Daniel Neall
I.
FRIENDof the Slave, and yet the friend of all;
Lover of peace, yet ever foremost when
The need of battling Freedom called for men
To plant the banner on the outer wall;
Gentle and kindly, ever at distress
Melted to more than woman's tenderness,
Yet firm and steadfast, at his duty's post
Fronting the violence of a maddened host,
Like some-gray rock from which the waves are tossed!
Knowing his deeds of love, men questioned not
The faith of one whose walk and word were right;
Who tranquilly in Life's great task-field wrought,
And, side by side with evil, scarcely caught
A stain upon his pilgrim garb of white:
Prompt to redress another's wrong, his own
Leaving to Time and Truth and Penitence alone.
II.
Such was our friend. Formed on the good old plan,
A true and brave and downright honest man!
He blew no trumpet in the market-place,
Nor in the church with hypocritic face
Supplied with cant the lack of Christian grace;
Loathing pretence, he did with cheerful will
What others talked of while their hands were still;
And, while 'Lord, Lord!' the pious tyrants cried,
Who, in the poor, their Master crucified,
His daily prayer, far better understood.
In acts than words, was simply doing good.
So calm, so constant was his rectitude,
That by his loss alone we know its worth,
And feel how true a man has walked with us on earth.
poem by John Greenleaf Whittier
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Another Task At Hand
One more task finished my friend, for what God starts He will end.
He will finish so that you will know, God will help you as you grow.
For God is with you in all you do, God is there to see you through.
God will help you through every task, and all you have to do is ask.
Christ has work prepared for you, in the simple daily tasks you do.
Friend, daily as you do your job, you perform your work as for God.
Just do each task to please The Lord, and your effort is not ignored.
And as you work to serve The Lord, you will reap an eternal reward.
My friend, with The Lord any task, can have fruit that will surely last.
As you do the mundane things, God gives your heart songs to sing.
Friend, even when the day is bleak, simply let The Good Lord speak.
God speaks to you in The Word, in Godly wisdom that you've heard.
God’s Spirit creates in you and me, a witness that all others can see,
That in your job throughout the day, Jesus is with you along the way.
When you work at any place, you can point to His Awesome Grace.
A Grace that sustains me and you, throughout every task that we do.
As you grow you become assured, your daily strength is in The Lord.
For The Lord knows what is best, and in every task you are blessed.
With this task now said and done, you can point to God’s Only Son,
Christ, who is with you every day, through every task along the way.
Through Every Day
The Lord has and shall always; see me through all my days,
Whatever will come before me, His Gracious hand I will see,
As my life The Lord does guide, with my Savior by my side,
Through any task, large or small, He's the Lord God over all.
I seek God's face in the morning, before any trial or warning,
When talking to Him, anywhere, my Lord God's always there,
I just share what's on my heart, knowing to me He will impart,
Calm, for another day down here, as I cast to Him every fear.
I always reach the Throne of Grace, any time, from any place,
To talk about issues at hand, all things I may not understand,
God may not alter the day ahead, but He's always, like I said,
There, whenever I need to talk, anywhere along my daily walk.
Each day from beginning to end, I speak to God, as a friend,
Who helps me with doubt I face, to supply the needed grace,
Always an ear along the way, to help me through another day,
And in God, I'm always assured, I am in the Hand of my Lord.
In my days, as they come and go, this for sure I always know,
I'm guided by The Lord above, who leads me daily in His love,
And when I pause to talk to Him, He fills me with peace within,
Through the day into the night, He is always, my guiding Light.
Experience God's Loving Grace
I grew up believing I was a Christian, but I did not know The Lord,
For the first thirty years of my life, His Word was totally ignored.
Attending church I was led to believe I lived in a Christian nation,
But personally I never heard of Grace or even understood Salvation.
Living in such spiritual ignorance, my life at times was a disgrace.
However, The Lord used my lovely wife to help me seek His face.
Through her gentle witness The Lord brought me to a time and place,
Where The Spirit opened my heart to experience God's loving Grace.
It wasn't enough to know about God believing that He was always near,
For even the demons believe in God and they shudder with holy fear.
Things became clear when God gave me eyes to see and ears to hear,
That He's not only my God who's near but a friend who's so very dear.
Now I no longer ignore His Word, and He's with me throughout my day,
Christ leads me with The Spirit of God down His Glorious Narrow Way.
And anytime day or night should my heart become filled with dismay,
The Spirit leads me to God's Throne of Grace and even helps me pray.
My friend, my life is so much richer now that I truly know the Lord,
And as I grow in The Lord, my love for God's Word grows even more.
Friend if you read His Word and you'll understand why it has endured,
It's not simply a book by men but God's Word that's certain and sure.
(Copyright © 05/2003)
Requirement
We live by Faith; but Faith is not the slave
Of text and legend. Reason's voice and God's,
Nature's and Duty's, never are at odds.
What asks our Father of His children, save
Justice and mercy and humility,
A reasonable service of good deeds,
Pure living, tenderness to human needs,
Reverence and trust, and prayer for light to see
The Master's footprints in our daily ways?
No knotted scourge nor sacrificial knife,
But the calm beauty of an ordered life
Whose very breathing is unworded praise!--
A life that stands as all true lives have stood,
Firm-rooted in the faith that God is Good.
poem by John Greenleaf Whittier
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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The Lord Will Reign For Ever
When God began to fashion things
Like light and time and space
And angels with their wondrous wings
To share a state of grace
And suns and moons and stars and Earth
With life both great and small,
He then made Man to know His worth,
Yet Man dismissed it all...
To think, that Adam thought it wise
To seek his own reward,
To follow Eve, her thoughts to prize,
Regardless of the Lord.
It grieves my soul, yes, even now,
Yet God still had a plan,
The plan to save Mankind somehow
From evil that began...
And so it was, He sent His Son,
At His appointed time
And by the deeds that Christ has done,
We see Him as sublime...
To think, He was the Lamb of God
That takes Man's sins away,
By faith, to sacrifice His Blood,
Yet rose from death Sunday...
Yes, the Lord will reign for ever,
The Cosmos at His side,
Continuing there together,
Like Jesus and His Bride...
This truth endures the centuries,
Establishes His Church
And thus fulfils God's prophecies,
If we, the Bible, search...
The prophets and the psalmists know
God's glory, wisdom, love,
Forgiveness that can overflow
Like snowflakes from above...
The sun and moon are witnesses,
The stars sing praises, too,
And each Christian saint God blesses
Will share Good News with you...
Beyond the Universe that's known,
There's much, much more out there,
Yet with the wisdom God has shown,
It's grace that leads to prayer...
God's pardon and His gifts still prove
His Kingdom knows no end,
Stay humble, yet rejoice that truth,
Lord Jesus as your friend...
While angels praise what each has seen,
Mankind should praise the Lord,
For all that's known and gaps between,
So nothing's been ignored...
Behind the scenes, God's in control,
With miracles galore,
So lock this truth within your soul...
God reigns for ever more...
Denis Martindale, copyright, February 2012.
We can hear the word of the Lord on
Revelation TV on UK Sky Digital 581
as well as the WATCH NOW link on
the revelationtv-dot-com website...
poem by Denis Martindale
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Whatever The Tides
Give The Lord time and space, to fill a heart with His Grace,
To calm a heart filled with fear, knowing God is always near,
Knowing no matter what the tide, in your heart He will abide,
Knowing truly within your heart, that The Lord will not depart.
At Christmas time we often sing, about tidings He will bring,
Good tidings of joy to all men, especially those Born Again,
For that is why Christ came, so all could embrace His Name,
To accept His great Salvation, that He offers to every nation.
The tides of this life, we know, here upon earth ebb and flow,
As those tides change for me, changeless is God of Eternity,
The Lord God and Creator, Who came down to be my Savior,
My Lord is my provider too, and all tides He sees me through.
Whether tides are rough or calm, I am securely in God’s Palm,
Nothing takes me from His Hand, as my Lord helps me stand,
Amidst the shifting sands of life, I’ll stand firm in Jesus Christ,
While on The Rock of Eternity, The Lord God provides for me.
Friend, at any time any place, The Lord will provide His Grace,
With tidings of joy and peace, within a heart, that won’t cease,
Throughout this life I’m assured, in all times by Christ my Lord,
Whether in need or prosperity, my Lord is The God of Eternity.
(Copyright ©12/2011)
The Quaker Of The Olden Time
THE Quaker of the olden time!
How calm and firm and true,
Unspotted by its wrong and crime,
He walked the dark earth through.
The lust of power, the love of gain,
The thousand lures of sin
Around him, had no power to stain
The purity within.
With that deep insight which detects
All great things in the small,
And knows how each man's life affects
The spiritual life of all,
He walked by faith and not by sight,
By love and not by law;
The presence of the wrong or right
He rather felt than saw.
He felt that wrong with wrong partakes,
That nothing stands alone,
That whoso gives the motive, makes
His brother's sin his own.
And, pausing not for doubtful choice
Of evils great or small,
He listened to that inward voice
Which called away from all.
O Spirit of that early day,
So pure and strong and true,
Be with us in the narrow way
Our faithful fathers knew.
Give strength the evil to forsake,
The cross of Truth to bear,
And love and reverent fear to make
Our daily lives a prayer!
poem by John Greenleaf Whittier
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Maybe A CINO
Friend, are you a CINO faithfully, being a Christian in name only?
Christianity they don’t profess, as The Spirit they don’t possess.
Some, may dare profess a faith, never touched by God’s Grace,
Grace that when it’s received, changes hearts that have believed.
True faith’s more than knowledge of, The Lord who reigns above,
But, a faith that brings to earth, God above, through a New Birth,
Spiritual Birth, bringing into life, as Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
Who moves upon this earthly sod, in all who truly belong to God.
There are CINOs in every church, weekly in their pews they perch,
Hearing the Word week after week, but His Truth they never seek,
And in their pews they do remain, with a heart in need of change,
Sitting there as they always have, using their faith as just a salve.
So they leave their house of faith, not changed, by God’s Grace,
Still being who they were before, they entered in a church’s door,
And back into their week they go, with very little change to show,
To those on life’s Broader Way, with whom they work day to day.
So all Christians, in only name, can cause Christ hurt and shame,
By their actions, make no mistake, for their benefit, not His sake,
When you see a Godless testimony, it may just be, in name only,
Not a True Christian, please know, but simply a professing CINO.
(Copyright ©11/2009)
Another Day For The Lord
Another day is over my dear friend with another tomorrow to come,
Sometimes I wish it all would end and The Lord would simply come.
For when Truth by men goes ignored the day becomes far from fun.
But I need to labor for The Lord until my time on this earth is done.
For I remember when I was blind and the Christians I used to mock.
And The Lord sent to me someone kind to help me known The Rock.
Now friend, I need to do my part and with love lend a helping hand.
Especially to one with an open heart in hope that they understand.
What a blessing that would be to see a friend or coworker change.
And hear them as they believe, say that I wasn’t really so strange.
That will mean one more voice lifting up The Lord’s Blessed Name.
And with this one eternal choice another life will never be the same.
Friend, how can anyone believe, if God’s Truth they haven’t heard?
And this Truth that we have received is God’s Eternal Living Word.
Beautiful are the feet of those, who preach to others His Good News.
That’s one more soul that God knows for The Kingdom He can use.
Together we can reach the world with The Gospel of God’s Grace,
With the blessed news to herald, that Jesus Christ died in our place.
Friend, if only faithful we can be, from this present day to the end,
Then Jesus will say to you and me, well done my dear faithful friend.
Assured Through Christ
Thoughts on Heaven are never said, until a loved one here is dead,
And words are said, that aren’t true, said by friends and family too,
No mention of eternal death or life, and no mention of Jesus Christ,
But, since a loved one here has died, now up in Heaven they reside.
The majority of souls today assume, that from Hell they are immune,
From their very time of their birth, until that time they leave this earth,
Based on that premise they are good, which is generally understood,
But during this life, The Good Lord, by that large majority, is ignored.
The very God, Who gives man breath, is ignored by many until death,
That of a loved one, friend or family, who then, speaks of an Eternity,
Although finding it hard to remember, even by a close family member,
When they spoke of a belief or faith, in The Lord or His Saving Grace.
We all know men who love the Truth, and some who display no proof,
Of knowing the One, Who we love, or are even mindful of God above,
Yet, when death comes to the door, they’re placed on Heaven’s shore,
Not aware of what’s revealed to us, through the words of Christ Jesus.
Christ spoke of eternal darkness friend; for many that will be their end,
That, if they leave their earthly place, without The Lord’s Saving Grace;
They may even see God as Creator, but never accept Christ as Savior;
Knowing Christ as Savior and Lord, is the only way Heaven is assured.
(Copyright ©01/2011)
Outta Here
Very soon we’ll be outta here, as Christ’s Return draws near,
When God lifts us into the sky, true believers, like you and I,
As The Lord raptures all of us, to see our Lord, Christ Jesus,
But, within His time and His plan, not a time devised by man.
The Rapture is God’s Truth, One Thessalonians, is our proof,
Truth, revealed to Paul by Christ, a time we enter Eternal Life,
With His words we’re to comfort, believers about the trumpet,
As we stay fixed on The Lord, men’s words are to be ignored.
Man’s careless predictions can, deter the belief of some men.
Where is Christ’s Coming, they jeer, as His Return draws near,
But, His Truth is forever true, a Blessed Hope, of me and you,
Hope that is not hindered by man, for it is God’s inerrant plan.
God’s Word is flawless friend, a Truth we can trust to the end,
His Word is above man’s ways, only God deserves our praise,
His thoughts are higher than ours, and man’s thoughts He bars,
From association with His Word, when errant ideas are inferred.
In The Blessed Hope be assured, words to Paul from our Lord,
All of the flawed views of men, the Lord our God will condemn;
Believers today can be sure, in God’s Word, flawless and pure,
To be taken from the ground, when we hear that trumpet sound.
Only From Him
He is very good indeed to me, as only Jesus Christ can be,
He is Creator and Sustainer of, everything, and from above,
From His everlasting Throne, where He cares for all His own,
Seated at The Father’s side, with Authority not to be denied.
All praise is due to Him, who saved me from a world of sin,
Granting a mortal sinner like me, new life above for eternity,
While giving me a spiritual birth, to live anew upon the earth,
Giving me all reason to praise, The Lord above all my days.
Leading me out of the night, into my Savior’s Blessed Light,
Leaving me The Word of Life, to start living for Jesus Christ,
Which is what I need to begin, life down here apart from sin,
All this received by His Grace, that I discover in every place.
And His Grace is just a start, as Christ now lives in my heart.
Christ gives to me true joy within, as my Lord and my friend,
So as other friends may leave, to my Lord I’ll always cleave,
For from this joy in my heart, is His peace that won’t depart.
And this joy within will extend, into a time which has no end,
With an eternity ahead for us, who in Christ, place their trust.
Only from The Lord God above, can we receive such a love,
From His One and Only Son, with enough love for everyone.
(Copyright ©03/2008)
My God and Friend
He’s my God, my Lord, and a friend, who sticks closer than a brother,
He is one in whom you can depend, for comfort, more than any other,
He is a friend through thick and thin, the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
Who saved us from all of our sin, by becoming for us God’s sacrifice.
And for this, He became our Savior, but my friend He’s so much more,
As Christ my friend, He’s our Creator; one good reason He is our Lord.
However, Jesus lords not over us, and by God’s Grace we understand,
That all of those who in Him trust, He guides them with His gentle hand.
Dear friend, as our Creator God, there’s not one thing He doesn’t know,
And knowing all this earth we trod, Christ directs us in which way to go.
And Christ knows just how He will, provide for us each and every need,
And every need for our Lord to fill, is for our Creator a tiny task indeed.
The Lord God does all of this in love, from His Glorious Eternal Throne,
Reaching down from Heaven above, to care for those He calls His own.
But dear friend, before any of this, I stood all alone, lost and depraved,
I then received Christ’s Righteousness, when by His Grace I was saved.
It was on that day, which I believed, by faith in Christ Jesus as my Lord,
And from God the Father I received, new life through Christ forevermore.
So now He is my God and my friend, my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,
In a relationship, which has no end, as through Jesus I enter Eternal Life.
(Copyright ©09/2007)
All That’s Needed
I do not need any external relief, I just need to live out my belief,
Belief that goes beyond salvation, as I lean on God’s Revelation,
While things change and surely will, I need to let my heart be still,
Knowing my Lord is God over all, ordering events, big and small.
I know not what’s down the road, but, alone I don’t carry the load,
Following God, the burden’s light, even through the darkest night,
Never knowing what may be ahead, I depend on my Lord instead,
Who, through His Word is my guide, walking faithfully at my side.
The faith that I have in Jesus Christ, not only gives me eternal life,
For along with that blessed hope, God gives me strength to cope,
With unwanted trials that appear, on my earthly journey down here,
And with my eyes upon The Lord, plenty of grace, God will afford.
My friend, as I live out my faith, God provides me sufficient grace,
As my Lord leads me in this life, He comforts me in times of strife,
Upholding me in the deepest grief, as I firmly hold close my belief,
Not just my faith, but Jesus Christ, who had paid the ultimate price.
God’s Word lights my path each day, as I journey life’s narrow way,
With His Word hidden in my heart, God’s Truth each day has a part,
Directing each and every thought, as His Truth in my life is wrought,
Placing me on a Firm Foundation, through my faith in His Salvation.
(Copyright ©01/2011 Bob Gotti)
Oh, That More Would Know
Oh, that more would know, The Lord above, who loves them so,
Who gave His life, upon a cross, to save men from eternal loss.
That they too, would understand, Christ reigns above every land,
And though He reigns in power above, He truly is a God of love.
For in this present Age of Grace, He’s waiting for all to embrace,
From every tribe and every nation, the message of His Salvation.
Knowing judgment was to come, God sent to earth His Only Son,
So they’d not be judged by Him, but saved by Christ from all sin,
God’s plan for all my friend, was a life with God that had no end,
For it was the sin, not the man, that hindered God’s original plan.
Though God must judge all sin, He desires man, to live with Him,
Side by side with Christ eternally, is where He desires man to be.
This my friend is eternal life, which we gain through Jesus Christ,
Who came to redeem all men, so that they could be Born Again.
Born of The Spirit not the flesh, so that men can start life afresh,
The new life we start on earth, is through the Spirit and New Birth.
He’s The Spirit who helps us see, God’s Truth concerning Eternity,
Once we believe He won’t depart, taking up residence in our heart.
Helping us walk daily with Him, Christ, who saved us from our sin,
Learning to help others to know, life in Christ’s the only way to go.
(Copyright ©07/2007)
What Do Good Works Do?
What will a good life do for you, when your earthly life is through?
All the good you proudly say, you’ve done for men along the way.
Good deeds by men can be good; however it must be understood,
That our works won’t take the place, of The Lord’s amazing Grace.
Good works friend play no part, of God’s true conversion of a heart.
Your good works may be in vain, if you do not embrace The Name,
The only name in Heaven raised, by which all men must be saved.
Will all your good works of the past, well into eternity forever last?
Or will they be buried along side, your earthly body that also died?
Are you ignoring God’s Love, working your way to Heaven above?
Forgetting what God has done, by sending His only begotten Son.
We’re not saved by good deeds, but by God’s work upon Calvary,
His finished work on the cross, through Jesus saves all those lost.
For it is His Grace that saves us, when in Christ we place our trust.
Was the good work in your life, done for the glory of Jesus Christ?
Good works won’t move the Lord, if Christ His Only Son is ignored.
Do your works match the price, paid on the cross by Jesus Christ?
When you accept Jesus Christ, God’s works will flow from your life,
Works prepared for all who believe, that will continue on in eternity.
When your works are of The Lord, you will inherit an eternal reward,
Don’t you want to see your works, turned by God into eternal perks?
(Copyright ©06/2006)
Knowing Not what’s Ahead
I don’t know what lies ahead, so I look to my Savior instead,
The One Who bore a cross for me, to die a death at Calvary,
He, Who did that for me friend, knows how my path will end,
And so I’ll fix my eyes on Him, as He gives me peace within.
On every path that we trod, we must trust our Lord and God,
For on the path He has us go, our Lord’s desires shall show,
Where that path will end for us, as we follow our Lord Jesus.
And what the outcome will be, within the plan we cannot see.
The Plan of God we must embrace, while living out our days,
As children formed of but dust, an Eternal God we can trust,
For our Lord makes no mistake, on any path He has us take,
As all things work out for good, in His ways not understood.
Whether my path is bright or dim, I must always trust in Him,
He, Who knitted me in the womb, has set up, for me a room,
In His Father’s Home above, where Christ leads by His Love,
Love, He guides me in each day, even upon the darkest way.
Even if I choose my path in life, my way’s directed by Christ,
And upon every path taken, by my Lord I am never forsaken,
Who continues daily leading me, from this earth into Eternity,
Where all things will fall in place, when I see my Savior’s face.
(07/2011)
Who Do You Rely On?
As your world goes on day by day, who or what is your mainstay?
The One, who is The Only Way, will also sustain you from day to day.
Christ can not only be your end, He can guide you daily, my friend.
Friends can change their mind, but Christ is the same all the time.
When your world seems to fall apart, who or what calms your heart?
God will calm your heart in life, through the power of Jesus Christ.
Not only does He calm your fears, He can wipe away all your tears.
Christ can put your mind at ease, and fill your heart with eternal peace.
When someone close to you is unjust, whom can you place your trust?
When your friends leave for fear, He’s a friend who is always near.
Disappointed by those close to you, there’s a friend who’s always true.
When your friends forsake you, Christ will stay to see you through.
When your back is against the wall, on who my friend can you call?
Friend you can call upon The Lord, at any path and/or at any door.
When you need a course to chart, you my friend can trust God’s heart.
Just call upon His Awesome Name and you will never be the same.
When the task at hand is do or die, on who my friend do you rely?
You can rely on God, you’ll see, from today on through all Eternity.
You can trust The Lord for sure; He’s The Rock of Ages forevermore.
You can rely on Christ for much more, and my friend, He's at the door.
(Copyright ©10/2004)
A Firm Foundation
God takes you through His Revelation, to put you on a firm foundation,
He takes you from your shaky ground, to build on The Truth you found.
Many men come from every nation, drawn to Truth through Revelation,
And the Truth that these men found, is The Rock that’s sure and sound.
The Rock my friend is Jesus Christ; He’s a firm foundation for your life.
When you enter through The Door, He sets your footing firm and sure.
Friend, even in the midst of strife, your firm foundation is Jesus Christ.
An Eternal Rock is Christ our Lord; He is firm and steady forevermore.
Christ is more than just salvation, for He is The Light of every nation.
As you travel the world’s night, Christ, my friend, is your guiding light.
Safely guided to your destination, being led by The God of creation.
Christ will bring you through the night, in a way that is sure and right.
When you come to Jesus Christ, you my friend, shall have a surer life.
Indeed, a surer life in any place, leaning upon God’s Awesome Grace.
Filled with the peace of Jesus Christ, as you go through pain and strife,
For at any time and in any place, you friend, can seek The Lord’s face.
Indeed, Christ is a firm foundation, that leads you to Eternal Salvation,
And when you get through this night, you will see God’s Eternal Light.
When in your life The Lord is found, you will be upon Eternal Ground.
So my friend, come to Jesus Christ, and you shall inherit Eternal Life.
(Copyright ©07/2005)
Our Country
WE give thy natal day to hope,
O Country of our love and prayer!
Thy way is down no fatal slope,
But up to freer sun and air.
Tried as by furnace-fires, and yet
By God's grace only stronger made,
In future tasks before thee set
Thou shalt not lack the old-time aid.
The fathers sleep, but men remain
As wise, as true, and brave as they;
Why count the loss and not the gain?
The best is that we have to-day.
Whate'er of folly, shame, or crime,
Withhin thy mighty bounds transpires,
With speed defying space and time
Comes to us on the accusing wires;
While of thy wealth of noble deeds,
Thy homes of peace, thy votes unsold,
The love that pleads for human needs,
The wrong redressed, but half is told!
We read each felon's chronicle,
His acts, his words, his gallows-mood;
We know the single sinner well
And not the nine and ninety good.
Yet if, on daily scandals fed,
We seem at times to doubt thy worth,
We know thee still, when all is said,
The best and dearest spot on earth.
From the warm Mexic Gulf, or where
Belted with flowers Los Angeles
Basks in the semi-tropic air,
To where Katahdin's cedar trees
Are dwarfed and bent by Northern winds,
Thy plenty's horn is yearly filled;
Alone, the rounding century finds
Thy liberal soil by free hands tilled.
A refuge for the wronged and poor,
Thy generous heart has borne the blame
That, with them, through thy open door,
The old world's evil outcasts came.
But, with thy just and equal rule,
And labor's need and breadth of lands,
Free press and rostrum, church and school,
Thy sure, if slow, transforming hands
Shall mould even them to thy design,
Making a blessing of the ban;
And Freedom's chemistry combine
The alien elements of man.
The power that broke their prison bar
And set the dusky millions free,
And welded in the flame of war
The Union fast to Liberty,
Shall if not deal with other ills,
Redress the red man's grievance, break
The Circean cup which shames and kills
And Labor full requital make?
Alone to such as fitly bear
Thy civic honors bid them fall?
And call thy daughters forth to share
The rights and duties pledged to all?
Give every child his right of school,
Merge private greed in public good,
And spare a treasury overfull
The tax upon a poor man's food?
No lack was in thy primal stock,
No weakling founders builded here;
Thine were the men of Plymouth Rock,
The Huguenot and Cavalier;
And they whose firm endurance gained
The freedom of the souls of men,
Whose hands, unstained with blood, maintained
The swordless commonwealth of Penn.
And thine shall be the power of all
To do the work which duty bids,
And make the people's council hall
As lasting as the Pyramids!
Well have thy later years made good
Thy brave-said word a century back,
The pledge of human brotherhood,
The equal claim of white and black.
That word still echoes round the world,
And all who hear it turn to thee,
And read upon thy flag unfurled
The prophecies of destiny.
Thy great world-lesson all shall learn,
The nations in thy school shall sit,
Earth's farthest mountain-tops shall burn
With watch-fires from thy own uplit.
Great without seeking to be great
By fraud or conquest, rich in gold,
But richer in the large estate
Of virtue which thy children hold,
With peace that comes of purity
And strength to simple justice due,
So runs our loyal dream of thee;
God of our fathers! make it true.
O Land of lands! to thee we give
Our prayers, our hopes, our service free;
For thee thy sons shall nobly live,
And at thy need shall die for thee!
poem by John Greenleaf Whittier
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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