GOD'S TRAINING FOR SERVICE.
By Editor
(Written by the Editor, and read on the occasion of Mr. C. M. Snow's farewell, June 23, 1906.) BEHOLD yon beetling crag cloud-crowned,
Sun-kissed, storm-conquering, tempest-rent,
Defying every blast that sweeps it round,
A brother to the blast, with power blent,
Enrobed in cloud, enswathed in mighty storm;
Alone in mighty solitude supreme,
Above the vales and hills it lifts its form,—
The rugged, beetling crag beside the stream. And yet upon that lone and mighty rock
The eagle bold doth build his lonely nest,
And there in path of wildest tempest shock,
He bids his mate and birdlings brood and rest;
Aye, rest and grow 'mid endless storm and strife,
And thunder-roll, and lightning's fiercest glare;
And so the king of birds has studied life,
And so he rears his tender eaglets there. And when the time is ripe to bid them go
From parent nest, the place of food and care,
He takes them on his wings, tho tempests blow,
And casts them forth upon the ambient air. They fall; he bears them up on pinions strong,
Then leaves them there alone, on untried wing,
And screams exultant, till his triumph song
Makes e'en the eaglet's heart with triumph ring. Then speeds it on across the chasm deep
To other crag below the parent nest,
And there it lights awhile, yet not to creep,
But stretch its fledgling pinions after rest.
Once more the mighty bird casts off its young,
And now the rocks and hills echo its scream;
The eaglet revels now the crags among,
A prince of birds o'er vale and crag and stream. So God in goodness, seeming cruel oft,
Disturbs our nest, and leaves us oft alone,
From our loved eyry, sure and safe aloft,
He casts us down to vale and stream and stone;
But never leaves us, ever upward bears
On mighty pinions where our weakness fails;
He sees, He knows, He loves, He works, He cares,
Would make us strong with heart that never quails. Would by his triumph song cheer fainting heart,
Would by His wondrous grace true wisdom give,
Would give us shield to turn the tempter's dart,
Would teach us how to strive and how to live.