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The New Zealand Evangelist
Poetry
Poetry.
The Gospel Echo.
True Faith, producing love to God and Man,
Say Echo, is not this the Gospel plan?
Echo—The Gospel plan!
Must I my faith in Jesus constant show,
By doing good to all, both friend and foe?
Echo—Both friend and foe!
When Men combine to hate and treat me ill,
Must I return them good, and love them still?
Echo—Love them still!
If they my failings causelessly reveal,
Must I their faults as carefully conceal?
Echo—As carefully conceal!
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But if my name and character they tear,
And cruel Malice too, too plain appear,
And when I sorrow and affliction know,
They smile, and add unto my cups of woe,
Now Echo, say in this peculiar case,
Must I continue still to love and bless?
Echo—Still to love and bless!
Why, Echo, how is this; thou'rt sure a dove,
Thy voice will leave me nothing else but love?
Echo—Nothing else but love!
Amen! With all my heart, then be it so,
And now to practice I'll directly go!
Echo—Directly go!
This path be mine, and let who will reject,
My gracious God me surely will protect!
Echo—Surely will protect!
Henceforth on Him I'll cast my every care,
And friends and foes embrace them all in prayer;
Echo—Embrace them all in prayer!
Give! Give!
The sun gives ever; so the earth,
What it can give, so much ‘tis worth.
The ocean gives in many ways—
Gives paths, gives fishes, rivers, bays.
So, too, the air, it gives us breath;
When it stops giving, in comes death.
Give, give, be always giving;
Who gives not is not living.
The more you give,
The more you live.
God's love hath in us wealth unheap'd,
Only by giving is it reap'd.
The body withers, and the mind,
If pent in by a selfish rind.
page 111
Give strength, give thought, give deeds, give
pelf,
Give love, give tears, and give thyself.
Give, give, be always giving;
Who gives not is not living.
The more we give,
The more we live.