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T H E WOR L D | 29 Omnipotent to heal and bless, Till we conceived—we could no less, It was the love of God! Came there a man at length Whose heart so swelled with the great strength Of love that would have way, That in his body he fulfilled The utmost service had willed; And the great steam, so help, so spilled, Pours on until to-day. Still we look back to the grand dream, Still stoop to drink at this wide stream, Wider each year we live; And on one yearly blessed day, Seek not to earn and not to pay, But to let love have its one way,— To quench our thirst to give! Brothers, cease not to bless the name Of him who loved through death and shame, We cannot praise amiss; But not in vain was sown the seed; Look wide where thousands toil and bleed, Where men meet death for common need— Hath no man loved but this? Yea, all men love; we love to-day Wide as the human race has sway, Ever more deep, more dear; No stream,—an everlasting sea, Beating and throbbing to be free, To give it forth there needs must be One Christmas all the year! The Living God The Living God. The God that made the world Made it, and stood aside to watch and wait, Arranging a predestined plan To save the erring soul of man— Undying destiny—unswerving fate. I see his hand in the path of life, His law to doom and save, His love divine in the hopes that shine Beyond the sinner’s grave, His care that sendeth sun and rain, His wisdom giving rest, 30 | In This Our World His price of sin that we may not win The heaven of the blest. Not near enough! Not clear enough! O God, come nearer still! I long for thee! Be strong for me! Teach me to know thy will! The Living God. The God that makes the world, Makes it—is making it in all its worth; His spirit speaking sure and slow In the real universe we know,— God living in the earth. I feel his breath in the blowing wind, His pulse in the swinging sea, And the sunlit sod is the breast of God Whose strength we feel and see. His tenderness in the spring grass, His beauty in the flowers, His living love in the sun above,— All here, and near, and ours! Not near enough! Not clear enough! O God, come nearer still! I long for thee! Be strong for me! Teach me to know thy will! The Living God. The God that is the world. The world? The world is man,—the work of man. Then—dare I follow what I see?— Then—by thy Glory—it must be That we are in thy plan? That strength divine in the work we do? That love in our mothers’ eyes? That wisdom clear in our thinking here? That power to help us rise? God in the daily work we’ve done, In the daily path we’ve trod? Stand still, my heart, for I am a part— I too—of the Living God! Ah, clear as light! As near! As bright! O God! My God! My Own! Command thou me! I stand for thee! And I do not stand alone! A Prayer O God! I cannot ask thee to forgive; I have done wrong. ...

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