THE POOR YE HAVE ALWAYS WITH YOU.

Otautau Standard and Wallace County Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 348, 9 January 1912, Page 7

THE POOR YE HAVE ALWAYS WITH YOU.

Are they not with us always? Day by day They pass beside us on life's busy way, With pale, sad faces, marred by lifelong

care, And forms which droop beneath the weight they bear, And weary feet, which still must onward go, Though with no conscious end m view, and though They see no cost before them — save the sleep Which comes at last to all who watch . and weep.

Who knows the awful fight they wage with sin In all its deadliest forms? And when some win, Who smiles or praises? Others fail, anc\ then There are enough among their fellow-men To blame, and only He who knows the wrong Gives judgment for the helpless— not the strong, Who might have saved them when the waves were high, But lot them sink, and would not heed their cry.

How can we know — who pray for daily bread Besides our tables with abundance spread, And hive not learnt to hunger — what these bear, \Vlic ♦.-.lways lift to God the celf-same prayer, From lowest depths of misery and pain, With faith and hope that tremble m the

. strain— r Impassioned by" the greatness of their need, And co!d. and hungry evtn while they plead "'' " God pity them," wu pray, and wonder why He gives to us, yet seems to pass them by ; We miss the truth that, from His treasurescore, Ho gives enough for all, and even moie. But there are unjust stewards, who withhold More than their lawful portion of the gold He bade them use for Him, yet even dare To speak of those whom they defraud m prayer ! Not that men err m prayer for them — save then, When God has given a full supply, and when They fail to pass it on — too blind to see That they themselves must answer their own plea ! Dare we to offer only pity— prayer— Without a helping hand outstretched to bear The burden under which they falter? Nay, From such a mockery God turns away. Is it not true that m His poor again Christ comes to us, and as we ease their | pain We minister lo Him H Then let us take A task so glorilietl for His dear sake. .For what is sacrifice r 1 And what is loss? What U the heavy burden of a cross If it be borne for Him, by whom alone All lire's most precious gifts became our own ? — Ey Edith H. Divall, m 'A Believer's Thoughts.'