“Who does not feel within him he could be
      Anything, everything, of great and good? 
      That, give him but the chance, he could and would
    Soar on the wings of triumph strong and free? 
    And think not this is vanity, for he,
      If one of Glory’s heirs, is of the band
      ’I said that ye are gods!’—­on this we stand
        Through the eternal ages infinite,
        Growing like Christ in hope and love and light
    As grafted into Him:  there shall we see,
      And know as we are known; no hindrance then
        Shall bind our wings, or shut our eyes or ears;
        Led upward, onward, through ten million years,
      We shall expand in spirit,—­but still be Men.”

    III.

    “Each hath his specialty; we see in some
      Music or painting, eloquence or skill,
      With, or without, an effort of the will,
    As by spontaneous inspiration come
      Ev’n in this mingled crowd of good and ill,
    To make us hail a Wonder:—­but Elsewhere
      Without or let or hindrance we shall use
    Forces neglected here, but nurtured there;
      Till all the powers of every classic Muse,
      Ninefold, may dwell in each—­as each may choose: 
        Since Heaven for creatures must have creature gifts,
    Not only love, religion, gratitude,
        But also light, and every force that lifts
    Man’s spirit to the heights of Great and Good.”

For a second take my recent open protest against the pestilential atheism so rife in our midst:—­

    I.

    “My Father! everpresent, everwise, and everkind,—­
    The Life that pulses at my heart, the Light within my mind,—­
    My Maker, Guardian, Guide, and God, my never-failing Friend,
    Who hitherto hast blest me, and wilt bless me to the end,—­
    How should I not acknowledge Thee in all my words and ways,
    And bring my doubts to Thee in prayer, the prayer that turns to
        praise? 
    How can I cease to trust Thee, who hast guided me so long,
    And been from earliest childhood to old age my strength and song?

    II.

    “My Father!  Great Triunity!  For Thou art One in Three,
    The mystery of mysteries, a threefold joy to me,—­
    What deep delight to dwell upon the philosophic plan
    Of Thy divine self-sacrifice in God becoming man,
    And taking on Thyself in Christ the sins and woes of all
    Redeemed to higher glory from the ruin of their fall,
    As humbled and enlightened and enlivened into love,
    By the Pure Spirit of sweet peace, the-heart-indwelling Dove!

    III.

    “My Father, Abba, Father!  For Thou callest me Thy child,
    As in Thy holy Jesus and Good Spirit reconciled,—­
    O Father, in this evil day when atheism is found
    Dropping its poison seeds about in all our fallow-ground,
    Shall I keep coward silence, and ungenerously forget
    The Friend that hitherto hath helped me—­and shall help me yet? 
    Shall unbelief, all unabashed, proclaim that God is Not,—­
    Nor faith with honest zeal be quick this hideous lie to blot?