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SARAH T, BOLTON.
[1840–50.
Brave of heart and strong of arm,
You will never fail.
When the world is cold and dark,
Keep an aim in view;
And toward the beacon-mark
Paddle your own canoe.
Every wave that bears you on
To the silent shore,
From its sunny source has gone
To return no more.
Then let not an hour's delay
Cheat you of your due;
But, while it is called to-day.
Paddle your own canoe.
If your birth denies you wealth,
Lofty state and power.
Honest fame and hardy health
Are a better dower.
But if these will not sufiice,
Golden gain pursue;
And to gain the glittering prize,
Paddle your own canoe.
Would you wrest the wreath of fame
From the hand of fate?
Would you write a deathless name
With the good and great?
Would you bless your fellow-men?
Heart and soul imbue
With the holy task, and then
Paddle your own canoe.
Would you crush the tyrant wrong,
In the world's free fight?
With a spirit brave and strong.
Battle for the right.
And to break the chains that bind
The many to the few —
To enfranchise slavish mind —
Paddle your own canoe.
Nothing great is lightly won,
Nothing won is lost;
Every good deed, nobly done.
Will repay the cost.
Leave to Heaven, in humble trust,
All you will to do;
But if you succeed, you must
Paddle your own canoe.
You will never fail.
When the world is cold and dark,
Keep an aim in view;
And toward the beacon-mark
Paddle your own canoe.
Every wave that bears you on
To the silent shore,
From its sunny source has gone
To return no more.
Then let not an hour's delay
Cheat you of your due;
But, while it is called to-day.
Paddle your own canoe.
If your birth denies you wealth,
Lofty state and power.
Honest fame and hardy health
Are a better dower.
But if these will not sufiice,
Golden gain pursue;
And to gain the glittering prize,
Paddle your own canoe.
Would you wrest the wreath of fame
From the hand of fate?
Would you write a deathless name
With the good and great?
Would you bless your fellow-men?
Heart and soul imbue
With the holy task, and then
Paddle your own canoe.
Would you crush the tyrant wrong,
In the world's free fight?
With a spirit brave and strong.
Battle for the right.
And to break the chains that bind
The many to the few —
To enfranchise slavish mind —
Paddle your own canoe.
Nothing great is lightly won,
Nothing won is lost;
Every good deed, nobly done.
Will repay the cost.
Leave to Heaven, in humble trust,
All you will to do;
But if you succeed, you must
Paddle your own canoe.
CALL THE ROLL.
Who is ready for the onset —
Who with helmet, sword and shield.
Will go forth to conquer Erroi',
On life's battle-field?
Who will strike at Superstition,
In his goblin-haunted cell,
And unloose the myriad victims
Fettered by his spell?
Call the roll.
Who with helmet, sword and shield.
Will go forth to conquer Erroi',
On life's battle-field?
Who will strike at Superstition,
In his goblin-haunted cell,
And unloose the myriad victims
Fettered by his spell?
Call the roll.
Who will strive, on God relying.
With unwav'riug faith and hope,
To pull down the gory scafibld.
And the gallows-rope?
Who will break the yoke of bondage.
And unbar the prison door,
Saying to the trembling sirmer,
"Go and sin no more?"
Call the roll.
With unwav'riug faith and hope,
To pull down the gory scafibld.
And the gallows-rope?
Who will break the yoke of bondage.
And unbar the prison door,
Saying to the trembling sirmer,
"Go and sin no more?"
Call the roll.
Who, forgetting self, will listen
To sweet charity's appeal —
Who will labor for the lowly
With untiring zeal?
Casting bread upon the waters,
Not for human praise,
Trusting heaven again to find it.
After many days?
Call the roll.
To sweet charity's appeal —
Who will labor for the lowly
With untiring zeal?
Casting bread upon the waters,
Not for human praise,
Trusting heaven again to find it.
After many days?
Call the roll.
Who will put what God has given
Wisely to the noblest use;
Who will clothe the homeless orphan,
Fill the widow's cruse,
And, like him of old Samaria,
Help the stranger in his need.
Wisely to the noblest use;
Who will clothe the homeless orphan,
Fill the widow's cruse,
And, like him of old Samaria,
Help the stranger in his need.
