Poem April 3, 1948 Issue

CHURCH DEDICATION

Benjamin Sturgis Pray

"Beautiful
For situation,
The joy of the whole earth."

Can one branch church's worth
Be so assessed?
And can its demonstration
Have such extent?

Yes—
For in world unrest,
Through friendships ramified
To every continent,
Or through men sent
To cope
With tasks world-wide,
Their church has global scope.

But more—
For to each shore
By the specific word
Unvisited,
The silent power
Of each church-service hour
Is far conferred,
Irrevocably spread.

Such prayer is leaven
Whereby unbounded heaven
Loosens provincial view
And selfward pull
Until, with outlook new,
Each church location
Shall prove its worth

As "beautiful
For situation,
The joy of the whole earth."

Benjamin Sturgis Pray

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