The World To-Day by Charles Poland

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Dec 17, 1912

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 39, No. 49.

The World To-Day

By Charles Poland

The world is wandering from Thee, blessed Lord, And swiftly sailing to its bleak reward! It does not know Thee. Ah, its god is gold, With thousands on its mammoth list enrolled!

The good Book tells us man — made by Thy hands, And in Thy image built — before Thee stands A little less in glory than the angel throng, But sweet his anthems as the angels' song.

Endowed with heaven's gift of sight and speech, With all the wisdom which the world can teach, And followed by Thy love and pleading voice, Yet goes the world to ruin as its choice.

Hast Thou, dear Lord, brought forth this earth to be A home for ingrates to eternity? Hast nursed its millions with affections deep, And as reward their base desertion reap?

The world cares not to see or hear or know There is a God who sees His children's wo, Who in His own good time will judge the wrong, And bring disaster to the godless throng.

The world is blind. It will not, can not see Why it should bow the head and bend the knee To Thee, from whom all our blessings flow, And in whose hands are held our weal and wo.

There's none so blind as those who will reject The voice of light and truth! As well expect Of sightless orbs to form an image true Of sunset glories in celestial blue.

Now, Father dear, I shun this godless corps. Their evil deeds I censure and abhor, From sinners many let's turn to saintly few Who are Thy people, Lord, sincere and true.

To change from world to Thee, how sweet the theme! Seems angel hands had wrought the deed unseen. Ah, homes palatial which no hands have touched, Mansions celestial which no skill has matched!

And we can think of living, scented bowers Enshrined in glories of perennial flowers, Of fields elysian where the saints may rest, Of fruit ambrosial fit for the blessed.

Behold, the saints in rapture see their home, And martyrs mass around their Saviour's throne, Do homage to Thy august majesty, And in Thy worship spend eternity.