Much surprised,--the old a.s.s, thus set free from his load, Picked out a soft spot in the nice dusty road, And laid him down on it and rolled in high glee, And, as he kicked this way and that, said to me,--

"Say, Man, I have never enjoyed such a roll Since the day I was born, a silly young foal.

Seems to me, if I'd had half the sense of an a.s.s, I'd have long since got rid of that troublesome ma.s.s.

But now that it's down, why--down it shall stop.

All my life's been down under, but now I'm on top."

Then he came right-side up, pranced about on his load, And kicked it to pieces all over the road.

And what all this means, I really can't say.

It may not mean much. But--again,--why, it may.

WINNERS OR LOSERS?

Unless our Souls win back to Thee, We shall have lost this fight.

Yes, though we win on field and sea, Though mightier still our might may be, We still shall lose if we win not Thee.

_Help us to climb, as in Thy sight, The Great High Way of Thy Delight_.

It is the world-old strife again,-- The fight 'twixt good and ill.

Since first the curse broke out in Cain, Each age has worn the grim red chain, And ill fought good for sake of gain.

_Help us, through all life's conflict, still To battle upwards to Thy Will_.

Are we to be like all the rest, Or climb we loftier height?

Can we our wayward steps arrest?-- All life with n.o.bler life invest?-- And so fulfil our Lord's behest?

_Help us, through all the world's dark night, To struggle upwards to the Light_.

If not,--we too shall pa.s.s, as pa.s.sed The older peoples in their time.

G.o.d's pact is sure, His word stands fast,-- Those who His sovereignty outcast Outcast themselves shall be at last.

_So,--lest we pa.s.s in this our prime, Lord, set us to the upward climb_!

CHRIST AT THE BAR

Christ stands at the bar of the world to-day, As He stood in the days of old.

And still, as then, we do betray Our Lord for greed of gold.

When our every deed and word and thought Should our fealty proclaim, Full oft we bring His name to nought And cover Him with shame.

Not alone did Judas his Master sell, Nor Peter his Lord deny, Each one who doth His love repel, Or at His guidance doth rebel, Doth the Lord Christ crucify.

Like the men of old, we vote His death, Lest His life should interfere With the things we have, or the things we crave, Or the things we hold more dear.

Christ stands at the bar of the world to-day, As He stood in the days of old.

Let each man tax his soul and say,-- "Shall I again my Lord betray For my greed, or my goods, or my gold?"

MY BROTHER'S KEEPER?

(A WARNING)

"_Am I my brother's keeper_?"

Yes, of a truth!

Thine asking is thine answer.

That self-condemning cry of Cain Has been the plea of every selfish soul since then, Which hath its brother slain.

G.o.d's word is plain, And doth thy shrinking soul arraign.

_Thy brother's keeper_?

Yea, of a truth thou art!

For if not--who?

Are ye not both,--both thou and he Of G.o.d's great family?

How rid thee of thy soul's responsibility?

For every ill in all the world Each soul is sponsor and account must bear.

And He, and he thy brother of despair, Claim, of thy overmuch, their share.

Thou hast had good, and he the strangled days; But now,--the old things pa.s.s.

No longer of thy grace Is he content to live in evil case For the anointing of thy shining face.

The old things pa.s.s.--Beware lest ye pa.s.s with them, And your place Become an emptiness!

Beware! Lest, when the "Have-nots" claim, From those who have, their rightful share, Thy borders be swept bare As by the final flame.

Better to share before than after.

"_After?_" ... For thee may be no after!

Only the howl of mocking laughter At thy belated care. Make no mistake!-- "After" will be too late.

When once the "Have-nots" claim ... they take.

"After!" ... When that full claim is made, You and your golden G.o.ds may all lie dead.

Set _now_ your house in order, Ere it be too late!

For, once the storm of hate Be loosed, no man shall stay it till Its thirst has slaked its fill, And you, poor victims of this last "too late,"

Shall in the shadows mourn your lost estate.

A TELEPHONE MESSAGE (TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN)

h.e.l.lo! h.e.l.lo!

Are you there? Are you there?

Ah! That you? Well,-- This is just to tell you That there's trouble in the air...

Trouble,-- T-R-O-U-B-L-E--Trouble!

_Where?_ In the air.

Trouble in the air!

Got that? ... Right!

Then--take a word of warning, And ... Beware!