:-NRLF 
 
 5D3 
 
 P S 
 
 3519 
 0236 
 H3 
 
 1922 
 MAIN 
 
 A Harp with 
 \housand Strings 
 
GIFT OF 
 
 1 
 
 "TV 
 
A Harp 
 
 with a Thousand 
 Strings 
 
 ELIZABETH MOUNTCASTLE 
 JOHNSON 
 
Copyrighted, 1922 
 
 by 
 ELIZABETH MOUNTCASTLE JOHNSON 
 
Dedicated to 
 MILDRED CATHERINE JOHNSON 
 
To Mildred 
 
 When I was so ill 
 
 With the fever and pain, 
 
 A dear little girl 
 
 Came again and again, 
 
 With arms full of posies, 
 
 Of violets blue, and lilies and roses. 
 
 The days never grew 
 
 So dark nor so drear, 
 
 But sure she would come 
 
 With a bright smile to cheer 
 
 With arms full of posies, 
 
 Of violets blue, and lilies and roses. 
 
 So this little book 
 
 To her I bestow, 
 
 "To Mildred," the dear little girl 
 
 Who with face all aglow, 
 
 Came with arms full of posies, 
 
 Of violets blue, and lilies and roses. 
 
A Harp with a Thousand 
 Strings 
 
 With walls made of jasper 
 And gates made of pearls, 
 Somewhere stands a city 
 With streets of pure gold 
 And Peter stands waiting 
 To answer your call, 
 Now this is the story 
 For years has been told; 
 The rivers of crystal 
 Flow thru this fair land, 
 And around a great throne 
 The bright angels stand, 
 With nothing to do 
 But to shout and to sing, 
 And play on a harp 
 With thousands of strings. 
 
 A judge in his greatness 
 
 Sits near, on a throne, 
 
 The bad ones condemning, 
 
 The good ones condone: 
 
 "Depart from me here 
 
 To a consuming fire 
 
 Ere my anger and wrath 
 
 And my vengeance rise higher. 
 
 Before the beginning 
 
 Was a place made for you, 
 
 While your life was not bad 
 
 You at times were untrue. 
 
 No place here for thee 
 
 Just to shout and to sing, 
 
 And play on my harps 
 
 With thousands of strings." 
 
When lo! Thru the gate 
 
 A great throng then came in, 
 
 To be judged for their deeds 
 
 ( Twas the body that sinned.) 
 
 And that has returned 
 
 To the dust whence it came, 
 
 So why judge a soul 
 
 That has been born again? 
 
 There are friends that you loved 
 
 Perhaps father or son, 
 
 Ah! Hear how this judge 
 
 Is condemning each one. 
 
 He does not tell them 
 
 Just to shout and to sing, 
 
 And play on a harp 
 
 With a thousand strings. 
 
 Yes, wait, there is one 
 
 In this great earthly throng, 
 
 Who at the last moment 
 
 Repents of his wrongs. 
 
 As a dear little lamb 
 
 He s permitted to stay, 
 
 While the girl he destroyed 
 
 Has been driven away. 
 
 She was called unexpected 
 
 This old world to leave, 
 
 No time was she given 
 
 To say "I believe." 
 
 But the man is permitted 
 
 To shout and to sing, 
 
 And play on a harp 
 
 With a thousand strings. 
 
 10 
 
What joy up in Heaven 
 Do you think we d find, 
 If this little girl 
 Should be yours or be mine? 
 Does God love them less 
 Than a mother can love? 
 Can you think He made hell 
 And looks down from above, 
 As the fumes that ascend 
 From this pit where they go, 
 To His nostrils like incense 
 Come up from below, 
 And those near the throne 
 Still shouting they sing, 
 And play on a harp 
 With a thousand strings. 
 
 It may be a blessing 
 
 To reach Heaven s band, 
 
 And rest from the cares 
 
 That we leave in this land. 
 
 But the poor selfish hearts 
 
 Who ll be happy and gay, 
 
 When most of humanity 
 
 Is lost on the way, 
 
 Need never to fear 
 
 For their creed puts them there, 
 
 Locked in from the lost 
 
 In that land bright and fair, 
 
 There they rest by the stream 
 
 There they shout and they sing, 
 
 And play on a harp 
 
 With a thousand strings. 
 
 11 
 
Oh! God just one prayer 
 
 That I send up to Thee, 
 
 To your city of jasper and gold, 
 
 Don t lock me within 
 
 These, Your bright pearly gates, 
 
 If behind me I leave 
 
 Just one poor lonely soul. 
 
 It could not be Heaven 
 
 Without my dear ones, 
 
 Nor to know of the loss of one soul. 
 
 I shall want for each mother 
 
 To know that her son, 
 
 Is safely within the great fold. 
 
 And not even then 
 
 Would I care just to sing, 
 
 Nor to play on a harp 
 
 With a thousand strings. 
 
 For as long as just one 
 
 Of this little earth band 
 
 Is left here, the teacher of life. 
 
 I shall ask to return 
 
 From that Heavenly land, 
 
 To help bear his sorrow and strife, 
 
 For some are so weak 
 
 Altho others are strong, 
 
 It is hard for some always 
 
 To know right from wrong, 
 
 I ask just to help, 
 
 To some soul joy to bring, 
 
 Not to join in a chorus, 
 
 Not to shout and to sing, 
 
 Nor to play on a harp 
 
 With a thousand strings. 
 
 12 
 
Ocean of Time 
 
 Flow on, flow on, ocean of time, 
 
 Just speed the day when cares of earth 
 
 Have passed away, and souls are free, 
 
 And hearts are filled with joy and mirth. 
 
 After I pass the change, called death 
 
 To know eternal life is mine, 
 
 I know I ll ask to live again, 
 
 To help bear sorrow and earth crime. 
 
 But we who dwell here on this earth, 
 Are not the living, but the dead; 
 And things we see are not the real 
 The violets blue, nor roses red, 
 Tis only a reflection of 
 The real works of His hand; 
 And when we cross the bridge between 
 This earth and that fair land. 
 
 We then will know as we are known, 
 For He ll roll back the scroll of life, 
 And all the thoughts of lives long past 
 Will then be shown; sorrow and strife 
 For all mistakes, and faults and fears, 
 We ll seek permission to return 
 To make amends, each wrong to right, 
 For this alone each soul will yearn. 
 
 Conscience will be your only Judge 
 Conscience will be your only hell, 
 And life that has been loaned to you, 
 The only voice you ll need to tell 
 Of wasted years spent here on earth 
 In selfishness, no thoughts of love; 
 Your life will not be satisfied 
 To stop and rest with those above. 
 
 13 
 
In blazing letters written there 
 Across each forehead, you will see 
 A record of each unkind thought; 
 And all who will, may read of thee, 
 That you, with plenty, did refuse 
 To help the poor till tasks were done, 
 Nor visited them- in their distress, 
 Nor fed, nor clothed their little ones. 
 
 The man who slaved that you might feast- 
 You ll find no rest till you repay, 
 And justice stands with form erect; 
 (For justice sits and weeps today). 
 The scales must balance for each one, 
 For right is might with those above; 
 In Heaven or hell you ll find within 
 Only one law, and that is love. 
 
 Flow on, flow on, ocean of time, 
 Till man will find within his soul, 
 Forgiveness free, and love and life, 
 And all are safe within the fold. 
 For every man is God s own Son 
 This God of love no vengeance knows; 
 His teachers hover ever near 
 To share our joys and share our woes. 
 
 No man who lives upon this earth 
 Can go before his God and Lord, 
 And justly claim while living here, 
 He s earned eternal sweet reward. 
 No man who ever lived on earth, 
 So bad but that some good desire 
 Dwelling within, deserving not, 
 The tortures of eternal fire. 
 
 14 
 
"The Story the Violin Told" 
 
 A bower of roses and soft shaded light, 
 
 And a girl who was slender and fair, 
 
 A gown that was shimmering silver and white, 
 
 And a red rose was caught in her hair. 
 
 As gentle and frail as a lily that sways 
 
 To the music that soft zephyrs blow, 
 
 And close to her heart with the tenderest care 
 
 She was holding a violin and bow. 
 
 With notes overpow ring with grandeur sublime, 
 
 Twas the stroke of a great Master s hand; 
 
 The vibrations swelling and floating thru space 
 
 Seemed to come from a faraway land. 
 
 Twas a great mighty throng that sat listening that 
 
 night 
 
 To chords so divine, soft and low, 
 Did I see two white hands on that small violin 
 And two hands that were holding the bow? 
 
 Twas a rhythm unknown to the senses o*f man, 
 It came from some faraway sphere 
 Stupendous and mighty twas wafted to earth 
 And caught on the wings of the air. 
 Alas for the ear that is still unattuned 
 To the vibrations sent from above, 
 It misses the joys that God sends to this life 
 By not hearing His message of love. 
 
 Then softer and softer as upward her bow 
 
 Soared high on its Heavenly way, 
 
 Then throngs of soul spirits descended to earth 
 
 With a new light far brighter than day. 
 
 Ah! list to the voices in rich harmony, 
 
 To my soul color blending within, 
 
 Did it come from the Father s great temple above, 
 
 Some beautiful soul here to win? 
 
 15 
 
Then the notes trailed away to a soft sweet refrain, 
 
 Breathing forth God s own message of love, 
 
 As floating and spreading thruout the earth star 
 
 Bringing knowledge of life from above. 
 
 And the thoughts from each soul reaching out thru 
 
 the spheres, 
 
 Where contentment and peace reigned supreme, 
 Were striving to catch the divine spark of Him, 
 While I sat as one in a dream. 
 
 Then a stillness that fell like a blessing on earth, 
 
 While the last tender notes filled each soul 
 
 With a Heavenly message of truth, hope and love, 
 
 Twas the story the violin told. 
 
 I shall tell you why souls that had never been stirred 
 
 Were thrilled with desire to be free, 
 
 For throngs of God s saints had come down to this 
 
 feast, 
 
 For an Angel just whispered to me: 
 "See the old music Master in bright spirit form, 
 He s returned to your sad earth below, 
 And is standing so near by the side of the maid, 
 Controlling her violin and bow." 
 
 16 
 
; To the Happy Young Folks" 
 
 Oh! Let the young be happy, 
 To laugh and dance and sing, 
 For they are here to brighten up 
 The winter, like the spring. 
 Do not expect to hear in Heaven 
 God s condemnation hurled, 
 Upon the happy bright young folks 
 Who s smile lit up the world. 
 
 Grow young with those you would condemn 
 
 And you ll see truth within, 
 
 For when you stop and think it o er 
 
 There s no such thing as sin. 
 
 So let your thoughts be happy ones, 
 
 The good in each you ll find, 
 
 Today you ll start your Heaven 
 
 By learning to be kind. 
 
 For you are living in the past, 
 
 A crude old fashioned way, 
 
 All happy young folks you ve condemned 
 
 To a downward path today. 
 
 Why you must be a lonely soul 
 
 There is no up nor down, 
 
 There s only God s big universe 
 
 Just spinning round and round. 
 
 17 
 
The Blind Boy 
 
 As I passed on my way 
 
 A blind boy I heard play, 
 
 The notes of a beautiful song. 
 
 And his heart seemed afire 
 
 With a strange mad desire, 
 
 To give joy to the great passing throng. 
 
 And I said to myself, 
 
 "What a wonderful life 
 
 Has been loaned to a blind boy like you, 
 
 Why you never have seen 
 
 Just a tiny sunbeam 
 
 Nor have looked on the ocean so blue. 
 
 "The bloom of the flowers 
 
 So brightly for all, 
 
 Your poor eyes are never to see. 
 
 But you sing your sweet song 
 
 To the great passing throng, 
 
 And wait for your soul to be free." 
 
 Then I saw a sweet smile 
 
 On his bright happy face, 
 
 And it came from a heart full of joy. 
 
 And his song seemed to say 
 
 To those passing that way, 
 
 Don t pity this happy blind boy. 
 
 But look all around you 
 
 See others you meet, 
 
 With eyes that are brown and are blue. 
 
 While seeking for gold 
 
 With a poor blinded soul, 
 
 To their God they have never been true. 
 
 18 
 
So it isn t the boy 
 
 That goes all thru this life, 
 
 Without seeing the works of mankind, 
 
 That pity be given. 
 
 But send thoughts to Heaven 
 
 For the dear ones whose soul remains blind. 
 
 As I past on my way 
 
 I could still hear him play, 
 
 The notes of that beautiful song. 
 
 A tear filled my eye 
 
 For up to the sky, 
 
 His notes reached the Infinite throng. 
 
 His life is of service 
 
 To his fellow man, 
 
 No thoughts there, of fear nor of sin. 
 
 His face shown so bright 
 
 With a Heavenly light, 
 
 I am sure it was God within. 
 
 19 
 
"Atonement" 
 
 Not always had she borne her part 
 In sweet submissive grace, 
 The longing for his big strong arms, 
 The smile upon his face. 
 
 His kiss of love upon her lips, 
 His heart, his soul, his life. 
 To be to him a radiant charm, 
 Companion, Pal, and Wife. 
 
 To be the mother of his sons, 
 To honor and obey. 
 To make his home a place of rest, 
 When twilight closed each day. 
 
 All these and many more she dreamed, 
 As days dragged by; and yet 
 With one prayer only, in her heart, 
 "Oh! God let me forget. 
 
 "This love for which I ve prayed each night, 
 
 My faith is failing fast. 
 
 Oh! Let it be a prayer of thanks 
 
 That one more day has past." 
 
 The weariness, the tired brain, 
 The dreams of life and play, 
 Then once more consciousness returns 
 To start another day. 
 
 20 
 
Any yet some teach that after death 
 Of punishment they tell 
 She knew that in this life she d known 
 The tortures of a hell. 
 
 And then one day she heard a voice, 
 "Ah! Cease thy restlessness, 
 And listen to God s messengers 
 Thou soul of selfishness." 
 
 That which you crave shall be withheld, 
 That which you ever seek, 
 To help you realize the truth, 
 To teach you to be meek. 
 
 Ah! Father she had been to blame, 
 She asked that you would fill 
 Her life with only one dear soul, 
 Ne er thought to pray "Thy Will." 
 
 When all the world needs love and truth, 
 (For love has past some by) 
 And many weary, faint and weak, 
 Not just her heart s sad cry. 
 
 She found a little cripple lad 
 
 Whose life knew naught of joys, 
 
 Had never laughed and romped and played 
 
 Like other little boys. 
 
 And then a child with eyes so blue, 
 With face so sad and old, 
 Was fighting hunger all alone, 
 Half frozen with the cold. 
 
 21 
 
A man so gray and bent with age, 
 Whose face was good and kind 
 But seeing naught of God s bright world, 
 A beggar poor and blind. 
 
 And on and on she searched and found, 
 Those lives in sore distress. 
 
 Her prayers had changed, "Oh! God help me," 
 To, Give them happiness." 
 
 And then she made a vow to God 
 That while this life should last, 
 She d never fail to serve and help, 
 Forget her own sad past. 
 
 Today a messenger was sent 
 
 To give her hope and love, 
 
 And this the message that he brought, 
 
 Came from the spheres above. 
 
 "You have obtained the truth my child 
 Be faithful to your vow, 
 And joy and gladness shall be yours, 
 We lift the curse and now 
 
 "We guide and keep the one so dear 
 Your prayers have reached the throne, 
 And in His time you shall find love 
 I say you have atoned." 
 
 22 
 
"Little Boy" 
 
 (To Billy) 
 
 Little boy with eyes so big and brown, 
 You look so wise each time you frown, 
 You asked an angel to bring you here 
 To earth, from out your Heavenly sphere. 
 
 For mother s joy you have come so far, 
 
 Little boy I wonder who you are? 
 
 You seem to know all about it, dear, 
 Just why you should be living here, 
 You look as if you really knew 
 The work that God sent you to do. 
 
 Did you ask to return to this sorrowful star, 
 
 Little boy I wonder who you are? 
 
 And when you grow to be a man, 
 
 You ll help spread love thru this sad land, 
 
 And help to teach the world to bless 
 
 And plant sweet hope within each breast. 
 
 And dear may naught your sweet life mar, 
 
 Little boy I wonder who you are? 
 
 Don t let the churches, nor dogmas, nor creeds, 
 Crush out the love this sad earth needs. 
 Don t let the teachings of high brow schools, 
 Bind fast and hold in orthodox rules. 
 
 Maybe you came from some other star, 
 
 Little boy I wonder who you are? 
 
 This looks like a great big world to you, 
 As you greet each one with a smile so true, 
 But its souls are weary and sad the while, 
 Little boy continue to smile and smile. 
 
 For the world very small, just a tiny star, 
 
 Little boy I wonder who you are? 
 
 23 
 
We know you are part of God s great plan, 
 (Altho mother says, "You are her little man.") 
 I am sure you are here with a message of love, 
 And when I shall go to the Father above 
 
 I ll watch from my home on some other star, 
 So then little boy I ll know who you are. 
 
 24 
 
My Wish 
 
 If a fairy should come to me and say, 
 
 From my bountiful list you can have what you may, 
 
 Shall it be glory, or power or name, 
 
 Shall it be travel or money or fame. 
 
 Just yours for the asking, so name your desire, 
 
 Which one on my list do you most aspire? 
 
 Well little fairy should glory I choose, 
 
 Twould be a selfish wish 
 
 And sure I would lose, 
 
 All the joy in receiving, if glory I choose. 
 
 If power I choose, I might wield the rod, 
 And in so doing lose the path to God, 
 So what would I profit if the path I lose? 
 No it isn t power I choose. 
 
 There are so many ways to make a name 
 And mine might be made along paths of shame, 
 If I were to choose 
 For myself a name. 
 
 I ll admit that travel has a happy ring, 
 
 Perhaps appeals more than anything 
 
 But money, Ah, no! I value much less 
 
 Than all other gifts with which you would bless. 
 
 For tis sure when I cross the border line 
 My bag of gold I d leave behind, 
 The years spent in travel would pass away, 
 And power and glory they d forget in a day. 
 
 25 
 
Little fairy the gifts to me you ve called, 
 Forgetting the most important of all, 
 The one I would choose comes from above, 
 Let me whisper to you, Little Fairy it is Love. 
 
 Love for humanity, not one must we lose, 
 Do you hear Little Fairy, it is Love I choose. 
 
 26 
 
The Hidden Treasure 
 
 Here s a very strange story I ll tell you today, 
 Of a dear little woman, they say strayed away. 
 She was restless and weary, a gay life she sought 
 But she paid very dearly for pleasures she bought. 
 She roved far and wide and her spirit was sore, 
 She was always in search for just one pleasure more. 
 But she had a deep thought in her lonely, sad heart, 
 But she never could know it till she lived apart, 
 
 From friends and family and from all who knew 
 The strange, foolish things which she once used 
 
 to do. 
 
 Then her poor little brain began deeply to think 
 Of the long wasted years, and how close to the 
 
 brink 
 
 Of hopeless despair in her failure to live; 
 She had never a thought for the Father who gave 
 Her the life and the right just to think for herself: 
 Then she saw that her thought gift was all she 
 
 had left. 
 
 She searched in her heart, and there safe from harm 
 She found this deep thought to be her chief charm 
 So out from its hiding place she brought it one day, 
 And brushed all the dust and the cobwebs away. 
 And began to look over her little thought store, 
 And it grew and it grew, and each day there were 
 
 more 
 There were kind ones and loved ones so true and 
 
 so strong, 
 And she never once found a small thought that 
 
 was wrong. 
 
 27 
 
And as thoughts are real things if you sow the seed, 
 You will reap a full harvest of good thoughts and 
 
 deeds. 
 
 So you must remember ere the time comes to weep, 
 That just as we sow our seed, so we shall reap. 
 Now this little woman they" say, strayed away, 
 The Infinite Thought is protecting each day. 
 Their thoughts will enfold her and keep her from 
 
 harm, 
 
 And her work will be blessed, for to her strong arm 
 The power has been given 
 To think her own thoughts to the door-way of 
 
 Heaven. 
 
 28 
 
"The Passing 
 
 The breath has slipped away, the life has sped, 
 Silent the heart and yet he is not dead. 
 Cold lies the mortal frame no sight 
 Of earthly things, yet filled with light. 
 
 Give not way to sorrow nor to anguish keen, 
 Thou hast been taught on God and Christ to lean, 
 Have learned the truth and seen the home above 
 Where the soul is taken by messengers of love. 
 
 For a little space each has to learn on earth 
 
 How to govern self, progress, and win his own 
 
 re-birth. 
 
 In that unknown land, by mortal seldom seen, 
 Bright with love and sunshine s glorious sheen. 
 
 Govern then thy sorrow, earth life is but a dream, 
 Ever changing, restless, seeking for a misty gleam 
 Of the beacon that Almighty mercy, sends afar, 
 Drawing home his wonders on your lowly star. 
 
 Peace and love shall make thy life secure, sublime, 
 Messengers of hope, guide thee to a Celestial Clime, 
 Brush away all anguish, sorrow, bitter tears, 
 For the Father s love to Heavenly gardens steers. 
 
 Make thy Heaven on earth, God knoweth best, 
 Fulfill thy mission and thou shall be blessed. 
 Teach the message to thee sent, tho you meet a 
 
 frown, 
 So shall thou win beyond; the "Victor s Crown." 
 
 29 
 
Searching 
 
 My heart has been calling 
 
 For you all the day, 
 
 My ear has been hearing your voice. 
 
 My eyes have been searching 
 
 Each face that I met, 
 
 Not one caused my heart to rejoice. 
 
 Are you so far away, 
 
 In God s big universe? 
 
 Know naught of the ache in my heart? 
 
 Can t you send me one message 
 
 To strengthen my faith? 
 
 I strive dear to fulfill my part. 
 
 You who were ready 
 
 To comfort and cheer, 
 
 And all my earth trials to share. 
 
 But miles upon miles 
 
 Seem stretching between. 
 
 Your silence as though you don t care. 
 
 Can a heart that has loved 
 Through the eons of time, 
 Forget even one tender thrill? 
 Just waft me a kiss 
 On wings of the air, 
 Bidding my Soul to be still. 
 
 Today all seemed bright 
 
 In God s beautiful world, 
 
 Each face that I met wore a smile. 
 
 And the bird s song was tender 
 
 And plaintive and low, 
 
 But my heart ached for you all the while. 
 
 30 
 
There is work I must do 
 
 Ere I leave the earth star, 
 
 It is part of the Creator s plan. 
 
 I know I am left here 
 
 To help spread the truth, 
 
 Through this beautiful glorious land. 
 
 And you who have crossed 
 
 O er the bridge they call death, 
 
 Surely see from your home up above; 
 
 Won t God let you come 
 
 For a moment to earth, 
 
 Just to tell me once more of your love? 
 
 I saw five bright angels 
 
 That took you away, 
 
 That night when you left me alone, 
 
 I called to you then, 
 
 But no answer you gave, 
 
 Surely dear God I ve atoned. 
 
 Some day when I ve finished 
 
 My work here below, 
 
 I ll start on this same journey too; 
 
 And when God sends his angels 
 
 To help bear me o er, 
 
 I know one of them will be you. 
 
 31 
 
Fear 
 
 An angel was sent 
 
 From a far away sphere, 
 
 To me on my own lowly plane 
 
 And found in my soul 
 
 Lived a burning desire, 
 
 To return to the earth once again. 
 
 "Ah ! come," said the Angel, 
 
 And whispered to me, 
 
 "Why tears of deep anguish should fall. 
 
 Would you kindle the embers 
 
 Of a fast dying love, 
 
 And their flame once again you d recall? 
 
 "Would you feed those who hungered, 
 
 You d find by the way. 
 
 Would you help cloth some dear little one, 
 
 Would you do unto others 
 
 With whom you might meet, 
 
 As taught by God s own loving Son? 
 
 "If the great universal law 
 
 Thus should permit, 
 
 Your return to the world once again. 
 
 Would you tell me the mission 
 
 For which you would go, 
 
 Back to earth from your Heavenly plane?" 
 
 "Ah! Angel, I know, 
 
 Of the hunger and cold, 
 
 While the wheels of oppression still grind. 
 
 And a wave of great sorrow, 
 
 Sweeps over my soul 
 
 For the blind are still leading the blind. 
 
 32 
 
"I know the great need 
 
 Of a brotherly love, 
 
 Without caste without color or creed, 
 
 But the work I would do 
 
 For humanity there, 
 
 Is one of a far greater need. 
 
 "And you who have come 
 
 From the Father of love, 
 
 You ask me the cause of a tear, 
 
 I should like to return 
 
 Just to help teach the world, 
 
 There is no such thing as Fear." 
 
 33 
 
The Right and the Wrong 
 
 Who dwells among you 
 
 That is able to say 
 
 Where the fine line of right shall be drawn? 
 
 That separates all 
 
 Of the good from the bad 
 
 Who can say what is right and is wrong? 
 
 We all have our standard 
 
 Of how we should live: 
 
 Of what we call right and call wrong. 
 
 And mine might be found 
 
 To be different from yours, 
 
 Like the difference of voice in a song. 
 
 And still if we all 
 
 Only knew how to use 
 
 The one blessed gift of free thought, 
 
 The few who are thinking 
 
 For most of the world, 
 
 Only joy and great blessing have brought. 
 
 In a far away land 
 
 Where the Druids once lived, 
 
 In March on the twenty-fourth day 
 
 As the sky became red 
 
 With the bright morning Sun, 
 
 Their beautiful maidens would slay. 
 
 In slaying they thought 
 
 They atoned for their sins, 
 
 For the year that had just passed away. 
 
 Do you think that the men 
 
 Of our civilized world 
 
 Would stand for such customs today? 
 
 34 
 
Now, some of you know 
 
 In the years long ago, 
 
 How our Fathers set Sunday apart 
 
 As a day that s too good 
 
 To be happy and free, 
 
 And gloom filled each small childish heart. 
 
 To each little girl, 
 
 And to every small boy 
 
 On Sunday, the day seems most bright, 
 
 And the flowers and birds 
 
 Join with nature to sing 
 
 Is that wrong, or do you think it right? 
 
 And we find the same questions 
 In this day and time, 
 Continually coming our way. 
 For some find the good, 
 And then some find the bad 
 In the ones we are facing today. 
 
 The world has its faults, 
 
 But it always will be 
 
 What each of us find in the plan 
 
 So think what a wonderful 
 
 World it will be 
 
 When love shall rule over the land. 
 
 And so, when the question 
 
 Of right and of wrong 
 
 Shall come in to disturb a bright day, 
 
 Just fold up your tent 
 
 Like the Arab of old, 
 
 And silently steal far away. 
 
 35 
 
And there in the splendor 
 
 Of silence with God, 
 
 Just you and your heart sing a song; 
 
 For how can I say, that 
 
 What you do is right? 
 
 Can you say what I do is wrong? 
 
 Now right can be wrong, 
 
 And the wrong can be right 
 
 It lies in the heart of each man. 
 
 So you see we completed 
 
 The circle again 
 
 And are back just where we first began. 
 
 36 
 
"The Desert" 
 
 I love the great desert, the sun goes to rest, 
 With its colors of deep blue and gold 
 With its mountains of purple, their bright silver crest, 
 Brings peace to a sad weary soul. 
 
 The tall cactus standing like sentinels on guard, 
 To watch o er the travelers night camp, 
 And the winking and blinking of stars up above 
 Look like millions of soft fairy lamps. 
 
 Then the moon peeping out, just to lend you his glow, 
 Seems to follow you far on the way; 
 It all brings you comfort and soothes you to rest, 
 When lo ! Once again it is day. 
 
 Tis rest that the desert has brought to my soul, 
 And I ll tell you how I learn to know, 
 That God could be found in this still peaceful place, 
 For an Angel has just told me so. 
 
 37 
 
Victory 
 
 For weeks a battle raged within 
 Between the wrong and right, 
 With restless hours, unhappy days, 
 
 And long and sleepless nights. 
 
 And thinking he possessed the power 
 Of strong and mighty will; 
 He boastingly began each day, 
 Of plans of how he d fill. 
 
 His life so full of charity 
 Of kindly thought or deed, 
 That he alone could overcome, 
 No other help he d need. 
 
 Ah ! Woe it is for thos-e who think, 
 Their own will can suffice 
 To overcome all selfishness, 
 All weakness, strife, and vice. 
 
 So with a broken heart and life 
 He knelt one night to pray, 
 And found that he was saying, 
 "Dear God, show me Thy way. 
 
 "Give me Thy help in all I do, 
 Teach me the right and wrong, 
 I know that I am frail and weak; 
 Oh ! God, I would be strong. 
 
 "But knowing I am here to learn 
 To do Thy holy will, 
 I ask for strength to overcome, 
 Life s struggles and MY WILL." 
 
 38 
 
The battle fought and weary now 
 He rests the day is done, 
 And bows in deep humility 
 To God His soul had won. 
 
 39 
 
"Love Eternal" 
 
 From distant stars you came 
 
 To rind the soul for whom you fought, 
 
 Passing through the clouds of darkness 
 
 Searching the Ethereal sea, 
 
 Seeking for that loved one of the ages, 
 
 Doubting not the one you sought 
 
 Loved you with a love eternal, 
 
 Rest you now in sweet serenity. 
 
 Float ye two upon life s sea 
 
 Fond hearts loving, never fearing, 
 
 Though the dark waves seem to threat 
 
 Gaze ye undismayed. 
 
 Linked in hearts together though a space apart 
 
 To thy beacon steering, 
 
 From each other never parting, 
 
 Trusting, loving, ne er afraid. 
 
 Falter not ye lovers, 
 
 From the unremembered ages 
 
 Oft thy lives entwined, 
 
 Yet oft again love s eyes were blind, 
 
 Though memories stirred and hearts ached 
 
 To read the hidden pages, 
 
 Hoping there the mysteries 
 
 Of thy long forgotten lives to find. 
 
 Long apart ye two have drifted, 
 
 But light comes, in the darkness of distress; 
 
 Steer thy earthly bark never doubting 
 
 To the haven of thy bliss; 
 
 Take thou then thy longed happiness 
 
 Twin souls, wanderers from afar, 
 
 Lovers twain, receive our kiss. 
 
 40 
 
"Cetra s Wedding Day" 
 
 Unto her King, she gave a vow, 
 Her lover brave and fair; 
 To him alone her heart would cleave 
 Naught else should enter there. 
 
 Until the earth and suns and moons 
 From mortal eye had past, 
 And God himself should be no more 
 Her love for him would last. 
 
 And so upon her brow was placed 
 The orange blossom crown, 
 That mingled with the jewels rare 
 Her raven tresses bound. 
 
 A robe adorned her slender form 
 Of silver, gold and blue, 
 But she had eyes for him alone 
 This lover strong and true. 
 
 She stood before a mighty throng 
 Such solemn words to say, 
 That would forever bind two hearts 
 Twas "Cetra s" wedding day. 
 
 Full many centuries have past 
 Twelve thousand years ago, 
 And still two lovers hearts are one 
 And many centuries more 
 
 May come and go and suns may fade 
 And moons grow pale and cold, 
 But still the pledge she gave to him 
 In love and truth must hold. 
 
 41 
 
So many times their lives entwined 
 For love had come to stay, 
 And when tomorrow s sun shall rise 
 It s "Cetra s wedding day." 
 
 42 
 
Whispers from Heaven 
 
 As if I were dreaming 
 I heard them all say, 
 In low whispered voices, 
 "She died today." 
 
 And I stood near to listen 
 To words very low 
 Of friends and of neighbors 
 "Who loved her so." 
 
 When out from the silence 
 I was hearing her say, 
 "Don t grieve my dear child, I ve 
 Not gone away ! 
 
 " Tis a beautiful land " 
 Thus her voice sweetly said, 
 "I shall stay near you always 
 There are no dead." 
 
 And the sweet, gentle one 
 With a voice soft and mild 
 Said, "I shall protect you 
 So keep a smile." 
 
 Then I leaned o er her bed, 
 And she seemed, Oh ! so still 
 I kissed the sweet lips 
 And lol I was thrilled 
 With the sweetest assurance. 
 So I could not cry 
 For I heard her soft whispers 
 "We do not die!" 
 
 43 
 
YA 01648 
 
 U.C.BERKELEY LIBRARIES 
 
 475846 
 
 UN/VERSrTY OF CALIFORNIA UBRARY