PR ^Si^rMv^S^M^x^^^:^^!^^:^^^^^^.^:^^ pS;W5^^?5J^^^^^^^»5?!£?^^^ 1 ii I ^'1 LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. Shelf.. H?Cg UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. ^ :4ff2^-^VC2>- '&^- COMPENSATION OTHER DEVOTIONAL POEMS. BY FRANCES RIDLEY HAVERGAL. NEW YORK: ANSON D. F. RANDOLPH & COMPANY, 900 Broadway, Cor. 2oth Street. i / « '■ '-\i> \'' COPYRIGHT, 188I, BY ANSON D. F. RANDOLPH & COMPANY. /^^^ ^0^ NEW YORK: EDWARD O. JENKINS, ROBERT RUTTER, Prifiter and Stereotyper^ Binder^ 20 iNorth William St. ti6 and 118 East 14th Street. The Publishers of this volume have been accustomed for some years past to import a considerable portion of its contents printed as Leaflets, A demand for these Poems in a more permanent form has led to the present issue, which includes not only the Leaflets heretofore published, but the other Devotional Poems of the author. Many of the Poems will still continue to be published as Leaflets. €ompcnsatian. r\ THE compensating springs ! O the balanc- ^ ings of life, Hidden away in the workings under the seeming strife ! Slowing the fret and the friction, weighting the whirl and the force. Evolving the truest power from each unconscious source. How shall we gauge the whole, who can only- guess a part ? How can we read the life, when we cannot spell the heart ? How shall we measure another, we who can never know. From the juttings above the surface the depth of the vein below ? Even our present way is known to ourselves alone, Height and abyss and torrent, flov/er and thorn and stone ; But we gaze on another's path as a far-off mount- ain scene. Scanning the outlined hills, but never the vales between. COM PENS A TION. How shall we judge their present, we who have never seen That which is past for ever, and that which might have been ? Measuring by ourselves, unwise indeed are we. Measuring what we know by what we can hardly see. Ah ! if we knew it all we should surely understand That the balance of sorrow and joy is held with an even hand, That the scale of success or loss shall never overflow, And that compensation is twined with the lot of high and low. The easy path in the lowland hath little of grand or new. But a toilsome ascent leads on to a wide and glorious view ; Peopled and warm is the valley, lonely and chill the height, But the peak that is nearer the storm-cloud is nearer the stars of light. Launch on the foaming stream that bears along like a dart, — There is danger of rapid and rock, there is ten- sion of muscle and heart ; 8 CO MP ENS A TION, Glide on the easy current, monotonous, calm, and slow, You are spared the quiver and strain in the safe quiet flow. O the sweetness that dwells in a harp of many- strings. While each, all vocal with love, in tuneful har- mony rings ! But O, the wail and the discord, when one and another is rent Tensionless, broken, or lost, from the cherished instrument. For rapture of love is linked with the pain or fear of loss, And the hand that takes the crown must ache with many a cross ; Yet he who hath never a conflict hath never a victor's palm. And only the toilers know the sweetness of rest and calm. Only between the storms can the Alpine traveller know Transcendent glory of clearness, marvels of gleam and glow ; Had he the brightness unbroken of cloudless summer days, This had been dimmed by the dust and the veil of a brooding haze. 9 COMPENSATION. Who would dare the choice, 7ieitJier or both to know, The finest quiver of joy or the agony-thrill of woe? Never the exquisite pain, then never the exqui- site bliss, For the heart that is dull to that can never be strung to this. Great is the pearl or toil if the glory or gain be great ; Never an earthly gift without responsible weight ; Never a treasure without a following shade of care ; Never a power without the lurk of a subtle snare. For the swift is not the safe, and the sweet is not the strong ; The smooth is not the short, and the keen is not the long ; The much is not the most, and the wide is not the deep ; And the flow is never a spring, when the ebb is only neap. Then hush ! oh, hush ! for the Father knows what thou knowest not, The need and the thorn and the shadow linked with the fairest lot ; lo CO MP ENS A TION. Knows the wisest exemption from many an un* seen snare, Knows what will keep thee nearest, knows what thou could'st not bear. Hush ! oh, hush ! for the Father portioneth as He will To all His beloved children, and shall they not be still ? Is not His will the wisest, is not His choice the best ? And in perfect acquiescence is there not perfect rest ? Hush ! oh, hush ! for the Father, whose ways are true and just, Knoweth and careth and loveth, and waits for thy perfect trust ; The cup He is slowly filling shall soon be full to the brim, And infinite compensations for ever be found in Him. Hush ! oh, hush ! for the Father hath fullness of joy in store. Treasures of power and wisdom, and pleasures for evermore ; Blessing and honour and glory, endless, infinite bliss ; — Child of His love and His choice, oh, canst thou not wait for this } II (£onfxhcncc. TN Thee I trust, on Thee I rest, -*■ O Saviour dear, Redeemer blest ! No earthly friend, no brother knows My weariness, my wants, my woes. On Thee I call Who knowest all. O Saviour dear. Redeemer blest. In Thee I trust, on Thee I rest. Thy power. Thy love. Thy faithfulness, With lip and life I long to bless. Thy faithfulness shall be my tower, My sun Thy love, my shield Thy power. In darkest night. In fiercest fight, With lip and life I long to bless Thy power, Thy love, Thy faithfulness. HE hath loved thee, and He knows All thy fears and all thy foes ; Victor thou shalt surely be Ever through His love to thee. Rest in quiet joy on this, — Greater love hath none than His : And may this thy life-song be, Love to Him that lovcth thee ! ''BcUb across tfje Snou)/' CHRISTMAS, merry Christmas! Is it really come again ? With its memories and greetings, With its joy and with its pain. There's a minor in the carol, And a shadow in the light, And a spray of cypress twining With the holly wreath to-night. And the hush is never broken By laughter light and low As we listen in the starlight To the *' bells across the snow." O Christmas, merry Christmas, 'Tis not so very long Since other voices blended With the carol and the song ! If we could but hear them singing As they are singing now, If we could but see the radiance Of the crown on each dear brow ; There would be no sigh to smother. No hidden tear to flow, As we listen in the starlight To the *' bells across the snow/' 13 ''BELLS ACROSS THE SNOVVr O Christmas, merry Christmas ! This never more can be ; We cannot bring again the days Of our unshadowed glee. But Christmas, happy Christmas, Sweet herald of good-will, With holy songs of glory Brings holy gladness still. For peace and hope may brighten, And patient love may glow. As we listen in the starlight To the " bells across the snow." ^itl)crt0