The Present Age.

Say not the age is hard and cold -          I think it brave and grand;      When men of diverse sects and creeds          Are clasping hand in hand.      The Parsee from his sacred fires          Beside the Christian kneels;      And clearer light to Islam's eyes          The word of Christ reveals.      The Brahmin from his distant home          Brings thoughts of ancient lore;      The Bhuddist breaking bonds of caste          Divides mankind no more.      The meek-eyed sons of far Cathay          Are welcome round the board;      Not greed, nor malice drives away          These children of our Lord.      And Judah from whose trusted hands          Came oracles divine;      Now sits with those around whose hearts          The light of God doth shine.      Japan unbars her long sealed gates          From islands far away;      Her sons are lifting up their eyes          To greet the coming day.      The Indian child from forests wild          Has learned to read and pray;      The tomahawk and scalping knife          From him have passed away.      From centuries of servile toil          The Negro finds release,      And builds the fanes of prayer and praise          Unto the God of Peace.      England and Russia face to face          With Central Asia meet;      And on the far Pacific coast,          Chinese and natives greet.      Crusaders once with sword and shield          The Holy Land to save;      From Moslem hands did strive to clutch          The dear Redeemer's grave.      A battle greater, grander far          Is for the present age;      A crusade for the rights of man          To brighten history's page.      Where labor faints and bows her head,          And want consorts with crime;      Or men grown faithless sadly say          That evil is the time.      There is the field, the vantage ground          For every earnest heart;      To side with justice, truth and right          And act a noble part.      To save from ignorance and vice          The poorest, humblest child;      To make our age the fairest one          On which the sun has smiled;      To plant the roots of coming years          In mercy, love and truth;      And bid our weary, saddened earth          Again renew her youth.      Oh! earnest hearts! toil on in hope,          'Till darkness shrinks from light;      To fill the earth with peace and joy,          Let youth and age unite:      To stay the floods of sin and shame          That sweep from shore to shore;      And furl the banners stained with blood,          'Till war shall be no more.      Blame not the age, nor think it full          Of evil and unrest;      But say of every other age,          "This one shall be the best."      The age to brighten every path          By sin and sorrow trod;      For loving hearts to usher in          The commonwealth of God.