Wilt Thou, O Father, lead us in the way Wherein we ought to follow day by day! O let us take Thy hand, behold Thy face! O give us courage, hope and trustfulness! We know Thy love our knowledge far exceeds. Thy hand doth chasten while it gently leads Nearer and nearer the invisible throne, Where none have grace and strength to walk alone.
Ofttimes, forgetting God, in selfish pride, We deem ourselves secure without a guide; On luck or something else as vain, relying; O'er trackless deeps to voyage safely, trying; Around us gathered all we hold most dear, Ah, what have we from wind or tide to fear? Ere long, there comes an unexpected guest, "Who waits for no man's leisure," whose behest All must obey. Unwelcome and unasked He comes to us; ofttimes, so shrewdly masked We scarce suspect his errand or his will, Till one we love lies pale and cold and still,— The dearest always, be it a life or love, With every fibre of our heart inwove. And when we cry, low writhing in the dust, "Not this! not this! O spare us! we will trust And follow Thee!"—O mystery dark and deep! No answer cometh. Doth the Master sleep? 'Tis then we find the pathway we have trod So near to death, so far away from God,"
If hard and callous grows this human heart, Till all its finer impulses depart, What is our life-work worth? If this befall us, Its waste and desert sands may well appall us. We cannot "hush the wail of wasted years;" Useless alike our unavailing tears. We know the universe is not so wide That one may ever hope from God to hide, Or from His retributive justice fly. The Nemesis, the merciless pursuer, Memory, Our steps will track. Conscience will never sleep; But at his post strict watch and ward will keep. We try to lead this sentinel astray; Still, face to face, he meets us every day, In secret path or circuitous route; The wrong we do will surely find us out.
The better way where truth and duty lie May not be hidden by our sophistry. A purer life and better work we find, When we forget and leave ourselves behind. Unselfish ministration far outreaches, And unto all a higher worship teaches. The bravest souls all calumny outlive. The noblest hearts are readiest to forgive. The law of love all duty underlies, And asks of us no needless sacrifice.
How oft some heart is left to ache and bleed, Silently breaking while we do not heed! Though justice, mercy, duty plead in vain, Still we inflict the needless, useless pain. What good may we expect or hope to find, If we are cruel, thoughtless or unkind? Can we boast greater excellence or worth? Our God is surely judge of all the earth! We cannot hide from Him our petty lies, Or often cheat the world in any guise. The false and true are in the balance weighed: Each life, like gold, is skillfully assayed. If we are vanity and folly choosing, The real good, the rarest treasures losing, Our conscience surely will not spare the rod, Until, with willing hearts, we follow God.
