Did we in our own strength confide, Our striving would be losing; Were not the right man on our side, The man of God's own choosing. Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is he; Lord Sabaoth is his name, From age to age the same, And he must win the battle. And though this world, with devils filled, Should threaten to undo us; We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us. The Prince of darkness grim-- We tremble not for him; His rage we can endure, For lo! his doom is sure, One little word shall fell him. That word above all earthly powers-- No thanks to them--abideth; The Spirit and the gifts are ours Through him who with us sideth. Let goods and kindred go, This mortal life also; The body they may kill: God's truth abideth still, His kingdom is forever. --Martin Luther, tr. by Frederick H. Hedge. STRENGTH Be strong to hope, O heart! Though day is bright, The stars can only shine In the dark night. Be strong, O heart of mine, Look toward the light. Be strong to bear, O heart! Nothing is vain: Strive not, for life is care, And God sends pain. Heaven is above, and there Rest will remain. Be strong to love, O heart! Love knows not wrong; Didst thou love creatures even, Life were not long; Didst thou love God in heaven Thou wouldst be strong. Why comes temptation but for man to meet And master and make crouch beneath his foot, And so be pedestaled in triumph? Pray, "Lead us into no such temptation, Lord!" Yea, but, O thou whose servants are the bold, Lead such temptations by the head and hair, Reluctant dragons, up to who dares fight, That so he may do battle and have praise. --Robert Browning. BE JUST AND FEAR NOT Speak thou the truth. Let others fence, And trim their words for pay: In pleasant sunshine of pretense Let others bask their day. Guard thou the fact; though clouds of night Down on thy watch tower stoop: Though thou shouldst see thine heart's delight Borne from thee by their swoop. Face thou the wind. Though safer seem In shelter to abide: We were not made to sit and dream: The safe must first be tried. Where God hath set His thorns about, Cry not, "The way is plain": His path within for those without Is paved with toil and pain. One fragment of His blessed Word, Into thy spirit burned, Is better than the whole half-heard And by thine interest turned. Show thou thy light. If conscience gleam, Set not thy bushel down; The smallest spark may send his beam O'er hamlet, tower, and town.