p. 1 | QUESTIONINGS by Sel.

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 2, 1872

QUESTIONINGS

By Sel.

Why has the rose her thorns, the sky its clouds? Why do the dew-drops teach the grass to weep? Oh! why does mist the mountain peaks enshroud? And why grow weeds among the corn we reap? Why is each day embraced by gloomy night? And why do nettles kiss the wayside flowers? Oh! tell me, why is faith not turned to sight? And why pain rides upon the winged hours?

Stay! can our arm explore the furthest reach In deep unfathomed seas of thought divine? We cannot learn till God, the all-knowing, teach, And place within our hand the sounding line. Let us remember we have human eyes; Perhaps were Heaven open to our sight The glorious beams which on our souls would rise, Might blind us with infinitude of light! But this I know—bright hearts of glistening gold Hide in the roses on their thorny spray; The grass that trembles 'neath the dew-drop cold Drinks in new vigor for the long, hot day.

The mists that round the mountain summit cling, Distill in gentle rain to bless the ground, And sweeter music to the night winds sing, When struggling through the trees their sobbing sound. The weeds among the corn one day will lie, And even nettles honeyed sweetness share. The stars are only seen in darkened sky; And men rise nobler through the pain they bear.

—Sel.