BE GENTLE TO THY MOTHER by George Washington Bethune

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Mar 13, 1907

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 33, No. 11.

BE GENTLE TO THY MOTHER.

By George Washington Bethune

Be gentle to thy mother; long she bore Thine infant fretfulness and silly youth; Nor rudely scorn the faithful voice that o'er Thy cradle prayed, and taught thee lisping truth. Yes, she is old; yet on thy manly brow She looks and claims thee as her child e'en now.

Uphold thy mother; close to her warm heart She carried, fed thee, lulled thee to thy rest; Then taught thy tottering limbs their untried art, Exulting in the fledgling from her nest; And, now her steps are feeble, be her stay, Whose strength was thine, in thy most feeble day.

Cherish thy mother; brief, perchance, the time May be that she will claim the care she gave; Past are her hopes of youth, her harvest-prime Of joy on earth; her friends are in the grave; But for her children, she could lay her head Gladly to rest among the precious dead.

Be tender to thy mother; words unkind, Or light neglect from thee, will give a pang To that fond bosom where thou art enshrined In love unutterable, more than fang Of venomed serpent. Wound not her strong trust, As thou wouldst hope for peace when she is dust.

O, mother mine! God grant I ne'er forget, Whatever be my grief, or what my joy, The unmeasured, unextinguishable debt I owe thy love; but find my sweet employ, Ever thru thy remaining days, to be To thee as faithful as thou wast to me! —G. W. Bethune.