UCSB LIBRARY X- figs v- e. io * o I r P 5 .r f fl INSPIRATIONS BY JOHN O. COIT. SAN FRANCISCO: THE BANCROFT COMPANY 1894. INTRODUCTORY POEM. Xife. BY JAMES R. LOWELL. Life is a sheet of paper white Whereon each one of U8 may write His word or two and then comes night ! " Lo, time and space enough," we cry, "To write an epic," so we try Our nibs upon the edge and die. Muse not which way the pen to hold ; Luck hates the slow and loves the bold ; Soon comes the darkness and the cold. Greatly begin ! Though thou hast time But for a line be that sublime ; Not failure, but low aim, is crime. INSPIRATIONS. Hs 1be Sees JSest. He sees best," I ask no more. \Vhy should I pray so selfishly? Wilt not Thou, Lord, whom I adore, Make all things best for all, in Thee? Written in the Fall of 1888. Romance. AOME day I'll complete my romance If God wills; it may be so. If I may not, need it matter? " Nothing useless is, or low." Written July 15th, 1890. ZTbe plainest Hnswer. fi& am weary ! I am weary ! With this constant questioning, With these doubtings, these reflections Knowing not what time will bring. I would have no doubtful answer To these questions which I ask, INSPIRATIONS. Telling rne that in future May be shown me some great task. I would know what I should do now, Would be sure which way to go; Would not leave undone the labors Which are mine, while here below ! In this world, the plainest answer Seems to be, " Go, labor on As you choose ! " But in the spirit " Even so, Thy Will be done." So, to still my heart's emotions, And to keep myself content, I make answer to my spirit, " Labor on, spend and be spent ! " Choose your work ! Put thou into it All the good there is in you ! And remember, o'er all, through all Worketh God, the ever-true ! We are but God's agents, truly We should live, as He desires, Not in coldness, not unduly, But as " touched " by heavenly fires. " Duty " is a cold word: surely He who suffers, he who sings INSPIKATIONS. " To win men " may labor purely Out of love for men, and " things ! " Let us always labor gladly, Ne'er despairing, ever strong, Till our " sighs are lost in singing," Till we join the holy throng. " Face to face " with God, the Father, Fully pardoned, fully blest, Taken Home with Him, forever, There enjoying perfect rest. Written October 16th, 1890. ffaitb. makes real the heavenly mead- ows, Cheers us 'mid these earthly shadows Telling us of that blest country Where men neither sin nor die. Where, beyond the sight of mortals Stand those heavenly, pearly portals, Which we see not, but believing We shall enter, bye-and-bye. When the silence seems unbroken, When to us no word is spoken, INSPIRATIONS. When our souls most miss that music Which delighted us, erewhile ; We should watch, and wait, and listen, Soon the darkening night will glisten With the shining of His Presence, Where the angel-faces smile, Soon for us this world's employments, Joys and sorrows, disappointments, All will cease. Beyond its knowledge We shall be, forevermore. Then, forgiven, blessed, loving We would live forever, moving Only as He wills, rejoicing la His service, evermore ! Even here, forgiven, loving, We may gladly live, removing From our souls the ache of sorrow By our faith in truth Divine. Though the chords be rudely broken, Though we leave those words unspoken Which to us seem right and needed, Father, fit our wills to Thine ! We believe Thy times and seasons Do not come for narrow reasons, INSPIRATIONS. But are " set," as Thou appointest, Therefore can be only good. Through our spirits, by Thy teaching, Blessings wondrous, great, far-reaching, Come to us, if we but follow Through the darkness. This we would ! Writteu October 26th, 1890. Xives. gjJHOUGH thy dearest friend forsake thee. Though the one you trusted fall ; Still bcliere, in heaven, above us, God lives (and He reigns o'er all). Written November 30th, 1890. TTbrouflb tbe H>avfeness. us follow through the darkness, Though our way seem sad and lone ; For we know that our great Father Ever makes our cares His own. Not in vain does he afflict us, Not for naught does He cause pain ; But through sorrow, sin and pleasure Tells us we shall live again. 10 INSPIRATIONS. Though our plans are often thwarted, Though both brain and body fail, Though the best which we can muster Often seems of no avail. Though instead of climbing upward We continually fall, Let us follow through the darkness Till we hear that welcome call ; Telling us that though unworthy, (Oft in folly, oft in sin), God forgives us, loves us, takes us Where no evil enters in. Not because our lives are perfect, Not because our acts are great, But because through all temptations We have tried to love, not hate. Tried to fit our earthly service To the truth, have tried to rise O'er " the world, the flesh, the devil" Toward the " mansions " in the skies. Oft they seern so far above us, Oft the truth so doubtful seems We are tempted to consider Even God a thing of dreams. INSPIRATIONS. 11 Yet our faith o'errules these doubtings, Yet we follow, trusting God; Yet we sin and yet we suffer, 'Neath a necessary "rod." Through that " rod " God rules the future. We would follow, we would trust Through the shadow s, through the sun- shine, Till our bodies turn to dust. Then our spirits, free from suffering. Freed from sinning, free from pain, Will be taken Home forever, Nevermore to sin again. "Nevermore to sin again." Nevermore to be untrue to that within our control which is best! Nevermore to be in mal-adjustment with that which becomes ours ! Never- more to be discontented with that which we are allowed ! Satisfied hereafter. No more loneliness, nor vanity, nor vexation of spirit. Perfect, there ! Continually developing, here, that within our control which is better. (') " Casting out " the worse, that which is beneath our privilege. (1) that which is truer and yet more true, and trusting God to complete. 12 INSPIRATIONS. the present full of sorrow ? Look beyond ! Do you dread the coming morrow ? Look beyond ! We believe our God doth guard us, In His ways He will reward us, Nothing can from Him retard us, Further on. Retard, i. e., to continue to hinder. After death there will be no hindrances to our communion with God no evil thoughts, "no veil of flesh," no sin. There and then we shall be " where no evil enters in." What if we do not go, literally, to "a city " or " a country? " We are assured of a life beyond, and " more life " is what we desire, both here and beyond. The place is comparatively unimportant. This world itself is surely fair enough pleasant enough, if only humanity were better adjusted. It is " the life " which Is the. important thing with each one of us. " The life," yes, " the Spirit life," "the intellectual life," the man-life, and the God-life (superior to the brute life, the mere animal life which may lead), using "the animal," "the natural," "the human," as means to ends higher ends than those of present appearances, but not being either blinded, absorbed or debased by these lesser, lower, grosser influences. INSPIRATIONS. 13 Self. not shrink from present suffering ! Let not self thine idol be. Further on will come thy resting At the end the King thou'lt see. Now's the time for earnest labor, Now's the time to conquer pain ! Working through self for thy neighbor, Win and lose for others' gain. Never let thyself be foremost In thine head or in thine heart ; Rather call yourself an actor Destined only for its part. " Overcome " and " win " as may be, Keeping self in its own place ; Not too high, and not too humble, Following till you see His Face ! Sinful man may not now see it, But if he in truth believe, Later will there come that blessing Which the pure in heart receive. That " vision " given to those who " shall see God," to those who " then shall see Thee, and be satisfied." Written October ISth, 1891. 14 INSriKATIONS. Uowarfc tbe end is coming. I am going, Going, going, past "the bar," Soon I'll be where there is knowing, Where the " many mansions are." Here we watch, and wait and wonder, Here we question, oft alone ; But beyond in that blest " yonder," " We shall know as we are known." God grant that whater'e befall us Patiently our " threads " we weave ; Through the life which most does " call " us, As we can and do believe. Not only patiently, but also cheerfully, hopefully and with zest. If we would lead others to believe in that which we believe to be better than life, our persuasion, should be more than half-hearted ! "Enthusiasm is the genius of sincerity, and truth accom- plishes no victory without it." Bulwer. Written December, 1891. INSPIRATIONS. 15 Blvin TKIiellfanfe. (Lost from a Ferry-boat through Criminal Negligence.) @JWAS early in March in '92 Crossing the San Francisco Bay, The air was clear, the sun was bright; Smooth as a mill-pond the water lay. All seemed happy, all seemed good, Nothing to indicate "all's not well," Save the tight lashings upon the boats, That Sunday noon, on the San Rafael. But listen ! A splash and then a scream. "Man overboard," the people cry. We on the upper deck rush to the side. "Will he come up again ?" " Must he die ?" We see a head. It moves ; he swims Bravely and gallantly, steadily, well. But, oh ! The lashings upon those boats, That Sunday noon, on the San Rafael. Newly painted, spick and span, Neat and attractive, but fatal to life Those lashings hold the boats in their place So tight that vain is the hurried strife, 16 INSPIRATIONS. For ere they are loosened we see no more That head above the gentle swell. Those fatal lashings have cost a life, That Sunday noon, on the San Rafael. Written in Sept., '92, on a train, neariug Sacramento. Encouragement ^ feel myself uplifted, I see before me rise Mountains with lofty summits, towering to the skies. I see below a valley of beauteous slope and green, But just where it is fairest, a fissure wide is seen, Left by some mighty earthquake, a chasm deep and vast Such as the sons of Korah beheld in ages past. Why should I think thus clearly, why should this sight be seen By my imagination; what can this vision mean? Is it a truthful prophecy, is thu? to yawn at last INSPIRATIONS. 17 Before me in life's valley some chasm deep and vast, Some widely stretching chasm, a grave to all my hopes, At which I stop half-blinded, as one in darkness gropes, Xo light beyond that chasm, no hope beyond this earth Where hopes so often vanish and leave of joy such dearth? We hope not. Oh ! we pray not. We live, we strugle on, Determined that in conflict the best shall soon be won. Perhaps not soon in minutes, perhaps not soon in years, But "in the time appointed," perhaps through many fears, Yet toward that we will follow, ev'n to the setting sun, Until the night has fallen, until the crown is won. What though our light seem fading, What though the shadows fall? God reigns, His love is o'er us And in, and through life's all. 18 INSPIRATIONS. So be thou strong, my brother, and give no place to fears; Instead, make use of courage, and strength which lives for years. That strength of life and purpose which meets and conquers pain, Which though it often suffers still hopes and lives again. Which rises from the valley, which clambers up the steep, Which ever toward the summit its way doth constant keep. Which never stops to linger amid the dust of earth To look for "ends," but through these "means " insists on freedom's birth, And seeks the truth in romance, and seeks the truth in life. Which uses creeds as watchwords, not as " a bond " in strife. Which seeks true inspiration, the gift of inspired thought, To benefit its fellow-men, but never to be bought. Which does not dull by usage, But all along its way INSPIRATIONS. 19 Still gathers truth and beauty, and strength for every day. Strength to be used continually, not to be spent in vain, But used to benefit someone, somehow, Wherever there is pain, Wherever there is sorrow, wherever there is woe. Go forth, strong one, lift up the weak, Ev'n if he seem a foe ! Become a Good Samaritan, pity thy brother's needs. Sacrifice self, love everyone, be little bound by creeds. Devote thy life to something beyond the present hour, Great purposes, great benefits, dark though the storm-clouds lower. Beyond that storm lies heaven, perhaps not far away, Beyond the darkness lives the sun of an eternal day. Thy foot-path may seem narrow, weary may be thy feet, Yet surely unto others it will appear more meet 20 INSPIRATIONS. If thou treads't thy path bravely, if thou the summit gain, If thou refuse to linger, to grieve o'er thine own pain. Instead look upward, homeward, Instead live toward the Light, It's coming ! Yes ! It's coming ! The East is growing bright with promise of great freedom, Great truths almost in view ! What part wilt thou take, brother, in this, the gospel new Of freedom to all nations, of freedom not in vain, Freedom from superstition and ignorance and pain? This is the age of knowledge, this is the age of health. The age of many millions of consecrated wealth Devoted to man's benefit in hospitals and schools, To open wide the doorways, outside all narrow rules, To treat man as a brother, to soothe away his pain INSPIRATIONS. 21 Of body, and that sadder sight, the sight of mental strain And agonizing worry that anxiousness of strife Which often deeply injures the very founts of life, Which fairly wears the heart out of many a mother a strain Which often tires t the body, and more than tires the brain Of many a loving husband who fears that wife or child Will suffer if he falter or faint amid this wild race after money, money Thank God that in life's sum This money makes not half the whole ! Thank God the day will come Before long when this conflict will not be half so hard, Then gates of earthly happiness will be less closely barred. Then " things " will be " adjusted," Let's hasten on that day, And toward it, to it, for it, Both work and give and pray ! Written January 13th, 1893. 22 INSPIRATIONS. 1UST at the edge of the valley Where the light is growing dim, I see a figure standing, Above those shadows griui. A woman's graceful figure, I see her turn her head, And as I listen closely It seems as though she said : " I'm coming. Yes ! I'm coming, Led by affection true, To you who long have waited For me to come to you. " Forbidden by your business From coming unto rne, Yet still you wait and listen And forward look to see " If ever your ' heart's darling ' In life will find a place ; If ever to her city Your feet their way will trace. " Now look and wait no longer, For I am -here, at last, INSPIRATIONS. 23 Now watching, waiting, longing And sadness, all have past. " I'll comfort you in sorrow, Walk with you in all woe. And ever upward, onward Together we will go. " No more shall we be lonely Though life few friends may yield. Together we will wander Through wood, and lane and field. " To each we will be helpful, For each we will be strong, And make of life a melody, A crowning wreath of song. " Because we shall be happy, Because we shall be glad, Our lives will be all sunshine, No more can we be sad a When hand in hand together, We clamber up life's steep. What though the path be rugged ? What though some streams be deep ? " Shall we not be together, Together in the sense 24 INSPIRATIONS. Of sympathizing closely, Whether in strife intense, " Or resting by a brookside ; Whether upon a hill We struggle slowly upward, Or dream beside a rill ? " Whatever our experience We'll suit each other's needs As best we can, and sympathize With all one's thoughts and deeds " Whether our efforts seem in vain Or if they richly yield A harvest of great honor, Whether the battle-field " On which we ' win ' be one of fame Or whether it be one On which no honors can be seen Ev'n till the setting sun. " Yet we shall be together Ev'n till that close of day, And when it comes we'll only ask For strength to truly pray " ' Thy will be done,' Our Father, For Thou dost know the end. INSPIRATIONS. 25 Thou art in all. We cannot see Why Thou this fate did send. " But we believe Thou sent it, And Thou art only good ; Therefore, although we cannot Have that we so much would " Yet we can still be patient Until our own life's end, Can benefit someone, somehow, Can still our strength expend. " For others, though that strength soon fail, Soon leaves us without power, And lay us low on beds of pain For many a weary hour. "Yet we can still be hopeful, And ever grow more fond Of truth, and look for it Ev'n in the Great Beyond." Written January 23d, 1893, at office, during part of a hot afternoon, and finished at midnight, three days later. 26 INSPIRATIONS. Matting. CAGERLY scanning the future, Looking for some " work " to do ; Something which truly is worthy, Something he never will rue. Not for his own satisfaction, Not for his pleasure or gain, But for the good of the public And for their freedom from pain. These are the thoughts of his spirit, These the desires of his life ; Tempting him often to " efforts," Tempting him often to strife. Yet to this day all his searching Toward this effecting of good, Toward this sufficient attainment, Toward that he so much would ! Often has seemed but " a vision," Often has seemed " all in vain," Often has brought but disaster, Often has increased " the pain." Yet he moves steadily " onward," Whether this vision seem bright, INSPIRATIONS. 27 Or if it seem a dark shadow, Promising nothing but " night." For he believes in " the morning ! " "Yonder," "beyond," "o'er the grave," Lasting, eternal, " triumphant," At " the last break of the wave." Writteu October 23, 1893, et seq. uC)A.Y by day," the message readeth, Day by day the pathway gleams ; Yet too soon the " vision " speedeth, Till our " calling " only " seems." Not by broad or gilded stairways Is " the mount of vision " won ; But by steep and narrow footpaths Till our journey's almost done. Then we look for some expansion, Some enlargement of our view True enjoyment of life's pleasures Something grander yet to do. Even though we're often thwarted In our efforts toward the good ; 2S INSPIRATIONS. Even though through many " seasons " We gain little which we ivould. Onward still ! Let not earth's pleasures Gain too large a hold on thee, For beyond, above all " treasures" Is thy soul's good, endlessly. In this life we often suffer, Often seem to work in vain, But we're told, " the greater anguish Makes, indeed, the sweeter strain." Is this true ? It is, most surely ! 'Tis a necessary " way." Only thus the truth, most purely, Can be found amid our " day." Otherwise, we oft would care not. Oft would be content to live Like the cattle, only looking For such joys as earth can give. But, instead, our loving Father Fills us with divine desires, Teaches us that o'er life's valley Ever burn the heavenly fires. Through "life's pleasures," upward, Home- ward, INSPIRATIONS. 29 We would " follow," toward The Light, "Apprehending," " gaining," " losing," Till our faith shall end in sight. Then, beyond earth's passing portals We would live in Heaven's pure Home, Free from sin, and freed from suffering, Nevermore abroad to roam. But, instead, in that blest hallway Where the pure in heart abide, We would live in freedom, alway, Free from " time " and free from "tide." Written April 5th, 1894, during a few minutes while waiting for dinner. UCSB LIBRARY A 000 590 792 8