Prejudice unveiled : and other poems / by Lizelia Augusta Jenkins Moorer [electronic resource]

PART THREE.

THE BIBLE.

Read the Bible, it will tell How in life to journey well, Wondrous things ye shall behold, In the law of God, we're told.

If in pleasure or in pain, Having loss or getting gain, Joy or sorrow; ye shall find Blest examples of the kind.

It will help in time of need, Souls that hunger it will feed, To the thirsty is revealed Jesus Christ, a fountain sealed.

Pearls of truth in ev'ry line, Jewels, too, in lustre shine, 'Tis with peace and pleasure fraught, Bringing evil things to naught.

'Tis more precious, we are told, Than the diamond or gold, More than rubies 'tis adored— Wisdom of the Saviour, Lord.

'Tis a mine of precious gems Greater far than diadems, Ev'ry gem abounds in love, Fit for crowns in heav'n above.

Love the Bible, gentle youth, Dive and find the pearls of truth, Treasure thus the life divine, Make the precious blessings thine.

Age should hearken to its voice, And in wisdom make a choice; Keep it hidden in the heart, From its precepts never part.

To thy path it brings a light, One that guides thy steps aright, Bids the darkness turn to day, Drives the dreary night away.

It was tried by wicked hands, But against the world it stands, Through all time the soul makes free, And throughout eternity.

THE SOCIAL GLASS.

There's a serpent, namely, drinking Wine or whiskey, beer or gin, With man's destiny 'tis linking All that leads to shame and sin.

Poverty will surely find you, Worthy pride and manhood pass, In his clutches rum will bind you— Lover of the social glass.

When you're stricken with diseases, Who of you are taken first? Those who drink! somehow it pleases Sickness thus to quench its thirst!

Don't you hear the prison ringing, With the cries of grief and woe? Drink! its penalty is bringing! How the tears of anguish flow!

To the almshouse let us visit, Naught such sorrow can surpass, Human wrecks we trace, and is it, That they used the social glass?

Search the mad-house, gentle stranger, Crazed by drink, such ravings hear! Did they risk the proffered danger, Quaff the poison without fear?

Steal the conscience! cloud the reason! Rob the judgment! O! alas! This the cup will do in season, Victim of the social glass.

All affection for another— Daughter, father, just to think! Lover, sister, wife or mother— Drowns within the cup of drink!

And the wrong that's here inflicted Ceases not, but what is worse, Born of such the child's addicted To the awful, awful curse!

Ten years back let's turn the dial, Then the drunkards of to-day Are of drinking making trial, Mod'rate drinkers, as they say.

Mod'rate drinking is the terror, Leading down to scenes of night, From the path of truth to error— Lost, to all that's pure and right.

Look upon the mod'rate drinkers Ten years hence, what do you see? To the eyes of all our thinkers, They the drunkards then will be.

Rum displaces heav'nly nurture, Deeper than the tongue can tell, Buries honor, kills the virtue, Leads you to a drunkard's hell.

THE CIRCLE.

The Christian constellations run, As do the planets round the sun. The Sun of Righteousness will shine Within their souls, the light divine.

Eternity has ne'er begun To end the same will ever shun, The arc of time from nature's heights, The future to the past unites.

Creator of the earth and sky, Eternal ages lives on high, A circle grand His being makes, The human race the same partakes.

A part of God, the soul of man, Shall live in blessing or in ban, Through all the ages and shall dwell In heaven's bliss or burning hell.

The advent of our Lord was made At David's town, in evening shade; His Christian banner there unfurled, The sun has followed round the world.

To His disciples, Jesus gave The great commission—man to save— Concentric circles was the plan, To find a lost, rebellious man.

My witnesses ye now shall be, Of all the works observed in me, Ye shall begin, with loving grace, At home, Jerusalem's the place.

Ye through Judea, next shall go, Samaria the truth must know, To utmost places of the earth, Ye shall proclaim Messiah's birth.

Through Europe to our western shore, His name the savage tribes adore; Pacific isles have heard the sound Of prayers and preaching all around.

The Philippines and China, too, Are lifting up His standard true; His banner floating west has been, Till Palestine we find again.

And thus is made a circle grand Around the world, a holy band Of Christians, who in love agree To serve the Saviour faithfully.

The God of heaven—God of earth— Delights to give a circle's worth, Revealing thus on ev'ry hand Himself, that men may understand.

SYMPATHY.

Christ to seek the lost was sent, Sympathy's embodiment; Sent to seek a rebel soul, With a balm to make it whole.

Heaven's greatest gift to man! Then whatever else your plan, Incomplete 'twill surely be If you have not sympathy.

Man with pity views distress, God's compassion makes it less; He in man we'll ever see, Shown in deeds of sympathy.

If you would the Saviour know, On a tour of mercy go, Help to bear a brother's cares, And the Son of Man appears.

Inasmuch as ye have done Good to any needy one, From thy store of charity— Ye have done it unto Me.

Sympathy! how sweet the name! 'Twas for thee a Saviour came, Clothed in deep humility, Troubled sons of earth to free.

Earth's reward and heaven's, too, Stands reserved for workers true; This the burden of my prayer, Let me feel a brother's care.

THE SOCIAL LIFE.

Of the ills we daily see, Let us cleanse society. Look to Jesus in the sky— Lift the social standard high.

To a proud, exalted plane, Love of self should ne'er attain, In the highest social creed, Should be found a brother's need.

Through a world of sin and woe, Doing kindness as we go, It should be the social plan, Thus to lift a fellow-man.

Looking to a throne of grace— Lifting up a fallen race— Even in society, Jesus eminent should be.

As the planets beam so bright, Circling, filled with sunny light, Social planets we should be, Of the grandest purity.

Round the Christ should we revolve, Spreading rays of peace and love, O'er the path by aliens trod, Lifting strangers up to God.

Freed from social darkness here, Heaven to meet us draweth near, Angels chant the glad refrain, Eden shall be pure again.

REFINING FIRE.

What a cost to be pure! did e'er strike your mind, That the gold so much prized in the fire was refined? That the pearls of the deep by the divers are found, That by peril of life their successes are crowned?

Yea, the trees of the orchard the pruner must know, if they bring forth the finest of fruit that can grow; And the knife is applied to the vine everywhere, In production of grapes that are luscious and rare.

So in life we are taught by the pain and the loss, That the road to the crown is by way of the cross; And we pass through the furnace the Saviour to gain. For with Him, if we suffer, with Him shall we reign.

It is good for the soul that afflictions abound, That the way of the cross is the road to be crowned; For the adder is seen on a sunshiny day, And before we are tried our souls go astray.

We may weep for a night, but the morn bringeth joy, Then the songs of rejoicing our tongues will employ; Every storm that arises at some time must end; Then the rainbow of promise and peace will attend.

There's a pearl of great price and for it must be paid All the treasures of earth and a sacrifice made; On the market is placed every idol and sold, For the love of the Saviour is better than gold.

Ev'ry soul must afflictions and troubles endure, As the gold must be tried so the soul be pure As the pearl is secured at the peril of life, So the soul in its triumph must pass through the strife.

Like the Saviour who suffered and went to His rest, Must His servants on earth find the home of the blest, There to tell Him the story of how in the past, They surmounted the crosses and came home at last.

BENEFITS OF SORROW.

The trials that the Saviour bore have paved the golden way, Gethsemane and Calvary before the Easter Day. He chasteneth the souls He loves and scourgeth every one Whom He receives into the fold—His will, His will be done.

For ev'ry valley there's a mount, in splendor does it rise, The vales are deepest when the peaks most nearly touch the skies. For ev'ry grief there is a joy, we cannot fail to see, The deeper sorrows that we have, the richer joys there'll be.

The light afflictions that we have, for just a moment here, Will work a far exceeding weight of love and glory there. "Be still and know that I am God," is whispered in the ear, "A shelter from the stormy blast, in trouble I am near."

In tribulations then rejoice, for they will patience bring, And patience brings experience by which we'll ever sing Of hope that maketh not ashamed as years of time shall roll, The love of God is shed abroad by hope within the soul.

Of spirits bright and near the throne 'twas asked from whence they came, And why their garments were so pure? The voices did exclaim, Through tribulations they have come and washed their garments white, In Jesus' blood, the worthy Lamb, in whom they take delight!

Each oak that braves the tempest's blast is stronger made at length; Each trial borne in Jesus' name augments the store of strength; Then murmur not when crosses come, such angels in disguise, In answer to our prayers appear to wipe our weeping eyes.

O'er seas of time while troubles rage and toss our helpless bark, When human strength is but to fall and all around is dark, The Saviour steps upon the wave, its fury's thus allayed; "My training school to lead thee out," He says, "be not afraid."

When clouds of sorrow hover round and rains of trial fall, When we can do no other than upon the Saviour call, He quickly comes to our relief and clears the mists away, His guiding eye attends our march to realms of perfect day.

At home in heav'n, when time is o'er, no tempests will be seen, But perfect joy and peace will bring a tranquil most serene, With saints and angels round the throne we'll rest from care and pain, And spend a bright eternity where purest love shall reign.

AFRICA.

As the sun that lights creation, Christ, the Sun of Righteousness, Shall a land illume with glory, Filled with sin and dark distress.

Hearken to the great commission, Go ye all into the world, Preach my gospel to the heathen, Let my banners be unfurled.

Macedonia's cry, "Come over," Echoes from the slave of night, "Bring the plan of my redemption"— Ninety millions crave the light.

Can we hear that cry unheeded, And in full contentment be? Nay, our souls cannot be tranquil, Till our brothers are set free.

God requires this generation's Help before its day shall close, Help to make that darkened country, Bud and blossom as the rose.

Missionaries, consecrated, Tongues of fire will surely be, In their pentecostal showers, Afric's bondsmen shall be free.

Jesus led a life of service, Shielding others from despair; If we'll enter such a mission, He will always meet us there.

Christ has borne our burden for us, Made His blood the ransom pay; We should help our weaker brother, That he faints not by the way.

If we march around the ramparts, All true Christians in the band, And reflect the light of Jesus, Walls of Satan cannot stand.

May the spirit of the Master, Counting earthly gain as loss, Urge us to enlist the heathen 'Neath the standard of the Cross.

MOUNTAIN TOPS.

Horeb's mountain top of old Held the "Burning Bush," we're told, Moses was commissioned there, Israel's freedom to declare.

Sinai became the mount, If we have a true account, Where the decalogue was made, And where Moses often prayed.

From the top of Pisgah, grand, Moses viewed the promised land; Moab's plains, not far away, Gave to him his dying day.

David bought the threshers lot, Mount Moriah was the spot, Blood so stained his hands with guilt, Solomon the temple built.

Greatest sermon men record, On the mountain by the Lord It was preached and gave the plan How to use a fellow-man.

Jesus' countenance was bright, All His raiment, too, was white; Moses and Elias came, Visitors in heaven's name:

"This is my beloved Son," Said a voice when all was done, Peter saw the holy sight, On the mountain, in the night.

On the mount of Calvary, Jesus died to make us free, Took His leave for realms above, From the Olivet of Love.

Life itself is full of hills, Mountains, valleys, plains and rills, Rivers, oceans, gulfs and lakes— Beautiful the world it makes.

As the years of time shall roll, In the mountain of the soul, God communes with ev'ry one Who will pray, "Thy will be done."

Horeb is the mount of call, To our life-work, one and all, What the "Burning Bush" shall say, We should cheerfully obey.

On the Sinai within, All the laws of life begin, In the Pisgah's we delight, Heaven's Canaan comes to sight.

Our Moriah's will resound With sweet music all around, In the temple of the soul, Ceaseless praises e'er shall roll.

On the mountain we are changed, From the sins of life estranged, Heaven's visitors attend, Bringing tidings of the end.

That we make on Calvary, Sacrifices, all agree, Love of self is crucified, Every idol laid aside.

Life's ideals, pure we get, From the mount of Olivet; On their pinions fly away To the realms of perfect day.

SONG OF THE ANGELS.

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good-will toward men."

To God the highest glory— His kingdom shall increase, To men the wondrous story, Good-will and perfect peace.

The highest God in heaven, The highest upon earth, The highest service given, For His undying worth.

The highest in thy pleasure, The highest in thy pain, To Him the greatest measure, To Him the greatest gain.

'Tis past thine understanding, 'Tis past thy finding out, Sweet peace thy life commanding— Such change beyond a doubt.

In perfect peace He holds thee, Thy mind on Him is stayed, His holiness enfolds thee, When full surrender's made.

Thine implements of warfare, Are needed not as yore; Thy sword has formed a plowshare, To learn of war no more.

The love of God has found thee, Thy soul has peace within, Good-will to men around thee, Makes heav'n on earth begin.

Good-will to all that's mortal, Good-will to ev'ryone, Till gathered round the portal, The plaudit comes, "Well done."

Well done, thou faithful servant, Thy praises to the Lord, Good-will and peace so fervent, Bring heav'n for their reward.

THE CHRISTMAS TREE.

Why are candles brightly burning All among the Christmas tree? Outer darkness ever spurning, Tell me what their missions be.

They remind us of a Saviour, Born to us one Christmas Day, Who to change a world's behavior, Lighted up the pilgrim's way.

Evergreen we see, why is it, That the tree is always green? Why should ev'ry Christmas visit Bring the hues we've always seen?

It bespeaks the life eternal, Given us by Christ, the Lord, Points us to the life, supernal And the Christian's great reward.

Though in dresses torn and tattered, Though they're in the best attired, Gifts to all the friends are scattered— Why is such a thing desired?

'Tis the highest gift of heaven, That those presents represent, How, to all a Saviour given, That, my child, is what is meant.

IN MEMORIAM OF E. B. CLARK.

'Twas the angel of death that to us downward flew On the twentieth of March, nineteen hundred and two; And a brother we loved was transported away On the wings of the same to the regions of day.

In the choir where he led must his melody cease, For he joins in the songs of the angels of peace; And the league that he served will his memory prize, While he meets with a league of the saints in the skies.

Do you say he is lost? Let such words be no more; He has left us on earth but has gone on before, There to welcome each friend in the loveliest bond, Till we all meet again in the sweetest beyond.

Now we read in the book known as God's holy word, Of the saints who are blest and who died in the Lord; How they rest from their labors, and fruits will be borne, By their friends upon earth till they meet round the throne.

Over time's rugged sea waves an influence strong, 'Twas begun by his work in opposing the wrong, And continued to widen till touched by the land, Of the heavenly shore, on the Father's right hand.

He is dead to the earth and to creatures of time, But he lives in the fields of a verdure sublime; We shall see him again when our life-work is o'er, In the beautiful land, on the heavenly shore.

THANKSGIVING.

Let us give thanks to God above, Thanks for expressions of His love, Seen in the book of nature, grand Taught by His love on every hand.

Let us be thankful in our hearts, Thankful for all the truth imparts, For the religion of our Lord, All that is taught us in His word.

Let us be thankful for a land, That will for such religion stand; One that protects it by the law, One that before it stands in awe.

Thankful for all things let us be, Though there be woes and misery; Lessons they bring us for our good— Later 'twill all be understood.

Thankful for peace o'er land and sea, Thankful for signs of liberty, Thankful for homes, for life and health, Pleasure and plenty, fame and wealth.

Thankful for friends and loved ones, too, Thankful for all things, good and true, Thankful for harvest in the fall, Thankful to Him who gave it all.