Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-11-12
For the vnRnoST PARrEn.
THE LAW OF LOVE, A ROYAL LAW


In James short epistls, chapter two,
And verse the eighth these words are broughtto view
'If ye fulfill" the law, As says the word,--
1.-THE royal law" Of love, which " have heard
And "lovo your neighbor a. yourself" a. we'll,
Eye shall do WE'LL" For so the scriptures tell.
"who is my neighbori" once lawyer said
To Christ, lawyer who the law had readi
Who came TO Christ 10 know what he must do
To live when earthly scenes closed from his view.
Then Christ spoke Of man who went, you know,
Down from Jerusalem to Jericho.
And as the man went on his eastern way,
He chanced 10 fall among the thieves, one day,
WI, stripped him Of his raimont and. in hate,
They wounded him. and left him sad In state.
By clhnce, that way there came a certain priest,
With plenty meney-bread enough for feasti >
And when the ailing, needy man he spied
He merely looked, and passed "ths other side"
levite, likewise, when he saw the place,
He came and looked as 10 discern the face.
He looked enough TO see the wan Distress
And wickedly on by his steps did press
And thsn GOOD Samaritan" he came,
And though despised by Jew twas just the same
What cared this Good Samaritan, aud true,
That he was hated by the wounded Jew
He saw In him brother in Distress
The claims Of brotherhood did on him press,
He saw the woe and wreck the thieves had LEFT
OF this poor Jew, Of clothes and strength bersft.
His heart, his hand, his purse and medicine
Was proffered, all. His oil he poured within
The angry wounds, and they were quickly dressed
And to his lips the 'livening draught he pressed.
He gave the wounded his ewn beast TO ride,
He walked in love close by the hurt ones side.
He took him to an inn and with him stayed,
To battle the wounds the wicked thieves had made.
All night he watched with unremittnE care,
And soothod his spirit, may be, too, with prayer;
And when upon the morrow he must leave, Id.
He did not from this care seek then reprieve;
He did not go and to the next man say,
Pm glad TO quit this friend found last day.
This want his way that want the way he could
Fulfill the law oflove in doing good
He'd money, and his friend just found had need;
lie could not say, be warmed and filled, indeed,
And then withhold the needed pence and care
BY which he could himself fulfill his prayer.
And on the morrow when he left the inn
Where he for two days with the sick had been,
lie left some money, II the sick should lack,
And promised more, for need, on ceming back.
Which was the neighbour Christ the lawyer asks
As He the selfish, dainty priest unmasks,
And makes the lawyer give his own reply,
Who thought his neighbor was the one close BY.
And now the cunning lawyer here Is caught,
And higher wisdom is this lawyer taught;
The neghbor is the one who mercy Showed
The one whose heart with love and kindness goWed.
He Is the neighbor who, II ones in need,
Becomes to him friend in very deed.
Tho lawyer then himself lesson taught,
One rich with heavenly golden wisdom fraught
That man should never turn from needy man,
No matter what his prejudice or clan
Christ taught the lawyer that he, though Jew,
With boast Of Abraham's line, and Jacobs, too,
That II he saw Samaritan in need #
Though they and Jews were enemies indeed.
That he should be q neighbor 10 the clan,
Ifhe should see there want in brother man.
God makes the law Of love broad as the race,
Restricts It not to nation, time or place;
No prejudice, or tempt to hate inclined,
Should hinder doing good to human kind.
He is my neghbor whom see in need
He is my neighbor who's in want indeed;
lie is my neighbor, be he rich or poor,
Who has woe that can kindly cure.
II is q royal law TO neighbors love,
royal law that oometh from above;
A royal law 1t is within the heart,
A royal law at church or in the mart
royal law, act for royal sons,
A royal law in hearts OF ''shining ones !"
A royal law, Transforming in its power
And coming, brings.to earth her golden hour.
To love our neighbor as ourselves as we'll,
FulHlls this royal law, as James doth tell.