"SPEAK GENTLY TO THE ERRING."
By Fredrick George Lee
Speak gently to the erring—
Ye know not all the power
With which the dark temptation came
In some unguarded hour:
Ye may not know how earnestly
They struggled, or how well,
Until the hour of weakness came
And sadly thus they fell! Speak gently to the erring—
Oh! do not thou forget,
However darkly stained by sin,
He is thy brother yet.
Heir of the self-same heritage,
Child of the self-same God,
He hath but stumbled in the path
Thou hast in weakness trod. Speak kindly to the erring—
For is it not enough
That innocence and peace are gone,
Without thy censure rough?
It surely is a weary lot
That sin-crushed heart to bear;
And they who share a happier fate
Their chidings well may spare. Speak kindly to the erring—
Thou yet may'st lead them back,
With holy words, and tones of love,
From misery's thorny track:
Forget not thou hast often sinned,
And sinful yet must be;
Deal kindly with the erring one,
As God hath dealt with thee.
[Fredrick George Lee.