The Mothers of Men

THE MOTHERS OF MEN
The bravest battle that ever was fought ;
Shall I tell you where and when ?
On the maps of the world you will find it not,
“ Twas fought by the mothers of men.

Nay ,not with cannon or battle shot ,
With sword or braver pen ,
Nay , not with eloquent word or thought ,
From mouths of wonderful men;

But deep in a woman’s walled-up heart,
Of woman that would not yield ,
But patiently, silently bore her part,-
Lo , there is that battlefield .

No marshaling troops, no bivouac song ;
No banner to gleam and wave;
But , O those battles , they last so long ,
From babyhood to the grave !

Yet faithful still as bridge of stars ,
She fights in her walled-up town
Fights on and on in the endless wars ,
Then silent , unseen , goes down .
Jan Bagwell
God Bless you !!

IN The Garden of the Lord

IN THE GARDEN OF THE LORD :

The word of God came unto to me ,
Sitting alone among the multitudes;
And my blind eyes were touched with light .
And there was laid upon my lips a flame of fire .

I laugh and shout ,for life is good ,
Though my feet are set in silent ways .
In merry mood I leave the crowd
To walk in my garden . Ever as I walk
I gather fruits and flowers in my hands .
And with joyful heart I bless the sun
That kindles all the place with radiant life .
I run with playful winds that blow the scent

Of rose and jessamine in eddying whirls .
At last I come where tall lilies grow ,
Lifting their faces like white saints to God .
While the lilies pray ,I kneel upon the ground ;
I have strayed into the holy temple of the Lord .
Jan Bagwell

Faith and Hope

FAITH AND HOPE
When gathering clouds around I view ,
And days are dark ,and friends are few
On him I lean ,who ,not in vain ,
Experienced every human pain ;
He sees my wants ,alway my fears,
And counts and treasures up my tears.

If aught should tempt my soul to stray
From heavenly virtue’s narrow way –
To fly the good I would pursue ,
Or do the sin I would not do –
Still he ,who felt temmptation’s power
Shall guard me in that dangerous hour .

When sorrowing ov’er some stone ,I blend ,
Which covers all that was a friend ,
And from his voice ,his hand ,his smile ,
Divides me ,for a little while ,
My Saviour sees the tears I shed ,
For Jesus wept o’er Lazarus dead .

And ,if when I have safely passed
Through every conflict but the last –
Still,still unchanging ,watch beside
My painful bed – for thou hast died ;
Then point to realms of cloudless day ,
And wipe my latest tear away .
Jan Bagwell

To sleep

TO SLEEP

Of all the thoughts of God that are
Borne inward unto souls afar ,
Along the Psalmist’s music deep ,
Now tell me if that any is ,
For gift or grace , surpassing this –
“He givth His beloved ,sleep “?

“Sleep soft , beloved !” we sometimes say ,
but have no tune to charm away
Sad dreams that through the eyelids creep:
But never doleful dream again
Shall break the happy slumber ,when
“He giveth His beloved ,sleep .”

O earth so full of dreary noises !
O men , with wailing in your voices !
O strife , O curse ,that o’er it fall !
God makes a silence through you all ,
And “ giveth His beloved ,sleep .”

And friends , dear friends ,when it shall be
That this low breath is gone from me ,
And round my brother ye come to weep ,
Let one ,most loving of you all,
Say ,”Not a tear must o’er him fall !
“He giveth His beloved , sleep .”
Jan Bagwell

Saved by Grace

Saved by Grace

Some day the silver cord will break
And I no more as now shall sing ;
But Oh ,the joy when I shall wake
Within the palace of the King !

And I shall see Him face to face ,
And tell the story _Saved by Grace.

Some day my earthly house will fall;
I cannot tell how soon ‘twill be ;
But this I know –my all in all
Has now a place in heav’n for me.

Some day ,when fades the golden sun
Beneath the rosy-tinted west ,
My blessed Lord will say , “Well done !”
And I will enter into rest .

Some day ; till then I’ll watch and wait ,
My lamp all trimmed and burning bright,
That when my Saviour open’s the gate ,
My soul to Him may take its flight .
Jan Bagwell