174

TRUST IN GOD AND DO THE RIGHT

tremble

Courage, brother, do not stumble,

Though thy be dark as night; There's a star to guide the humble ;— "Trust in God, and do the right."

Let the road be rough and dreary,
And its end far out of sight,
Face it bravely, strong or weary!
"Trust in God, and do the right."

Perish policy and cunning!

Perish all that fears the light!
Whether losing, whether winning,
"Trust in God, and do the right."

Trust no party, sect, or faction;
Trust no leaders in the fight;
But in every word and action,
"Trust in God, and do the right."

Simple rule, and safest guiding,

Inward peace and inward might,

Star upon our path abiding,

"Trust in God, and do the right."

Some will hate thee, some will love thee,
Some will flatter, some will slight;
Cease from man, and look above thee,
"Trust in God, and do the right."

NORMAN MACLEOD

175

THERE'S WORK ENOUGH TO DO

The blackbird early leaves its rest
To meet the smiling morn,
And gather fragments for its nest,
From upland wood and lawn;
The busy bee that wings its way
'Mid sweets of varied hue,

And every flower, would seem to say, "There's work enough to do."

The cowslip and the spreading vine,
The daisy in the grass,

The snowdrop and the eglantine,

Preach sermons as we pass.
The ant, within its cavern deep,
Would bid us labor, too,
And writes upon his tiny heap,
"There's work enough to do.”

Who then can sleep, when all around
Is active, fresh, and free?

Shall man-creation's lord-be found
Less busy than the bee?

Our courts and alleys are the field, If men would search them through, That richest sweets of labor yield,

And there's enough to do.

To have a heart for those who weep,
The sottish drunkard win;

To rescue all the children, deep

In ignorance and sin;

To help the poor, the hungry feed,
To give him coat and shoe;

To see that all can write and read-
Is work enough to do.

The time is short-the world is wide,
And much has to be done;

This wondrous earth and all its pride
Will vanish with the sun!

The moments fly on lightning's wings,
And life's uncertain, too;

No time to waste on foolish things-
"There's work enough to do."

176

BE TRUE

ANONYMOUS

Young friends, to whom life's early days

Are bright with promise all,

And to whose view the glowing rays

Of hope unclouded fall;

To counsel each to choose the good,
Throughout the coming years, I would
A precept give to you:

Observe, if you success would win,
The wealth of worth embodied in

Two little words: Be true.

Be true to Right: let Justice still
Her even balance claim;

Unawed, unbribed, through good or ill,
Make rectitude your aim,

Unswayed by prejudice, your mind
Each day submitted claims will find
To champion or deny;

Then cast, according to your light,
Your influence on the side of right,
Though all the world goes by.

Be true to Truth: the proudest name
That sterling worthy may win
Is soiled and tarnished past reclaim
Where falsehood enters in.

No gem that arduous toil may find
In learning's field, adorns the mind
Like truth's pure shining ray;
And from her presence error's crowds
Of worshippers disperse like clouds
Before the rising day.

Be true to Reason: let her light

Be ever glorified,

And make through life her beacon bright

A fixed, enduring guide.

False views of life young faith may blind,

False creeds allure the youthful mind

And its adherence win;

But reason's steady light to thee

An oracle of truth shall be,

A monitor within.

Be true to Self-Respect: the world
May judge thy motives wrong,
And slander's poisoned shafts be hurled
Where virtue moves along;

Keep thou the upright ways that find
Th'approval of thine own good mind—
"To thine own self be true ";
So shalt thou proudly walk erect,
And conscious of thine own respect,
Make others' honor due.

These are the virtues, these the ways,
That bring their own reward;
And to observe them all thy days
Keep constant watch and guard.
He who from these his guidance takes
Gives to the race the hope that makes
The march of man sublime;

And each good deed, each wrong withstood,
Lives in its influence for the good

Throughout all coming time!

ANONYMOUS