Divine Workers.

    The Father hitherto,
     And his Eternal Son
    Work, work, and still have work to do
     With each successive sun.

    O bow the heart in awe,
     And work as with the Lord,
    Who, with his everlasting law,
     Works on in sweet accord.

    Work is the law of love
     Which rules the world below,
    Which rules the brighter world above,
     Through which, like God, we grow.

    And this and every day
     The work of love is rest
    In which our sorrows steal away,
     Which cares may not infest.

* * * * *

The Will of God.

    With heart as strong as fate,
     Brave worker, girt and shod,
    Adore! and know that naught is great
     Except the will of God.

    O sweet, sweet light of day,
     Through which such wonders run,
    Thou ownest, in thy glorious sway,
     Allegiance to the sun.

    And thou, O human will,
     As wondrous as the light,
    Cans’t thou thy little trust fulfill
     Save through Another’s might?

    With heart to conquer fate,
     Brave worker, girt and shod,
    Work on! and know that he is great
     Who does the will of God.

* * * * *

“Laborare est Orare.”

    To labor is to pray,
     As some dear saint has said,
    And with this truth for many a day
     Have I been comforted.

    The Lord has made me bold
     When I have labored most,
    And with his gifts so manifold,
     Has given the Holy Ghost

    When I have idle been
     Until the sun went down,
    Mine eyes, so dim, have never seen
     His bright, prophetic crown.

    O, praise the Lord for work
     Which maketh time so fleet,
    In which accusers never lurk,
     Whose end is very sweet.

* * * * *

Birds of Grace.

    O little birds of grace,
     To-day ye sweetly sing,
    Yea, make my heart your nesting-place,
     And all your gladness bring.

    When ye are in my heart,
     How swiftly pass the days! 
    The fears and doubts of life depart,
     And leave their room to praise.

    My work I find as play,
     And all day long rejoice;
    But, if I linger on my way,
     I hear this warning voice: 

    With fervor work and pray,
     And let not coldness come,
    Or birds of grace will fly away
     To seek a warmer home.

* * * * *

Duty.

    O work that Duty shows
     Through her revealing light! 
    It is in thee my bosom glows
     With infinite delight!

    The shadows flee away
     Like mist before the sun;
    And thy achievement seems to say,
     The will of God is done!