This document contains a collection of poems and sermons in rhyme on various biblical and spiritual topics. The poems range from 3 to 6 stanzas and address themes like peace, forgiveness, hypocrisy, salvation, heaven, and more. They utilize rhyme and metaphor to convey messages about living according to God's will and finding meaning, hope and comfort in faith.

1. SERMONS IN RHYME
JUDITH L. C. GARNETT
Edited by Glenn Pease
CONTENTS
THE PRINCE OF PEACE . 9
Nemesis 10
SPRING 11
Death 11
Satett 12
The Cubss of Cain 12
AxTNT Dinah's Rbpxtuie 14
Heartbboken 14
AliE&ICA 15
1

2. The Hypocrite Christian 17
To THE New Year 19
The Finished Product 19
In the "Upper Garden" 20
The Last Decision 21
Christmas 21
The World in a Slinq 22
Lost 23
Heaven 24
Two Masters, Two Fields, Two Paths, and Two Homes 25
The Call of the Home 26
Preparedness 27
2

3. Magdalene 29
The Hero's Failure . 30
Slaves 31
The Brunt of the Fight 33
Easter 35
Deulah .-35
The Tbattob's Wealth 38
Just a Woman; Not a Suffbaoette 36
Cheeb Up! 38
The Broken Pbomise 39
Oppobtunitt . 39
Jezebel 41
3

4. OO-WOBKEBS with GOD .42
The Pebfect Pattern 43
Idols 43
The Unbuly Tongue 46
To-day 46
Heabtbbeaking 47
Misteb and Mistbess Timesebveb 48
The Poob Rich Man 49
At the Mabbiage Altab 49
The Devil's Castopp 60
Gbeat Men 61
The Heabt op the Fatheb 62
4

5. Death 63
Undeb the Eose 64
Defeated 64
FOBEVEB 65
Gbeatness - ... 66
The Diffebence 67
In Jail, and Out 58
God's CJountby 69
SERMONS IN RHYME
THE PRINCE OP PEACE
From whence come wars and fightings among youf —
James iv, 1.
5

6. nations new, nations old,
While you spare not man, nor gun, nor gold.
The Mighty One, the Prince of Peace,
Doth command you that your strifes must cease ;
While yet you snarl and clash and hate,
His white flag gleams near Heaven's gate.
O Brother of mine by war defiled.
Think of Bethlehem's babe, — the Heaven-bom child;
Cast down thy sword and reach to me
A brother's hand on land or sea.
Brother, stay war's crimes to-day.
And let us try the Prince's way!
Our hearts are God's for heaven and time;
'Tis Satan that makes us lust for crime.
God gives us room where we may be
Akin on land and on the sea.
O Brother, stay thy sword to-day.
And let us try the great King's way.
6

7. O Brother of mine, — anear or far, —
God will judge of our deeds, — ^what our battles are, —
Will strip sin's heart of godless pride.
Though gold be great and lands be wide.
O Brother, reach thy hand to me, —
A brother's hand on land or sea.
Yes, Brother of mine, — anear or far, —
One will judge what our battles are ;
One will judge between thee and me;
The One who made earth, sky, and sea, —
Will rule all nations, rule each man,
Though great the nation and vast the plan.
Brother, cast your sword away
And let us turn to Him to-day.
NEMESIS
Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Galatians vi, 7.
7

8. Nemesis, O Nemesis,
With your dark and lowered brow,
I see you stand and measure
Sin's black harvest to me now.
Nemesis, Nemesis, —
God, have pity on me now! —
I see you stand and measure
With relentless hand and brow.
Nemesis, Nemesis, —
Dear Christ, oh, pitying, stay
The crushing weight of harvest
That she measures out to-day!
SPRING
Understanding ia a toellaprvng of life to him that hath it.
Proverbs wvi, 22.
The old man smiled and listened,
For the old man's heart was young;
And he loved the gold of the crocus,
8

9. And the song that the robin sung.
The old man smiled and listened,
For he thought of heaven's bloom
And the blessed voices of angels
That sing gladly beyond the tomb.
DEATH
Yea, though I walk through the valley, of the shadow of death.
— Psalm amii, 4.
The journey, oh, the journey, —
With neither friend nor gold.
With neither sight nor hearing,—
Out in the dark and cold!
The journey, oh, the journey, —
The journey all must take I —
But Ood will guard me resting,
And greet me when I wake.
9

10. SAFETY
But whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall he safe.
Proverbs wxix, 25.
Oh, the wind blows north,
And the wind blows west.
And black is the frown
On the east-cloud's crest;
And the wild wind may harm
My tent where it stands.
But my soul is safe.
In Jehovah's hands.
Ah, sin journeys north,
And sin travels south;
Like a famished wolf's
Is its wide-stretched mouth.
And though sin press me hard,
Yet it can not' kill
My soul, held safe
By God's mighty will.
10

11. THE CURSE OF CAIN
And now art thou cursed. — Genesis iv, 11.
Brother, my Brother,
Cold, silent art thou.
With my sword in thy breast.
And death 's dew on thy brow !
Brother, my Brother,
With thy cross to bear, —
Did I send the barbed dart,
And no soft word to cheer?
Brother, my Brother,
With wounds deep and wide,-
1 beheld thy dread plight.
Yet thy kinship denied.
Brother, my Brother,
Have I robbed thy store
Of thy fame, — ^more than life, —
And of peace evermore?
11

12. Brother, my Brother,
If thy life I mar, *
Then my bosom must bear
The same torture and scar;
And Brother, my Brother,
God's question will be:
Where, — the brother I gave, —
Answer now, — ^where is he?"
AUNT DINAH'S REPULSE
Resist the devil, and he will flee from you, — James iv, 7.
Does yer know dat wicked rascal
Sed ter Dinah, — dat's po' me, —
'*Darlin', ef yer'U only lub me,
Yo' kin hab de worP an' seat"
Den I sed to dat ole rascal :
"Yo' ole debil," — dat was him, —
12

13. **See dis rollin'-pin I'se got heret —
An ' I 'se neither weak ner slim ! ' '
HEARTBROKEN
He hath sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, — Luke iv, 18.
The home I loved is lonely
As the dead bird's last year's nest.
And only by my sad heart's blood
Know I the east or west.
The love that cheered my lifetime
Now has sought another's breast;
And unto one who heeds you not.
You give your tear,— your jest.
Yet from my grief, triumphant
Shall new joy and greatness rise,
For He who heals the broken heart,
Such solace ne'er denies.
13

14. AMERICA
And who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for
such a time as this? — Esther iv, H.
America, America,
How many weep to-day
For peace from the battle,
For rest from the fray !
America, America,
Ah, how well might you teach
Peace, — Christ's gentle lesson
That He gave to each.
America, America,
Ah, how well might you stand.
With love in your bosom.
And peace in your hand !
America, America
Ah, how well might you speak
14

15. Wise words to the mighty, —
Wise words to the weak !
America, America,
The Lord now gives to you
To teach wondrous lessons
And great deeds to do.
America, America,
Ah, what good can there be,
In hate's spring that fills up
The war's bloody seat
America, America,
Ah, now forget the past;
And teach Christ's sweet lesson
Of peace to the last.
America, America,
There dwell within your gate.
Men from every nation, —
The children of fate.
America, America,
15

16. Sound now the gospel call:
Oh, peace for the mighty !
Peace, too, for the small!
America, America,
Ah, in war's bloody lands.
How awful the grief is.
How awful the bands !
America, America, —
Kin to the nations all, —
Ah, shout out Christ's message,
And cheer no man's fall.
America, America,
Ah, let it never be
Your ears will not hearken,
Your eyes will not see !
America, America,
All Satan's joy is hate;
How great is the bondage, —
The grief ,— at your gate !
16

17. America, America,
Oh, choose to-day to be
The land of the noble,
The land of the free !
THE HYPOCRITE CHRISTIAN
Far what i8 the hope of the hypocrite? — Job wosvii, 8.
Suppose, in the day of judgment,
God should say to you or me :
** Hypocrite, thou Hypocrite,
Woe evermore to thee !
** Hypocrite, thou Hypocrite,
The devil has done his part ;
And thou hast helped him with thy hands.
And helped him with thy heart !
''Hypocrite, thou Hypocrite,
The world is black for thee
And for the souls led to hell's brink
17

18. And harked to shoreless sea!
** Hypocrite, thou Hypocrite,
Who took, — who wore my name ;
But thou hast lived to give me grief, —
Hast lived to bring me shame.
''Hypocrite, O thou Hypocrite,
Who claimed my all thine own:
Who served hell's chief with gems and gold,-
For Me the husk and stone.
"Hypocrite, thou Hypocrite, —
Worse than the devil's own.
For he took not my name to wear.
Nor dared approach my throne.
"Hypocrite, thou Hypocrite,
Eternal woe to thee.
For thy dread doom the ceaseless flame
And devil's pit must be!"
TO THE NEW YEAK
18

19. teach U8 to number our days, that we may apply our hearts
unto wisdom, — Psalms wo, 12,
New Year, New Year,
You are near, — ^are at the door, —
For no man can stay your coming
By the sea or by the shore;
Nor bar, nor soldiers strong,
with sword in hand.
Can halt your progress,
nor your march withstand.
New Year, New Year,
Stop, and be a witness true
When I vow, amid your sunshine, —
Mid your clouds and mid your dew, —
To seek my Master's way, to give my mite.
And so find favor in God's holy sight.
THE FINISHED PRODUCT
19

20. One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more here-
after, — Revelation iw, 12,
Once on a time there was a man,
And he was good and true ;
But he took a drink of whiskey.
And later he took two.
Once on a time there was his son,
And he was partly true;
But he took a drink of whiskey,
And then took seven times two.
20 SERMONS IN RHYME
20

21. Once on a time there was a beast :
The first man's one son's son;
Beast he lived and died, — ^beadt only,-
And now the story's done.
IN THE '* UPPER GARDEN"
/ am the resurrection and the life, — John m, 25,
Beloved, Beloved,
Shall we not rejoice to meet.
In the beauteous ** upper garden,"
Nearby the golden street t
Beloved, Beloved,
Say to me love's words again
In the glorious *' upper garden,"
21

22. Untouched by death and pain.
Beloved, Beloved,
I shall see you glad and grand,
• In the radiant ** upper garden,"
And run to reach your hand.
Beloved, Beloved,
Oh, the joy when we shall cast.
Near the feet of our Saviour
Our crowns. Beloved, at last!
SERMONS IN RHYME 21
THE LAST DECISION
Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right f —
22

23. Oeneaia wviii, 25,
Your best, and scorned so, —
Your truest and best, —
As with scorn of a f oe t
Ah, man, woman, or child.
Cease your sob, dry your tear ;
For God has a place where all of your best
Will glory and shine evermore. Do not fear !
No judgment, no promise
Can stand, or can keep.
Save the Judge's of Heaven.
Though you faint, though you weep,
Cease to doubt,— cease to fear:
For God has a place for all of your best.
Though it fail, and it fall, and it falter, while here.
23

24. CHRISTMAS
For God 80 loved the world! — John iU, 16.
Oh, Christmas, Christmas, Christmas !
When the heart is young, to se«
The secrets by the chimney,
And the charms upon the tree !
22 SERMONS IN RHYME
Oh, Christmas, Christmas, Christmas !
When the heart is worn and old.
Let's ease it of its burdens,
With some thought or deed of gold.
24

25. Oh, Christmas, Christmas, Christmas!
Oh, God's gift that we might be
Forever rich and happy.
And forever young and free !
THE WORLD IN A SLING
Thy will he done, — Matthew vi, 10.
When a wilful child, and ignorant,
I wanted the world in my sling.
Ah, desperate plight for the world and the child
The world all a child 's to fling !
But now, with my eyes turned heavenward,
Let me learn, oh, the great, great thing : —
As long as I will, and as much as I ask,
25

26. My world is in God's sure sling.
SERMONS IN RHYME 23
LOST
Why stand ye here M the day idle? — Matthew aw, 6.
Lost, — ^now a woman, a child, a man !
Will you save one if you cant
''Lost in a heathen landf
- Lost on the desert's sandt
Lost on the waters wide t ' '
Aye, aye, — ^and by your side.
Lost, — now a woman, a child, a man !
Will you save one if you cant
**At parting of the wayst
In dark and bitter daysT
26

27. In stress of strenuous tidef"
Aye, aye, — and by your side.
Lost, — ^now a woman, a child, a man !
Will you save one if you cant
**In maze of forest land.
Led by a wicked band.
Where gems and minerals hide T '
Aye, aye, — ^and by your side.
Lost, — ^now a woman, a child, a man
Will you save one if you cant
* * Lost in the house, or street.
Far from the mercy seatt
Lost in a mountain slidet"
Aye, aye, — and by your side.
27

28. 24 SERMONS IN RHYME
Lost, — ^now a woman, a child, a man !
Will you save one if you cant
**In pulpit or in pew,
In secret or in view,
Going to heirs jaws widet"
Aye, aye, — and by your side.
HEAVEN
/ go to prepare a place for you. — John eriv, 2.
Heaven, Heaven, Heaven,
With gleaming golden street, —
Where all the saints have singing hearts
And joy's young, tripping feet!
Heaven, Heaven, Heaven,
With river, calm and grand.
28

29. And joy and praise and music sweet
Through all the fair, wide land !
Heaven, Heaven, Jleaven,
Where all love's dream comes true.
And all my prayer for Paradise,
And all my prayer for you.
Heaven, Heaven, Heaven, —
In all the land so wide
No one with sighing, tear, or pain,
No one with prayer denied.
SERMONS IN RHYME 25
Heaven, Heaven, Heaven, —
29

30. We will forget all woe
Within the city of delight,
Where all Christ's saved shall go !
Heaven, Heaven, Heaven, —
Where love abides alway.
Where there is joy without alloy
Forever and for aye !
Heaven, Heaven, Heaven, —
No vision here can see
The beauty of that home of joy.
Prepared for you and me.
TWO MASTERS, TWO FIELDS, TWO PATHS,
AND TWO HOMES
30

31. No man can serve ttoo masters, — Matthew vt, 24.
If I love not my God,
I am the devil's own ;
And he will use me as his slave —
Will scourge me to the bone.
If I belong to Qod
I 'm bought, but I am free ;
For in the service that is love's
No bondage can there be.
26 SERMONS IN RHYME
If I with Satan walk
Along his homeward road,
31

32. I shall find only, — my soul ! —
Remorse in his abode.
If I walk with my Lord,
Safe in the "narrow way,"
The path leads to the Land of Joy,
Unto the * * perfect day. ' '
Work I in Satan's field.
This harvest mine to reap :
To eat my heart out, like a slave.
O'er sins and sorrows deep.
But in God's vineyard vast
The grapes of grace are mine.
And every drop of wine's a gem
Set where God's jewels shine.
THE CALL OF THE HOME
32

33. A city which hath foundations. — Hehretoa an, 10,
O city with foundations, —
Where every heart is true.
And every hand is loyal, —
I often think of you.
SEEMONS IN BHYME 27
. city with foundations
Enduring, grand, and fair, —
The worldly things I build on
Are light as whiffs of air.
city with foundations,
Joy's sojourn for the blest, —
33

34. city with foundations.
There wait me wealth and rest !
PREPAREDNESS
/ came not to send Peace, hut a atoord. — Matthew x, S^,
Except the Lord huUd the house, they labour in vain that huild
it; except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh
hut in vain. — Psalm cxxvU, 1,
People of God, what is this f
A cloud for the heart and the sky.
Oh, that we would prepare
To heed the Lord Most High !
People of God, now prepare !
Will you dare to judge that your God
Did all unthinking say:
*'Put down your sword and rod"!
34

35. People of Gtod, oh, prepare, —
Oh, prepare you to heed your God,
Ere He lets slip your soul,
To perish neath the sod I
28 SERMONS IN RHYME
People of Gk)(i, now prepare !
God to each grants a time and place,
To prove if we will heed, —
If we will seek His grace.
People of God, now prepare !
We are soldiers of Christ to-day,
So 'tis but ours to heed, —
35

36. Not ours to disobey!
People of God, what is this
But the same serpent steeped in guile.
To make the heart rebel.
To cheat, and to defile 1
Peoples there were that ** prepared," —
What have they but hell in the heart ;
Hell on every hearthstone.
And hell in every mart?
People of God, what is this!
Though you make your forts thick with fire ;
And fill the land with guns ; —
Will these stay sin's desire!
Bullets and shells you may have.
36

37. You may live in war's fiery path, —
Will these things kill your sin!
Will these all stay God's wrath!
SERMONS IN RHYME 29
* * Not to send peace, but a sword. ' '-
Sword of the Spirit, all good,
Now pierce the heart and slay
This beast, — ^the Lust for Blood !
MAGDALENE
He that t« without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at
her, — John viii, 7,
37

38. Magdalene, O Magdalene,
With your red mouth Satan kissed, —
Magdalene, Magdalene,
1 weep for all that you have bought.
And for all that you have missed.
Magdalene, Magdalene,
Wondrous great God's mercies are, —
Magdalene, Magdalene, —
To wash all white your soul of sin.
And to cleanse you from, all scar !
Magdalene, Magdalene,
Ere I draw my skirts from you, —
Magdalene, Magdalene, —
With prayer and tears let me recall
How I need God's fountain too!
38

39. 30 SBBMONS IN KHYMB
THE HERO'S FAILURE
HENRY FORD
A treasure in the heavens that faUeth not. — Luke mi, SS.
The hero sailed forth,
His heart quick with joy ;
And he lavished his gold
With the zest of a boy.
Forth with him there sailed
A small, ardent band ;
For his mission was great, —
Yes, his mission was grand.
The rabble, though, said,
39

40. " This man is a fool !
I will not lend my voice.
And I won 't lend my tool.
''That is not my way,"
The jeering mob cried,
And they scoflEed at his deed. —
All may scoff and deride ;
But will there not be
Bright stars in his crown,
When the world's way is done,
And the last ship goes down!
SERMONS IN RHYME 31
40

41. SLAVES
Their Uvea hitter with hard bondage. — Bxodui i, ^4-
slaves, slaves, slaves !
Would that my cry be heard, —
A warning like an angel's
With clearness of a bird !
O slaves, slaves, slaves !
Is wife or child a slave
To Satan that is in you, —
Or fed on food he gave !
O slaves, slaves, slaves !
Is husband,— child, — a slave
To sin that you have harbored.
To sin you kept and gave !
41

42. slaves, slaves, slaves, —
At home or in the wild.
With bondage of your evil, —
Man, woman or a child !
O slaves, slaves, slaves, —
Man, woman, child, with bands
That Satan made and fastened
Both on your heart and hands I
32 SBBMONS IN RHYME
O slaves, slaves, slaves !
In parlor, kitchen, street,
Are slaves you bind and shackle,
42

43. And lay at Satan's feet!
slaves, slaves, slaves.
By blow on heart or cheek,
By bondage of your meaning.
By evil words you speak !
O slaves, slaves, slaves, —
The youth with his young heart.
Will you there write sin's legend!
There paint black Satan's artf
O slaves, slaves, slaves !
The maid, like spring a-south,
Why touch you with sin's fire
Her cheek, her soft red mouth!
O slaves, slaves, slaves, —
43

44. I see the chains you wear; —
Since Satan bound them on you,
You weakly keep them there !
O slaves, slaves, slaves !
In this land we call free, —
A land that's called God's country ,-
What countless slaves we see !
SERMONS IN BHYMB 33
slaves, slaves, slaves, —
God rend the chains you wear.
Ere you learn in hell's darkness
No chains are broken there !
44

45. O slaves, slaves, slaves, —
May God forbid to-day
That you, with heart unfettered,
Be led from Him away!
THE BRUNT OF THE FIGHT
They hind heavy burdens and grievous to he home, and lay
them on men's shoulders. — Matthew wxiii, 4,
Oh, the fight has come.
And the fight is won;
But I've no word from Jim,
From the sun to the sun.
Oh, the fight has come,
And the fight is lost
But Jim's child and I, —
45

46. We must now pay the cost.
The boss sat his horse
On a distant height ;
Jim fought on hot ground.
In the teeth of the fight.
34 SERMONS IN RHYME
Oh, the big man feasts,
Upon the big hill ;
On the field of blood
Lies my Jim, dead and still.
Oh, the big crowd cheers, —
46

47. Still cheers the big boss ;
But Jim's child and I, —
Oh, our part's but the loss.
Oh, the big man's word
Created the fight ;
But Jim's child and I
Cry and starve in the night.
Oh, my Jim and I,
We tried to live right;
We needed no gun,
And we wanted no fight.
Oh, would it were so
That men who war shout
Be put in a pen,
Where they might think it out ;
47

48. Until they be taught
From God's precious word:
No right grows from wrong
For aught, — ^man, beast, or bird.
SERMONS IN ItHYME 35
EASTER
He ia risen I — Mark xvi, 6.
Oh, seal could never stay Him,
Nor soldiers with sword, in hand,
When He rose from the grave triumphant,
To go back to glory land !
•
48

49. So, Saviour, by the greatness
Of Thy heart that bled for me,
/ shall rise from the grave triumphant.
An angel of joy to be.
DELILAH
Whose name toaa Delilah. — Judges xvi, 4,
How many a man is bound and led
To Satan's path and lair,
By a woman whose best is only ''a rag
And a bone and a hank of hair I"
How many a man is bound and led,
• In paths that lead but down.
By the lure of a cheek that is Satan's own.
49

50. And the swish of a sin-worn gown I
36 SERMONS IN KEHTME
THE TRAITOR'S WEALTH
Tea, mine oton familiar friend, in whom I trusted, tohich did
eat of my bread, hath lifted up hie heel against me, —
Psalm wli, 9,
Ah, gold to clink in my coflEers,
And gold for your heed while I speak; —
And my spurs in the breast of my brother
With his white face silent and meek!
Ah, gold to clink in my coffers,
And Satan to have and to sell; —
And I've bought with the clink of his money
50

51. My lodging and keep in his hell I
JUST A WOMAN; NOT A SUFFRAGETTE
She hath done what she could, — Mark wiv, 8.
Oh, just to be a woman.
If the Lord has made me so !
I do not need a trumpet ;
I need not lead the show.
Oh, just to be a woman,
And to do the best I can.
Just where the Lord has placed me.
For all this life's brief span!
SERMONS IN RHYME 37
51

52. Oh, just to be a woman,
With no littleness of heart
To envy God-made sparrow,
Or God-made man, his part.
Oh, just to be a woman.
And to seek to serve my Lord !
I need not wear the tinsel,
I need no spur nor sword.
Oh, just to be a woman.
If I can but win for me.
The greatest of all guerdons
For mortal there can be!
Oh, just to be a woman !
If I do the best I can,
52

53. I need not fear nor sorrow
That I am not a man.
Oh, just to be a woman !
If I do my best with care, —
In brilliant sphere, or twilit, —
No angel more can dare.
38 SERMONS IN KHYME
CHEER UP!
In the world ye shall have tribulation; hut he of good cheer.
John xvi, SS,
Cheer up, my brother!
53

54. The day is not for long;
Now speak to your mate all cheerily ;
Now carry your cross with a song.
Cheer up, O my brother!
Now make this day your best,
When the sun comes up on the eastern hill,
When the sun goes down in the west.
Cheer up, my brother!
The fight will not last long;
How long, though, — ^thank God ! — ^is eternity.
And the joy-land's glory and song!
Cheer up, my brother!
'Tis not alone for gold,
That the cheerful giver is dear to Gtod,
54

55. Whose mercies are manifold.
SERMONS IN RHYME 39
THE BROKEN PROMISE
Pay thai tohich thou hast vovoed, — Eccleaiaatea v, 4.
And I forgot you, O my promise,
To the little child await
With weary heart and footsteps.
And hand upon the gate.
And I f oi^t you, my promise.
To the one in prime of life,
Who needed your fulfillment
To stay the stress of life.
55

56. And I f oi^t you, my promise.
To the one so worn and old.
Who waited in the twilight
Till tiie last hour was tolled.
OPPORTUNITY
While it i8 called to-day, — Hebrews Hi, IS.
I come, I come ;
And the hours are yours for deeds ; —
And my heart is full with love ;
And my hands are full with seeds !
40 SERMONS IN RHYME
I come, I come,
56

57. With the first ray of the mom,
And the wide world needs my love ! —
Do you greet me but with scorn f
I come, I come ;
And I beg you sow good seeds ! —
Do you turn to dress sin's hatet
Do you turn to spray sin's weeds t
I come, I come;
And I greet you with the mom ! —
And you might have sweets to bloom,
And the fine gold of the com.
I come, I come ;
And yours but to take to win ! —
Do you bind your heart and hand
At the past's trash-pile of sinf
I come, I come ! —
I am yours until the night !
Will you sleep till sleep is death.
And sin's veil shuts out the light f
57

58. SERMONS IN RHYME 41
JEZEBEL
That woman Jezebel, — Bevelation ii, 20.
Do you dread the devil ?
His wiles, his bonds, his hellt
Do you dread the devil t
Ah, you do well.
Do you dread the devil 1
In the form of dove or pelf t
Do you dread the devil, —
Ah, in yourself t
Do you dread the devil?
In the form of child or man f
58

59. Dread him then more deeply.
Ah, if you can.
Do you dread the devil ?
More than your tongue can tell f
Dread him then more greatly
As Jezebel 1 —
Ah, perhaps with beauty, —
And fair and soft of cheek ;
With her false lips framing
Fair words to speak !
42 SERMONS IN RHYME
CO-WORKERS WITH GOD
59

60. Feed my lambs,— John wxi, 15.
If it were your child, — ^yours, —
Here, serene and still,
Waiting here unconscious.
Where the devil feeds his mill ; —
If it were your child, — ^yours, —
Here, where hell's gulf lies.
On his lips light laughter.
And a smile in the young eyes ; —
If it were your child, — ^yours, —
Here, within Christ's land.
Breathing in sin's poison.
And with poison in his hand ;—
If it were your child, — ^youl«, —
Starving, sick, and lost.
60

61. Would you wait to save it! —
Would you wait and count the cost?
If it were your child, — ^yours, —
Would you rest and wait!
Would you wait for pleasure ;
Wait for gain, or wait for hatef
If it were your child, — yours, —
But heed you now, and stay !
This may be God's child here.
Will you not help God to-day t
SERMONS IN RHYME ^
THE PERFECT PATTERN
He %B altogether lovely. — The Bong of Songs v, 16.
61

62. brother and sister, away! —
Away with the curse and the sin
That you take your pattern from people,
And from what they are and have been.
brother and sister, away ! —
Away with this curse to the heart;
And make but the Saviour your pattern,
Although death and hell be my part !
brother and sister, away I
The Master and message but see I
Oh, cease you to look at man's frailties ;
Oh, take you no pattern from me !
IDOLS
Thou shalt have no other gods "before me, — Eaodue aox, 2.
Oh, strange, strange, strange, —
62

63. For all the Lord has done.
Yet the world is full of idols
Where souls kneel from sun to sun !
Oh, strange, strange, strange!
Not all in ''heathen land,''
But in this our time and country.
They are praised with heart and hand.
1
44 SERMONS IN RHYME
Oh, strange, strange, strange,
63

64. To give one's life, one's blood,
Unto things consumed by fire.
Wrecked by wind, or storm, or flood !
Oh, strange, strange, strange,
To give one's time, one's soul.
For the palate's mess of pottage,
Or for some like senseless dole !
Oh, strange, strange, strange!
Some are idols made of gold ;
Some are toys of yielding putty ;
Some are new, and some are old.
Oh, strange, strange, strange !
Do you adore a child, —
Or a man, or stone, or woman t —
Is your idol undefiledt
64

65. Oh, strange, strange, strange!
Dear God, lead us away.
Ere we perish with our idols.
As we worship day by day.
Oh, strange, strange, strange !
Dear God, break them as clay ;
Or make these idols hateful,
So we turn from them away.
SERMONS IN RHYME 45
Oh, strange, strange, strange!
God strike them from above,
65

66. Ere we learn too late, by losing,
The strength of Thy great love.
THE UNRULY TONGUE
Keep thy tongue from evil. — Paalm amanv, IS.
'Twas all within a moment
That he spoke the bitter word ;
But now his child is lying
Where no word of his is heard.
'Twas all within a moment
That she spumed her man with scorn ;
And now he can not hear her.
There, where the dead are gone.
A word I gave a neighbour.
66

67. But the evil word came back.
To cut into my weary heart.
And scourge, and rend, and rack.
A word I gave a neighbour ;
But it sprouted swift great wings ; —
And, like a flying serpent vile.
Fast as it flies it stings.
46 SERMONS IN RHYME
Unto swift air I uttered
Just a word, lost in the wild ;
But lo, that word has come to fall
On the head of my child!
67

68. A word I yesterday withheld, —
Just a word I should have said ;—
Upon my silence falls God 's wrath,
Living be I, or dead.
TO-DAY
Oo work to-day in my vineyard. — Matthew xxi, 28.
Said one : * ' When I count not my millions
On my fingers and my toes,
I shall feel what 'tis to live,
And shall deal with mankind's woes."
Said one : ' ' Let me lend you my eyesight.
Ere fall night, and day shall close ;
For when the morrow cometh
It is neither friend's nor foe's."
68

69. SERMONS JN RHYME 47
HEARTBREAKING
Fw God shall hrmg every work into judgment, —
Eccleatiastes am, H.
What! not shunned at the hearthstone t
Not branded in the martt
But Gk)d is the judge of the culprit! —
Are you breaking a human heart t
What! not shunned at the hearthstone f
Not branded in the martt
Yet thief you are, maybe, and slayer
69

70. Of somebody's helpless heart.
What ! not in charge of the warden !
Not branded red with shame f
But is not your crime even greater
Than those that the felons defame t
No, fiot shunned at the hearthstone,
Nor branded in the mart!
But you culprits must come to the judgment
Of One who knows every heart.
48 SERMONS IN RHYME
MISTER AND MISTRESS TIMESERVER
Unstable aa toater, — Genesis mliv, 4.
70

71. Mister and Mistress Timeserver, a word I would have
with you:
An hour ago the moon was cheese ; but now the moon
is dew.
I.
An hour ago the world was square ; and now the world
is round.
You hide with every hare that hides; you run with
every hound.
You strive to please the ignorant, and, too, the man
of sense ;
You march on this side and on that; you sit upon the
fence.
71

72. You are one with the quiet-tongued ; agree with all
that's said:
You wish that I would live for aye; you wish that I
were dead.
Mister and Mistress Timeserver, for me the lonesome
track,
Before I'd hide behind your hedge, or howl amid your
pack.
Mister and Mistress Timeserver, I wish for you no ill ;
But I was tired when we met and I am tired still.
SERMONS IN BHTME ^
THE POOR RICH MAN
72

73. He toent away 8orrotcful, for he had great posaesaione, —
Matthew wix, 22,
poor rich man, whose full bins o 'er-flow ;
poor rich man, with your gold you love so ;
If in dear Christ's heart the beggar comes first,
He is rich, while your soul dies of hunger and thirst.
AT THE MARRIAGE ALTAR
THE DIVOBC^'S VOWS
A< 80undmg hnue, or a tinkling cymbal, — I OorinthianB wiU, 1,
For richer, for poorer, for better, for worse.
And for each and for every day, —
For richer, for poorer, for better, for worse.
73

74. To honor, to love, and obey.
For richer, for poorer, for better, for worse,
These the words that her marriage vows say, —
For richer, for poorer, for better, for worse, —
She is marrying another to-day !
50 SERMONS IN RHYME
THE DEVHj'S CASTOFF
And tohoaoever wUl, let TUm take the water of life freely.-
Revelation maii^ 17,
The old man's breath came hard and slow,
Where the gulf of hell yawned nigh ;
The master whom he had served so long
74

75. Had but flung him there to die !
Past the power of whip and spur ;
For his breath was almost gone ; —
He had served the devil's tricks and trade : —
And had come where hell's fires shone.
The old man's breath came hard and slow ,
Now he understood the price, —
The price that he had paid the fiend ; —
Ah, to know the devil's vice !
And by the pit for which he'd toiled, —
The dread pit deep and nigh, —
He fought against its depth and fire
His soul to sanctify.
He thought of mercy's Master meek,
Once known at his mother's knee ;
75

76. And his soul cried out against hell's doom,
And he prayed it might be free ;
SEEMONS IN RHYME 51
He plead, there lying on the ground,
Till his soul of sin bled dry ; —
T|iere, on the brink of that dread pit,
Where he'd been flung to die:
"0 Master pure and pitying.
Who once was crucified
That never a soul need be lost
Though hell 's foul pit yawn wide I ' '
And who shall judge or dare to say
That the gates were not flung wide,-
76

77. The gates of Heaven's city bright, —
To him who called — ^then died?
For ''whosoever'' was the word, —
God's generous word, so great ! —
Embracing, with the pure in heart,
The sinner at hell's gate.
GREAT MEN
Know ye not that the friendship of the world ia enmity with
Qodt — Jamee iv, 4,
Oh, the world's great men stood in sweat by the gun;
And he mowed men down from the sun to the sun I
52 SERMONS IN RHYME
77

78. And they went to their doom with curse and with
moan;
While the black night came down, and ne'er a star
shone.
But the Lord's great man reached his hands to hell's
mouth,
And he drew back the men from its flame and its
drouth.
And they smote him amain, but he turned ''th 'other
cheek";
For the great man of God is both mighty and meek.
78

79. THE HEART OF THE FATHER
A8 a father pitieth his children, — Padlm oiii, IS,
My child in peril in the treacherous wild ! —
What would I not to save him, — ^my own child?
Will not God reckon, if I am His own,
The perils that beset me, — ^beast and stone t
My child in hunger where fell vampire feeds! —
Would I withhold my heart's blood for his needs f
Will not God reckon, if I am His child.
My needs and dangers in this treacherous wild?
SERMONS IN BHYME 53
DEATH
grave where ia thy victory? — I Corinthians ow, 55,
79

80. am going away to-night, my friend,
A little while from you ;
am going to our home to-night; —
Adieu, adieu, adieu I
am going away to-night, my friend,
There I will watch for you ;
am going to our home to-night ; —
Adieu, adieu, adieu !
am going away to-night, my friend.
Where skies are always blue ;
am going to our home to-night ; —
Adieu, adieu, adieu !
am going away to-night, my friend.
Where all love's dreams come true ;
am going to our home to-night ; —
Adieu, adieu, adieu !
am going away to-night, my friend, —
Qod keep you safe and true ;
am going to our home to-night ; —
80

81. Adieu, adieu, adieu!
54 SERMONS IN BHYME
UNDER THE ROSE
Let not the sun go down upon your wrath. — Ephetiana iv, 26.
Yes, I loved him,
But a quarrel came between —
I married another,
And I lived like a queen.
Then he took her.
And each wedded, weary day,.
He toiled like a bondman
On life's burdensome way.
81

82. But I envied her,
'Spite of all my wealth and state, —
Craved her cotton garments
And the crust that she ate.
The touch of his hand.
Though he lay on the ground, —
E'en the widow's cheap veil
And the drunkard's low mound.
DEFEATED
A lying tongue ia hut for a moment. — Proverha xU, 19.
He was defeated !
And there he stood.
With downcast mien,
As the vanquished should.
82

83. SERMONS IN RHYME 55
He was defeated!
From yonder side
The victor's cheers
Bang far, rang wide.
He was defeated?
He fought for right!
Then, his the triumph,
The joy. of the fight.
He was defeated f
Where real crowns are
What counts this din
83

84. That sounds afar!
FOREVER
Pwniahed with everlaating destruction, — II Theaaalonians i, 9,
8h€dl inherit everlasting life. — Matthew mix, 29,
It is not far to forever, —
Just a slipping of the breath ;
But vast the joy of heaven,
Or grief of "second death" —
Forever !
It is not long to forever, —
Perhaps ere the word is said ;
But 'tis long, to be living,
Or long, long to be dead, —
Forever I
84

85. 56 SEBMONS IN RHYME
GBEATNESS
He that %9 greatest among you ahM he your aerwxnt.-^
Matthew xxiii, 11.
A woman of great wealth died to-day,
She died, as she'd lived, in the rich world's way, —
Died as she 'd lived, in Palace Place,
'Mid gold and perfume and service and lace ;
Died as she'd lived: scorn in her heart
For the poorness of me and my petty part ;
But for all her pride in her golden load.
85

86. Naught could she take to her new abode.
A woman of great heart died to-day.
The greatness of her makes me rich alway.
The world is richer f orevermore.
For wealth that she gave, for the burdens she bore ;
She died in meekness on bed of straw.
When no one but Gk)d either knew or saw.
She died in meekness, poor and alone ; —
Vast may her wealth be where God crowns his own !
SERMONS IN EHYME 67
86

87. THE DIFFERENCE
Who art thou that judgeat another?-^ amea iv, 12,
There was a poor man by one sin beset.
Yet never a lie did that one sin beget ;
Wherever he lived and wherever he went
Blame, slight, and scorn were his harsh punishment.
Another there was steeped tenfold in sin ;
But sleek, pious lies cloaked the foul soul within.
And the foolish world said: ''Oh, see this good
man: —
A being created on God's own great plan!"
And the ''good man" oft cried above the world's din:
"0 people, beware of my brother's foul sin!"
So each lived, so each died, and only God knew
87

88. How many one 's sins, and the other 's how few !
58 SERMONS IN RHYME
IN JAIL, AND OUT
Evil communicationa corrupt good manners, —
/ Corinthiana am, SS.
«
Yes, Ned's in the jail, sir;
They sent him there to-day. —
And not only that, sir,
But twenty years to stay.
Ah, 'tis a strange worl', sir;
88

89. And strange, too, is its way. —
For 'tis poor Ned's wife, sir,
Should be in jail to-day.
Handsome as a dream, sir;
Church member, — oh, you know ;
Yet her man's in jail, sir.
For her mad love of show.
I know what I speak, sir.
For Ned's one fault on earth
Was to love that girl, sir, —
A girl who wasn't worth.
Just to live in style, sir, —
Yes ; that was all her creed.
Ned in jail twenty years
A-payin' for her greed!
89

90. SERMONS IN BHYMB 59
I
GOD'S COUNTRY
A better country, that ie, an hea/venly, — Behrewe xi, 16,
I am thinking that that better land is grand and fair
and wide ;
And that there is joy's completeness on each and
every side.
I am thinking that the music there is sweetest ever
heard;
And I could not paint its beauty, far beyond mere
mortal word.
90

91. I am thinking that there love will say all words here
left unsaid ;
For, in the country that is God's, love ne'er is mute
or dead.
I am thinking how each cup of joy is full to overflow.
And that of grief or sorrow no heart will dream or
know.
I am thinking that there each will find one's own
peculiar joy ;
Yes, even for the little child, some longed-for strange
new toy.
I am thinking that the love of Christ must wash my
soul all white
Before I find that country with its love and joy and
Ught.
91

92. SERMONS IN RHYME
BT
^
JUDITH L. C. GARNETT
92

93. u^
THE NEALE PUBLISHING COMPANY
440 FOURTH AVE., NEW YORK
1916
1' '■•
1 ■
pul:.j l
93

94. 993132A
A".;':.':, j.
K
Xy. >%/
COPTRIOHT, 1916, Bt
Judith L. C. Garwett
CONTENTS
94

95. TtU
r>
PAGE
The Pbincb op Peace . 9
Nemesis 10
Spwnq 11
Death 11
Satett 12
The Cubss of Cain 12
AxTNT Dinah's Rbpxtuie 14
95

96. Heartbboken 14
AliE&ICA 15
The Hypocrite Christian 17
To THE New Year 19
The Finished Product 19
In the "Upper Garden" 20
The Last Decision 21
Christmas 21
The World in a Slinq 22
Lost 23
Heaven 24
Two Masters, Two Fields, Two Paths, and Two Homes 25
96

97. The Call of the Home 26
Preparedness 27
Magdalene 29
The Hero's Failure . 30
Slaves 31
The Brunt of the Fight 33
CONTENTS
PAGB
Easteb 35
Deulah .-35
97

98. The Tbattob's Wealth 38
Just a Woman; Not a Suffbaoette 36
Cheeb Up! 38
The Broken Pbomise 39
Oppobtunitt . 39
Jezebel 41
OO-WOBKEBS with GOD .42
The Pebfect Pattern 43
Idols 43
The Unbuly Tongue 46
To-day 46
Heabtbbeaking 47
98

99. Misteb and Mistbess Timesebveb 48
The Poob Rich Man 49
At the Mabbiage Altab 49
The Devil's Castopp 60
Gbeat Men 61
The Heabt op the Fatheb 62
Death 63
Undeb the Eose 64
Defeated 64
FOBEVEB 65
Gbeatness - ... 66
The Diffebence 67
99

100. In Jail, and Out 58
God's CJountby 69
SERMONS IN RHYME
SERMONS IN RHYME
THE PRINCE OP PEACE
From whence come wars and fightings among youf —
James iv, 1.
nations new, nations old,
While you spare not man, nor gun, nor gold.
100

101. The Mighty One, the Prince of Peace,
Doth command you that your strifes must cease ;
While yet you snarl and clash and hate,
His white flag gleams near Heaven's gate.
O Brother of mine by war defiled.
Think of Bethlehem's babe, — ^the Heaven-bom child;
Cast down thy sword and reach to me
A brother's hand on land or sea.
Brother, stay war's crimes to-day.
And let us try the Prince's way!
Our hearts are God's for heaven and time;
'Tis Satan that makes us lust for crime.
God gives us room where we may be
Akin on land and on the sea.
101

102. O Brother, stay thy sword to-day.
And let us try the great King's way.
O Brother of mine, — anear or far, —
God will judge of our deeds, — ^what our battles are, —
Will strip sin's heart of godless pride.
Though gold be great and lands be wide.
O Brother, reach thy hand to me, —
A brother's hand on land or sea.
10 SERMONS IN RHYME
Yes, Brother of mine, — ^anear or far, —
One will judge what our battles are ;
One will judge between thee and me;
102

103. The One who made earth, sky, and sea, —
Will rule all nations, rule each man,
Though great the nation and vast the plan.
Brother, cast your sword away
And let us turn to Him to-day.
NEMESIS
Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Galatians vi, 7.
Nemesis, O Nemesis,
With* your dark and lowered brow,
I see you stand and measure
Sin's black harvest to me now.
Nemesis, Nemesis, —
Ood, have pity on me now! —
103

104. I see you stand and measure
With relentless hand and brow.
Nemesis, Nemesis, —
Dear Christ, oh, pitying, stay
The crushing weight of harvest
That she measures out to-day!
SERMONS IN RHYME 11
SPRING
Understanding ia a toellaprvng of life to him that hath it.
Proverbs wvi, 22.
The old man smiled and listened,
For the old man's heart was young;
104

105. And he loved the gold of the crocus,
And the song that the robin sung.
The old man smiled and listened,
For he thought of heaven's bloom
And the blessed voices of angels
That sing gladly beyond the tomb.
DEATH
Yea, though I uxM through the valley, of the shadow of death.
— Psalm amii, 4.
The journey, oh, the journey, —
With neither friend nor gold.
With neither sight nor hearing,—
Out in the dark and cold!
105

106. The journey, oh, the journey, —
The journey all must take I —
But Ood will guard me resting,
And greet me when I wake.
12 SERMONS IN RHYME
SAFETY
But whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall he safe.
Proverbs wxix, 25.
Oh, the wind blows north,
And the wind blows west.
106

107. And black is the frown
On the east-cloud's crest;
And the wild wind may harm
My tent where it stands.
But my soul is safe.
In Jehovah's hands.
Ah, sin journeys north,
And sin travels south;
Like a famished wolf's
Is its wide-stretched mouth.
And though sin press me hard,
Yet it can not' kill
My soul, held safe
By God's mighty will.
107

108. THE CURSE OF CAIN
And now art thou cursed. — Genesis iv, 11.
Brother, my Brother,
Cold, silent art thou.
With my sword in thy breast.
And death 's dew on thy brow !
SERMONS IN RHYME 13
Brother, my Brother,
With thy cross to bear, —
Did I send the barbed dart,
And no soft word to cheer?
108

109. Brother, my Brother,
With wounds deep and wide,-
1 beheld thy dread plight.
Yet thy kinship denied.
Brother, my Brother,
Have I robbed thy store
Of thy fame, — ^more than life, —
And of peace evermore?
Brother, my Brother,
If thy life I mar, *
Then my bosom must bear
The same torture and scar;
And Brother, my Brother,
God's question will be:
Where, — ^the brother I gave, —
Answer now, — ^where is he?"
109

110. ti
14 SERMONS IN RHYME
AUNT DINAH'S REPULSE
Beaiat the devil, and he vM flee from you, — James iv, 7.
Does yer know dat wicked rascal
Sed ter Dinah, — dat's po' me, —
'*Darlin', ef yer'U only lub me,
Yo' kin hab de worP an' seat"
Den I sed to dat ole rascal :
"Yo' ole debil," — dat was him, —
**See dis rollin'-pin I'se got heret —
An ' I 'se neither weak ner slim ! ' '
110

111. HEARTBROKEN
He hath sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, — Luke iv, 18.
The home I loved is lonely
As the dead bird's last year's nest.
And only by my sad heart's blood
Know I the east or west.
The love that cheered my lifetime
Now has sought another's breast;
And unto one who heeds you not.
You give your tear,— your jest.
Yet from my grief, triumphant
Shall new joy and greatness rise,
For He who heals the broken heart,
Such solace ne'er denies.
111

112. SERMONS IN EHYME 15
AMERICA
And who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for
8uch a time as this? — Esther iv, H.
America, America,
How many weep to-day
For peace from the battle,
For rest from the fray !
America, America,
Ah, how well might you teach
Peace, — Christ's gentle lesson
112

113. That He gave to each.
America, America,
Ah, how well might you stand.
With love in your bosom.
And peace in your hand !
Anierica, Amema,
Ah, how well might you speak
Wise words to the mighty, —
Wise words to the weak !
America, America,
The Lord now gives to you
To teach wondrous lessons
And great deeds to do.
113

114. 16 SERMONS IN RHYME
America, America,
Ah, what good can there be,
In hate's spring that fills up
The war's bloody seat
America, America,
Ah, now forget the past;
And teach Christ's sweet lesson
Of peace to the last.
•
America, America,
There dwell within your gate.
114

115. Men from every nation, —
The children of fate.
America, America,
Sound now the gospel call:
Oh, peace for the mighty !
Peace, too, for the small!
America, America,
Ah, in war's bloody lands.
How awful the grief is.
How awful the bands !
America, America, —
Kin to the nations all, —
Ah, shout out Christ's message,
And cheer no man's fall.
115

116. SERMONS IN RHYME 17
America, America,
Ah, let it never be
Your ears will not hearken,
Your eyes will not see !
America, America,
All Satan's joy is hate;
How great is the bondage, —
The grief ,— at your gate !
America, America,
Oh, choose to-day to be
The land of the noble,
116

117. The land of the free !
THE HYPOCRITE CHRISTIAN
Far what i8 the hope of the hypocrite? — Job wosvii, 8.
Suppose, in the day of judgment,
God should say to you or me :
** Hypocrite, thou Hypocrite,
Woe evermore to thee !
** Hypocrite, thou Hypocrite,
The devil has done his part ;
And thou hast helped him with thy hands.
And helped him with thy heart !
117

118. 18 SERMONS IN RHYME
''Hypocrite, thou Hypocrite,
The world is black for thee
And for the souls led to hell's brink
And harked to shoreless sea!
** Hypocrite, thou Hypocrite,
Who took, — who wore my name ;
But thou hast lived to give me grief, —
Hast lived to bring me shame.
''Hypocrite, O thou Hypocrite,
Who claimed my all thine own:
Who served hell's chief with gems and gold,-
For Me the husk and stone.
"Hypocrite, thou Hypocrite, —
118

119. Worse than the devil's own.
For he took not my name to wear.
Nor dared approach my throne.
"Hypocrite, thou Hypocrite,
Eternal woe to thee.
For thy dread doom the ceaseless flame
And devil's pit must be!"
SEEMONS IN RHYME 19
TO THE NEW YEAK
80 teach U8 to number our days, that toe may apply our hearts
unto vjisdom, — Psalms wo, 12,
119

120. New Year, New Year,
You are near, — ^are at the door, —
For no man can stay your coming
By the sea or by the shore;
Nor bar, nor soldiers strong, with sword in hand.
Can halt your progress, 01^ your march withstand.
New Year, New Year,
Stop, and be a witness true
When I vow, amid your sunshine, —
Mid your clouds and mid your dew, —
To seek my Master's way, to give my mite.
And so find favor in God's holy sight.
THE FINISHED PRODUCT
One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more here-
after, — Revelation iw, 12,
120

121. Once on a time there was a man,
And he was good and true ;
But he took a drink of whiskey.
And later he took two.
Once on a time there was his son,
And he was partly true;
But he took a drink of whiskey,
And then took seven times two.
20 SERMONS IN RHYME
Once on a time there was a beast :
The first man's one son's son;
Beast he lived and died, — ^beadt only,-
121

122. And now the story's done.
IN THE '* UPPER GARDEN"
/ am the resurrection and the life, — John m, 25,
Beloved, Beloved,
Shall we not rejoice to meet.
In the beauteous ** upper garden,"
Nearby the golden street t
Beloved, Beloved,
Say to me love's words again
In the glorious *' upper garden,"
Untouched by death and pain.
Beloved, Beloved,
I shall see you glad and grand,
122

123. • In the radiant ** upper garden,"
And run to reach your hand.
Beloved, Beloved,
Oh, the joy when we shall cast.
Near the feet of our Saviour
Our crowns. Beloved, at last!
SERMONS IN RHYME 21
THE LAST DECISION
Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right f —
Oeneaia wviii, 25,
Your best, and scorned so, —
Your truest and best, —
123

124. As with scorn of a f oe t
Ah, man, woman, or child.
Cease your sob, dry your tear ;
For God has a place where all of your best
Will glory and shine evermore. Do not fear !
No judgment, no promise
Can stand, or can keep.
Save the Judge's of Heaven.
Though you faint, though you weep,
Cease to doubt,— cease to fear:
For God has a place for all of your best.
Though it fail, and it fall, and it falter, while here.
CHRISTMAS
For God 80 loved the world! — John iU, 16.
124

125. Oh, Christmas, Christmas, Christmas !
When the heart is young, to se«
The secrets by the chimney,
And the charms upon the tree !
22 SERMONS IN RHYME
Oh, Christmas, Christmas, Christmas !
When the heart is worn and old.
Let's ease it of its burdens,
With some thought or deed of gold.
Oh, Christmas, Christmas, Christmas!
Oh, God's gift that we might be
Forever rich and happy.
125

126. And forever young and free !
THE WORLD IN A SLING
Thy will he done, — Matthew vi, 10.
When a wilful child, and ignorant,
I wanted the world in my sling.
Ah, desperate plight for the world and the child
The world all a child 's to fling !
But now, with my eyes turned heavenward,
Let me learn, oh, the great, great thing : —
As long as I will, and as much as I ask,
My world is in God's sure sling.
126

127. SERMONS IN RHYME 23
LOST
Why stand ye here M the day idle? — Matthew aw, 6.
Lost, — ^now a woman, a child, a man !
Will you save one if you cant
''Lost in a heathen landf
- Lost on the desert's sandt
Lost on the waters wide t ' '
Aye, aye, — ^and by your side.
Lost, — now a woman, a child, a man !
Will you save one if you cant
**At parting of the wayst
In dark and bitter daysT
In stress of strenuous tidef"
Aye, aye, — and by your side.
127

128. Lost, — ^now a woman, a child, a man !
Will you save one if you cant
**In maze of forest land.
Led by a wicked band.
Where gems and minerals hide T '
Aye, aye, — ^and by your side.
Lost, — ^now a woman, a child, a man
Will you save one if you cant
* * Lost in the house, or street.
Far from the mercy seatt
Lost in a mountain slidet"
Aye, aye, — and by your side.
24 SERMONS IN RHYME
128

129. Lost, — ^now a woman, a child, a man !
Will you save one if you cant
**In pulpit or in pew,
In secret or in view,
Going to heirs jaws widet"
Aye, aye, — and by your side.
HEAVEN
/ go to prepare a place for you. — John eriv, 2.
Heaven, Heaven, Heaven,
With gleaming golden street, —
Where all the saints have singing hearts
And joy's young, tripping feet!
Heaven, Heaven, Heaven,
With river, calm and grand.
And joy and praise and music sweet
Through all the fair, wide land !
Heaven, Heaven, Jleaven,
129

130. Where all love's dream comes true.
And all my prayer for Paradise,
And all my prayer for you.
Heaven, Heaven, Heaven, —
In all the land so wide
No one with sighing, tear, or pain,
No one with prayer denied.
SERMONS IN RHYME 25
Heaven, Heaven, Heaven, —
We will forget all woe
Within the city of delight,
Where all Christ's saved shall go !
130

131. Heaven, Heaven, Heaven, —
Where love abides alway.
Where there is joy without alloy
Forever and for aye !
Heaven, Heaven, Heaven, —
No vision here can see
The beauty of that home of joy.
Prepared for you and me.
TWO MASTERS, TWO FIELDS, TWO PATHS,
AND TWO HOMES
No man can serve ttoo masters, — Matthew vt, 24.
If I love not my God,
131

132. I am the devil's own ;
And he will use me as his slave —
Will scourge me to the bone.
If I belong to Qod
I 'm bought, but I am free ;
For in the service that is love's
No bondage can there be.
26 SERMONS IN RHYME
If I with Satan walk
Along his homeward road,
I shall find only, — my soul ! —
Remorse in his abode.
If I walk with my Lord,
132

133. Safe in the "narrow way,"
The path leads to the Land of Joy,
Unto the * * perfect day. ' '
Work I in Satan's field.
This harvest mine to reap :
To eat my heart out, like a slave.
O'er sins and sorrows deep.
But in God's vineyard vast
The grapes of grace are mine.
And every drop of wine's a gem
Set where God's jewels shine.
THE CALL OF THE HOME
A city which hath foundations. — Hehretoa an, 10,
O city with foundations, —
133

134. Where every heart is true.
And every hand is loyal, —
I often think of you.
SEEMONS IN BHYME 27
. city with foundations
Enduring, grand, and fair, —
The worldly things I build on
Are light as whiffs of air.
city with foundations,
Joy's sojourn for the blest, —
city with foundations.
There wait me wealth and rest !
134

135. PREPAREDNESS
/ came not to send Peace, hut a atoord. — Matthew x, S^,
Except the Lord huUd the house, they labour in vain that huild
it; except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh
hut in vain. — Psalm cxxvU, 1,
People of God, what is this f
A cloud for the heart and the sky.
Oh, that we would prepare
To heed the Lord Most High !
People of God, now prepare !
Will you dare to judge that your God
Did all unthinking say:
*'Put down your sword and rod"!
People of Gtod, oh, prepare, —
Oh, prepare you to heed your God,
135

136. Ere He lets slip your soul,
To perish neath the sod I
28 SERMONS IN RHYME
People of Gk)(i, now prepare !
God to each grants a time and place,
To prove if we will heed, —
If we will seek His grace.
People of God, now prepare !
We are soldiers of Christ to-day,
So 'tis but ours to heed, —
Not ours to disobey!
People of God, what is this
136

137. But the same serpent steeped in guile.
To make the heart rebel.
To cheat, and to defile 1
Peoples there were that ** prepared," —
What have they but hell in the heart ;
Hell on every hearthstone.
And hell in every mart?
People of God, what is this!
Though you make your forts thick with fire ;
And fill the land with guns ; —
Will these stay sin's desire!
Bullets and shells you may have.
You may live in war's fiery path, —
Will these things kill your sin!
Will these all stay God's wrath!
137

138. SERMONS IN RHYME 29
* * Not to send peace, but a sword. ' '-
Sword of the Spirit, all good,
Now pierce the heart and slay
This beast, — ^the Lust for Blood !
MAGDALENE
He that t« without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at
her, — John viii, 7,
Magdalene, O Magdalene,
With your red mouth Satan kissed, —
138

139. Magdalene, Magdalene,
1 weep for all that you have bought.
And for all that you have missed.
Magdalene, Magdalene,
Wondrous great God's mercies are, —
Magdalene, Magdalene, —
To wash all white your soul of sin.
And to cleanse you from, all scar !
Magdalene, Magdalene,
Ere I draw my skirts from you, —
Magdalene, Magdalene, —
With prayer and tears let me recall
How I need God's fountain too!
30 SBBMONS IN KHYMB
139

140. THE HERO'S FAILURE
HENRY FORD
A treasure in the heavens that faUeth not. — Luke mi, SS.
The hero sailed forth,
His heart quick with joy ;
And he lavished his gold
With the zest of a boy.
Forth with him there sailed
A small, ardent band ;
For his mission was great, —
Yes, his mission was grand.
The rabble, though, said,
" This man is a fool !
I will not lend my voice.
140

141. And I won 't lend my tool.
''That is not my way,"
The jeering mob cried,
And they scoflEed at his deed. —
All may scoff and deride ;
But will there not be
Bright stars in his crown,
When the world's way is done,
And the last ship goes down!
SERMONS IN RHYME 31
SLAVES
Their Uvea hitter with hard bondage. — Bxodui i, ^4-
141

142. slaves, slaves, slaves !
Would that my cry be heard, —
A warning like an angel's
With clearness of a bird !
O slaves, slaves, slaves !
Is wife or child a slave
To Satan that is in you, —
Or fed on food he gave !
O slaves, slaves, slaves !
Is husband,— child, — a slave
To sin that you have harbored.
To sin you kept and gave !
slaves, slaves, slaves, —
At home or in the wild.
142

143. With bondage of your evil, —
Man, woman or a child !
O slaves, slaves, slaves, —
Man, woman, child, with bands
That Satan made and fastened
Both on your heart and hands I
32 SBBMONS IN RHYME
O slaves, slaves, slaves !
In parlor, kitchen, street,
Are slaves you bind and shackle,
And lay at Satan's feet!
slaves, slaves, slaves.
143

144. By blow on heart or cheek,
By bondage of your meaning.
By evil words you speak !
O slaves, slaves, slaves, —
The youth with his young heart.
Will you there write sin's legend!
There paint black Satan's artf
O slaves, slaves, slaves !
The maid, like spring a-south,
Why touch you with sin's fire
Her cheek, her soft red mouth!
O slaves, slaves, slaves, —
I see the chains you wear; —
Since Satan bound them on you,
You weakly keep them there !
144

145. O slaves, slaves, slaves !
In this land we call free, —
A land that's called God's country ,-
What countless slaves we see !
SERMONS IN BHYMB 33
slaves, slaves, slaves, —
God rend the chains you wear.
Ere you learn in hell's darkness
No chains are broken there !
O slaves, slaves, slaves, —
May God forbid to-day
That you, with heart unfettered,
145

146. Be led from Him away!
THE BRUNT OF THE FIGHT
They hind heavy burdens and grievous to he home, and lay
them on men's shoulders. — Matthew wxiii, 4,
Oh, the fight has come.
And the fight is won;
But I've no word from Jim,
From the sun to the sun.
Oh, the fight has come,
And the fight is lost
But Jim's child and I, —
We must now pay the cost.
The boss sat his horse
146

147. On a distant height ;
Jim fought on hot ground.
In the teeth of the fight.
34 SERMONS IN RHYME
Oh, the big man feasts,
Upon the big hill ;
On the field of blood
Lies my Jim, dead and still.
Oh, the big crowd cheers, —
Still cheers the big boss ;
But Jim's child and I, —
Oh, our part's but the loss.
147

148. Oh, the big man's word
Created the fight ;
But Jim's child and I
Cry and starve in the night.
Oh, my Jim and I,
We tried to live right;
We needed no gun,
And we wanted no fight.
Oh, would it were so
That men who war shout
Be put in a pen,
Where they might think it out ;
Until they be taught
From God's precious word:
148

149. No right grows from wrong
For aught, — ^man, beast, or bird.
SERMONS IN ItHYME 35
EASTER
He ia risen I — Mark xvi, 6.
Oh, seal could never stay Him,
Nor soldiers with sword, in hand,
When He rose from the grave triumphant,
To go back to glory land !
•
So, Saviour, by the greatness
Of Thy heart that bled for me,
149

150. / shall rise from the grave triumphant.
An angel of joy to be.
DELILAH
Whose name toaa Delilah. — Judges xvi, 4,
How many a man is bound and led
To Satan's path and lair,
By a woman whose best is only ''a rag
And a bone and a hank of hair I"
How many a man is bound and led,
• In paths that lead but down.
By the lure of a cheek that is Satan's own.
And the swish of a sin-worn gown I
150

151. 36 SERMONS IN KEHTME
THE TRAITOR'S WEALTH
Tea, mine oton familiar friend, in whom I trusted, tohich did
eat of my bread, hath lifted up hie heel against me, —
Psalm wli, 9,
Ah, gold to clink in my coflEers,
And gold for your heed while I speak; —
And my spurs in the breast of my brother
With his white face silent and meek!
Ah, gold to clink in my coffers,
And Satan to have and to sell; —
And I've bought with the clink of his money
My lodging and keep in his hell I
151

152. JUST A WOMAN; NOT A SUFFRAGETTE
She hath done what she could, — Mark wiv, 8.
Oh, just to be a woman.
If the Lord has made me so !
I do not need a trumpet ;
I need not lead the show.
Oh, just to be a woman,
And to do the best I can.
Just where the Lord has placed me.
For all this life's brief span!
SERMONS IN RHYME 37
Oh, just to be a woman,
152

153. With no littleness of heart
To envy God-made sparrow,
Or God-made man, his part.
Oh, just to be a woman.
And to seek to serve my Lord !
I need not wear the tinsel,
I need no spur nor sword.
Oh, just to be a woman.
If I can but win for me.
The greatest of all guerdons
For mortal there can be!
Oh, just to be a woman !
If I do the best I can,
I need not fear nor sorrow
That I am not a man.
153

154. Oh, just to be a woman !
If I do my best with care, —
In brilliant sphere, or twilit, —
No angel more can dare.
38 SERMONS IN KHYME
CHEER UP!
In the world ye shall have tribulation; hut he of good cheer.
John xvi, SS,
Cheer up, my brother!
The day is not for long;
Now speak to your mate all cheerily ;
Now carry your cross with a song.
154

155. Cheer up, O my brother!
Now make this day your best,
When the sun comes up on the eastern hill,
When the sun goes down in the west.
Cheer up, my brother!
The fight will not last long;
How long, though, — ^thank God ! — ^is eternity.
And the joy-land's glory and song!
Cheer up, my brother!
'Tis not alone for gold,
That the cheerful giver is dear to Gtod,
Whose mercies are manifold.
155

156. SERMONS IN RHYME 39
THE BROKEN PROMISE
Pay thai tohich thou hast vovoed, — Eccleaiaatea v, 4.
And I forgot you, O my promise,
To the little child await
With weary heart and footsteps.
And hand upon the gate.
And I f oi^t you, my promise.
To the one in prime of life,
Who needed your fulfillment
To stay the stress of life.
And I f oi^t you, my promise.
To the one so worn and old.
Who waited in the twilight
156

157. Till tiie last hour was tolled.
OPPORTUNITY
While it i8 called to-day, — Hebrews Hi, IS.
I come, I come ;
And the hours are yours for deeds ; —
And my heart is full with love ;
And my hands are full with seeds !
40 SERMONS IN RHYME
I come, I come,
With the first ray of the mom,
And the wide world needs my love ! —
Do you greet me but with scorn f
157

158. I come, I come ;
And I beg you sow good seeds ! —
Do you turn to dress sin's hatet
Do you turn to spray sin's weeds t
I come, I come;
And I greet you with the mom ! —
And you might have sweets to bloom,
And the fine gold of the com.
I come, I come ;
And yours but to take to win ! —
Do you bind your heart and hand
At the past's trash-pile of sinf
I come, I come ! —
I am yours until the night !
Will you sleep till sleep is death.
And sin's veil shuts out the light f
SERMONS IN RHYME 41
158

159. JEZEBEL
That woman Jezebel, — Bevelation ii, 20.
Do you dread the devil ?
His wiles, his bonds, his hellt
Do you dread the devil t
Ah, you do well.
Do you dread the devil 1
In the form of dove or pelf t
Do you dread the devil, —
Ah, in yourself t
Do you dread the devil?
In the form of child or man f
Dread him then more deeply.
Ah, if you can.
159

160. Do you dread the devil ?
More than your tongue can tell f
Dread him then more greatly
As Jezebel 1 —
Ah, perhaps with beauty, —
And fair and soft of cheek ;
With her false lips framing
Fair words to speak !
42 SERMONS IN RHYME
CO-WORKERS WITH GOD
Feed my lambs,— John wxi, 15.
If it were your child, — ^yours, —
160

161. Here, serene and still,
Waiting here unconscious.
Where the devil feeds his mill ; —
If it were your child, — ^yours, —
Here, where hell's gulf lies.
On his lips light laughter.
And a smile in the young eyes ; —
If it were your child, — ^yours, —
Here, within Christ's land.
Breathing in sin's poison.
And with poison in his hand ;—
If it were your child, — ^youl«, —
Starving, sick, and lost.
Would you wait to save it! —
Would you wait and count the cost?
161

162. If it were your child, — ^yours, —
Would you rest and wait!
Would you wait for pleasure ;
Wait for gain, or wait for hatef
If it were your child, — yours, —
But heed you now, and stay !
This may be God's child here.
Will you not help God to-day t
SERMONS IN RHYME ^
THE PERFECT PATTERN
He %B altogether lovely. — The Bong of Songs v, 16.
brother and sister, away! —
Away with the curse and the sin
162

163. That you take your pattern from people,
And from what they are and have been.
brother and sister, away ! —
Away with this curse to the heart;
And make but the Saviour your pattern,
Although death and hell be my part !
brother and sister, away I
The Master and message but see I
Oh, cease you to look at man's frailties ;
Oh, take you no pattern from me !
IDOLS
Thou shalt have no other gods "before me, — Eaodue aox, 2.
Oh, strange, strange, strange, —
For all the Lord has done.
Yet the world is full of idols
163

164. Where souls kneel from sun to sun !
Oh, strange, strange, strange!
Not all in ''heathen land,''
But in this our time and country.
They are praised with heart and hand.
1
44 SERMONS IN RHYME
Oh, strange, strange, strange,
To give one's life, one's blood,
Unto things consumed by fire.
Wrecked by wind, or storm, or flood !
164

165. Oh, strange, strange, strange,
To give one's time, one's soul.
For the palate's mess of pottage,
Or for some like senseless dole !
Oh, strange, strange, strange!
Some are idols made of gold ;
Some are toys of yielding putty ;
Some are new, and some are old.
Oh, strange, strange, strange !
Do you adore a child, —
Or a man, or stone, or woman t —
Is your idol undefiledt
Oh, strange, strange, strange!
Dear God, lead us away.
165

166. Ere we perish with our idols.
As we worship day by day.
Oh, strange, strange, strange !
Dear God, break them as clay ;
Or make these idols hateful,
So we turn from them away.
SERMONS IN RHYME 45
Oh, strange, strange, strange!
God strike them from above,
Ere we learn too late, by losing,
The strength of Thy great love.
166

167. THE UNRULY TONGUE
Keep thy tongue from evil. — Paalm amanv, IS.
'Twas all within a moment
That he spoke the bitter word ;
But now his child is lying
Where no word of his is heard.
'Twas all within a moment
That she spumed her man with scorn ;
And now he can not hear her.
There, where the dead are gone.
A word I gave a neighbour.
But the evil word came back.
To cut into my weary heart.
And scourge, and rend, and rack.
167

168. A word I gave a neighbour ;
But it sprouted swift great wings ; —
And, like a flying serpent vile.
Fast as it flies it stings.
46 SERMONS IN RHYME
Unto swift air I uttered
Just a word, lost in the wild ;
But lo, that word has come to fall
On the head of my child!
A word I yesterday withheld, —
Just a word I should have said ;—
Upon my silence falls God 's wrath,
168

169. Living be I, or dead.
TO-DAY
Oo work to-day in my vineyard. — Matthew xxi, 28.
Said one : * ' When I count not my millions
On my fingers and my toes,
I shall feel what 'tis to live,
And shall deal with mankind's woes."
Said one : ' ' Let me lend you my eyesight.
Ere fall night, and day shall close ;
For when the morrow cometh
It is neither friend's nor foe's."
SERMONS JN RHYME 47
169

170. HEARTBREAKING
Fw God shall hrmg every work into judgment, —
Eccleatiastes am, H.
What! not shunned at the hearthstone t
Not branded in the martt
But Gk)d is the judge of the culprit! —
Are you breaking a human heart t
What! not shunned at the hearthstone f
Not branded in the martt
Yet thief you are, maybe, and slayer
Of somebody's helpless heart.
What ! not in charge of the warden !
170

171. Not branded red with shame f
But is not your crime even greater
Than those that the felons defame t
No, fiot shunned at the hearthstone,
Nor branded in the mart!
But you culprits must come to the judgment
Of One who knows every heart.
48 SERMONS IN RHYME
MISTER AND MISTRESS TIMESERVER
Unstable aa toater, — Genesis mliv, 4.
Mister and Mistress Timeserver, a word I would have
with you:
171

172. An hour ago the moon was cheese ; but now the moon
is dew.
I.
An hour ago the world was square ; and now the world
is round.
You hide with every hare that hides; you run with
every hound.
You strive to please the ignorant, and, too, the man
of sense ;
You march on this side and on that; you sit upon the
fence.
You are one with the quiet-tongued ; agree with all
that's said:
You wish that I would live for aye; you wish that I
172

173. were dead.
Mister and Mistress Timeserver, for me the lonesome
track,
Before I'd hide behind your hedge, or howl amid your
pack.
Mister and Mistress Timeserver, I wish for you no ill ;
But I was tired when we met and I am tired still.
SERMONS IN BHTME ^
THE POOR RICH MAN
He toent away 8orrotcful, for he had great posaesaione, —
Matthew wix, 22,
173

174. poor rich man, whose full bins o 'er-flow ;
poor rich man, with your gold you love so ;
If in dear Christ's heart the beggar comes first,
He is rich, while your soul dies of hunger and thirst.
AT THE MARRIAGE ALTAR
THE DIVOBC^'S VOWS
A< 80undmg hnue, or a tinkling cymbal, — I OorinthianB wiU, 1,
For richer, for poorer, for better, for worse.
And for each and for every day, —
For richer, for poorer, for better, for worse.
To honor, to love, and obey.
For richer, for poorer, for better, for worse,
These the words that her marriage vows say, —
174

175. For richer, for poorer, for better, for worse, —
She is marrying another to-day !
50 SERMONS IN RHYME
THE DEVHj'S CASTOFF
And tohoaoever wUl, let TUm take the water of life freely.-
Revelation maii^ 17,
The old man's breath came hard and slow,
Where the gulf of hell yawned nigh ;
The master whom he had served so long
Had but flung him there to die !
Past the power of whip and spur ;
175

176. For his breath was almost gone ; —
He had served the devil's tricks and trade : —
And had come where hell's fires shone.
The old man's breath came hard and slow ,
Now he understood the price, —
The price that he had paid the fiend ; —
Ah, to know the devil's vice !
And by the pit for which he'd toiled, —
The dread pit deep and nigh, —
He fought against its depth and fire
His soul to sanctify.
He thought of mercy's Master meek,
Once known at his mother's knee ;
And his soul cried out against hell's doom,
And he prayed it might be free ;
176

177. SEEMONS IN RHYME 51
He plead, there lying on the ground,
Till his soul of sin bled dry ; —
T|iere, on the brink of that dread pit,
Where he'd been flung to die:
"0 Master pure and pitying.
Who once was crucified
That never a soul need be lost
Though hell 's foul pit yawn wide I ' '
And who shall judge or dare to say
That the gates were not flung wide,-
The gates of Heaven's city bright, —
To him who called — ^then died?
177

178. For ''whosoever'' was the word, —
God's generous word, so great ! —
Embracing, with the pure in heart,
The sinner at hell's gate.
GREAT MEN
Know ye not that the friendship of the world ia enmity with
Qodt — Jamee iv, 4,
Oh, the world's great men stood in sweat by the gun;
And he mowed men down from the sun to the sun I
52 SERMONS IN RHYME
And they went to their doom with curse and with
178

179. moan;
While the black night came down, and ne'er a star
shone.
But the Lord's great man reached his hands to hell's
mouth,
And he drew back the men from its flame and its
drouth.
And they smote him amain, but he turned ''th 'other
cheek";
For the great man of God is both mighty and meek.
THE HEART OF THE FATHER
A8 a father pitieth his children, — Padlm oiii, IS,
179

180. My child in peril in the treacherous wild ! —
What would I not to save him, — ^my own child?
Will not God reckon, if I am His own,
The perils that beset me, — ^beast and stone t
My child in hunger where fell vampire feeds! —
Would I withhold my heart's blood for his needs f
Will not God reckon, if I am His child.
My needs and dangers in this treacherous wild?
SERMONS IN BHYME 53
DEATH
grave where ia thy victory? — I Corinthians ow, 55,
am going away to-night, my friend,
A little while from you ;
am going to our home to-night; —
180

181. Adieu, adieu, adieu I
am going away to-night, my friend,
There I will watch for you ;
am going to our home to-night ; —
Adieu, adieu, adieu !
am going away to-night, my friend.
Where skies are always blue ;
am going to our home to-night ; —
Adieu, adieu, adieu !
am going away to-night, my friend.
Where all love's dreams come true ;
am going to our home to-night ; —
Adieu, adieu, adieu !
am going away to-night, my friend, —
Qod keep you safe and true ;
am going to our home to-night ; —
Adieu, adieu, adieu!
181

182. 54 SERMONS IN BHYME
UNDER THE ROSE
Let not the sun go down upon your wrath. — Ephetiana iv, 26.
Yes, I loved him,
But a quarrel came between —
I married another,
And I lived like a queen.
Then he took her.
And each wedded, weary day,.
He toiled like a bondman
On life's burdensome way.
But I envied her,
'Spite of all my wealth and state, —
Craved her cotton garments
182

183. And the crust that she ate.
The touch of his hand.
Though he lay on the ground, —
E'en the widow's cheap veil
And the drunkard's low mound.
DEFEATED
A lying tongue ia hut for a moment. — Proverha xU, 19.
He was defeated !
And there he stood.
With downcast mien,
As the vanquished should.
SERMONS IN RHYME 55
183

184. He was defeated!
From yonder side
The victor's cheers
Bang far, rang wide.
He was defeated?
He fought for right!
Then, his the triumph,
The joy. of the fight.
He was defeated f
Where real crowns are
What counts this din
That sounds afar!
184

185. FOREVER
Pwniahed with everlaating destruction, — II Theaaalonians i, 9,
8h€dl inherit everlasting life. — Matthew mix, 29,
It is not far to forever, —
Just a slipping of the breath ;
But vast the joy of heaven,
Or grief of "second death" —
Forever !
It is not long to forever, —
Perhaps ere the word is said ;
But 'tis long, to be living,
Or long, long to be dead, —
Forever I
56 SEBMONS IN RHYME
185

186. GBEATNESS
He that %9 greatest among you ahM he your aerwxnt.-^
Matthew xxiii, 11.
A woman of great wealth died to-day,
She died, as she'd lived, in the rich world's way, —
Died as she 'd lived, in Palace Place,
'Mid gold and perfume and service and lace ;
Died as she'd lived: scorn in her heart
For the poorness of me and my petty part ;
But for all her pride in her golden load.
Naught could she take to her new abode.
A woman of great heart died to-day.
186

187. The greatness of her makes me rich alway.
The world is richer f orevermore.
For wealth that she gave, for the burdens she bore ;
She died in meekness on bed of straw.
When no one but Gk)d either knew or saw.
She died in meekness, poor and alone ; —
Vast may her wealth be where God crowns his own !
SERMONS IN EHYME 67
THE DIFFERENCE
Who art thou that judgeat another?-^ amea iv, 12,
187

188. There was a poor man by one sin beset.
Yet never a lie did that one sin beget ;
Wherever he lived and wherever he went
Blame, slight, and scorn were his harsh punishment.
Another there was steeped tenfold in sin ;
But sleek, pious lies cloaked the foul soul within.
And the foolish world said: ''Oh, see this good
man: —
A being created on God's own great plan!"
And the ''good man" oft cried above the world's din:
"0 people, beware of my brother's foul sin!"
So each lived, so each died, and only God knew
How many one 's sins, and the other 's how few !
188

189. 58 SERMONS IN RHYME
IN JAIL, AND OUT
Evil communicationa corrupt good manners, —
/ Corinthiana am, SS.
«
Yes, Ned's in the jail, sir;
They sent him there to-day. —
And not only that, sir,
But twenty years to stay.
Ah, 'tis a strange worl', sir;
And strange, too, is its way. —
For 'tis poor Ned's wife, sir,
Should be in jail to-day.
189

190. Handsome as a dream, sir;
Church member, — oh, you know ;
Yet her man's in jail, sir.
For her mad love of show.
I know what I speak, sir.
For Ned's one fault on earth
Was to love that girl, sir, —
A girl who wasn't worth.
Just to live in style, sir, —
Yes ; that was all her creed.
Ned in jail twenty years
A-payin' for her greed!
SERMONS IN BHYMB 59
190

191. I
GOD'S COUNTRY
A better country, that ie, an hea/venly, — Behrewe xi, 16,
I am thinking that that better land is grand and fair
and wide ;
And that there is joy's completeness on each and
every side.
I am thinking that the music there is sweetest ever
heard;
And I could not paint its beauty, far beyond mere
mortal word.
I am thinking that there love will say all words here
left unsaid ;
For, in the country that is God's, love ne'er is mute
191

192. or dead.
I am thinking how each cup of joy is full to overflow.
And that of grief or sorrow no heart will dream or
know.
I am thinking that there each will find one's own
peculiar joy ;
Yes, even for the little child, some longed-for strange
new toy.
I am thinking that the love of Christ must wash my
soul all white
Before I find that country with its love and joy and
Ught.
192

193. SERMONS IN RHYME
BT
^
JUDITH L. C. GARNETT
u^
193

194. THE NEALE PUBLISHING COMPANY
440 FOURTH AVE., NEW YORK
1916
1' '■•
1 ■
pul:.j l
993132A
194

195. A".;':.':, j.
K
Xy. >%/
COPTRIOHT, 1916, Bt
Judith L. C. Garwett
CONTENTS
TtU
195

196. r>
PAGE
The Pbincb op Peace . 9
Nemesis 10
Spwnq 11
Death 11
Satett 12
The Cubss of Cain 12
AxTNT Dinah's Rbpxtuie 14
Heartbboken 14
AliE&ICA 15
196

197. The Hypocrite Christian 17
To THE New Year 19
The Finished Product 19
In the "Upper Garden" 20
The Last Decision 21
Christmas 21
The World in a Slinq 22
Lost 23
Heaven 24
Two Masters, Two Fields, Two Paths, and Two Homes 25
The Call of the Home 26
Preparedness 27
197

198. Magdalene 29
The Hero's Failure . 30
Slaves 31
The Brunt of the Fight 33
CONTENTS
PAGB
Easteb 35
Deulah .-35
The Tbattob's Wealth 38
Just a Woman; Not a Suffbaoette 36
198

199. Cheeb Up! 38
The Broken Pbomise 39
Oppobtunitt . 39
Jezebel 41
OO-WOBKEBS with GOD .42
The Pebfect Pattern 43
Idols 43
The Unbuly Tongue 46
To-day 46
Heabtbbeaking 47
Misteb and Mistbess Timesebveb 48
The Poob Rich Man 49
199

200. At the Mabbiage Altab 49
The Devil's Castopp 60
Gbeat Men 61
The Heabt op the Fatheb 62
Death 63
Undeb the Eose 64
Defeated 64
FOBEVEB 65
Gbeatness - ... 66
The Diffebence 67
In Jail, and Out 58
God's CJountby 69
200

201. SERMONS IN RHYME
SERMONS IN RHYME
THE PRINCE OP PEACE
From whence come wars and fightings among youf —
James iv, 1.
nations new, nations old,
While you spare not man, nor gun, nor gold.
The Mighty One, the Prince of Peace,
Doth command you that your strifes must cease ;
201

202. While yet you snarl and clash and hate,
His white flag gleams near Heaven's gate.
O Brother of mine by war defiled.
Think of Bethlehem's babe, — ^the Heaven-bom child;
Cast down thy sword and reach to me
A brother's hand on land or sea.
Brother, stay war's crimes to-day.
And let us try the Prince's way!
Our hearts are God's for heaven and time;
'Tis Satan that makes us lust for crime.
God gives us room where we may be
Akin on land and on the sea.
O Brother, stay thy sword to-day.
And let us try the great King's way.
O Brother of mine, — anear or far, —
202

203. God will judge of our deeds, — ^what our battles are, —
Will strip sin's heart of godless pride.
Though gold be great and lands be wide.
O Brother, reach thy hand to me, —
A brother's hand on land or sea.
10 SERMONS IN RHYME
Yes, Brother of mine, — ^anear or far, —
One will judge what our battles are ;
One will judge between thee and me;
The One who made earth, sky, and sea, —
Will rule all nations, rule each man,
Though great the nation and vast the plan.
Brother, cast your sword away
203

204. And let us turn to Him to-day.
NEMESIS
Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Galatians vi, 7.
Nemesis, O Nemesis,
With* your dark and lowered brow,
I see you stand and measure
Sin's black harvest to me now.
Nemesis, Nemesis, —
Ood, have pity on me now! —
I see you stand and measure
With relentless hand and brow.
204

205. Nemesis, Nemesis, —
Dear Christ, oh, pitying, stay
The crushing weight of harvest
That she measures out to-day!
SERMONS IN RHYME 11
SPRING
Understanding ia a toellaprvng of life to him that hath it.
Proverbs wvi, 22.
The old man smiled and listened,
For the old man's heart was young;
And he loved the gold of the crocus,
And the song that the robin sung.
205

206. The old man smiled and listened,
For he thought of heaven's bloom
And the blessed voices of angels
That sing gladly beyond the tomb.
DEATH
Yea, though I uxM through the valley, of the shadow of death.
— Psalm amii, 4.
The journey, oh, the journey, —
With neither friend nor gold.
With neither sight nor hearing,—
Out in the dark and cold!
The journey, oh, the journey, —
206

207. The journey all must take I —
But Ood will guard me resting,
And greet me when I wake.
12 SERMONS IN RHYME
SAFETY
But whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall he safe.
Proverbs wxix, 25.
Oh, the wind blows north,
And the wind blows west.
And black is the frown
On the east-cloud's crest;
And the wild wind may harm
207

208. My tent where it stands.
But my soul is safe.
In Jehovah's hands.
Ah, sin journeys north,
And sin travels south;
Like a famished wolf's
Is its wide-stretched mouth.
And though sin press me hard,
Yet it can not' kill
My soul, held safe
By God's mighty will.
THE CURSE OF CAIN
And now art thou cursed. — Genesis iv, 11.
208

209. Brother, my Brother,
Cold, silent art thou.
With my sword in thy breast.
And death 's dew on thy brow !
SERMONS IN RHYME 13
Brother, my Brother,
With thy cross to bear, —
Did I send the barbed dart,
And no soft word to cheer?
Brother, my Brother,
With wounds deep and wide,-
209

210. 1 beheld thy dread plight.
Yet thy kinship denied.
Brother, my Brother,
Have I robbed thy store
Of thy fame, — ^more than life, —
And of peace evermore?
Brother, my Brother,
If thy life I mar, *
Then my bosom must bear
The same torture and scar;
And Brother, my Brother,
God's question will be:
Where, — ^the brother I gave, —
Answer now, — ^where is he?"
ti
210

211. 14 SERMONS IN RHYME
AUNT DINAH'S REPULSE
Beaiat the devil, and he vM flee from you, — James iv, 7.
Does yer know dat wicked rascal
Sed ter Dinah, — dat's po' me, —
'*Darlin', ef yer'U only lub me,
Yo' kin hab de worP an' seat"
Den I sed to dat ole rascal :
"Yo' ole debil," — dat was him, —
**See dis rollin'-pin I'se got heret —
An ' I 'se neither weak ner slim ! ' '
HEARTBROKEN
211

212. He hath sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, — Luke iv, 18.
The home I loved is lonely
As the dead bird's last year's nest.
And only by my sad heart's blood
Know I the east or west.
The love that cheered my lifetime
Now has sought another's breast;
And unto one who heeds you not.
You give your tear,— your jest.
Yet from my grief, triumphant
Shall new joy and greatness rise,
For He who heals the broken heart,
Such solace ne'er denies.
SERMONS IN EHYME 15
212

213. AMERICA
And who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for
8uch a time as this? — Esther iv, H.
America, America,
How many weep to-day
For peace from the battle,
For rest from the fray !
America, America,
Ah, how well might you teach
Peace, — Christ's gentle lesson
That He gave to each.
America, America,
213

214. Ah, how well might you stand.
With love in your bosom.
And peace in your hand !
Anierica, Amema,
Ah, how well might you speak
Wise words to the mighty, —
Wise words to the weak !
America, America,
The Lord now gives to you
To teach wondrous lessons
And great deeds to do.
16 SERMONS IN RHYME
214

215. America, America,
Ah, what good can there be,
In hate's spring that fills up
The war's bloody seat
America, America,
Ah, now forget the past;
And teach Christ's sweet lesson
Of peace to the last.
•
America, America,
There dwell within your gate.
Men from every nation, —
The children of fate.
215

216. America, America,
Sound now the gospel call:
Oh, peace for the mighty !
Peace, too, for the small!
America, America,
Ah, in war's bloody lands.
How awful the grief is.
How awful the bands !
America, America, —
Kin to the nations all, —
Ah, shout out Christ's message,
And cheer no man's fall.
SERMONS IN RHYME 17
216

217. America, America,
Ah, let it never be
Your ears will not hearken,
Your eyes will not see !
America, America,
All Satan's joy is hate;
How great is the bondage, —
The grief ,— at your gate !
America, America,
Oh, choose to-day to be
The land of the noble,
The land of the free !
217

218. THE HYPOCRITE CHRISTIAN
Far what i8 the hope of the hypocrite? — Job wosvii, 8.
Suppose, in the day of judgment,
God should say to you or me :
** Hypocrite, thou Hypocrite,
Woe evermore to thee !
** Hypocrite, thou Hypocrite,
The devil has done his part ;
And thou hast helped him with thy hands.
And helped him with thy heart !
18 SERMONS IN RHYME
218

219. ''Hypocrite, thou Hypocrite,
The world is black for thee
And for the souls led to hell's brink
And harked to shoreless sea!
** Hypocrite, thou Hypocrite,
Who took, — who wore my name ;
But thou hast lived to give me grief, —
Hast lived to bring me shame.
''Hypocrite, O thou Hypocrite,
Who claimed my all thine own:
Who served hell's chief with gems and gold,-
For Me the husk and stone.
"Hypocrite, thou Hypocrite, —
Worse than the devil's own.
For he took not my name to wear.
219

220. Nor dared approach my throne.
"Hypocrite, thou Hypocrite,
Eternal woe to thee.
For thy dread doom the ceaseless flame
And devil's pit must be!"
SEEMONS IN RHYME 19
TO THE NEW YEAK
80 teach U8 to number our days, that toe may apply our hearts
unto vjisdom, — Psalms wo, 12,
New Year, New Year,
You are near, — ^are at the door, —
220

221. For no man can stay your coming
By the sea or by the shore;
Nor bar, nor soldiers strong, with sword in hand.
Can halt your progress, 01^ your march withstand.
New Year, New Year,
Stop, and be a witness true
When I vow, amid your sunshine, —
Mid your clouds and mid your dew, —
To seek my Master's way, to give my mite.
And so find favor in God's holy sight.
THE FINISHED PRODUCT
One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more here-
after, — Revelation iw, 12,
Once on a time there was a man,
And he was good and true ;
But he took a drink of whiskey.
221

222. And later he took two.
Once on a time there was his son,
And he was partly true;
But he took a drink of whiskey,
And then took seven times two.
20 SERMONS IN RHYME
Once on a time there was a beast :
The first man's one son's son;
Beast he lived and died, — ^beadt only,-
And now the story's done.
222

223. IN THE '* UPPER GARDEN"
/ am the resurrection and the life, — John m, 25,
Beloved, Beloved,
Shall we not rejoice to meet.
In the beauteous ** upper garden,"
Nearby the golden street t
Beloved, Beloved,
Say to me love's words again
In the glorious *' upper garden,"
Untouched by death and pain.
Beloved, Beloved,
I shall see you glad and grand,
• In the radiant ** upper garden,"
And run to reach your hand.
Beloved, Beloved,
223

224. Oh, the joy when we shall cast.
Near the feet of our Saviour
Our crowns. Beloved, at last!
SERMONS IN RHYME 21
THE LAST DECISION
Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right f —
Oeneaia wviii, 25,
Your best, and scorned so, —
Your truest and best, —
As with scorn of a f oe t
Ah, man, woman, or child.
Cease your sob, dry your tear ;
224

225. For God has a place where all of your best
Will glory and shine evermore. Do not fear !
No judgment, no promise
Can stand, or can keep.
Save the Judge's of Heaven.
Though you faint, though you weep,
Cease to doubt,— cease to fear:
For God has a place for all of your best.
Though it fail, and it fall, and it falter, while here.
CHRISTMAS
For God 80 loved the world! — John iU, 16.
Oh, Christmas, Christmas, Christmas !
When the heart is young, to se«
The secrets by the chimney,
225

226. And the charms upon the tree !
22 SERMONS IN RHYME
Oh, Christmas, Christmas, Christmas !
When the heart is worn and old.
Let's ease it of its burdens,
With some thought or deed of gold.
Oh, Christmas, Christmas, Christmas!
Oh, God's gift that we might be
Forever rich and happy.
And forever young and free !
226

227. THE WORLD IN A SLING
Thy will he done, — Matthew vi, 10.
When a wilful child, and ignorant,
I wanted the world in my sling.
Ah, desperate plight for the world and the child
The world all a child 's to fling !
But now, with my eyes turned heavenward,
Let me learn, oh, the great, great thing : —
As long as I will, and as much as I ask,
My world is in God's sure sling.
SERMONS IN RHYME 23
LOST
227

228. Why stand ye here M the day idle? — Matthew aw, 6.
Lost, — ^now a woman, a child, a man !
Will you save one if you cant
''Lost in a heathen landf
- Lost on the desert's sandt
Lost on the waters wide t ' '
Aye, aye, — ^and by your side.
Lost, — now a woman, a child, a man !
Will you save one if you cant
**At parting of the wayst
In dark and bitter daysT
In stress of strenuous tidef"
Aye, aye, — and by your side.
Lost, — ^now a woman, a child, a man !
Will you save one if you cant
228

229. **In maze of forest land.
Led by a wicked band.
Where gems and minerals hide T '
Aye, aye, — ^and by your side.
Lost, — ^now a woman, a child, a man
Will you save one if you cant
* * Lost in the house, or street.
Far from the mercy seatt
Lost in a mountain slidet"
Aye, aye, — and by your side.
24 SERMONS IN RHYME
Lost, — ^now a woman, a child, a man !
Will you save one if you cant
**In pulpit or in pew,
In secret or in view,
229

230. Going to heirs jaws widet"
Aye, aye, — and by your side.
HEAVEN
I go to prepare a place for you. — John , 2.
Heaven, Heaven, Heaven,
With gleaming golden street, —
Where all the saints have singing hearts
And joy's young, tripping feet!
Heaven, Heaven, Heaven,
With river, calm and grand.
And joy and praise and music sweet
Through all the fair, wide land !
Heaven, Heaven, Jleaven,
Where all love's dream comes true.
And all my prayer for Paradise,
And all my prayer for you.
Heaven, Heaven, Heaven, —
In all the land so wide
230

231. No one with sighing, tear, or pain,
No one with prayer denied.
Heaven, Heaven, Heaven, —
We will forget all woe
Within the city of delight,
Where all Christ's saved shall go !
Heaven, Heaven, Heaven, —
Where love abides alway.
Where there is joy without alloy
Forever and for aye !
Heaven, Heaven, Heaven, —
No vision here can see
The beauty of that home of joy.
Prepared for you and me.
TWO MASTERS, TWO FIELDS, TWO PATHS,
AND TWO HOMES
231

232. No man can serve two masters, — Matthew vt, 24.
If I love not my God,
I am the devil's own ;
And he will use me as his slave —
Will scourge me to the bone.
If I belong to God
I 'm bought, but I am free ;
For in the service that is love's
No bondage can there be.
If I with Satan walk
Along his homeward road,
I shall find only, — my soul ! —
Remorse in his abode.
If I walk with my Lord,
Safe in the "narrow way,"
The path leads to the Land of Joy,
Unto the “ perfect day. ' '
Work I in Satan's field.
This harvest mine to reap :
232

233. To eat my heart out, like a slave.
O'er sins and sorrows deep.
But in God's vineyard vast
The grapes of grace are mine.
And every drop of wine's a gem
Set where God's jewels shine.
THE CALL OF THE HOME
A city which hath foundations. — Hehretoa an, 10,
O city with foundations, —
Where every heart is true.
And every hand is loyal, —
I often think of you.
O city with foundations
Enduring, grand, and fair, —
The worldly things I build on
Are light as whiffs of air.
233

234. O city with foundations,
Joy's sojourn for the blest, —
O city with foundations.
There wait me wealth and rest !
PREPAREDNESS
I came not to send Peace, but a SWord. — Matthew x, S^,
Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build
it; except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh
hut in vain. — Psalm cxxvU, 1,
People of God, what is this ?
A cloud for the heart and the sky.
Oh, that we would prepare
To heed the Lord Most High !
People of God, now prepare !
Will you dare to judge that your God
Did all unthinking say:
'Put down your sword and rod"!
People of God, oh, prepare, —
234

235. Oh, prepare you to heed your God,
Ere He lets slip your soul,
To perish neath the sod I
People of God, now prepare !
God to each grants a time and place,
To prove if we will heed, —
If we will seek His grace.
People of God, now prepare !
We are soldiers of Christ to-day,
So 'tis but ours to heed, —
Not ours to disobey!
People of God, what is this
But the same serpent steeped in guile.
To make the heart rebel.
To cheat, and to defile
Peoples there were that prepared," —
What have they but hell in the heart ;
Hell on every hearthstone.
And hell in every mart?
235

236. People of God, what is this!
Though you make your forts thick with fire ;
And fill the land with guns ; —
Will these stay sin's desire!
Bullets and shells you may have.
You may live in war's fiery path, —
Will these things kill your sin!
Will these all stay God's wrath!
*Not to send peace, but a sword. ' '-
Sword of the Spirit, all good,
Now pierce the heart and slay
This beast, — ^the Lust for Blood !
MAGDALENE
He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at
her, — John viii, 7,
Magdalene, O Magdalene,
With your red mouth Satan kissed, —
236

237. Magdalene, Magdalene,
I weep for all that you have bought.
And for all that you have missed.
Magdalene, Magdalene,
Wondrous great God's mercies are, —
Magdalene, Magdalene, —
To wash all white your soul of sin.
And to cleanse you from, all scar !
Magdalene, Magdalene,
Ere I draw my skirts from you, —
Magdalene, Magdalene, —
With prayer and tears let me recall
How I need God's fountain too!
THE HERO'S FAILURE
HENRY FORD
A treasure in the heavens that faileth not. — Luke mi, SS.
The hero sailed forth,
His heart quick with joy ;
237

238. And he lavished his gold
With the zest of a boy.
Forth with him there sailed
A small, ardent band ;
For his mission was great, —
Yes, his mission was grand.
The rabble, though, said,
" This man is a fool !
I will not lend my voice.
And I won 't lend my tool.
''That is not my way,"
The jeering mob cried,
And they scoflEed at his deed. —
All may scoff and deride ;
But will there not be
Bright stars in his crown,
When the world's way is done,
And the last ship goes down!
238

239. SERMONS IN RHYME 31
SLAVES
Their Uvea hitter with hard bondage. — Bxodui i, ^4-
slaves, slaves, slaves !
Would that my cry be heard, —
A warning like an angel's
With clearness of a bird !
O slaves, slaves, slaves !
Is wife or child a slave
To Satan that is in you, —
Or fed on food he gave !
O slaves, slaves, slaves !
Is husband,— child, — a slave
To sin that you have harbored.
To sin you kept and gave !
slaves, slaves, slaves, —
At home or in the wild.
With bondage of your evil, —
239

240. Man, woman or a child !
O slaves, slaves, slaves, —
Man, woman, child, with bands
That Satan made and fastened
Both on your heart and hands I
32 SBBMONS IN RHYME
O slaves, slaves, slaves !
In parlor, kitchen, street,
Are slaves you bind and shackle,
And lay at Satan's feet!
slaves, slaves, slaves.
By blow on heart or cheek,
By bondage of your meaning.
By evil words you speak !
O slaves, slaves, slaves, —
240

241. The youth with his young heart.
Will you there write sin's legend!
There paint black Satan's artf
O slaves, slaves, slaves !
The maid, like spring a-south,
Why touch you with sin's fire
Her cheek, her soft red mouth!
O slaves, slaves, slaves, —
I see the chains you wear; —
Since Satan bound them on you,
You weakly keep them there !
O slaves, slaves, slaves !
In this land we call free, —
A land that's called God's country ,-
What countless slaves we see !
slaves, slaves, slaves, —
God rend the chains you wear.
Ere you learn in hell's darkness
No chains are broken there !
241

242. O slaves, slaves, slaves, —
May God forbid to-day
That you, with heart unfettered,
Be led from Him away!
THE BRUNT OF THE FIGHT
They hind heavy burdens and grievous to he home, and lay
them on men's shoulders. — Matthew wxiii, 4,
Oh, the fight has come.
And the fight is won;
But I've no word from Jim,
From the sun to the sun.
Oh, the fight has come,
And the fight is lost
But Jim's child and I, —
We must now pay the cost.
The boss sat his horse
On a distant height ;
242

243. Jim fought on hot ground.
In the teeth of the fight.
34 SERMONS IN RHYME
Oh, the big man feasts,
Upon the big hill ;
On the field of blood
Lies my Jim, dead and still.
Oh, the big crowd cheers, —
Still cheers the big boss ;
But Jim's child and I, —
Oh, our part's but the loss.
Oh, the big man's word
Created the fight ;
But Jim's child and I
Cry and starve in the night.
243

244. Oh, my Jim and I,
We tried to live right;
We needed no gun,
And we wanted no fight.
Oh, would it were so
That men who war shout
Be put in a pen,
Where they might think it out ;
Until they be taught
From God's precious word:
No right grows from wrong
For aught, — man, beast, or bird.
SERMONS IN ItHYME 35
EASTER
He ia risen I — Mark xvi, 6.
Oh, seal could never stay Him,
244

245. Nor soldiers with sword, in hand,
When He rose from the grave triumphant,
To go back to glory land !
So, Saviour, by the greatness
Of Thy heart that bled for me,
I shall rise from the grave triumphant.
An angel of joy to be.
DELILAH
Whose name was Delilah. — Judges xvi, 4,
How many a man is bound and led
To Satan's path and lair,
By a woman whose best is only ''a rag
And a bone and a hank of hair I"
How many a man is bound and led,
• In paths that lead but down.
By the lure of a cheek that is Satan's own.
And the swish of a sin-worn gown I
245

246. THE TRAITOR'S WEALTH
To, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did
eat of my bread, hath lifted up hie heel against me, —
Psalm wli, 9,
Ah, gold to clink in my coflEers,
And gold for your heed while I speak; —
And my spurs in the breast of my brother
With his white face silent and meek!
Ah, gold to clink in my coffers,
And Satan to have and to sell; —
And I've bought with the clink of his money
My lodging and keep in his hell I
JUST A WOMAN; NOT A SUFFRAGETTE
She hath done what she could, — Mark wiv, 8.
246

247. Oh, just to be a woman.
If the Lord has made me so !
I do not need a trumpet ;
I need not lead the show.
Oh, just to be a woman,
And to do the best I can.
Just where the Lord has placed me.
For all this life's brief span!
Oh, just to be a woman,
With no littleness of heart
To envy God-made sparrow,
Or God-made man, his part.
Oh, just to be a woman.
And to seek to serve my Lord !
I need not wear the tinsel,
I need no spur nor sword.
Oh, just to be a woman.
If I can but win for me.
247

248. The greatest of all guerdons
For mortal there can be!
Oh, just to be a woman !
If I do the best I can,
I need not fear nor sorrow
That I am not a man.
Oh, just to be a woman !
If I do my best with care, —
In brilliant sphere, or twilit, —
No angel more can dare.
38 SERMONS IN KHYME
CHEER UP!
In the world ye shall have tribulation; hut he of good cheer.
John xvi, SS,
248

249. Cheer up, my brother!
The day is not for long;
Now speak to your mate all cheerily ;
Now carry your cross with a song.
Cheer up, O my brother!
Now make this day your best,
When the sun comes up on the eastern hill,
When the sun goes down in the west.
Cheer up, my brother!
The fight will not last long;
How long, though, — ^thank God ! — ^is eternity.
And the joy-land's glory and song!
Cheer up, my brother!
'Tis not alone for gold,
That the cheerful giver is dear to Gtod,
Whose mercies are manifold.
THE BROKEN PROMISE
Pay thai tohich thou hast vovoed, — Eccleaiaatea v, 4.
249

250. And I forgot you, O my promise,
To the little child await
With weary heart and footsteps.
And hand upon the gate.
And I f oi^t you, my promise.
To the one in prime of life,
Who needed your fulfillment
To stay the stress of life.
And I f oi^t you, my promise.
To the one so worn and old.
Who waited in the twilight
Till tiie last hour was tolled.
OPPORTUNITY
While it i8 called to-day, — Hebrews Hi, IS.
I come, I come ;
And the hours are yours for deeds ; —
250

251. And my heart is full with love ;
And my hands are full with seeds !
I come, I come,
With the first ray of the mom,
And the wide world needs my love ! —
Do you greet me but with scorn f
I come, I come ;
And I beg you sow good seeds ! —
Do you turn to dress sin's hatet
Do you turn to spray sin's weeds t
I come, I come;
And I greet you with the mom ! —
And you might have sweets to bloom,
And the fine gold of the com.
I come, I come ;
And yours but to take to win ! —
Do you bind your heart and hand
At the past's trash-pile of sinf
251

252. I come, I come ! —
I am yours until the night !
Will you sleep till sleep is death.
And sin's veil shuts out the light f
SERMONS IN RHYME 41
JEZEBEL
That woman Jezebel, — Bevelation ii, 20.
Do you dread the devil ?
His wiles, his bonds, his hell
Do you dread the devil
Ah, you do well.
Do you dread the devil
In the form of dove or pelf t
Do you dread the devil, —
Ah, in yourself t
Do you dread the devil?
252

253. In the form of child or man
Dread him then more deeply.
Ah, if you can.
Do you dread the devil ?
More than your tongue can tell f
Dread him then more greatly
As Jezebel.
Ah, perhaps with beauty, —
And fair and soft of cheek ;
With her false lips framing
Fair words to speak !
42 SERMONS IN RHYME
CO-WORKERS WITH GOD
Feed my lambs,— John wxi, 15.
If it were your child, — ^yours, —
Here, serene and still,
253

254. Waiting here unconscious.
Where the devil feeds his mill ; —
If it were your child, — ^yours, —
Here, where hell's gulf lies.
On his lips light laughter.
And a smile in the young eyes ; —
If it were your child, — ^yours, —
Here, within Christ's land.
Breathing in sin's poison.
And with poison in his hand ;—
If it were your child, — ^youl«, —
Starving, sick, and lost.
Would you wait to save it! —
Would you wait and count the cost?
If it were your child, — ^yours, —
Would you rest and wait!
Would you wait for pleasure ;
Wait for gain, or wait for hate.
If it were your child, — yours, —
254

255. But heed you now, and stay !
This may be God's child here.
Will you not help God to-day.
SERMONS IN RHYME ^
THE PERFECT PATTERN
He is altogether lovely. — The Song of Songs v, 16.
brother and sister, away! —
Away with the curse and the sin
That you take your pattern from people,
And from what they are and have been.
brother and sister, away ! —
Away with this curse to the heart;
And make but the Saviour your pattern,
Although death and hell be my part !
brother and sister, away I
The Master and message but see I
255

256. Oh, cease you to look at man's frailties ;
Oh, take you no pattern from me !
IDOLS
Thou shalt have no other gods "before me, — Eaodue aox, 2.
Oh, strange, strange, strange, —
For all the Lord has done.
Yet the world is full of idols
Where souls kneel from sun to sun !
Oh, strange, strange, strange!
Not all in ''heathen land,''
But in this our time and country.
They are praised with heart and hand.
Oh, strange, strange, strange,
To give one's life, one's blood,
Unto things consumed by fire.
Wrecked by wind, or storm, or flood !
Oh, strange, strange, strange,
256

257. To give one's time, one's soul.
For the palate's mess of pottage,
Or for some like senseless dole !
Oh, strange, strange, strange!
Some are idols made of gold ;
Some are toys of yielding putty ;
Some are new, and some are old.
Oh, strange, strange, strange !
Do you adore a child, —
Or a man, or stone, or woman —
Is your idol undefiled.
Oh, strange, strange, strange!
Dear God, lead us away.
Ere we perish with our idols.
As we worship day by day.
Oh, strange, strange, strange !
Dear God, break them as clay ;
Or make these idols hateful,
So we turn from them away.
257

258. Oh, strange, strange, strange!
God strike them from above,
Ere we learn too late, by losing,
The strength of Thy great love.
THE UNRULY TONGUE
Keep thy tongue from evil. — Paalm amanv, IS.
'Twas all within a moment
That he spoke the bitter word ;
But now his child is lying
Where no word of his is heard.
'Twas all within a moment
That she spumed her man with scorn ;
And now he can not hear her.
There, where the dead are gone.
A word I gave a neighbour.
But the evil word came back.
258

259. To cut into my weary heart.
And scourge, and rend, and rack.
A word I gave a neighbour ;
But it sprouted swift great wings ; —
And, like a flying serpent vile.
Fast as it flies it stings.
Unto swift air I uttered
Just a word, lost in the wild ;
But lo, that word has come to fall
On the head of my child!
A word I yesterday withheld, —
Just a word I should have said ;—
Upon my silence falls God 's wrath,
Living be I, or dead.
TO-DAY
do work to-day in my vineyard. — Matthew xxi, 28.
259

260. Said one : * ' When I count not my millions
On my fingers and my toes,
I shall feel what 'tis to live,
And shall deal with mankind's woes."
Said one : ' ' Let me lend you my eyesight.
Ere fall night, and day shall close ;
For when the morrow cometh
It is neither friend's nor foe's."
HEARTBREAKING
For God shall bring every work into judgment, —
Eccleatiastes am, H.
What! not shunned at the hearthstone
Not branded in the martt
But Gk)d is the judge of the culprit! —
Are you breaking a human heart.
What! not shunned at the hearthstone
Not branded in the mart
260

261. Yet thief you are, maybe, and slayer
Of somebody's helpless heart.
What ! not in charge of the warden !
Not branded red with shame
But is not your crime even greater
Than those that the felons defame
No, fiot shunned at the hearthstone,
Nor branded in the mart!
But you culprits must come to the judgment
Of One who knows every heart.
MISTER AND MISTRESS TIMESERVER
Unstable as toater, — Genesis mliv, 4.
Mister and Mistress Timeserver,
a word I would have with you:
An hour ago the moon was cheese ;
but now the moon is dew.
An hour ago the world was square ;
261

262. and now the world is round.
You hide with every hare that hides;
you run with every hound.
You strive to please the ignorant,
and, too, the man of sense ;
You march on this side and on that;
you sit upon the fence.
You are one with the quiet-tongued ;
agree with all that's said:
You wish that I would live for aye;
you wish that I were dead.
Mister and Mistress Timeserver,
for me the lonesome track,
Before I'd hide behind your hedge,
or howl amid your pack.
Mister and Mistress Timeserver,
I wish for you no ill ;
But I was tired when we met
and I am tired still.
262

263. THE POOR RICH MAN
He went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions, —
Matthew wix, 22,
poor rich man, whose full bins o 'er-flow ;
poor rich man, with your gold you love so ;
If in dear Christ's heart the beggar comes first,
He is rich, while your soul dies of hunger and thirst.
AT THE MARRIAGE ALTAR
THE DIVOBC^'S VOWS
A soundmg hnue, or a tinkling cymbal, — I OorinthianB wiU, 1,
For richer, for poorer, for better, for worse.
263

264. And for each and for every day, —
For richer, for poorer, for better, for worse.
To honor, to love, and obey.
For richer, for poorer, for better, for worse,
These the words that her marriage vows say, —
For richer, for poorer, for better, for worse, —
She is marrying another to-day !
THE DEVHj'S CASTOFF
And to wh soever will, let him take the water of life freely.-
Revelation maii^ 17,
The old man's breath came hard and slow,
Where the gulf of hell yawned nigh ;
The master whom he had served so long
Had but flung him there to die !
Past the power of whip and spur ;
For his breath was almost gone ; —
264

265. He had served the devil's tricks and trade : —
And had come where hell's fires shone.
The old man's breath came hard and slow ,
Now he understood the price, —
The price that he had paid the fiend ; —
Ah, to know the devil's vice !
And by the pit for which he'd toiled, —
The dread pit deep and nigh, —
He fought against its depth and fire
His soul to sanctify.
He thought of mercy's Master meek,
Once known at his mother's knee ;
And his soul cried out against hell's doom,
And he prayed it might be free ;
He plead, there lying on the ground,
Till his soul of sin bled dry ; —
T|iere, on the brink of that dread pit,
Where he'd been flung to die:
"0 Master pure and pitying.
265

266. Who once was crucified
That never a soul need be lost
Though hell 's foul pit yawn wide I ' '
And who shall judge or dare to say
That the gates were not flung wide,-
The gates of Heaven's city bright, —
To him who called — ^then died?
For ''whosoever'' was the word, —
God's generous word, so great ! —
Embracing, with the pure in heart,
The sinner at hell's gate.
GREAT MEN
Know ye not that the friendship of the world ia enmity with
Qod — Jamee iv, 4,
Oh, the world's great men stood in sweat by the gun;
And he mowed men down from the sun to the sun.
266

267. And they went to their doom with curse and with moan;
While the black night came down, and ne'er a star shone.
But the Lord's great man reached his hands to hell's mouth,
And he drew back the men from its flame and its drouth.
And they smote him amain, but he turned ''th 'other cheek";
For the great man of God is both mighty and meek.
THE HEART OF THE FATHER
As a father pitieth his children, — Padlm oiii, IS,
My child in peril in the treacherous wild ! —
What would I not to save him, — ^my own child?
Will not God reckon, if I am His own,
The perils that beset me, — ^beast and stone t
My child in hunger where fell vampire feeds! —
Would I withhold my heart's blood for his needs f
Will not God reckon, if I am His child.
267

268. My needs and dangers in this treacherous wild?
SERMONS IN BHYME 53
DEATH
grave where is thy victory? — I Corinthians ow, 55,
am going away to-night, my friend,
A little while from you ;
am going to our home to-night; —
Adieu, adieu, adieu I
am going away to-night, my friend,
There I will watch for you ;
am going to our home to-night ; —
Adieu, adieu, adieu !
am going away to-night, my friend.
Where skies are always blue ;
am going to our home to-night ; —
268

269. Adieu, adieu, adieu !
am going away to-night, my friend.
Where all love's dreams come true ;
am going to our home to-night ; —
Adieu, adieu, adieu !
am going away to-night, my friend, —
Qod keep you safe and true ;
am going to our home to-night ; —
Adieu, adieu, adieu!
54 SERMONS IN BHYME
UNDER THE ROSE
Let not the sun go down upon your wrath. — Ephetiana iv, 26.
Yes, I loved him,
But a quarrel came between —
I married another,
And I lived like a queen.
269

270. Then he took her.
And each wedded, weary day,.
He toiled like a bondman
On life's burdensome way.
But I envied her,
'Spite of all my wealth and state, —
Craved her cotton garments
And the crust that she ate.
The touch of his hand.
Though he lay on the ground, —
E'en the widow's cheap veil
And the drunkard's low mound.
DEFEATED
A lying tongue is but for a moment. — Proverha xU, 19.
He was defeated !
And there he stood.
With downcast mien,
As the vanquished should.
270

271. He was defeated!
From yonder side
The victor's cheers
Bang far, rang wide.
He was defeated?
He fought for right!
Then, his the triumph,
The joy. of the fight.
He was defeated
Where real crowns are
What counts this din
That sounds afar!
FOREVER
Punished with everlaating destruction, — II Theaaalonians i, 9,
8h€dl inherit everlasting life. — Matthew mix, 29,
It is not far to forever, —
271

272. Just a slipping of the breath ;
But vast the joy of heaven,
Or grief of "second death" —
Forever !
It is not long to forever, —
Perhaps ere the word is said ;
But 'tis long, to be living,
Or long, long to be dead, —
Forever I
56 SEBMONS IN RHYME
GBEATNESS
He that %9 greatest among you ahM he your aerwxnt.-^
Matthew xxiii, 11.
A woman of great wealth died to-day,
She died, as she'd lived, in the rich world's way, —
272

273. Died as she 'd lived, in Palace Place,
'Mid gold and perfume and service and lace ;
Died as she'd lived: scorn in her heart
For the poorness of me and my petty part ;
But for all her pride in her golden load.
Naught could she take to her new abode.
A woman of great heart died to-day.
The greatness of her makes me rich alway.
The world is richer f orevermore.
For wealth that she gave, for the burdens she bore ;
She died in meekness on bed of straw.
When no one but Gk)d either knew or saw.
273

274. She died in meekness, poor and alone ; —
Vast may her wealth be where God crowns his own !
SERMONS IN EHYME 67
THE DIFFERENCE
Who art thou that judgeat another?-^ amea iv, 12,
There was a poor man by one sin beset.
Yet never a lie did that one sin beget ;
Wherever he lived and wherever he went
Blame, slight, and scorn were his harsh punishment.
Another there was steeped tenfold in sin ;
But sleek, pious lies cloaked the foul soul within.
And the foolish world said: ''Oh, see this good man: —
A being created on God's own great plan!"
274

275. And the ''good man" oft cried above the world's din:
"0 people, beware of my brother's foul sin!"
So each lived, so each died, and only God knew
How many one 's sins, and the other 's how few !
58 SERMONS IN RHYME
IN JAIL, AND OUT
Evil communicationa corrupt good manners, —
/ Corinthiana am, SS.
Yes, Ned's in the jail, sir;
They sent him there to-day. —
And not only that, sir,
But twenty years to stay.
275

276. Ah, 'tis a strange world, sir;
And strange, too, is its way. —
For 'tis poor Ned's wife, sir,
Should be in jail to-day.
Handsome as a dream, sir;
Church member, — oh, you know ;
Yet her man's in jail, sir.
For her mad love of show.
I know what I speak, sir.
For Ned's one fault on earth
Was to love that girl, sir, —
A girl who wasn't worth.
Just to live in style, sir, —
Yes ; that was all her creed.
Ned in jail twenty years
A-payin' for her greed!
GOD'S COUNTRY
A better country, that ie, an hea/venly, — Behrewe xi, 16,
276

277. I am thinking that that better land is grand and fair and wide ;
And that there is joy's completeness on each and every side.
I am thinking that the music there is sweetest ever heard;
And I could not paint its beauty, far beyond mere mortal word.
I am thinking that there love will say all words here left unsaid ;
For, in the country that is God's, love ne'er is mute or dead.
I am thinking how each cup of joy is full to overflow.
And that of grief or sorrow no heart will dream or know.
I am thinking that there each will find one's own peculiar joy ;
Yes, even for the little child, some longed-for strange new toy.
I am thinking that the love of Christ must wash my soul all white
Before I find that country with its love and joy and light.
277