Or in the soul's shadows and blight, That is made, O, my brother and sister By the life we are living to-day. And the garment we are weaving this moment Is the garment we'll all wear away. 15 And oft time the privilege of weaving Comes sweeping in joy o'er my soul, And I try to weave only the whitest O'f threads into every fold. And while that sweet spell is upon me I know what I weave is pure white, And fit to be worn in my bright spirit home In the strongest and clearest of light. But what is the color of weaving When doubt throws a cloud o'er my mind ; And the thoughts that I think are unholy, And the deeds I do are unkind? And love is just given in portions To this one, or that, as I choose, Is it then that spots cloud my garments And some of its brightness I lose? Is it then that I feel all unworthy To weave what through time I must wear, And know that no matter how dark they may be, The spots on my robe I must bear? Then in love I pity my weaving, And in love I try to do right; Helo other souls with the knowledge To weave all their garments pure white. THE CALM IN MY SOUL. There are times when I'm lonely, And times when I'm sad, There are times when I'm happy And joyful and glad. But the times I love most Are the times I am calm As a fresh, rosy morn At the first hour of dawn. 16 Ere the last gentle breeze From the South Seas have passed To stir but a leaf Or a green blade of grass. As a lake in a quiet forest glade reflects The scene that Nature made From the trees and ferns and flowers bright To the stately mountains' peaks all white. Each one alike, from the mountain peak To the tiny flower, reflects in the deep Its own true self, in the quiet calm Of the beautiful lake in the summer morn. And thus, Dear Father, would I the same, Reflect myself, in Thy real name, True to nature in every part, With just pure love to rule my heart. Not on the waves of emotion wild, But trust as a calm and gentle child, Faithful and kind as a wife and mother, True in my soul to my sisters and brothers. Obedient ever to Nature's will Just like the beautiful waters still Reflects the forms of the mountains and trees, Ne'er a leaf was marred by a passing breeze. Or a cloud lias swept the rosy sky And hid the crest of the mountain high, And this is my prayer from day to day As the moments come and pass away. That the calm in my soul That I love best, Will rock me forever On Nature's Breast. 17 MY ANSWER. A sweet sister asked me in kindness one day, If I'd heard how they talked of a friend o'er the way. And meekly I hung down my innocent head, And told her I knew not a word they said. But I thought that one going as oft as you do, Some, if not all, of the scandal you knew. A.nd quickly I answered her back with a smile, The bird flies forth daily o'er many a mile, But when it lights down it is careful and neat, To not carry off any soil on its feet, To burden its soaring and hinder its flight, Back to the nest where it rests through the night. And thus I go forth in the soul life to feed, On the thoughts and the things that my spirit must need. Like the bee that sips honey from each open flower, And carries it with it through sunshine and shower. Back to the home it has builded so well, To hold its sweet burden in cell after cell. Caring not what all the other bees do, Just so it rounds out each cell sweet and true. That nature has taught it so well how to make, If only the best from the flowers it will take. 18 LIFE AFTER DEATH. Life after death — is it sunshine or shade, Is it what God hath given, or what man hath made? I have listened to catch every sound from Life's sea, And this is the answer that was wafted to me. By the Angels of Light from the bright spheres above, That life after death is the essence of love. Garnered up from the deeds we have done upon earth And saved for the soul at its spiritual birth. To help speed it upward and onward for aye, Through the laws of progression and life's endless day. That is open alike to the children of earth Regardless of name, or nation, or birth. Where the lessons we learn when the spirit is free, Will grow brighter with love through eternity. As little by little we find that all good In the realm of the spirit is true brotherhood. Endowed with a wisdom, so noble and grand Your light will descend from the bright spirit land, And whisper to mortals tender and low, That life after death is w T here they will grow The fruits of the spirit, loving and kind And bless and be blessed by all of mankind. Unconscious of aught but the fact that we live Beyond the dark grave, and have power to give Praise to the Father of Wisdom above That our growth, and our gladness, must come through our love. 19 FRIENDSHIP'S FLOWER. Tribute to Senator Mitchell. On the form of our Senator, old and gray, A simple white flower in pity I lay, Amid the blossoms, rich and rare, Others had sent to cover his bier. And I ask of the angels in that hour To bless with love my little flower, And whisper to him when they meet in heaven, That my spotless flower to him was given. In memory of the days gone by, When no cloud of suspicion darkened his sky. And now to earth's sorrow he is dead, No cloud shall rest on his honored head. For love will roll them all away, And the sun will break forth in endless day, Over friendship's lovelit sky As we feel his gentle spirit nigh. And our memory lingers long and sweet Over the time when we shall meet, And walk together on that shore Where grief and parting will come no more. And the little white flower that in pity I lay Upon his silent form today, Is for those that could not understand The noble soul of such a man, Who worked in love for all he knew, Strong and steadfast, brave and true, As he climbed, as it were, from the very ground Until he reached the topmost round, Where he ever reached down with love's magical power To pluck and cherish sweet friendship's flower. 20 DO WE REAP WHAT WE SOW? They tell us each day that we reap what we sow. Now tell me, I pray, when it ripens to mow. And if wheat is the symbol of our daily deed, Who cares for the chaff and who garners the seed ? I have pondered quite often this question, my friends, And I trust that some wise one their counsel will lend, And help solve this problem that I do not know, Of when and how much do we reap what we sow? What becomes of the chaff and the straw that must grow To strengthen the grain ere it's ready to mow? Is the grief in our hearts, the sorrow and pain Just the chaff and the straw, or the real ripened grain? Is the pleasure we oft times so long to live in The straw in the stack or the grain in the bin? The one that can answer my question aright Will throw on my pathway a much-needed light. To aid me in seeing how much that is sweet Is the chaff I should burn or the wheat I should eat To strengthen my limbs for the journey ahead, When sifting out wheat for my heavenly bread. SWEET GRATITUDE. The fairest flower that blooms in the human heart, Tell me, I pray you, where you grow, For I've searched and found you not. In the places where I thought you grew. I've worked and searched the long years through For just a tiny bud or stem, growing in the breasts of men. 21 And sometimes I sit me down and weep, For I've searched o'er hill and mountain steep, And have never shirked a duty, Where I thought your blossoms, sweet and rare, Bloomed for every human heart, That takes a true and honest part, And sends out love to every one, From early morn to set of sun. For, in the sunshine and in the rain, We love sweet gratitude the same. I care not where that soul may be, He is never from thy magic free. For that rare flower doth sweeten life, And soften all its toil and strife. And if there blooms no flower for me on land, I find it in the sea, on some fair island far away That my frail bark may reach some day, And from that isle I bring some seed, And plant it for- the soul's great need, And raise its blooms sweet and rare, And wreath them into garlands fair, To cheer the lonely on their way, And strengthen them from day to day, For here on earth each soul doth need The flowers that grow from that rare seed. THE ROSY DAWN. Dear friends, if I stood before you, Robed in garments of white, With a radiant crown of wisdom, Shedding its golden light Far down o'er the coming ages And back o'er the years that are gone, I would ask you to lift your faces To catch the Rosy Dawn 22 Of life and light and beauty In an era born of joy, Through the wisdom, hope and knowledge Brought from the world on high. By the spirit of man in his freedom, By the soul on its ownard march, Bearing the healing balm of love To soothe the wounded heart. For this is the glorious mission Of the angels from on high, That comes with sweet compassion To dry the tear-dimmed eye. Nor lingers not in the shadows Till hope and joy depart With just a little word of faith To fill the empty heart. Oh, countless tears of sorrow, With your endless tale of woe, Why did ignorance tarry so long And make us suffer so? Where were the white-robed angels In all the ages past? How did they come to hear our cry And come to our home at last, And rap to gain admittance, And linger by our side, To whisper words of comfort When some dear one has died, And make us know that living Is not confined to the form, But death is the birth of the soul of man To life's eternal morn. 23 And so we have met together To celebrate the hour When the world awoke to the knowledge Of a mighty spirit power That is rolling away the darkness That covered the sea and land And is parting the veil that we may see The ever-beckoning hand. Of love that is greater than darkness, Is greater than sorrow or night, And she waits long at the portals To let in the golden light Of truth o'er the field of knowledge So none need wander alone, Crying for bread when our hopes seemed dead, And ever receiving a stone, In place of the sweet assurance That spirit and life are one And we only lay down our bodies When our earthly work is done. And take up a larger mission Of drying the mourners tear, Of giving them hope and comfort, Oif giving them joy and cheer. Like we feel today dear pilgrims, Brothers, sisters, and all As o'er our heads in gentle love Their benedictions fall. 24 For' meeting and greeting each other On this anniversary day, When the angels of light, to dispel the night Rolled the stone away From the graves of all our loved ones In all the ages past, That the Rosy Dawn of the glad new morn Might break o'er the world at last. THE CALL OF THE DREAMER. The call of the dreamer. O ! list, do you hear How it rolls down the ages and falls on the ear, In tones loud as thunder, yet clear as a bell, The history of life's earnest workers to tell. For the call of the dreamer is not what it seems Just fancy and fiction and bright fairy scenes, Of fields white with lillies and the hill sloping sod ; As fair as the sunshine with bright golden rod. But the call of the dreamer in ages gone by Was a call to the warriors to conquor or die ; Was a call to the heroes, though many were slain ; In the dark field of battle to heed not its pain. But to keep ever floating above the brave dead, The purpose for which all the warm blood was shed; This call of the dreamer of ages long gone, Is written in story and chorused in song; And painted by artist for every great scene; Put upon canvas, first lived as a dream, In the mind of the artist ere the colors and shades Were touched with the brush and the great pictures made. 25 And thus in the present as in the great past, The things that will live, and forever shall last, First came as a shadow, a dream of the mind ; To bless and uplift, and redeem all mankind. Like the world's soul communion what mind could have seen, The strength of its mission, except as a dream, As vague as a shadow and dim to the eye As the bright golden sun when clouds fill the sky. And yet round and round, the broad earth it has run Warming the hearts like the rays of the sun Kisses the dew on the sweet summer flower; And melts its way in the fresh morning hours. Silent and sweet, earnest and true, Is the voice of the dreamer calling to you ; To fields that are vernal and heights yet untrod, Guiding and leading our souls unto God. For beyond all the sorrows and trials of today We have our great Tolstoy pointing the way; To a time that is now, but a dream of the mind, And yet it will come to the lives of mankind If each will go forth without any fear, When the call of the dreamer falls on the ear; To work in the vineyard as all workers should, With an unselfish love for a true brotherhood. For all that has come to this great world of thine To bless it, first lived as a dream in the mind; An ideal, a picture, a light on the hill That we in our wisdom may fill out at will. 26 THE POSTMAN'S WHISTLE. Oftimes I think, in the silence Of the grand old Liberty Bell. Of the wonderful story of freedom Its mighty tongue could tell. And I love in the Summer's twilight, Nature's sacred hour, To hear the silvery church bells Speak of a higher power. And I love the grand old organ, When its music floats along, Melting the voice like sunbeams Into the holy song. Sweet music of earth and heaven, In the spheres beyond the sky, You fill my heart with pleasure, And lift my soul on high. Though high and holy your mission, Though grand and noble the thought, You melt like snow in the sunshine, You sink into life as naught. When we hear the sharp, quick whistle Of the postman on his way, Spreading sunshine and shadows Patiently day by day. For I care not what their nature, Their color or their creed, They love that kind of music, And its sound they gladly heed. 27 And when I enter the portals Of heavenly joy and bliss, The soul-stirring sound of their whistle, I know that I shall miss. For of all the stories of heaven I have read or ever heard, Of the grand old army of postmen They have never breathed a word. The foregoing poem after appearing in a daily paper, called forth the following postal card: Cleveland, Ohio, June 4, 1904. Dear Madam. Your poem in the Postal Record, of June, was very nice, all but the last part of it, you say you will miss the soul-stirring sound of the postman's whistle, when you enter the portals of Heavenly joy and bliss. Do you not think there will be letter carriers in Heaven, and are you just dead sure you will squeeze through the portals yourself, or if we go there do you think we will leave our whistles here? Yours, W. E. Boynton, Carrier No. 289, Cleveland, Ohio. REPLY TO THE POSTMAN. Forgive me Mr. Postman If you deem what I have said, That I would enjoy more heavely Bliss, than you when we are dead. 28 But really in all my writing The truth I tried to tell, And not the slightest falsehood To make my verse look well. And of all the stories of heaven I've seen or heard about, I never heard of a postman Taking his daily route. And sounding his sharp whistle At the pure white palace door, Until it startled the Angels Along on the golden shore. Or seen a man with Angels Wings, That in the heavenly chair sings, Or heard that any man was there, The glory and bliss of heaven to share. But I did not make the other life, Or this one with its toil and strife, Or man would surely had a place With glory shining in his face And wings as large as any bird, That we of earth have seen or heard, For heaven would not be heaven to me If not a postman I could see. Or have my soul's sweet raptures stirred By the sweetest sound I ever heard, O'f your whistle in place of the golden Harp, that always takes the leading part. 29 ORIGIN OF MAN. This morning I took a journey Far back in Nature's field, And some of its hidden secrets Were unto my soul revealed. And I saw the form of spirits Descend upon the earth And clothe themselves with the mortal, And that was mankind's birth. But the world has called them Adam And sinful mother Eve, That let a snake beguile her And all mankind deceive. But we know those souls were sinless When they planted the tree of life Amid earth's dark surroundings Filled with Nature's strife. For Love in the life descending Upon the new-made earth Gave to the world its power To give unto all life its birth. And Eden is here in its beauty Inborn in every one, The same God-given spirit Since first life's force begun. Growing amid the brambles, Blossoming here and there, Out into full-grown spirits, Grand and wise and fair. Proving the God of Progress Is the father of us all. Leaving in doubt the story Of Adam's awful fall. 30 THE THOUGHTS I THINK O'ER MY DISH WORK. The thoughts I think o'er my dish work, While washing each dish sweet and clean, Might be prized by a weaver of patterns, To weave into a robe for a queen. For they bear in their tints glints of sunbeam, On a background of blue from the sky, With a star here and there in the distance Shining out from white clouds drifting by. And the Moon, with light turned to silver She borrowed one time from the Sun, Like the course of a clear swimming river, Thru all the fair pattern would run. And methinks that a flower from the hillside, And vine from the valley below, And a few fern gathered out of the woodland, Worked out on a border of snow. Would bear some faint trace of my thinking, While working in love for my own ; In doing the things that are needful, In pleasure, for those in the home. For it keeps not my feet from ascending To heights yet untrod by the world ; Or the banner of truth in my being To all fair breezes unfurled. And I stand on the mount so transfigured, While yet my poor feet press the sod ; That the voice of all nations seems speaking, One word, and that sweet word is: God. 31 MY DAILY LIFE. Amid this world of toil and care, I plucked sweet blossoms from the sky And filled my vases to the brim With flowers that ne'er on earth can die; And when I meet a friend that knows And loves the place where my flowers grow, I gladly give them from my vase, For others will come to fill their place; That breathe to us of worlds on high Where Angels dwell, and from the sky They come to us, with words so sweet, Thev are to our souls both bread and meat. MY PRAYER AND ITS ANSWER. I cried aloud to the raging sea, To send the Angel of Peace to me, And I moaned one night to the desert sand, That One might lead me by the hand. I whispered one morn, on my bended knee, That the blessings around ; my eyes might see, When lo ! a voice from across the sea And the desert sands spoke sweetly to me; And said, my child cry out no more, For the Angel of Peace is at thy door. And he will daily unseal thy eyes To sweeter thoughts and greater joys. As long as thou made so wise a choice And asked it meekly in humble voice That thou thy daily blessings might see My child ; thy prayer shall set thee free. 32 Free to love God ; and free to love man, And all the lessons understand. The Angels of Light will bring to thee As daily the blessings of life you see. THE CROWN OF MOTHERHOOD. I saw a crown descending For some saint or holy one, I thought; for the jewels in that crown Shone brighter than the sun. And I asked the Angels bearing it Who was so holy and good As to win such a crown As they brought down. And they answered it is "Motherhood," As they meekly bowed before me, And laid it at my feet, And said in accents soft and low, Like silver bells so sweet, That all through the countless ages The Angels had worked on this, To make it shine as brightly As the love in a mother's kiss ; And now they were loath to bring it, Feeling they needed more time To have it reflect the glory of Motherhood divine. THE WORLD OF SPIRIT LIES ALL AROUND They tell us the world of Spirit All around us lie, And if we keep on growing We will sense it bye and bye. 33 That we need not take a journey Across the River Styx, And alike with beggar from hovel And a King from his palace mix. That we need not take the journey, That seems so lonely and long, In order to catch the music Of Life's Eternal Song. But that here, and now, in this body, We say is made of clay; We can feel the joy of the spirit And hear the songs they play. That heaven with all its glory Is not beyond the sky; But here in this soul and spirit Is the heaven for you and I. And that all around and about us, Is a beautiful sea of Love, That has no bottom to measure, No width or heighth above. Where no ill can enter and harm us, For none can find the gate, That has his eyesight darkened With the shadows of envy and hate. So let's try and sense its glory, From near, and not from afar, And oft we may catch its beauty, When the gates are a little ajar; And we may hear the echo Of the Angel's lovelight song; And in the joy of the spirit Carry the music along. 34 THE BITTER WITH THE SWEET. My husband was home from work last week, And that to me is always a treat; For he is so gentle, loving and kind And likes to help, to ease my mind. So we put the bedding all out to air, And fixed up the rooms we had to spare, And worked upstairs, till everything Was as neat and tidy as a pin. Then to the kitchen we hied our way, To put in what was left of the day ; For everything else in the house was fixed, Without the slightest bit of a hitch. Then I slipped away for a little while With a happy smile, Thinking how nice it was to be quiet, and calm As a beautiful lake on a sweet summer morn ; And with my mind and heart the same, I returned to my work in the kitchen again; Where my husband had stayed, while I was gone, And most of the work in my absence had done. For there on the wall, all neat and clean, Hung the pan I'd had my jelly in; And I asked, in a voice that was strangely low Where is my jelly, I'd like to know? He spoke, calm as a summer breeze, That hardly stirs the leaves of the trees; And he said — while I suppressed a scream: "There was no jelly that I have seen." 35 While I cried: "Speak quickly to me, man! I had it cooking in that pan." And he said : "Oh, now that I come to think, I poured that stuff out into the sink." IN THE SILENCE OF THE SOUL. Oh! how bright is my brightest vision, How fair is the fairest scene, How sweet is the scent of the roses, I see, in the golden dreams, That fell on my soul, in the silence — The silence so holy and sweet ; That the joy of all ages seems o'er me, And around me, to make life complete. And I feel that my soul is its Savior, My spirit, the council and guide, That teaches me how in the silence Of love, I may ever abide, Secure from the storms that sweep o'er us, Secure from the sorrow and pain That falls on the soul in life's turmoil, Like a tempest of wild wind and rain. For the value of silence, Oh! Father; No spirit or mortal can know, Except what we see in all nature, How in silence all the bright flowers grow. In silence the hills and the valleys Are clothed in their garments of green, And in silence the bright sun of glory Floods all, with a soft golden sheen, 36 And whispers at morn, to the dew-drops: "Come back to your home in the sky," While I silently kiss every blossom With the sunshine of love from on high. THE GOLDEN THRONE. I have a little golden throne Where all my loved ones sit, And when the lights are all turned down, I softly and quietly slip over to them, And do you know, I can see by the light they shed Just where to place my laurel wreaths gently upon their heads. They never know I am near them, I come so very still ; But if they knew the love in my heart Their very being would thrill With the blessings of joy and gladness, Of love, and hope, and peace ; I ask the Angels to bring them In the leaves of my laurel wreaths. 37 AM I MY BROTHER'S KEEPER? Am I my brother's keeper? My mind hath often asked. And when my soul awakened it quickly answered, yes! And showed me in a thousand ways, The part our thoughts and actions play. If we be strong and brave and true, It helps some one to be that, too. If we be strong and true and brave, Who knows how many souls we save? If we keep this spark of God divine Burning brightly, brother mine, It would light some one upon the way, Whose feet some downward path might stray. We cannot see, we cannot know How much we help each other grow, But in the ages yet to be It will be shown to vou and me. THE LIGHT THAT SHINES FROM AFAR. Oh! Ye shepherd of far-off Egypt, that watch your flocks by night, Tell us of the glories and wonders of that light That must have lit the sky that day; To make it shine so far away, That we on the western shores of time, Can clearly see its light divine, 38 And try to walk in its golden ray, Of truth and love from day to day. As it leads us close to the little child, Whose nature was loving, sweet and mild. Whose glory now fills the earth and sky As we feel His loving presence nigh. With peace on earth and good will to man, Sounding in every clime and land; Echoing forth from mountain and plain; And then returning to us again ; Laden with the heart's best love, To lift our souls to realms above The thought; that pomp and pride and any earthly gain Can come to us through the precious name Of the Christ, that spoke to man and said, "I have not where to lay my head ; But the Father and I have ever been one ; Since first the creation of life begun; Since first the light was on sea and land ; 39 And unto Him all praise is given For the glory that fills all earth and heaven.' MY BLESSING. This morning I sat in the silence, With my hand uplifted in prayer; And there came a vision before me, Of a scene so bright and fair, I scarce could breathe for a moment, Or dared to touch my pen ; E'er the vision would vanish from me, And never return again. And the memory now is so hallowed, I scarce can write it down ; Or disturb that sacred silence With the stifled earthly sound. For as I sat in the silence With my hands uplifted in prayer I saw a band of angels Plucking flowers so fair; That the dewdrops in the lilly Seemed as spots in the mellow light, Near the flowers the angels brought me; So spotless was their white. And they wove them into a garment Of fragrance, soft and sweet. And placed it around my shoulders, And it fell in folds around my feet. And on each flower was written Some good that I had done ; In sending out my blessing To each and every one, -iO For that is the work of the angels The silent work of the soul, And that is the way their garments Grow white in every fold. By sending out a Messing To the children of earth below ; And helping them in the knowledge Of love and peace to grow And the lining was rainbow-tinted Like the bow of promise o'er head ; Saying the flood was over Of tears, that I have shed. Of hopes that had long since vanished Because I need them not; For the angels knew if granted, My garments would bear the spot And the blessings that seem so hallowed, When in the soul-life I live; If tarnished, by selfish desire; To others, I could not give. And the silence I felt around me, So hallowed, so holy and sweet, That I scarce could breathe for their presence E'er the vision from me would sweep, Would ne'er be mine in the morning; As at the set of sun, If I did give my blessing To each and every one. 41 THE REWARD. To the true and the brave, the fair goddess gave Treasures from ever)' land. As a balm to the heart, for the soul's faithful part, In the trials they did withstand. For she said as she bowed to the true and the brave; "Ye have tested the strength of the soul ; And nothing is lost, neath the weight of 5'our cross, But the dross; and the rest is pure gold." INSPIRATION. Through inspiration's glorious light, Whose rays shot forth a gleam so bright, That by its glow my eyes could see The road to all soul's liberty. It is by walking hand in hand, By mountain streams or desert sand, Through sun-kissed valleys, or the sea Whose waves cry out, "sweet liberty." Nor pause to ask consent of man To dash their waves upon the sand 42 For who but God hath power to free The waves in such grand liberty. And thus the mind and thought can soar Out into space from shore to shore And wash its waves upon the sand Of golden truth, through love for man, Until there is no space above, Around, beneath, that is not love, No power but spirit anywhere That covers the earth and fills the air. For spirit is life and life is love, And this is the light that shines from above To illume the path of the children of God As hand in hand through life we trod. Oh, lift your souls to the sphere above Where they live in the spirit of perfect love And down upon your hungry hearts They will pour such love that life will start. To grow within your love-kissed breast And overflow- all the rest Until there is no border line And everything will seem divine. 43 And God will whisper in your ear, "That perfect love will cast out fear And know I have no choice in thee But in my love all souls are free." Free as the stars in yon heavenly sky, Free as the breezes passing by, Free as the waves upon the beach, Whose power a lesson from God doth teach. For by that great Eternal light That in my soul doth burn so bright; I know that love is all of life Though tasting of its toil and strife, Or basking in the golden light of day, That has no clouds in sight; And now, while writing 'neath the power Of inspiration's holy hour; My soul goes out to every mind, With thoughts so true, so sweet and kind That angels might come here to live; And have no sweeter love to give. For angelhood, my precious one, Is made up from this central sun 44 Of love; the essence of all life, That knows no sorrow, pain or strife. That radiates a force so fine It penetrates the inner mind, And makes us conscious of a life That's free from mortal toil and strife. Where Justice sits upon the throne, And reigns as King and King alone ; And at his side, a fair young Queen Of Love, can evermore be seen. And in this Kingdom of the Soul, With Love as Queen ; we ne'er grow old, But heart to heart, and hand in hand, We make this life the summer-land. We grow its fruits all rich and rare, And give to each a brother's share And thus we lead him day by day Into truth's clean, broad highway. 45 NOW. I know not the day or the hour, That shadows may darken my way; But I know that the spirit of love Has filled me with sunshine today. I know not the day nor the hour, When sharp thorns may pierce my lone feet; But I know that the present will hold Ever, some thoughts that are sweet. I care not what lies in the past, Or what the veiled future may hold ; It's the present, I'm living for now And the image of love I must hold. With thoughts that are pure As the stars that shine in heaven's own blue, And sparkle like diamonds at night, To let the Lord's glory shine through. And thus, I'm living the Now, Regardless of future or past; And putting in thoughts that are sweet With love that forever shall last. 46 inSfiSLSE C0 NGRESS iininiinii 018 603 301 2