November 19
AMEN FOLKS
“Let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay.”—
St. Matt. v. 37.
We are the Amen Folks of God and work His holy Will,
And wheresoever Truth hath trod we plough the land and till
Beneath His sky in honesty, through good report and ill;
We praise the Bounty which is Bread and never gives us nay
And is to all a table spread beside the desert way,
A bubbling well whereby we dwell, one Everlasting Yea.
We are the Amen Folks of God, and must confess His Name
By drawing from the very clod the pretty flowerlike flame,
Till darkest dearth upon the earth puts off the weeds and shame;
We deal to everyone his due and bear the burden sent
And to ourselves and each are true and humble and content,
While with glad tears and faithful fears we sow the long Ascent.
We are the Amen Folks of God and serving at His side
And leaning on that loving rod which chastens so our pride,
That He may thus be more to us who in His Mercy hide;
We do not ask for power or place, but simply to be low
And worthy vessels for the Grace which would through sinners flow,
That at His Feet we may be meet and like our Master grow.
We are the Amen Folks of God and seek no other crown
Than duty, though beneath the sod we lie rejected down
And only make for others' sake the future of renown;
It is enough to take the yoke which Christ Himself has worn,
If even the heart which for Him broke received no hire but scorn—
For each lost life is in the strife a ray of coming Morn.
