Page:The Soul of a Century.djvu/17



Thy will be done! Thou, who sees without strife The world’s far ends from your throne above the star; Who, with a loving eye, to these very ends brings life Across the plains and mystic depths afar; Who dwells above in the boundless realm of might, Encircled by the glamor of your suns; Thou, who commands all living creatures’ plight With a holy wisdom as yet attained by none,

Thy will be done! That will, which humbles low The heavenly court, attired in light’s robes; That will, which sets the very skies aglow And fills with bliss men’s most inspired souls. Our Father, as your will is solemnized By the angels and the blessed in your domain, So, on this earth it shall be recognized By all, your children, and thus it shall remain.

Thy will be done! When the aura of thy grace And the splendor of thy gifts brightens our life; When songs of gladness in our hearts find place, And when with joy and peace our soul is rife. Or when dark tempests gather overhead, And want or grief cast shadows on our days; When our earthly paths are crossed by foes we dread And tragic sorrow against our courage plays.

Thy will be done! As we linger o’er the bier Refusing consolation’s kind relief, Or when through the loss of those we treasured dear Our cheeks turn pale with an unspoken grief; Tis then we say, in times with gloom replete When the world to us seems barren, cold and drear, We, in our soul, find strength as we repeat; “Your gift. Oh Lord, to you return we here.”