Life Lessons On His Blindness When I consider how my light is spent Ere half my days, in this dark world and wide, And that one Talent which is death to hide, To serve therewith my Maker, and present Is Kingly; thousands at his bidding speed, Sir Launfal and the Leper As Sir Launfal made morn through the darksome gate, He was ware of a leper, crouched by the same, Who begged with his hand and moaned as he sate; And a loathing over Sir Launfal came; The sunshine went out of his soul with a thrill, Life The flesh 'neath his armor did shrink and Lessons crawl, And midway its leap his heart stood still Like a frozen waterfall; For this man, so foul and bent of stature, The leper raised not the gold from the dust: "Better to me the poor man's crust, Better the blessing of the poor, Though I turn me empty from his door; Who gives from a sense of duty; But he who gives a slender mite, That thread of the all-sustaining Beauty For a god goes with it and makes it store To the soul that was starving in darkness be fore." JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL. From "The Vision of Sir Launfal." Life Lessons Opportunity This I beheld, or dreamed it in a dream:- banner Wavered, then staggered backward, hemmed by foes. A craven hung along the battle's edge, And thought," Had I a sword of keener steel— That blue blade that the king's son bears,-but this Blunt thing!" he snapt and flung it from his And lowering crept away and left the field. And saved a great cause that heroic day. EDWARD ROWLAND SILL. Abou Ben Adhem and the Angel Abou Ben Adhem (may his tribe increase!) And with a look made of all sweet accord "And is mine one?" said Abou. "Nay, not so," The Angel wrote and vanished. The next night And, lo! Ben Adhem's name led all the rest. LEIGH HUNT. Life Lessons Life Lessons Be True Thou must be true thyself, If thou the truth wouldst teach; Think truly, and thy thoughts Shall the world's famine feed; Speak truly, and each word of thine Shall be a fruitful seed; Live truly, and thy life shall be A great and noble creed. HORATIO Bonar. The Shepherd Boy Sings in the Valley of He that is down needs fear no fall, He that is low, no pride; I am content with what I have, And, Lord, contentment still I crave, Because Thou savest such. |