'M 
 
 % 
 
 Book >U2M£ 
 Copyrights /?07 
 
 
 COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 
 
 m, 
 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 in 2011 with funding from 
 The Library of Congress 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/raysofthoughtpoeOOcurt 
 
3nsi> Eiauimt CCurtxss 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 Rays of Thought 
 
 By 
 
 JOSIE DAYTON CURTISS 
 
 
 MARENGO. ILLINOIS 
 
 ^w 
 
 
 Elgin, Illinois 
 
 BRETHREN PUBLISHING HOUSE 
 
 1907 
 
 

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This book is affectionately dedicated to my husband, 
 Ifott, Ira ft. (EwctiBB 
 
 and 
 
 To my Parents in the World Invisible, 
 
 ft*tL lEiifiija Bagimt 
 
 and 
 
 Jfianj Styittemisr* lagtutu 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 A Climbing Rose, 105 
 
 A Study from Nature, 150 
 
 Booker T. Washington 20 
 
 Baby Clothes, ..112 
 
 Baby, 129 
 
 Clear the Mind, 19 
 
 Carnal Mind 26 
 
 Cause and Effect, 46 
 
 Eternal Love, 50 
 
 Emotions, 78 
 
 Evolution , 131 
 
 Faith, 98 
 
 Fair Columbia, , 122 
 
 Growth, 55 
 
 Grandfather's Place, .117 
 
 Harmony, 113 
 
 Invocation, 54 
 
 I Came, 86 
 
 Keep Sweet, 49 
 
 Life's Evening, 23 
 
 Love, 31 
 
Vlll CONTENTS 
 
 Let Go, 109 
 
 Man, 23 
 
 My Father, 30 
 
 Memory's Float, 34 
 
 Nature's Melody, 38 
 
 Nature's Laws' 79 
 
 Nature's Lessons, 83 
 
 Old-Fashioned Flowers, 15 
 
 Our Ideal Home, 51 
 
 Our Precedent, 135 
 
 Parody 33 
 
 Perfecting Law, 80 
 
 Prayer, 81 
 
 Race Suicide, 139 
 
 Race Suicide, 140 
 
 Supplication, 52 
 
 Salvation, 54 
 
 Shadows, 82 
 
 Storms of the Soul, 115 
 
 The Squirrels, 27 
 
 Thought, 32 
 
 The Song of Life, 56 
 
 The Fable of the Butterfly, 84 
 
 The Fable of the Polliwog, 91 
 
 The Song of the City, 94 
 
CONTENTS IX 
 
 The Dream City, 96 
 
 The Journey of Life, 107 
 
 The Judgment, 125 
 
 Tlie Fable of the Locust, 126 
 
 The Old and New, 154 
 
 Winter in the Heart, 110 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 Dear readers all, with kindness look, 
 Then speak a word for this small book. 
 It has been fed from springs above, 
 And now is sent in faith and love ; 
 A drift of thought through human mind, 
 To cheer and lift and aid mankind. 
 May its few rhymes help you to think, 
 And lead you far from sorrow's brink, 
 And may they please, like fairest rose, 
 And, as you read, bring sweet repose. 
 
 Josie Dayton Curtiss. 
 Marengo, Illinois, 1907. 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT. 
 
 These nuts of thought have all been brought 
 From trees so rife and full of life, 
 'Twill give you luck each nut to shuck 
 Then crack, and eat the inner meat. 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 OLD-FASHIONED FLOWERS. 
 
 The sweetest flowers, the old-time flowers, 
 My senses fill with childhood hours, 
 So thickly strewn, around the door, 
 These beauties were, in days of yore. 
 
 In memory's land, the gardens fair, 
 Hold many things, so rich and rare, 
 There velvet forms of pansies peep, 
 From robes they wore in winter's sleep. 
 
 Through blankets cold on frosty beds, 
 The tulips thrust their lovely heads, 
 And April breathes so cool and low, 
 Where lilies of the valley grow. 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 Through all the years of life intense, 
 There floats a pure and sweet incense, 
 From flowers that were refreshed with dew, 
 In iris beds my childhood knew. 
 
 Upon the ground the myrtle creeps, 
 O'er moss-grown plush, and swinging leaps 
 To beauty, hide some timid flower, 
 That lived and bloomed its shining hour. 
 
 The pinks in rows so cheering bring 
 The summer days, o'er laps of spring, 
 Where gleaming sun and climbing peas, 
 Are mingled with the bumblebees. 
 
 The blue bells bow their jewel heads, 
 And shade the " ragged-lady " beds 
 Where dew-drops fall from dripping eaves, 
 The poppies shed their drooping leaves. 
 
 16 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 And glories paint a brilliant hue, 
 With silver drops of morning dew, 
 While " slippers " catch the sweets that fall 
 From busy lips of bees that call. 
 
 The amaranth and larkspurs loom 
 In sightly lines of solid bloom, 
 While ribbon-grass in rippling waves, 
 Across the path of other days. 
 
 A hollyhock the sun decoys 
 To give it strength and equipoise, 
 And asters grow and slowly rise, 
 To grasp the light from later skies. 
 
 The marigolds are firmly set, 
 Between the beds of mignonette, 
 And grape vines weave a rustic seat, 
 Where roses bloom and hopvines meet. 
 
 17 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 The old stone well, close-covered, lies 
 'Neath growing grass and clover eyes, 
 There sunflowers hang their golden heads, 
 And, rooting, reach the water beds. 
 
 In living fast, some flowers demand, 
 And quickly sow prolific band, 
 While living slips more slowly roll, 
 From Calycanthus' loving soul. 
 
 Subconscious mind, 'midst sun and storm, 
 Evolving grows a higher form, 
 With concepts fine e'en flowers must find, 
 Maturing help from larger Mind. 
 
 18 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 CLEAR THE MIND. 
 
 Oh, clear the mind from dust and wrong, 
 And sing a cheering, loving song, 
 The corners sweep and clear the lanes 
 And break old, clanging, rusty chains, 
 Then snap the springs and cut the strings 
 From sinful things that worry brings. 
 
 c^» <<$• c5* 
 
 APOTHEGM. 
 
 When we let in God's holy sun, 
 
 'Twill rush and tingle, 
 Blend and mingle, until its work is done. 
 
 19 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 
 
 Our loved one fought, the royal George, 
 And suffered long at Valley Forge, 
 They broke in twain the English chain, 
 Which gave to all our freedom's call 
 In memory's name and battles won 
 Through noble George, our Washington. 
 
 When history tells the wonder story, 
 Revealing truth in all its glory, 
 A name and place and stricken race, 
 Shall grow and thrive, and long survive, 
 For near the first, our Nation's son, 
 Shall stand the name, B. Washington. 
 
 From lowly race, the most forlorn, 
 He sought to pluck the painful thorn, 
 Grown deep by hate and leaden weight 
 
 20 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 Of years of sin ; then from the din 
 
 Of war and strife arose the sun, 
 
 With streams of light through Washington. 
 
 Around his head a halo shines, 
 Its glowing light of love entwines, 
 The souls who slay the self, and pray 
 For black and white, they kindly aid 
 And help, along the battles won, 
 In splendid deeds by Washington. 
 
 Jehovah speed the coming time, 
 By blotting out all sickening crime, 
 That every class may safely pass, 
 A most insane and saddening reign, 
 And good deeds add to those begun 
 And scattered long by Washington. 
 
 21 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 While millions rise to bless his name, 
 This southland son of growing fame, 
 Who giveth heed with quickening speed 
 To brothers need; each holy deed 
 Shall onward flow when life is done 
 And peaceful rests B. Washington. 
 
 «£* «£• «5* 
 
 APOTHEGM. 
 
 Our finite minds are very small 
 And spirit power the all in all. 
 Like water drops that makes the sea, 
 Thus I in thee, and thou in me, 
 In currents strong we join the tide 
 From earth, — with God abide, 
 
 From Him we flow, 
 
 To Him we go. 
 22 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 LIFE'S EVENING. 
 
 In aging years our house appears 
 To close the eyes and close the ears, 
 This mortal blight will new life light, 
 To open up the inner sight. 
 
 JC Jl jt 
 
 MAN. 
 
 Potential life seeks light in strife 
 And forms the cast for man at last. 
 Though well begun, he still is young, 
 The seed is sown that may be grown 
 Until the morn, when conscious born 
 The soul shall strive, by purpose thrive, 
 And count for man the work well done. 
 
 23 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 YOUTH. 
 
 Our story sung, by cycles told, 
 
 Should count us young though ages old. 
 
 J Jt JM 
 
 COXSCIEXCE. 
 
 Belonging to my pedigree, 
 Is another one, the inner me, 
 This pilot mine, on life's great sea, 
 Is the kind of soul that I should be, 
 By love and truth it tries to save 
 From harmful ways, and helps me pave 
 A path of right, for two of me 
 By lights that shine from Calvary. 
 
 24 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 FAITH. 
 
 When we through faith true love shall clasp, 
 Our hearts will fill with righteous flame, 
 That burns out sin, the poison asp, 
 And writes within our Father's name. 
 
 t&* te& kc& 
 
 APOTHEGMS. 
 
 Foul habits that cling and the useless thing, 
 And all that is low we should o'erthrow. 
 
 By leaving no sting, we help the world sing 
 Through life as we go, rich blessings bestow. 
 
 J* 
 
 The earth is stained with thousands maimed, 
 
 And deeply paved with men enslaved, 
 
 When they will deal in blades of steel, 
 
 Though roads of thought, through blood are bought. 
 
 25 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 CARNAL MIND. 
 
 The carnal mind, like dogs in the street, 
 May be well trained, or vile to meet, 
 When'er its bound to shake its fur, 
 Tis well to watch, to watch the cur. 
 
 It should be chained to kennel stake, 
 The strongest one that man can make, 
 To bind and hold the groveling mind 
 And safer make the human kind. 
 
 j* j* ^» 
 
 APOTHEGM. 
 
 Repent, Repent, words heaven sent, 
 A sweet refrain within the soul, 
 That will relieve, so do not grieve, 
 But, reaching, take the Lord's reprieve. 
 
 26 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 THE SQUIRRELS. 
 
 Oh hear the squirrels' chickoree, 
 And note the change from key to key, 
 When from their loft of sweet repose, 
 Approaching near, are real foes, 
 Away they go in whirling line 
 To highest cones in towering pines. 
 
 Their trysting place and summer nest, 
 
 Where'er squirrel babes were rocked to rest. 
 
 By instincts fine, they note the call 
 
 Of colder days, in coming fall, 
 
 To make a home where winter's cold, 
 
 Will find no place within their fold. 
 
 Their cradle home they need no more, 
 So leave it lone till winter's o'er, 
 Oh how they paw and gather leaves, 
 
 27 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 And bind them up in little sheaves, 
 Then up they mount to chimney nest 
 On cedar springs and leaves they rest. 
 
 How wise they are to find each day 
 A time to work, to skip and play, 
 While native joys they oft repeat 
 As quickly fly their little feet 
 From pine to pine, to chimney nest, 
 Where love has made a home so blest. 
 
 How spry they are, these forest kittens, 
 In warm fur coats and red fur mittens, 
 They pick the leaves and swiftly go, 
 From branch to branch, now high, soon low, 
 In joyous life they fondly play, 
 And hide their food from day to day. 
 
 28 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 Their woodland mates so oft appear, 
 From forest homes and give us cheer, 
 In sprightly ways, with charming ease, 
 They fling the bark upon the breeze, 
 Or quickly dance the highland fling, 
 As round and round the trees they cling. 
 
 They hurry by, and away they fly, 
 To bury nuts in pocket huts, 
 And then they paw, and scrape, and claw, 
 And sometimes eat of winter's meat. 
 To some new place they skip and race, 
 With never a flag in games of tag, 
 And thus they play from day to day, 
 Unfurling tails, and hoarding bales 
 Of nestling stuff for winter's muff, 
 In their day gown they cuddle down 
 When shades of night put out the light, 
 They sweetly rest within their nest. 
 
 29 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 MY FATHER. 
 
 " Just as I am," with every plea, 
 Why spirit lands were made for me, 
 For these I love the deeds are filed 
 In my estate, for love designed, 
 Created me my Father's child. 
 In believing now I hear the tone 
 That leads me to a holy throne. 
 
 Jm Jm Jm 
 
 APOTHEGM. 
 
 Oh men of earth, give lengthy lines, 
 And welcome birth to seeking minds, 
 Some Herschel may with shining stars, 
 Transfer a light from earth to Mars. 
 
 30 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 LOVE, 
 
 Pure love and calm, a healing balm, 
 That we should pour on every sore^ 
 In righteous deal a nation heal. 
 Then wrong would flee, without one plea, 
 For kindest grace would fill its place, 
 And break the chains where hate remains, 
 With love's increase, a righteous lease 
 Would hold the day for wisdom's way. 
 
 *?• «5» J* 
 
 APOTHEGM. 
 
 The soul of a tree is well begun 
 When its earth-life is fully run, 
 Unconscious of its own degree, 
 In forests of eternity. 
 
 31 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 THOUGHT. 
 
 A world of thought is mine to hold, 
 'Tis full of wealth, of sparkling gold, 
 In this fair land the prospects lead, 
 Where silver streams, wash off the mold, 
 And riches fill my every need, 
 For there is naught the kingdom lacks 
 If I will use my pick and ax. 
 
 •_j» j* «^» 
 
 APOTHEGM. 
 
 When thought shall stir the mighty deep 
 And moving rise with thrilling sweep, 
 Tis spirit, in unfolding leap, 
 Like foals in long and growing sleep, 
 Prescribed it moves, upon its course, 
 By given law from God, the source. 
 
 32 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 PARODY. 
 
 Little drops of wisdom, with real grains of sand, 
 Make a mighty ocean and a wondrous land. 
 
 Excavate ! Investigate ! 
 Emanate! Inoculate! Perpetuate! 
 
 We hear the rattle of a snake 
 Within the soul; we poison take, 
 Or heed the rattle and win the battle, 
 Of life partake. 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 MEMORY'S FLOAT. 
 
 On memory's float there oft appears, 
 The pleasing scenes of other days, 
 
 In pictures of the fleeting years, 
 Where souls have grown though age decays. 
 
 On memory's float are clear, blue skies, 
 And roses with their incense sweet. 
 
 There self-sown flowers in beauty rise, 
 Where southernwood and tansy meet. 
 
 On memory's float a searching look, 
 
 (Where children with the pebbles play,) 
 
 Reveals a rippling meadow brook, 
 That floats their paper boats away, 
 
 34 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 On memory's float are things that call 
 Up cherished hopes, there fossils lie 
 
 In beauty grown, like leaves of fall, 
 They teach us life, in passing by. 
 
 On memory's float the sunset plays 
 O'er meadows sweet, where birds most shy, 
 
 'Neath ripening sheaves in harvest days 
 Will join in, with the " mowett " cry. 
 
 On memory's float are lowing kine. 
 
 In drawing near the haunts of men, 
 They hasten in their plodding line 
 
 With quickening tingle now and then. 
 
 35 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 On memory's float the rainy days, 
 
 With birds, and bees, and twilight hours, 
 
 Are mingled in a misty haze, 
 
 With shades of night and summer showers. 
 
 On memory's float are misty eyes, 
 
 Where visions, drawn from days of yore, 
 
 Reflect the kindest, sweetest ties, 
 On childhood's fast-receding shore. 
 
 On memory's float the church bells chime 
 With echoes from the woodland hills. 
 
 And rustling leaves, in pantomime, 
 Join evening notes with whip-poor-wills. 
 
 36 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 On memory's float are loved ones dear, 
 Their voices call and help each day, 
 
 Through walls of thought they help to cheer, 
 And lead us to the King's highway. 
 
 ^W ?(5* tO* 
 
 APOTHEGM. 
 
 You cannot grow the tip of a wing 
 
 Within the bounds of a narrow thing, 
 
 So do not crush your tune and time 
 
 To fit the form of another's rhyme. 
 
 Or crowd yourself within a box 
 
 And bind with creeds and cover with locks, 
 
 A stricken soul is hard to save 
 
 From the tinder box of a self-made grave. 
 
 37 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 NATURE'S MELODY. 
 
 The storm-clouds gather, gather and blacken, 
 They roar and they pour, they slacken and slacken. 
 The forces of nature in progress sway 
 From the centers of wisdom, showing the way. 
 
 Jehovah is working, brief is His rest, 
 In changes of form creation is blest, 
 In royal splendor He works each day, 
 As the path of the tempest pushes its way. 
 
 Through North-wind's cold or the simoon's breath, 
 Or hot, pouring lava o'er visions of death. 
 The mind of the Master is working each day 
 In His own, His own remarkable way. 
 
 38 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 The seasons of earth, the spring and the fall, 
 The young and the old, how beautiful all. 
 The agents of nature are speeding away, 
 For the Master of wisdom is working to-day. 
 
 The Creator of all brings life from decay, 
 While sharps and flats are tearing away. 
 The orchestra of nature must somewhere chord, 
 For the music is written, attuned by the Lord. 
 
 Combining all parts in a wonderful plan, 
 That includes in the making a marvelous man, 
 Whose spirit at last with the Master will stay, 
 If he joins in His work and learns to pray. 
 
 39 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 Though his feet are on earth, and his soul in bands, 
 His orbits of life are in mystical lands, 
 These are drawing him hither with love to sway, 
 From earthly things, that crumble away. 
 
 The child of the Lord must sometime attain 
 An eminence befitting Emanuel's reign, 
 Where thraldoms of earth no longer hold sway 
 For the man who has found the glorious way. 
 
 %0* t&B 100 
 
 APOTHEGM. 
 
 Life, Life, 
 Unceasing and rife, 
 Is seeking in strife 
 For life, more life. 
 
 40 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 APOTHEGMS. 
 
 When travil pains attend the birth 
 Of valued thoughts that come to earth, 
 Some flashing gems shall crown the morn 
 That ushers in the newly born. 
 
 Jehovah's plan gave lease of life 
 To lowly man, and bade him grow, 
 Through roots of earth, and living sow, 
 When cycles old in higher birth 
 Perfected buds of beauty blow. 
 
 The ghosts of weak and former selves 
 May oft arise and sometimes slay, 
 The values of a life to-day. 
 
 41 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 APOTHEGMS. 
 
 The knock of Fate tapped at man's gate 
 It opened wide with Fate inside, 
 And then Fate saw that man his law, 
 Should well control, his growing soul. 
 
 The rabid crowd cry out some loss, 
 Then nail the thinkers to the cross 
 Through changing thought, the light shall 
 
 make 
 Some other age the false forsake. 
 And truth shall flow, from vintage trod, 
 When'er men see the place of God. 
 
 42 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 APOTHEGMS. 
 
 In eastern land the Buddha planned 
 For greater light in India's night, 
 True life he sought, and wisely taught 
 That he who gives most truly lives. 
 
 In fear we hurry, and live in worry, 
 With voice of thunder let us now sunder 
 This baneful foe, this vulture of woe. 
 
 If melody is not thy fate, 
 And thou are not a Wagner great, 
 Just cheer some weary soul along 
 By giving a most simple song. 
 
 43 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 APOTHEGMS. 
 
 For mind undimmed there oft awaits, 
 A print so pure and superfine, 
 It shall endure because Divine. 
 
 If we but fill the active brain 
 
 With noble thoughts, it will contain, 
 
 A holy link to heaven caught, 
 
 To chain the beasts of lower thought. 
 
 Bridle your thought on life's race course, 
 Guide by your will this great resource, 
 Slacken the rein, you lose control, 
 And injure body's unripe soul. 
 
 -14 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 • APOTHEGMS. 
 
 Disperse the clouds from mortal mind, 
 Erase dark blots of every kind, 
 For highest art to paint a scene, 
 The canvas must be pure and clean. 
 
 The saddest note the hunter heard, 
 Came thrilling from a wounded bird ; 
 Beneath his feet the flowers he crushed, 
 Could ne'er repeat their incense sweet. 
 So sweet. 
 
 If you bestow the crystal snow, 
 Then do not grieve when you receive 
 The only yield from your cold field. 
 
 45 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 CAUSE AND EFFECT. 
 
 Cause and effect, effect and cause, 
 The working of Jehovah's laws, 
 Are not from chance ; they work each day 
 That souls may grow within the clay. 
 
 Cause and effect, effect and cause, 
 Are forming man by wisest laws, 
 They teach him on his own pathway 
 By work that's done by him each day. 
 
 Cause and effect, effect and cause, 
 All come to man through force of laws, 
 In course of time the onward move, 
 Will form its own especial groove. 
 
 Cause and effect, effect and cause, 
 Though right or wrong are made of laws 
 
 46 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 By righteous choice we cause effect 
 And strengthen soul to sin reject. 
 
 Cause and effect, effect and cause, 
 Will teach the need of Godly laws, 
 Their values come in timely hours 
 As man shall use his growing powers. 
 
 Cause and effect, effect and cause, 
 Are training souls to know the laws. 
 The working of the Artist's plan 
 Evolves at last a marvelous man. 
 
 Cause and effect, effect and cause, 
 Are moulding man by powerful laws. 
 In time fulfilled, by boundless sight, 
 Man shall perceive the central light. 
 
 47 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 Cause and effect, effect and cause, 
 Are training man through God's own laws, 
 When to the Center man returns, 
 His added light, united, burns. 
 
 to* «<£* to* 
 
 APOTHEGMS. 
 
 When sense is fed, and strongly wed, 
 To things of clay, they'll break some day, 
 Then tumbling walls, and structure falls 
 To light the road. Construct a mode 
 On larger line, for buildings fine, 
 And thus ensouled, true being mould. 
 
 From nights of sleep, the sunbeams peep, 
 Thus on they creep through darkest night, 
 Their tryst to keep, a world to light. 
 
 48 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 KEEP SWEET. 
 
 When sects and creeds in confusion shall crash 
 
 'Tis well to keep sweet with thy friend and brother, 
 
 However we differ, be kind to each other, 
 
 The rubbish of years, is enthralling us all 
 
 When loads are too heavy, then something must fall, 
 
 In throwing off freight and lessening the weight 
 
 Of rivers of blood, and ages of hate, 
 
 'Tis well to keep busy with love and be true, 
 
 Then God in His wisdom will carry us through. 
 
 $5* ta& t&& 
 
 APOTHEGM. 
 
 Love is all that man contains, 
 
 When free from sin and ire, 
 Then man with God in heaven remains, 
 
 Immersed in holy fire. 
 
 49 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 ETERNAL LOVE. 
 
 When thoughts, like snow, have heavenly birth, 
 They freely sow their flakes on earth. 
 
 If rocks of mind receive them not, 
 They, failing, find no fallow spot. 
 
 Still nature holds, their power of life, 
 They may unfold in later strife. 
 
 Good thoughts shall whirl in beauty bands, 
 And living, purl o'er sunlit lands — 
 
 To bless us all, as melting snow, 
 
 At nature's call makes blossoms grow. 
 
 50 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 CLEAR THE MIND. 
 
 Oh, clear the mind from dust and wrong, 
 And sing a cheering, loving song, 
 The corners sweep and clear the lanes 
 And break old, clanging, rusty chains, 
 Then snap the springs and cut the strings 
 From sinful things that worry brings. 
 
 IC* <c* {£• 
 
 APOTHEGM. 
 
 When we let in God's holy sun, 
 
 'Twill rush and tingle, 
 Blend and mingle, until its work is done. 
 
 19 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 
 
 Our loved one fought, the royal George, 
 And suffered long at Valley Forge, 
 They broke in twain the English chain, 
 Which gave to all our freedom's call 
 In memory's name and battles won 
 Through noble George, our Washington. 
 
 When history tells the wonder story, 
 Revealing truth in all its glory, 
 A name and place and stricken race, 
 Shall grow and thrive, and long survive, 
 For near the first, our Nation's son, 
 Shall stand the name, B. Washington. 
 
 From lowly race, the most forlorn, 
 He sought to pluck the painful thorn, 
 Grown deep by hate and leaden weight 
 
 20 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 Of years of sin ; then from the din 
 
 Of war and strife arose the sun, 
 
 With streams of light through Washington. 
 
 Around his head a halo shines, 
 Its glowing light of love entwines, 
 The souls who slay the self, and pray 
 For black and white, they kindly aid 
 And help, along the battles won, 
 In splendid deeds by Washington. 
 
 Jehovah speed the coming time, 
 By blotting out all sickening crime, 
 That every class may safely pass, 
 A most insane and saddening reign, 
 And good deeds add to those begun 
 And scattered long by Washington. 
 
 21 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 While millions rise to bless his name, 
 This southland son of growing fame, 
 Who giveth heed with quickening speed 
 To brother's need; each holy deed 
 Shall onward flow when life is done 
 And peaceful rests B. Washington. 
 
 S J* & 
 
 APOTHEGM. 
 
 Our finite minds are very small 
 And spirit power the all in all. 
 Like water drops that makes the sea, 
 Thus I in thee, and thou in me, 
 In currents strong we join the tide 
 From earth, — with God abide, 
 
 From Him we flow, 
 
 To Him we go. 
 22 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 LIFE'S EVENING. 
 
 In aging years our house appears 
 To close the eyes and close the ears, 
 This mortal blight will new life light, 
 To open up the inner sight. 
 
 & .* jt 
 
 MAN. 
 
 Potential life seeks light in strife 
 And forms the cast for man at last. 
 Though well begun, he still is young, 
 The seed is sown that may be grown 
 Until the morn, when conscious born 
 The soul shall strive, by purpose thrive, 
 And count for man the work well done. 
 
 23 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 YOUTH. 
 
 Our story sung, by cycles told. 
 
 Should count us young though ages old. 
 
 Ji j$ Jl 
 
 COXSCIEXCE. 
 
 Belonging to my pedigree, 
 Is another one, the inner me, 
 This pilot mine, on life's great sea, 
 Is the kind of soul that I should be. 
 By love and truth it tries to save 
 From harmful ways, and helps me pave 
 A path of right, for two of me 
 By lights that shine from Calvary. 
 
 24 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 FAITH. 
 
 When we through faith true love shall clasp, 
 Our hearts will fill with righteous flame, 
 That burns out sin, the poison asp, 
 And writes within our Father's name. 
 
 j* j* <$* 
 
 APOTHEGMS. 
 
 Foul habits that cling and the useless thing, 
 And all that is low we should o'erthrow. 
 
 By leaving no sting, we help the world sing 
 Through life as we go, rich blessings bestow. 
 
 The earth is stained with thousands maimed, 
 
 And deeply paved with men enslaved, 
 
 When they will deal in blades of steel, 
 
 Though roads of thought, through blood are bought. 
 
 25 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 CARNAL MIND. 
 
 The carnal mind, like dogs in the street, 
 May be well trained, or vile to meet, 
 When'er its bound to shake its fur, 
 Tis well to watch, to watch the cur. 
 
 It should be chained to kennel stake, 
 The strongest one that man can make, 
 To bind and hold the groveling mind 
 And safer make the human kind. 
 
 Jm ijt J0 
 
 APOTHEGM. 
 
 Repent, Repent, words heaven sent, 
 A sweet refrain within the soul, 
 That will relieve, so do not grieve, 
 But, reaching, take the Lord's reprieve. 
 
 26 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 THE SQUIRRELS. 
 
 Oh hear the squirrels' chickoree, 
 And note the change from key to key, 
 When from their loft of sweet repose, 
 Approaching near* are real foes, 
 Away they go in whirling line 
 To highest cones in towering pines. 
 
 Their trysting place and summer nest, 
 
 Where'er squirrel babes were rocked to rest. 
 
 By instincts fine, they note the call 
 
 Of colder days, in coming fall, 
 
 To make a home where winter's cold, 
 
 Will find no place within their fold. 
 
 Their cradle home they need no more, 
 So leave it lone till winter's o'er, 
 Oh how they paw and gather leaves, 
 
 27 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 And bind them up in little sheaves, 
 Then up they mount to chimney nest 
 On cedar springs and leaves they rest. 
 
 How wise they are to find each day 
 A time to work, to skip and play, 
 While native joys they oft repeat 
 As quickly fly their little feet 
 From pine to pine, to chimney nest, 
 Where love has made a home so blest. 
 
 How spry they are, these forest kittens, 
 In warm fur coats and red fur mittens, 
 They pick the leaves and swiftly go, 
 From branch to branch, now high, soon low, 
 In joyous life they fondly play, 
 And hide their food from day to day. 
 
 28 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 Their woodland mates so oft appear, 
 From forest homes and give us cheer, 
 In sprightly ways, with charming ease, 
 They fling the bark upon the breeze, 
 Or quickly dance the highland fling, 
 As round and round the trees they cling. 
 
 They hurry by, and away they fly, 
 To bury nuts in pocket huts, 
 And then they paw, and scrape, and claw, 
 And sometimes eat of winter's meat. 
 To some new place they skip and race, 
 With never a flag in games of tag, 
 And thus they play from day to day, 
 Unfurling tails, and hoarding bales 
 Of nestling stuff for winter's muff, 
 In their day gown they cuddle down 
 When shades of night put out the light, 
 They sweetly rest within their nest. 
 
 29 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 MY FATHER. 
 
 " Just as I am," with every plea, 
 Why spirit lands were made for me, 
 For these I love the deeds are filed 
 In my estate, for love designed, 
 Created me my Father's child. 
 In believing now I hear the tone 
 That leads me to a holy throne. 
 
 «,$• t^m J* 
 
 APOTHEGM. 
 
 Oh men of earth, give lengthy lines, 
 And welcome birth to seeking minds, 
 Some Herschel may with shining stars, 
 Transfer a light from earth to Mars. 
 
 30 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 LOVE. 
 
 Pure love and calm, a healing balm, 
 That we should pour on every sora^ 
 In righteous deal a nation heal. 
 Then wrong would flee, without one plea, 
 For kindest grace would fill its place, 
 And break the chains where hate remains, 
 With love's increase, a righteous lease 
 Would hold the day for wisdom's way. 
 
 *?• «J» «5* 
 
 APOTHEGM. 
 
 The soul of a tree is well begun 
 When its earth-life is fully run, 
 Unconscious of its own degree, 
 In forests of eternity. 
 
 31 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 THOUGHT. 
 
 A world of thought is mine to hold, 
 Tis full of wealth, of sparkling gold, 
 In this fair land the prospects lead, 
 Where silver streams, wash off the mold, 
 And riches fill my every need, 
 For there is naught the kingdom lacks 
 If I will use my pick and ax. 
 
 t&fr && t&~ 
 
 APOTHEGM. 
 
 When thought shall stir the mighty deep 
 And moving rise with thrilling sweep, 
 Tis spirit, in unfolding leap, 
 Like foals in long and growing sleep, 
 Prescribed it moves, upon its course, 
 By given law from God, the source. 
 
 32 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 PARODY. 
 
 Little drops of wisdom, with real grains of sand, 
 Make a mighty ocean and a wondrous land. 
 
 Excavate ! Investigate ! 
 Emanate! Inoculate! Perpetuate! 
 
 We hear the rattle of a snake 
 Within the soul; we poison take, 
 Or heed the rattle and win the battle, 
 Of life partake. 
 
 33 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 MEMORY'S FLOAT. 
 
 On memory's float there oft appears, 
 The pleasing scenes of other days, 
 
 In pictures of the fleeting years, 
 
 Where souls have grown though age decays. 
 
 On memory's float are clear, blue skies, 
 And roses with their incense sweet. 
 
 There self-sown flowers in beauty rise, 
 Where southernwood and tansy meet. 
 
 On memory's float a searching look, 
 
 (Where children with the pebbles play,) 
 
 Reveals a rippling meadow brook, 
 That floats their paper boats away, 
 
 34 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 As discords cease in coming time, 
 And souls shall seek their rightful clime, 
 When love controls the world below, 
 Then larger shall our visions grow. 
 
 If we would live in heaven fair, 
 We must obey; God's life to share, 
 For laws of truth and laws of right, 
 Unbar the doors to realms of light. 
 
 From problems old and problems new, 
 Reject the false, and hold the true, 
 The things of value are not wrought 
 In places where there is no thought. 
 
 In earthly life's far-reaching day, 
 We learn by work, by pain by play, 
 
 67 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 To seek the glory that's unfurled 
 From banners of another world. 
 
 By faith we sail, and sometimes we 
 Behold a light across the sea, 
 And hear a voice within the mind, 
 No longer deaf, no longer blind. 
 
 When love and will control the day, 
 We'll join with God and with Him stay, 
 Thus changing notes of sad refrains 
 To learn the songs of higher planes. 
 
 Through mind untaught we came to birth, 
 'Midst toil and pain we grow on earth. 
 In fullness of a wiser time 
 We, seeking, find a life sublime. 
 
 68 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 Through nature's forge we all must pass, 
 A most ill-shapen, molten mass, 
 From blow to blow the echoes ring, 
 That give us form while angels sing. 
 
 And shall not we, with life's fair spark, 
 The tracing lines in beauty mark, 
 Where God has stilled all earthly din, 
 His own dear child to save from sin? 
 
 When rooted deep, in earthly sense, 
 Though strongly bound by cords intense; 
 We pilgrims are, en route for glory, 
 The things we love unfold our story. 
 
 With Pilot Faith, with rudder Hope, 
 
 Through rocks and reefs, with storms we cope, 
 
 69 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 A loving Hand has manned our boat 
 And bade it on the waters float. 
 
 Through journeys lone, we oft are led, 
 To leave the crowd and march ahead, 
 Our highest thoughts we should not hide, 
 If we become the crucified. 
 
 For reflex light from higher planes, 
 Increases faith in broad domains, 
 Where loving prayers shall find a shrine, 
 With welcome gleams from love Divine. 
 
 The life from our Creator, God, 
 
 Like growing grain will break the sod. 
 
 The life that's sown, though quite concealed, 
 
 In harvest time will be revealed. 
 
 70 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 Through laws of love in spirit we 
 Shall know the Master Chemist, He, 
 Discarding chaff, must victory bring, 
 With highest art, crown man a king. 
 
 t5» «J» «J» 
 
 APOTHEGMS. 
 
 Every day some treasure lay 
 
 Across the way, 
 In worlds unknown, that you alone 
 
 May claim your own. 
 
 Dame Nature does her work below 
 By sun and rain and winds that blow, 
 The frosts of fall assist the type 
 And paint the fruit in beauty ripe. 
 
 71 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 APOTHEGMS. 
 
 In forming thought the pictures roll. 
 From things we build within the soul. 
 These thought designs will give n : rest 
 Till finest an with love is blest. 
 
 When wrong is done by friend or foe 
 U yon receive the cyclone's blow, 
 Just work and pray, make it your fate, 
 Their souls to love, though i m you hate. 
 
 Vibrating thought., a tuneful lyre, 
 If uncontrolled, a flame of fire. 
 That drops the soul in earthly mire 
 Or scorching. _ ; ci:es ::■ ^end us trigher. 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 APOTHEGMS. 
 
 If we would well and richly live, 
 We must in love all wrongs forgive, 
 And in the heart most deeply feel 
 Another's hope, his woe or weal. 
 
 'Tis well to grieve if ye receive 
 
 A larger light, it helps the sight, 
 If ye repent when ye lament. 
 
 The clearer seeing of inmost being, 
 Becomes our portion 
 When we guard well, the souls emotion. 
 
 73 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 APOTHEGMS. 
 
 From branching boughs the birds both bore, 
 A sprig :: spruce with strings a score, 
 7: bmld and blend with blessings best 
 
 For birdlings new the nicer, nest 
 
 The righrecui way rr.es: surely rive ; 
 True life for man when earth man lives. 
 In paths of right, by logic lies 
 True life for man when earth man dies. 
 
 If more of life, we wish to live. 
 
 Then we should know that all men draw. 
 (When they have I tamed to vise*, give 
 
 From cor.-.perisati:r."s trusty law. 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 APOTHEGMS. 
 
 The fate of Sodom early taught 
 Jehovah's laws will oft efface 
 
 The wicked men who long have brought 
 Unhallowed deeds upon their race. 
 
 If we accept; we quite allow 
 
 The golden rule, would life endow, 
 
 And give us wealth we have not now. 
 
 When we shall learn that worlds are we 
 The Father's law our rhythmic key, 
 These bodies, now so weak and torn, 
 Shall balance then, and be less worn. 
 
 75 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 APOTHEGMS. 
 
 Dear Father, I pray, to be Thine each day 
 I'll listen so still and obey Thy will. 
 
 J* 
 
 In spacious rooms are jewels wrought, 
 In finest forms of human thought. 
 
 We need relief from strife and noise, 
 And in its place more equipoise. 
 
 Within my heart this story sings, 
 The love of all created things. 
 
 76 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 APOTHEGMS. 
 
 By living here, in schools of time, 
 We lessons learn for worlds sublime. 
 
 When we aspire, by living higher, 
 Our strong desire draws holy fire. 
 
 Hasten now, with all thy speed, 
 To help thy brother in his need. 
 
 Discouraged, we revert to type, 
 And fail to see we are unripe. 
 
 77 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 EMOTIONS. 
 
 Emotions wear and then they tear, 
 
 Upon life's sea 
 They rise and bubble and give us trouble, 
 
 Where'er we may be. 
 
 They give no peace or kind release, 
 
 Where'er they roll, 
 Until we say, " They must obey, 
 
 For we control." 
 
 78 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 NATURES LAWS. 
 
 Immutable law is designed to save, 
 Tis only rubbish that goes to the grave. 
 When soul and spirit are tuned the same, 
 We then shall cease to be blind or lame. 
 
 By obeying laws higher in wisdom we choose, 
 By seeking the lower we then must loose, 
 Thus lost in the valley we wander alone, 
 Though the Shepherd is calling, calling His own. 
 
 fc?* ?(5* fe?* 
 
 APOTHEGM. 
 
 When love upon its mission goes, 
 
 Then it forever flows, 
 And will disturb the worst of foes, 
 
 And heal a world of woes. 
 
 79 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 PERFECTING LAW. 
 
 Through strokes of pain our life still clings 
 
 As to and fro the pendulum swings, 
 
 Mechanical law, controlled by mind, 
 
 Is giving the hours to all mankind. 
 
 And guiding with a helpful hand, 
 
 The forces from the higher land. 
 
 The pendulum swings and swings away, 
 
 A thousand years, but part of a day — 
 
 To form, mature, complete, refine, 
 
 The souls of men, — make them Divine. 
 
 «£» t,S» tJw 
 
 How fast the flowers of posy come 
 
 From worlds unknown; subconscious lore 
 
 To light the mind, once weak and dumb, 
 Upon its long, long waiting shore. 
 
 80 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 PRAYER. 
 
 Unseeing we stand 
 
 In depths of being, 
 Near heaven's fair land. 
 
 Dear Father, expand 
 Our inmost being. 
 By faith, in Thy land — 
 
 We reach for Thy hand 
 
 To steady our being 
 So near to new land. 
 
 81 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 SHADOWS. 
 
 Sometimes the thoughts, of long ago 
 While flashing by, go moaning low, 
 Through weary years, the soul has worn 
 These garments stained, and badly torn. 
 
 When will-o-'wisps with sad refrain 
 Bring us the things we now disdain. 
 We beat them back to restless flight 
 To seek the shade of longer night. 
 
 t3& *2& t^* 
 
 APOTHEGM. 
 
 To learn from the fathers, a fine decision; 
 Enslaved by them, a cause for derision. 
 
 82 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 NATURE'S LESSON. 
 
 Through cycling years a tree once grew, 
 In time it bore fruit fresh and new, 
 And when this stage had passed away 
 Its broadening leaves for many a day 
 Would shelter men in weary pain. 
 It changed its shape, more life to gain 
 Then fleeting years brought it at last 
 To give its form to nature past, 
 But who shall say that death's cold frost 
 Hath killed its life? Life is not lost! 
 
 <£• «*• «*• 
 
 APOTHEGM. 
 
 In writing a book, like tilling soil, 
 The value comes by work and toil. 
 
 83 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 THE FABLE OF THE BUTTERFLY. 
 
 When sun had kissed the morning mist, 
 One summer morn, upon a thorn, 
 I once espied with beauty dyed — 
 
 A Butterfly, 
 Who was so wise, he reasoned, " Why 
 Should he be he, and I be I ? " 
 He fluttered round, denouncing me 
 In words of quaint, derisive glee, 
 And said he would the mystery probe 
 Or cease to wear his gilded robe, 
 A fraud was I, a thief, said he, 
 Who plundered sweets from honey bee, 
 Then, waxing hot, he wavered not, 
 But did insist, and called the list, 
 And names he piled in chaos wild, 
 Then asked me why I was so shy 
 
 84 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 Of wearing crepe for Grandpa Ape. 
 Then loud cried he, " Low pedigree." 
 
 ^S ^s * * * 
 
 Then on he flew to sip the dew 
 And break his fast. Iconoclast 
 Was he, who " pied " my rising pride — 
 
 Rash Butterfly. 
 He was so wise, he reasoned why 
 Should he be he, and I be I. 
 
 ?*5* &5* c5* 
 
 APOTHEGM. 
 
 Birth and death we need them both, 
 These laws of life are laws of growth. 
 Through these we seek and find the goal 
 " The lily work " perfects our soul. 
 
 85 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 / CAME. 
 
 From storms that swell where billows fall, 
 And splendors awe ; a part of all — 
 
 From these I came, I came. 
 
 From cliffs of stone and beds of ore, 
 From trembling crags, where oceans roar — 
 
 From these I came, I came. 
 
 From bursting flames and breaking rocks 
 My life spark grew, through earthquake shocks- 
 From these I came, I came. 
 
 From silver waves, on waters deep, 
 Life's cradles rocked me, fast asleep — 
 
 From these I came, I came. 
 
 86 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 From cups of pearl, in sun-lit showers, 
 From ihlang trees with fragrant flowers — 
 
 From these I came, I came. 
 
 From nature notes, when life was young, 
 From thrilling tunes for birdlings sung — 
 
 From these I came, I came. 
 
 From Scottish moors, where merlins roam 
 And shyly seek their evening home — 
 
 From these I came, I came. 
 
 From lion's roar and tiger's leap, 
 From aging life, embalmed in sleep — 
 
 From these I came, I came. 
 
 87 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 From sparkling stars, from worlds above, 
 My spirit came through laws of love — 
 
 From these I came, I came. 
 
 From all of life that passed away, 
 Through fleeting years, that brought decay — 
 From these I came, I came. 
 
 From centuries all, I am a part, 
 
 Of life that flowed from God's own heart — 
 
 From these I came, I came. 
 
 Unconscious life in onward roll, 
 Began to seek its distant goal — 
 
 As on I came, I came. 
 
 88 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 My spirit robed in beauty dust, 
 By one I love, in whom I trust — 
 
 From him I came, I came. 
 
 From matter dark my Father brought 
 His child, his heir, and wisdom taught — 
 
 From where I came, I came. 
 
 God's love sent me in earthly mould 
 To form a worthy soul I hold — 
 
 For this I came, I came. 
 
 This ego, me, in forward march, 
 
 Is building, building a heavenly arch — 
 
 From where I came, I came. 
 
 89 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 Th« breath of life was given me 
 
 To grow divine and make me free — 
 
 For this I came, I came. 
 
 A destiny in holy land 
 
 For love of me was early planned — 
 
 For this I came, I came. 
 
 My Father's life, by it I see, 
 
 As child of his he dwells in me — 
 
 From love I came, I came. 
 
 (5* *2& v* 
 
 APOTHEGM. 
 
 So oft we grasp, the sharpened things 
 To cut the path that wisdom brings. 
 
 90 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 THE FABLE OF THE POLLIWOG. 
 
 One morn I met a polliwog, 
 
 As down he sat upon a log, — 
 
 His metamorphic story told, 
 
 From days of protoplastic mould. 
 
 His life in bogs one moaning wail, 
 
 About his fast-absorbing tail. 
 
 A weary dirge, a funeral knell, 
 
 From lower life, where laws compel, 
 
 A simple, sad and lowly wog, 
 
 To live again a croaking frog. 
 
 I saw him born. That very morn, 
 He winked an eye, then heaved a sigh 
 And looked at me, his fate's decree, 
 And then he asked, "Are you a cask? 
 
 91 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 And have you dined, and are you kind? 
 And can you tell the road to — heaven, 
 Is earth's outfit for vou, the ' It ' ? 
 
 Are you the orb to quite absorb, 
 In final haul, the great and small? 
 The strangest thing, are you a king? " 
 He would be frank and ask point blank, 
 "If you ate me and I not you 
 If you were king, what would you do? 
 If I should help to house your soul 
 And give it strength to reach its goal, 
 When you are king, will you atone 
 For unkind seed that you have sown? 
 If I should die, for you a fry, 
 Shall I, be I? Will you dwell high? " 
 
 92 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 My nature winced; I was convinced 
 
 And did declare, " I'll play THEE fair 
 
 To life I'll cling, so when I'm King 
 
 I'll give thee chance, thy joy enhance, 
 
 My life I'll share and deal THEE square — 
 
 Some splendid things which old earth brings 
 
 To all her kind, who have a mind 
 
 To help and cheer, while living here. 
 
 " So you may croak and hop along, 
 
 Contented with this thankful song 
 
 That all things made, to grow through change, 
 
 In ripening forms God's laws arrange 
 
 That self, for self, shall not alloy 
 
 In worlds of love and peace and joy." 
 
 93 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 THE SONG OF THE CITY. 
 
 Like sands on the beach, the old and the young, 
 In the heart of a city are ruthlessly flung. 
 
 What lessons they teach, the restless throng, 
 In the heart of a city, they hurry along. 
 
 And never can find, or once commune, 
 
 In the heart of a city, with nature's tune. 
 
 It is hard to reach, for what man needs, 
 In the heart of a city of unkind deeds. 
 
 While lands on the beach are covered with coals, 
 From the heart of a city's sin-stricken souls — 
 
 94 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 These souls on the beach are caught in whirls 
 From the heart of a city's valued pearls, — 
 
 On life's stormy beach in sorrow they're flung 
 From every great city, unknown and unsung. 
 
 %2& *3& %p* 
 
 APOTHEGM. 
 
 The winter frost releases the nut 
 
 From bonds, of the shuck, 
 
 A life on earth, o'erweary with pain, 
 Must somehow sustain, 
 
 In breaking its cell, relations of thought 
 To nuts in the shell. 
 
 95 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 THE DREAM CITY. 
 
 There are walls of jasper and floors of gold, 
 That glisten in beauty and riches untold. 
 
 And paradise rooms of wonderful lore, 
 Bid welcome to all who search and explore. 
 
 In palaces fine abideth the just, 
 In places fair of sacred trust. 
 
 There love and joy, forever remain 
 
 No blight, or sorrow, or grief, or pain. 
 
 No hunger or want there leaves its mark, 
 To join with death in shadows dark. 
 
 96 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 tor a beautiful boat, inlaid with pity, 
 
 Is laden with love, and moored in the city. 
 
 To carry the spirit away from earth, 
 To palaces fair for heavenly birth. 
 
 Where man from life has something learned, 
 With added power he is returned. 
 
 In realms of ether he then unfolds 
 In regal splendor with other souls. 
 
 In the City of Dreams, true wisdom may scan, 
 The wonderful plan of evolving man. 
 
 97 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 FAITH. 
 
 The isle of mind in God's great sea, 
 
 A kingdom fine belongs to me. 
 
 He dwelleth there, the One Most High — 
 
 And so do I. 
 
 This wonder land, so broad and deep, 
 
 Though damp with tears when sorrows leap, 
 
 To wreck our joy, 'tis gain to try — 
 
 And lift the I. 
 
 The worst of foes we can efface, 
 For faith and work and loving grace 
 Abiding now, and bye and bye — 
 
 Will help the I. 
 
 98 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 On his strong arm I gladly lean, 
 This friend of mine by spirit seen 
 To me He comes, His weary child — 
 
 And rests the I. 
 
 In growth of life we shall be blest, 
 
 The One Most Wise, who knoweth best, 
 
 Caused us to be, He draweth night — 
 
 His child am I. 
 
 When Spirit pure is undefiled, 
 
 By faith and birth, his friend and child 
 
 Is bound to Him by love's own tie — 
 
 At peace am I. 
 
 99 
 
 kP&FC 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 The mind should dwell in sunshine bright, 
 
 Reflecting God in truthful light; 
 
 In His great heart my soul must lie — 
 
 The ego I. 
 
 He speaks to me in undertone; 
 " Thy life am I, be not alone," 
 I am His child, and this is why — 
 
 He loves the I. 
 
 In sorrow's dark and troubled hour, 
 There comes a swift, uplifting power, 
 Who twines with loving thought a tie — 
 
 To keep the I. 
 
 100 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 APOTHEGMS. 
 
 Our Father's hand is on the helm 
 That leads us to a higher realm. 
 
 Such babes are we; that unconcealed 
 The priceless gems lie unrevealed. 
 
 If giant souls we wish to be, 
 
 Then from our sins we must be free. 
 
 Uplift your soul, its power for right 
 Will chain the carnal appetite. 
 
 101 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 APOTHEGMS. 
 
 From blighting wrongs we are immune, 
 When right as might, the life chords tune. 
 
 A thought unfurled will send a rocket, 
 To light the world, or rocks to block it. 
 
 The conscious mind will yet explore 
 Sub conscious fields of mental ore. 
 
 Art is beauty ripe 
 
 In forms of highest type. 
 
 102 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 APOTHEGMS. 
 
 Be bound to win. From soul efface 
 The seeds of sin, and plant in grace. 
 
 Of strength we'er shorn by small things rife, 
 And sadly worn and robbed of life. 
 
 All sin will blur, and help us land, 
 When we concur, in life's quicksand. 
 
 Foul thoughts deface and then disgrace 
 And blot and roll upon the soul. 
 
 103 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 APOTHEGMS. 
 
 Dear Father, I pray, illumine my way, 
 That I may not stray from Thy ways to-day. 
 
 Thy journey make and upward climb, 
 And mount sometime, to worlds sublime. 
 
 In some kind way, give cheer to-day. 
 
 The universe, in travail groans, 
 
 While growing life atones, 
 
 By blooming near the angel thrones. 
 
 104 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 A CLIMBING ROSE. 
 
 A FABLE. 
 
 A climbing rose so comely grew, 
 
 In sweet repose, and little knew 
 
 It formed a part of beauty rife, 
 
 From one great Heart, that fed its life. 
 
 With shining sun and sparkling dew, 
 The work was done, by love so true, 
 In fusing these in beauty scene, 
 The eye to please, it grew serene. 
 
 This climbing vine with leaves so new, 
 They helped to tint the roses' hue ; 
 In clusters fair, so thick and dense, 
 True beauty lent to every sense. 
 
 105 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 Of conscious strife it nothing knew, 
 In love with life the blossoms grew. 
 Forgetting sleep, of other time, 
 To living creep, and upward climb. 
 
 The top to reach, then roses strew, 
 Its blossoms teach the old, the true, 
 That man may take the fragrant blow, 
 For love's sweet sake help more to grow. 
 
 That other vines may life renew, 
 By loving signs — perceive the clue, 
 When we have sown there must be rest, 
 While spirit life by love is blest. 
 
 106 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 THE JOURNEY OF LIFE. 
 
 Rocked on billows of rolling deep, 
 In cradles of time we waken to sleep, 
 When souls are grown if they will sail 
 On seas of truth, right will prevail. 
 
 We should use well all that we earn, 
 In schools of life where all must learn ; 
 The earthly years the gift of a day, 
 To shape and mould and clear the way. 
 
 To lift the soul beyond a fall, 
 Unselfish life is Spirit's call. 
 From earthly birth with life roots deep, 
 The soul awakes from youthful sleep. 
 
 107 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 To conscious life, with beating heart, 
 
 A child of God, of Him a part — 
 
 Thus greater works than once were done, 
 
 Are ours to do through Christ, the Son. 
 
 «£• t3* «5* 
 
 APOTHEGMS. 
 
 In any world where'er we go 
 
 We're bound to reap whate'er we sow 
 What others sow, we also reap, 
 
 In any world where'er we go. 
 
 When growing life, makes structure fall, 
 Then break no wing on prison wall. 
 
 108 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 LET GO. 
 
 Oh let us learn to quickly turn 
 
 From all the things with poison stings, 
 
 That o'er us roll, and pierce the soul — 
 
 Let go. 
 
 And break the bubbles of coming troubles 
 That hurt and rankle, that bind and crankle, 
 The things that prickle, or cut like a sickle — 
 
 Let go. 
 
 The world's mad rush, should call a hush, 
 
 In overflow of gaining woe, 
 
 Tis wise, we know, to just let go — 
 
 Let go. 
 
 109 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 WINTER IN THE HEART. 
 
 When there is winter in the heart, 
 By faith, in time, it will depart, 
 For March and April draweth nigh, 
 And summer cometh bye and bye. 
 
 When there is winter in the heart, 
 It cannot give — and life impart, 
 Then seekest thou a sunny sky 
 That it may warm thee bye and bye. 
 
 When there is winter in the heart, 
 Then make a most decisive start, 
 And early lay your wisest plans 
 For lengthy trips to summer lands. 
 
 110 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 A cold, bleak winter in the heart, 
 Destroys the roots which try to start, 
 And warns us all to stir around, 
 By working, warm the cold, damp ground. 
 
 When winter's chill has left the heart, 
 No blighting frost will freeze or part 
 The verdant leaves of coming spring, 
 From vines that will on trestles cling. 
 
 to* <j* t}m 
 
 APOTHEGM. 
 
 If we would keep, and good things reap, 
 Then we must fill and firmly drill 
 The best of seed in every deed. 
 
 Ill 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 BABY CLOTHES. 
 
 In storage rooms of deep repose 
 Are shelves all rilled with baby clothes, 
 Out-grown, or worn, we placed them there, 
 With fingermarks of love and care. 
 
 Complacent, we should heave no sigh, 
 And peaceful be, as time goes by, 
 As one by one in sweet repose, 
 We lay away our baby clothes. 
 
 112 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 HARMONY, 
 
 When we are in Divine commune, 
 Out notes will give a heavenly tune, 
 And vibrate in celestial chime, 
 A part of all evolving time. 
 
 An instrument for sweetest song, 
 
 That's made for thought, should not be wrong, 
 
 And this is why that we should make 
 
 Our bodies fine for Spirit's sake. 
 
 In slums of sin there's naught but death, 
 On roads of right there's life and breath 
 And gifts of power for every need, 
 To help us all in noble deed. 
 
 113 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 When Sprit is in full control 
 'Twill nourish man and feed the soul, 
 In throes of pain he oft will groan, 
 When Soul, the king, is off the throne. 
 
 ta& t&& &5* 
 
 APOTHEGMS. 
 
 If doors we close, and bar the light 
 Our self-made fate is dark as night 
 If in faith we wait the Spirit will tell 
 Of a friend we have in our dark cell. 
 
 Love and keep the seraphs dear 
 In mortal forms, of souls so near. 
 
 114 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 STORMS OF THE SOUL. 
 
 A dynamo that needs control 
 Are forces of an untrained soul, 
 Unhallowed law makes brain the seat 
 Where instincts rage with furious heat. 
 
 There burning passion will create, 
 Most serious woe; unhappy state. 
 From stings of pain, and weary strife, 
 We all should grow a better life. 
 
 Our wills should be to form laws higher, 
 To work with God, with Him conspire; 
 To mould ourselves in finest art 
 From diagrams within the heart. 
 
 115 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 A Father's love shields you and me, 
 In time of now and years to be; 
 Our way is long to Zion's hill, 
 When we resist the Father's will. 
 
 Enlarge His work and give it birth, 
 Increase His kingdom here on earth, 
 All painful law is love we hold 
 To bring His child within His fold. 
 
 ^5* t^* ^5* 
 
 APOTHEGM. 
 
 When we lack thought the world is young 
 And children born are poison stung, 
 The weak ones fall in sickening throngs, 
 Though some grow ripe 'midst awful wrongs. 
 
 116 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 GRANDFATHER'S PLACE. 
 
 Along the line of passing years, 
 
 With joys and hopes and misty tears, 
 
 Familiar scenes of a bygone race, 
 
 In pictures rise from Grandfather's place. 
 
 The girls and boys so often roam, 
 With sport and noise, within this home, 
 When each one moves we note the name, 
 That sparkles in the hickory flame. 
 
 The canvas now is giving cheer, 
 Presenting thoughts to memory dear; 
 The spinning wheel and garden hoe, 
 The old-time flail, the flax and tow. 
 
 The rake and scythe to branches cling, 
 Upon the tree where grape-vines swing, 
 
 117 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 And Grandpa twirls and whirls his cane. 
 And teaches art in locust lane. 
 
 We hear him tell how Beeze fell down, 
 And threw himself on Caster town, 
 
 While Grandmamma unwinds a roll, 
 Of curdling facts, from history's scroll. 
 
 The canvas moves, — the flowing spring,- 
 And tinkling notes from memories bring, 
 The cow bells' chime, and lilies blow 
 In lowlands where the cat-tails grow. 
 
 On banks of time the cowslips peep. 
 And flowers of spring arise from sleep. 
 The maiden-hairs with berries lie, 
 In pastures green, the larks still fly. 
 
 118 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 The old pole bars that Grandpapa made 
 From saplings cut from popple shade, 
 The landmarks all are sinking low, 
 In memory's streams of long ago. 
 
 Where roams old Speck with every chick, 
 In clumps of grass on Willow Creek, 
 (There ne'er were found where dogs would 
 
 paw, 
 The countless eggs that Grandma saw.) 
 
 In summer days the song birds come, 
 And twitter round a table crumb, 
 On swaying hemp they oft prolong 
 With thrilling notes a chorus song. 
 
 The sage bush stands near peppers red, 
 The lilies shade the parsnip bed, 
 
 119 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 The south winds blow a blushing plum, 
 On twining vines when bumbles hum. 
 
 In clover fields at break of day, 
 
 An old man works his own, slow way 
 
 The timothy is ripe to mow, 
 
 And ivies creep, where plum trees grow. 
 
 Now breezes waft through osage rows, 
 The fragrance of a blushing rose. 
 A picket gate swings to and fro, 
 But, now , we miss from long ago. 
 
 The old log barn all chinked with hay 
 Where Mulley mooed and hens would lay, 
 The dear old home where flakes of snow, 
 Were wont to fall on trundles low. 
 
 120 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 They sifted in and softly crept, 
 Along the bed where Grandpa slept, 
 In passing years these visions rise, 
 And stronger bind the olden ties. 
 
 Unfolding scenes where Grandma knits, 
 A kettle steams, a candle spits, 
 And blouses hang, on the red bed post, 
 The kittens pur, and apples roast. 
 
 And chimney sweeps will sometimes start 
 Beneath the roof of the old log part, 
 As Grandma stirs the burning coals, 
 They whirl away in shoals and shoals. 
 
 And when she moves to turn the crane, 
 All things are old that still remain, 
 In picture where we ne'er efface 
 The memory of our Grandsire's place. 
 
 121 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 FAIR COLUMBIA. 
 
 This song, locally published, now revised. Tune 
 "Annie Laurie." 
 
 Columbia's hills are bonnie 
 
 And sparkle with the dew ; 
 In our land, so fair and sunny, 
 
 Live men both brave and true, 
 
 Live men both brave and true, 
 Who sing beneath the sky 
 
 For our country, fair Columbia, 
 We'll lay us down and die. 
 
 With winding rivers flowing, 
 
 And vales of emrald green; 
 The fairest land worth knowing, 
 
 The fairest ever seen. 
 
 122 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 The fairest ever seen, 
 And dark blue is her sky ; 
 
 For our country, fair Columbia, 
 We'll lay us down and die. 
 
 Homes on her prairies lying, 
 
 Bid welcome foreign feet; 
 When our nation's flag is flying, 
 
 We look for no defeat, 
 
 We look for no defeat; 
 We'll float our flag on high, 
 
 For our country, fair Columbia, 
 We'll lay us down and die. 
 
 Here daughters of the Norseland 
 And sons of Shamrock fame, 
 
 May clasp our nation's hand 
 In fair Columbia's name, 
 
 123 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 In fair Columbia's name ; 
 And sing her praises high, 
 
 For our country, fair Columbia, 
 We'll lay us down and die. 
 
 From Britain's isle they're going, 
 From Rhineland's tuneful strand, 
 
 From where the Nile's now flowing 
 They come from every land, 
 They come from every land ; 
 
 And may their manhood try, 
 If for fairest land, Columbia, 
 
 They'll lay them down and die. 
 
 £& t0* c<5* 
 
 APOTHEGM. 
 
 We better rise and fall 
 Than never rise at all. 
 124 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 THE JUDGMENT. 
 
 Within a house we call our own, 
 We write our lives, on walls of stone. 
 
 And then we may the walls deface 
 Or make them shine with love and grace. 
 
 Sometime the work we shall behold, 
 
 All marred with black or striped in gold. 
 
 Of diamond dust, some may be found 
 In crooked lines that there abound. 
 
 We have within, a judgment throne, 
 That we impress on walls of stone. 
 
 Upon these walls to be discerned, 
 Are all the things that we have learned. 
 
 125 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 THE FABLE OF THE LOCUST. 
 
 One morning fine, upon a vine, 
 A locust clung and there he sung, 
 A song well planned, for locust band, 
 So full of cheer, and yet so queer, 
 That in the cold, of dirt and mould, 
 Through years and years he disappears, 
 His small life spark lies in the dark; 
 But in full time the life bells chime, 
 The day of birth, he breaks the earth, 
 And creeping out he looks about, 
 As though he dreads old larva beds, 
 
 As instinct sees his coming ease, 
 No weary strife, with faith in life, 
 For daily need, with extra speed, 
 So, strange to tell, he bursts his shell, 
 The very morn that he was born, 
 126 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 By laws so fine they are Divine, 
 It pleased my whim to talk with him, 
 E're he joined notes with other throats, 
 A kindred band from locust land. 
 
 Repeating bars he seldom mars, 
 His own commune with nature's tune, 
 And oh his wings, such precious things, 
 They renew his life, so rich and rife, 
 Through years he slept, and then he crept, 
 And when awake, good cheer would make, 
 In music tell that all is well. 
 He loved to fly and would spin by 
 O'er rocky steep and river deep. 
 
 127 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 When new life flows away he goes, 
 
 But leaves behind of locust kind, 
 
 A thousandfold in earth's black mould 
 
 In changeful ways, in coming days, 
 
 We all must sow, and grow and grow 
 
 Through various scenes kind nature means 
 
 That we should plant — through sun and storm 
 
 We reap again another form, 
 
 Born from the old and finer cast, 
 
 Celestial form our home at last. 
 
 t&& x3& to* 
 
 APOTHEGM. 
 
 The man who thinks beyond his race, 
 Unsheathes his sword and cuts the way 
 
 For weaker men to win a place 
 
 And live in peace life's earthly day. 
 
 128 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 BABY. 
 
 A crib of chairs, to bar the stairs, 
 A mother made where baby played. 
 
 There baby prattled and boxes rattled, 
 Then climbing up, would hold her cup. 
 
 With fingers pink for " mick to drink " 
 And give some to the " pitty kitty." 
 
 Whose low, deep pur and soft white fur 
 Crept through rocks of baby blocks. 
 
 She drew the pegs from Dolly's legs, 
 To find the why of Dolly's cry. 
 
 In double pairs she piled the chairs, 
 And heaped the spools upon the stools. 
 
 129 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 Her love compelled her faithful care 
 And closely held her Teddy Bear. 
 
 She hummed a tune of sweet commune, 
 In nursery rhyme and baby time. 
 
 And played " Bopeep " till fast asleep, 
 From listening long, to cricket song. 
 
 «3» c£S J* 
 
 APOTHEGM. 
 
 The voice within shall make us free, 
 Through laws of truth, not isms, 
 
 When love becomes our perigee, 
 
 It will erase our creeds and schisms. 
 
 130 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 EVOLUTION. 
 
 When budding life is called below, 
 To God returned, the lessons learned — 
 
 Have worth, we know. 
 
 To live, we die; life's rivers meet 
 And onward flow. The souls that grow — 
 Find no defeat. 
 
 Imperfect man, so oft beguiled, 
 From paths of right should raise his light — 
 God's loving child. 
 
 In mystic land, the earth grows dim, 
 Through waning lights, the spirit sights — 
 The way to him. 
 
 131 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 The Xazarene unblinded saw 
 That doing right evolved the sight — 
 Of higher law. 
 
 If we but grow,, when we are ripe.. 
 God's law revokes our earthly yokes — 
 To new life type. 
 
 A spark Divine within us dwells. 
 
 To lead our souls to their fair goals — 
 
 From earth-bound shells. 
 
 If sin shall blight and sap life's flow, 
 God's love will care and still forbear — 
 And help us grow. 
 
 The Spirit germs of Him a part, 
 With light a-glow, incircling flow — 
 
 To His great heart. 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 The Spirit's sheath aids longer life, 
 
 From natal morn. Through earth we're 
 
 born — 
 
 To flower in strife. 
 
 As winter winds and summer heat, 
 Will life impart, to make the heart — 
 Of acorn beat. 
 
 In normal way, when we obey, 
 We growing thrive and long survive — 
 In earthly day. 
 
 And build a holy, living form, 
 From Parent Vine, Celestial Line — 
 
 True life adorn. 
 
 133 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 With stronger roots and less decay. 
 The spirit feeds on noble deeds — 
 
 From day to day, 
 
 Thus every age should higher climb, 
 By thoughtful mind in soul combined— 
 To life sublime. 
 
 S & & 
 
 APOTHEGMS. 
 
 Our failures may e'en pave the way, 
 
 On which we rise to clearer skies. 
 
 A wise man learns to fill the urns, 
 When wisdom hurls her splendid pearls. 
 
 134 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 OUR PRECEDENT. 
 
 God gave a mind to you and me, 
 With power of thought to make us free. 
 Through Sprit's aid and growth in grace 
 We help to form a spacious place, 
 And raise the torch that Wisdom sent — 
 To be our precedent, 
 
 In its clear light, by love that rules, 
 Unbound by power of man-made schools, 
 We truly live, if we shall sow, 
 As life unfolds, by giving grow, 
 Increasing light. Our Father sent — 
 
 Our only precedent. 
 
 135 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 lio the soul the mind of time, 
 May discord make, or sweetly chime, 
 In schools of life we keep in tone 
 The keys we touch, and call our own, 
 These gifts of love, by wisdom lent — 
 
 T: aid in precedent. 
 
 They sometimes break or, straining, bend 
 And nature kind will help to mend, 
 While chords of gra:e assist each other, 
 In tune with love, to help a brother. 
 Xo gift for self is eva ent — 
 
 By a wise pre cedent. 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 No idols make of ages past, 
 For changes will all forms recast, 
 While man himself so often rakes 
 The ashes o'er his own mistakes, 
 As passing years have burdens sent — 
 
 To make a precedent. 
 
 Through restless mind create no storm, 
 For selfish aim, aid no reform. 
 But when thy heart hath wisdom sought, 
 Then darker souls should truth be taught, 
 Give them thy light, of wrong repent — 
 
 And fear no precedent. 
 
 137 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 Release the mind and nobly dare 
 Thyself to give, thy life to share, 
 And fear no foe that slays mankind, 
 That binds or chains the human mind. 
 Poor, cringing man so warped and bent, 
 
 And bound by precedent. 
 
 Through laws of growth of life partake, 
 As ice shall melt in sunrise lake. 
 God help us all upon our way 
 Through chilling frost to brighter day. 
 He wisely gave, and loving sent — 
 
 A holy precedent. 
 
 138 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 RACE SUICIDE. 
 
 The death rate of a nation is a subject for debate 
 and wise legislation. But when individuals become 
 excited over the alleged demise of human beings who 
 have never been in existence, while they remain in- 
 different to the monster sins that afflict ignorant and 
 innocent humanity, to say the least, it presents an in- 
 consistency or undeveloped thought, indicating that 
 we are still in the childhood of national improve- 
 ment. 
 
 In 1906 three thousand wives were murdered by 
 drunken husbands, twenty-three hundred children 
 were crushed to death in sleep, by intoxicated moth- 
 ers. The imbecile and insane are increasing with 
 great rapidity, while thousands die annually for lack 
 of nutritious food. One hundred and fifty thousand 
 beings fill untimely graves every year through that fell 
 
 139 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 destroyer, tuberculosis. Similar facts could be mul- 
 tiplied indefinitely, but these are sufficient to arrest 
 thought and cause us to inquire if it would be an act 
 of greater national wisdom, to decrease the death rate 
 and eliminate the prepoisoned birth rate, ere we call 
 for millions more of little children to be slain beneath 
 the destructive wheels of our own cars of juggernaut. 
 
 RACE SUICIDE. 
 
 We aim for skill in all things great, 
 But seek no skill and mend too late, 
 The millions born who should be free 
 Fronr wrongs decreed by you or me. 
 
 Why do we prate, and prate, and prate, 
 And line with souls perdition's gate 
 Where lust, and rum, and sweat-shops kill 
 The human form, and human will? 
 
 140 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 The deaf, the dumb, the halt, the blind, 
 Are bound by thongs of every kind, 
 While minds insane now overflow, 
 With scourging laws, that man should know. 
 
 When fools perpetuate their kind 
 We reap a crop of weakened mind, 
 For deeds of vice and folly bring 
 The thistle with its savage sting. 
 
 When sparks of God are brought to earth, 
 In thoughtless slums, by mortal birth, 
 Then children born to prison fate, 
 Are bound in chains most desolate. 
 
 That race is weak in brawn and brain, 
 When seeds are sown that spoil the grain, 
 
 141 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 A thoughtless act, though poison slow, 
 Will cloud the world with human woe. 
 
 In vortex moulds, unthinking hurled, 
 Are mortals born in this earth world. 
 Though jungle men, if wiser taught, 
 Could lift the scales of human thought. 
 
 When germs of life, on finding birth, 
 Are scarred by things most foul on earth, 
 Then souls are numbed by carnal sense, 
 Or quickly clothed in graveclothes dense. 
 
 A savage greed fits swine in pen, 
 But it destroys the homes of men, 
 And thoughtless stings with awful power, 
 The nation in conception's hour. 
 
 142 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 When man is born in cells of grief, 
 Through carnal mind for pleasure brief, 
 A selfish thought is then ensouled, 
 When holy love should fill the mould. 
 
 It is sad shame to place self gain, 
 Above an age, an age of pain, 
 Disease, a bud ere it finds place, 
 To win its way in life's long race. 
 
 We raise the grade of stock, but call 
 To life, by chance, the children all 
 And open throw the slums of hate, 
 Insane with lust at passion's gate. 
 
 And up we pile the funeral pyres 
 With human forms, unholy fires, 
 
 143 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 While spirits in unfitting moulds, 
 Unclasp, by death, their prison holds. 
 
 In sin and crime we pay the cost, 
 Unnumbered births by death are lost, 
 That should have been so bred by thought, 
 That hope, and joy, and love were wrought. 
 
 Unhallowed births in filling space, 
 The daggers drive, that kill our race, 
 And while we sing some soothing song, 
 For children slain, the bells toll long. 
 
 Oh, Father, in this awful blight, 
 Anoint our eyes and give us light, 
 Unclasp our souls, that they may tell, 
 Escaping ways from self-made hell. 
 
 144 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 Monastic rules we do not plead, 
 But voice to all the world's great need, 
 For laws of birth more truly just, 
 Controlled by thought, and not by lust. 
 
 'Tis all so dark, and folly gains 
 In laws of sex, when silence reigns; 
 Oh help our need, and light the way 
 That we may learn, in wisdom pray. 
 
 We should not spread unholy deeds 
 By breeding vile and foulsome seeds, 
 In sowing sin, and weakened wills 
 We so disgrace God's wonder mills. 
 
 Our forms should be by wisdom given, 
 That Spirit power, not passion driven 
 
 145 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 Could build for self a glorious morn 
 And bless the millions yet unborn. 
 
 In earthly moulds for being blessed, 
 The Spirit seed by law is pressed, 
 And noble man should help to shape 
 An angle fit, for God's estate. 
 
 The Spirit thought, from higher mind 
 Could purify the lower kind, 
 And we be more regenerate made 
 By holy love in accolade. 
 
 In bonds of love from mind to mind 
 We brothers are, who love our kind, 
 And wise are we when this we know 
 We reap the crop that all men sow. 
 
 146 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 That age is dark that breeds its kin, 
 In tides of lust and volts of sin, 
 With little thought to save the race, 
 In giving life by laws of grace. 
 
 The time will come when men shall know 
 That Hades reigns in worlds below, 
 When stormy passions, most intense, 
 Are not controlled by Spirit sense. 
 
 We drift along till strength is shorn, 
 So weak and weary, sad and torn, 
 Until at last kind reason brings, 
 The torch of faith to light all things. 
 
 A noble name, some future sage 
 May carve for us on history's page; 
 
 147 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 That time will be when earth man dares 
 To sow pure seed unmixed with tares. 
 
 When trained through years of kindly thought 
 In wisdom's ways shall we be taught. 
 Relieved from swaddling clothes of shame, 
 A light with love from whence we came. 
 
 A power Divine calls man from lust, 
 To help him build, be kind and just, 
 Perfect the work when life we give, 
 That spirit man may better live. 
 
 Inherent woe will still its strife, 
 When man shall live the higher life, 
 And earth and heaven shall reap the glow, 
 As Parent-like God's children grow. 
 
 148 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 APOTHEGMS. 
 
 We backward turn and sometimes learn 
 We should not grieve, but help receive. 
 
 When we plant seeds of noble deeds, 
 We shall partake of things we make. 
 
 Dear Father above, Thy libations of love 
 In waves o'er us roll, to cleanse the soul. 
 
 In ceaseless rounds of hurry, in useless jars of 
 
 worry, 
 Take time in hours of need, to do the kindly deed. 
 
 149 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 A STUDY FROM NATURE. 
 
 Go where — 
 
 Unfolding leaves hear Nature's call, 
 To heal the wounds where branches fall, 
 When drifting snow in silent gloom 
 Is feeding life, that flowers may bloom. — 
 
 Go there. 
 
 Go where — 
 
 The v cactus thrives on sandy plains 
 Like thistle weeds; it spreading gains, 
 No value known, till Burbank's plan 
 Revealed its use for unwise man, — 
 
 Go there. 
 
 150 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 Go where — 
 
 Decaying punk illumes the night, 
 For insect homes, with mellow light, 
 There feathered ferns in beauty hide, 
 The nestling birds that near them glide, — 
 
 Go there. 
 
 Go where — 
 
 A pleasing thought from woodland wren 
 May bring to mind a forest glen, 
 Where vision fair in thought unfurls 
 The sweetest songs from tuneful merles, — 
 
 Go there. 
 
 Go where — 
 
 The birds may hide in mossy ledge, 
 
 From sun and storm, where nature's pledge, 
 
 Of ample store and tender care, 
 
 May find her own, her love to share, — 
 
 Go there. 
 151 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 Go where — 
 
 The willows weep and waving sway, 
 The soldier's red; some summer day 
 And lilies blue, unstained by toil, 
 With cowslips bloom, on lowland soil. — 
 
 Go there. 
 
 Go where — 
 
 The beating storms on mountains clash 
 
 And thunders peal, and lightnings flash, 
 
 Where torrents gorge, and waters flow, 
 
 To float our ships to Mexico, — 
 
 Go there. 
 
 Go where — 
 
 The boiling geysers steam and roar, 
 Below the earth ; then foaming pour 
 O'er lava beds and craters old, 
 
 A million lessons yet untold, — 
 
 Go there. 
 152 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 Go where — 
 
 Kind nature forms a lovely curl 
 To heal the wound in oyster pearl, 
 Where grief and care have helped to bring, 
 And crown through pain some soul a king, — 
 
 Go there. 
 
 Go where — 
 
 Our Father's love enduring dwells, 
 His own dear voice in silence tells, 
 Where springs of life forever flow, 
 To quench our thirst and heal our woe, — 
 
 Go there. 
 
 t^w <^» ^* 
 
 APOTHEGM. 
 
 For coral beds we hope; and seek 
 In waters broad and oceans deep. 
 
 153 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 THE OLD AXD XEW. 
 
 The M isms " old we oft forsake. 
 As thought waves o'er the waters break, 
 And foaming caps in beaut}- burst, 
 Inviting us to quench our thirst. 
 
 Beneath the currents' tidal swell. 
 The waves of thought, in coming tell, 
 That truth alone., in holy birth. 
 May come to men while yet on earth. 
 
 The veins of mind with thought were filled, 
 While victims fell and blood was spilled, 
 Through many years our thinking brought, 
 A widening of our channel's thought. 
 
 Dear friends were they, our pains to share, 
 To help us up a golden stair, 
 
 154 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 Where we might see a beacon light, 
 Revealing a much broader sight. 
 
 Our lessons we must oft repeat, 
 To help us win a higher seat, 
 Where stars of truth have ever shone 
 To light the path we make our own. 
 
 Through years of grief and long drawn pain, 
 We sink to rise and build again, 
 And thus have we increased our ken, 
 Since we began as primate men. 
 
 As pass the creeds of darkened days, 
 Unbinding men from slavish ways, 
 We hear the bells in softer chimes 
 As they ring out the olden times. 
 
 155 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 When new thoughts come, and old ones crash 
 In storms that roar, the lightning's flash 
 Reveals to us that he who grieves, 
 May welcome yet the harvest sheaves. 
 
 %a* v& t&* 
 
 APOTHEGMS. 
 
 We should enlarge our mental barge 
 By precepts caught on seas of thought. 
 
 The wrong corrupts, kills or instructs. 
 
 In clay beds lie the diamonds high. 
 
 Upon the shore the billows roar, 
 But fathoms deep the waters sleep. 
 
 156 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 APOTHEGMS. 
 
 New life will flow, with after glow 
 To all who sow. 
 
 Discard the stings, of trifling things, 
 That so entangle, grow and wrangle, 
 
 Mankind is in the grinding mills, 
 Of growing pain's expression, 
 
 While truth the inmost being fills, 
 Expanding in progression. 
 
 If man would have a surface flow 
 Of thought, from waters deep, 
 
 He must control the undertow, 
 For waves that whirl and leap, 
 
 Hold precious gems, his soul would keep. 
 157 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 APOTHEGMS. 
 
 In our Father's keep are diamonds deep. 
 
 No single bound can win much ground, 
 But keeping time with nature's chime, 
 We sections hold in lands of gold. 
 
 Oh ! speed away from old doomsday 
 When troubles weight the mortal clay, 
 With open sight, perceive the light. 
 
 Our embers die, unless we send 
 The life in us, and giving lend 
 To other souls, all being blend. 
 
 158 
 
RAYS OF THOUGHT 
 
 APOTHEGMS. 
 
 By growth each day, the spirit's birth, 
 By higher laws, wins man from earth. 
 
 Thoughts like shifting clouds, 
 That float away, return with more, 
 Some other day. 
 
 Ye know that death is on the way, 
 So speed thy work while yet 'tis day. 
 
 The Father gives His child of love, 
 His own hard work below, above. 
 
 Should man be weak, afraid to speak, 
 Refuse to light his own dark night. 
 
 159 
 
(90/ 
 

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