The Parents' Review

A Monthly Magazine of Home-Training and Culture

Influence

      For all my wilfulness
            Carelessly shown,
      For all my thoughlessness
            Which thou hast known,
      By thy sweet gentleness,
      By thine unselfishness,
      By thy white faultlessness,
Pardon me, pardon me, pardon me.

      Oft by thy hushing hand
            Soothed into ease,
      Oft by thy magic wand
            Charmed into peace,
      Chains of my misery
      Break at the sight of thee,
      Demons of memory
Fly from thee, fly from thee, fly from thee.

      If thou forsakest me
            On the bare road,
      If thou betakest thee
            Swifter to God,
      Thy light shall lighten me,
      Thy spirit brighten me,
      Flooding the night in me.
Guiding me, guiding me, guiding me.

      Then when thy rarer soul
            Her race hath won,
      Watch from thy distant goal
            My work begun--
      God's work that but for thee,
      Thee and thy charity,
      Cursed by Him would be,
But for thee, but for thee, but for thee.

Proofread by LNL, July, 2023