Poetry, Proverbs, Quotes, and Statements of Faith

God made Adam out of dust,
But thought it best to make me first.
So I was made before the man,
To answer God's most holy plan.

This body He did make complete,
But without legs or arms or feet;
My ways and actions He did not control,
But I was born without a soul.

A living being I became;
'Twas Adam gave me my name;
When from his presence I withdrew,
I no more of Adam ever knew.

I did my Maker's laws obey;
From them I never went astray.
Thousands of miles I roamed in fear,
And seldom on the earth appear.

But God did something in me see,
And put a living soul in me,
A soul of me my God did claim,
And took from me that soul again.

And when from me that soul had fled,
I was the same as when first made;
And without hands, or feet, or soul,
I travel now from pole to pole.

I labor hard both day and night;
To fallen men I give great light;
Thousands of people, young and old,
May by my death great light behold.

To heaven I shall never go,
Nor to the grave, nor Hell below,
Now as these lines my friend you read,
Just search the Scriptures with great heed,
And if my name you do not find,
It's very strange; I guess you're blind.

More than a century ago, there resided in Beverly, Massachusetts, an elderly lady by the name of Lucy King, who was a student of the Scriptures. In the neighboring town of Taunton lived a merchant who had a reputation for successfully answering the most perplexing riddles.

One day, he offered a prize to Miss King if she could compose a riddle which he could not answer, the subject being taken from the Bible. She created the riddle shown above and won the prize.

"Hark! The Herald Angels Sing"

Endlessly from Meyer's Store;

"It Came Upon A Midnight Clear"

From the networks o'er and o'er.

Star and magi, shepherds' awe,

Worshippers in cattle stall,

"Silent Night" and Christmas chimes

Shoppers meet where'er they call.

Tribune quotes in reverent type,

KXR in accents grave

Matthew's story, Luke's account

Of His birth Who came to save.

Watching demonstration toys,

Climbing onto Santa's knee,

Johnny prattles snatches from

Carols learned unconsciously.

Here is room abundant found

For Him Who in manger lay;

Every phase of business life

Lends its help to homage pay.

Here no Herod seeks the Child

Feigning worship, to destroy;

Welcome speaks each chime and song,

Tree and tinsel, card, and toy.

Here's no Savior-hating crowd

Crying, "Crucify! Away!"

Commerce has spent weeks on weeks

Laboring for His natal day.

"Who reigns o'er this festive time?"

'Mid it, for that question pause.

The answer, as from Pilate's hall:

"Not this Man, but Santa Claus!"

One sweetly solemn thought

Comes to me o’er and o’er;

Nearer to my home today am I

Than e’er I’ve been before.

Nearer my Father’s house,

Where many mansions be;

Nearer today, the great white throne,

Nearer the crystal sea.

Nearer the bound of life

Where burdens are laid down;

Nearer to leave the heavy cross,

Nearer to gain the crown.

But lying darkly between,

Winding down through the night,

Is the deep and unknown stream

To be crossed ere we reach the light.

Father, perfect my trust!

Strengthen my power of faith!

Nor let me stand, at last, alone

Upon the shore of death.

Be Thee near when my feet

Are slipping over the brink;

For it may be I’m nearer home,

Nearer now than I think.

I'd rather see a sermon

Than hear one any day;

I'd rather one should walk with me

Than merely show the way.

The eye's a better pupil,

And more willing than the ear;

Fine counsel is confusing,

But example's always clear.

The best of all the preachers

Are the men who live their creeds,

For to see good put in action,

Is what everybody needs.

I can soon learn how you do it,

If you let me see it done;

I can watch your hands in action,

But your tongue too fast may run.

And the lectures you deliver

May be very wise and true;

But I'd rather get my lesson,

By observing what you do,

For I may misunderstand you,

And the high advice you give,

But there's no misunderstanding

How you act and how you live.