The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1885-11-27
THE CALL.

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the laborers were few,
Heard | thus a voice within me. "here is work
for thee to do;
Come tho up and help the reapers, | will
show you now tLe way,
Come and help them bear the burdens and the
toiling of the day.
'For IL more convenient season. thus / an
swered, twill l watt"
And the voice, reproving, mnrmnred, hasten.
ere ii be too late"
Yet needed not the utterance, listening to 10!
heroic! there
| lost sight of all the reapers in whose work |
would not share:
Followed after strange d-eyices-bowed my
heart to God of stone,
Till like Ephraim, joined to idols, God well
nigh left me alone;
But the angel of his patience followed on my
erring track.
Setting here and there Il. and mark. where
withal to guide me back.
Onward yet I went and inward, till there met
me on the way,
\ poor prodigal returning, who, ike me, had
gone astray:
And his faith was strong and earnest that n
fathers house would be
Safest shelter from Temptations, for such sinful
ones rs he.
"Iiead the lesson said the angel, 'tike the
warning and repent"
But the willy tempter queried, 'ere thy sub
stance be unspent?"
"IIast thou need to toll and labor? Art thou
fitted for the work
Many a hidden stone to bruise thee, in the har-
vest field doth lurk
There are Others called beside thce-and per
chance the voice mayb be
But thy own delusive fancy, which thou hear
est calling thee.
There is time enough before thee all thy foot
steps to retrace"
Then l yielded TO the tempter and the angel
yelled her tace.
Pleasure beckoned in the distance, and her
syren song was sweet.
Through IL thornless path of flowers, gently |
will guide thy feet.
Youth is .s II rapid river, gliding noiselessly
away;
Earth is but IA pleasant garden: call its roses
whilst thou may:
Press the juice from purple clusters, nil life's
chalice with the wine,
Taste the fairest fruits which tempt thee, all
its richest fruits arc thine
Ahithe path was smooth and easy, but a snare
was set therein,
And the feet were oft entangled in The fearful
mesh of sin;
And the canker worm was hidden in the rose
leaf folded up,
And the sparkling wine of pleasure was Il fatal
Circean cup;
All its fruits were Dead Sea apples, tempting
only to the sight,
Fair, yet filed with dust and ashes, beautiful,
but touched with blight.
ooh! my Father cried l wildly, thou hast
~striven, l have willed,
Now the mission of the angel of thy patience
is fulfilled;
| have tasted earthly pleasures, yet my soul is
craving food,
Let the Summons thou has given tothy harvest
be renewed,
/ am ready now to la~bor-wilt thou call me
once again.
| will join thy willing reapers rs They garner
up the grain"
But The still small voice within me. earnest IN
its truth and deep,
Answered myaNakened conscience: As thou
sowest thou shalt reap;
tt'bl ~ .idNts tt"N' -
lected call;
has thy appointed duty taught thee by
the Lord of all.
Thou vert chosen-but another filed the place
assigned thee;
Iieneeforth in my field of labor thon mayst
but Il CLEANER be.
..pnt II work is still before thee, sec thon linger
not again.
SEPARATE The chat chou gleanest, beat it from
among the grain;
Follow after these my reaperS, let thine eyes
he on the field,
Gather up he precious handfuls i"hcirabnndhnt
wheat sheayes yield;
Go not hence to CLEAN, hut tarry from the
morning until night;
BE thou faithful, thou mayst yet ma favor III
thy Masters sight"