Poem January 2, 1902 Issue

Love's Recompense

BY MRS. JENNIE W. BRIGGS

AMID the turmoil and the strife
Of all we deem this mortal life,
Take time to send a loving thought
To one whose hours with pain are fraught,
Whose days are full of weariness,
And nights of lonely restlessness,
And it will soothe the weary breast
And to the restless heart bring rest,
And it will grow, and travel on
To bless some other weary one,
And in thine hour of deep distress
It will return to cheer and bless,
So beautiful and tender grown
Thou'lt scarce recall it as thine own;
But think an angel visitant
From out the gracious heavens sent
To bear a healing balm to thee,
Such is Love's helpful ministry.

Amid a life of happiness,
When every hour's dream of bliss,
Take time to speak a loving word
Where loving words are seldom heard;
And it will linger in the mind,
And gather others of its kind
'Till loving words will echo where
Erstwhile the heart was poor and bare;
And somewhere on thy heavenward track
Their music will come echoing back,
And flood thy soul with melody,
Such is Love's immortality.

'Mid daily cares so manifold
They seem more than one heart can hold,
Take time to lend a helping hand
Where loving deeds are nobly planned,
For those to whom such deeds are rare;
And it will ease thy load of care;
For Love doth every burden bear,
And when it rules the daily life
It lightens labor, stills all strife
And sheds a radiance divine,
A very healing oil and wine,
Upon the fallen and the weak,
The bowed in spirit, and the meek;
And then returns an hundredfold
To bless the giver, with the gold
Of peace and joy and happiness,
Such is Love's wondrous bounteousness.