March 15, 1907, The Children’s Corney (sic): My First Speech

At the close of my first school the scholars were all required to get speeches to recite the last day of the school. I had learned very well and had not got as far as baker in my spelling book and could read a little in my First Reader. So it was decided that I should have a speech. They had some little trouble to find one to suit me and a good deal more in learning it to me. I must make a bow before I began and one when I closed and must speak out loud.

Now a little fellow who will do just as you tell him is a funny thing. So I made up my mind to speak it according to directions. You can see now how I am going to get into it. After a number of scholars had spoken, I was called upon to speak. I took my place upon the floor but felt a little nervous when the people all looked at me. They all seemed perfectly composed until I made my first bow, when a little blushing smile ran over the audience and the faces before me continued to redden while I spoke which reached its height when I made m first bow. I knew that I was doing something curious but I did not know what it was.

Now I had followed the directions a little too closely for my own good. They all thought I had said my speech real well, except that I bowed a little too low; I spoke out too loud and stood with my feet most too wide apart, so if you want my picture, you can take a little stuffy, dark complected fellow in tight clothes in that position and doing things with a vengeance and you have it. Oh yes! I promised to tell you what the speech was. I am a little ashamed of it, but I will tell it.

See the chickens ‘round the gate,
For their morning portion wait
Throw some crumbs, and scatter seeds
And let the hungry chickens feed;
Call them; Oh! How fast they run
Gladly, quickly, every one.

You are ready to ask, “did any one else speak?” Yes, almost all the scholars. But the one that interested me most next to my own was “uncle” Dave Harris (?) He was much older than myself and being a good scholar and a fine speaker, he said his speech well. He had a lengthy speech about a sly fox that went to rob a hen roost. Now “uncle” Dave was so graphic and so real in his description that the scene seemed actually happening right there before us. We could see the fox so plain when he was trying to get through that tight crack in the hen house that I almost got him by the tail. But when he got in and “uncle” Dave began to describe the havoc he was causing inside, I could hardly stand it.

That was my first exhibition and things seemed so real, but I was delighted when the fox tried to come our and could not come out. He had grown larger since he went in and I remember seeing the old farmer kill him with almost as much reality as if it was actually happening right there before me.

All this was years ago, and yet it is as fresh in my memory as it was then.

C. W. R. (C. W. Ridgway)

July 19, 1907, Children’s Corner: Usefulness

There are almost as many ways of being useful as there are people to be useful; and almost every one may be useful in some way if he desires to be. People are not always useful according to their ability. Some people who possess every means of being useful are perfect drones, and spend a life of idleness and dissipation that makes them a burden rather than a blessing to society, while others who seem to be cut off from every means of usefulness are a perfect blessing to every one they meet. It has been well said that the rich know nothing of the pleasures of the poor and I am proud to say myself that happiness is more equally divided than prosperity. And there is no pleasure like that of doing one’s duty under trying circumstances. I have known people who have cheerfully gone down into the very dregs of poverty and hardships that they might be useful to the dear ones who were dependent upon them for support and comfort. There is a virtue in necessity, and the person who apparently sacrifices his own happiness and pleasure that he might be useful to his loved ones increases his own pleasure ten fold. Many a mother has washed all day and with the greatest of pleasure has carried home her scant earnings to her expectant little ones with a pleasure that the rich have never known. Many a mother has trimmed the midnight lamp while bending over the sewing machine with her little ones sweetly sleeping around her, possibly dreaming of the good things papa used to bring. Don’t tell me there is no pleasure in performing the most ardent tasks if prompted by the pure spirit of love.

Nothing is difficult beneath the skies
Act well your part, there all virtue lies.

Many a father has gone to the hardships of life with that pure, noble, and manly feeling that makes even drudgery a pleasure, looking beyond the hardships to where his sweet wife and happy children are deeming nothing too hard that be useful to his dear dependent ones; such a man is the noblest work of God. He can tread the earth with a buoyance that the sluggard never knows. Even little children can be useful in increasing the happiness of those around them. Many little children are perfect little sunbeams scattering light and pleasure everywhere they go. “Agnes came into the room smiling, her mother said, where have you been, dear? At the Brown’s; and oh, mother, Walter was cross, but I happied him up so that he got all over it, and the baby cried and I had to happy her up too!” I tell you, I love little children who can happy people up.

Johnny said to his mother one day, “ I do not want to wear my good clothes today, Tommy Blake is coming over to play with me and he has no good clothes, and he will be happier if I dress common. Johnny wore his common clothes, and when Tommy came they had such a nice time playing together. That was good, sweet charity on Johnny’s part, and made a happy evening for both; for we generally increase our own happiness when we try to add to the happiness of others. Sometimes an apple that is hardly enough for one, when divided becomes plenty for three. Some children are called upon so early in life to be the staff and support of the family. I know a young man only fourteen years old whose father died and left a widow and three girls almost entirely dependent on him for support. When the neighbors came together to consider what might be done, some thought the mother could take in washing and that the little girls might find homes among the neighbors. The young man, with tears in his eyes while his lips quivered, said: “While this willing arm can find anything to do, that shall never be.” He kept his word, and the people were good enough to employ him, and boy as he was they gave him mans wages, and the family is all together yet.

There are times when even slavery itself is a pleasure. I will not trouble you to mention all the useful callings in life, for every person who follows an honest calling is useful in his time and generation. See how the world is pressing to the front, each one desiring to be useful in his own particular calling. We should be thankful that we live in this enterprising age. Not only the public spirited and high pressure people are useful, but many of the humble and retired people are quite as useful.

Many of the good old mothers who save garden seed for the whole neighborhood and gathers her simple remedies for the sick, who can cook meals and make nice, sweet butter, and who don’t talk about her neighbors, who dresses modestly when she goes to church, who has good advice for the boys and girls; such women as that are more useful than the high-flying kind who keep the whole neighborhood in a stew by their wonderful news packing propensities.

C. W. R. (C. W. Ridgway)

May 10, 1907, Children’s Corner: Danger Line

I was a little troubled at first whether to call it dangerous or safety line; for on one side of the line is safety and on the other side is danger. So it is a matter of some importance as to which side of the line we are on. When we used to play marbles we had what we called a “dead” line; if we fell beyond that line we were all right, but if we fell behind the line we were dead for that game. Now society has a moral line that people are expected to live up to if they wish to be respected; and all the good deeds and good qualities of life are on one side of the line and all the bad deeds and bad qualities are on the other side. So that we can easily see which is the respectable side of the line and also which is the safe side. And yet it is not always easy to keep on the safe side as some may think; surrounded as we are with the evils and temptations of life. It requires a great deal of moral courage to keep to the right. And yet the love of God, the hope of happiness, and the desire to be respected all require that we do so. Now there comes a period in almost every life when we are more subject to temptation than we are at other times. There is a transition period when we pass from youth to manhood. When one has the size and assumes the importance of grown up people and yet lack the experience that is necessary to succeed in life. I might illustrate by a little comparison. One bright spring morning two pretty pigeons with their bright plumage of gold and silvery hue alighted in our yard. They were shy at first, but as we did not molest them they soon became tame (they had come to stay), and began to gather sticks and feathers and to carry them t a corner under the eaves of the house where they laid eggs and set and hatched two young pigeons. They were squabby looking things and they remained in the nest in perfect safety under the care and protection of the parent birds. But there came a time when the old birds thought them old enough to be set out. So they undertook to learn them to fly. Then is when the danger came; for with their first effort to fly they found themselves almost helpless upon the ground and it was all we could do to keep the old cat from getting them. I learned a lesson from all this and thought how often children are exposed to danger when first entering into society. The evil one is ever watching for such opportunities and many a one owes his ruin to some fatal time when he had not the wisdom and prudence to resist the first temptation. There are many things that people are expected to practice if they wish to be respected and useful. And people cannot be very useful unless they are respected. One of the first things children should learn is to be obedient to parents. They should also be truthful and honest so people may believe everything they say. But if they practice evil habits a tree is soon known by its fruits. Intemperance is another evil that is blighting so many youths of our land that I would love to give timely warning to avoid that. No youth ever begins to drink expecting to be a drunkard. And yet it is a habit that steals on its victim so stealthily that he sometimes finds that he has formed an evil habit even against his own will. Hence the importance of resisting the first temptation. The youth who never drinks can never be a drunkard. It would be impossible to mention all the good fruits one is expected to practice or all the evil ones we are expected to avoid. We have the Scriptures and also a conscience that will guide us aright if we will heed their timely warning. Let us be careful how we pass the danger line, it is sometimes very hard to get back.

And yet I would not say anything to discourage those who have already erred, for many have repented and reformed and lead happy and useful lives. I would hold out the banner of hope to all. It is so sweet and safe to live with God’s blessing resting upon us that children should early learn to love, serve, and honor God who has done so much for us.

C. W. R. (C. W. Ridgway)

May 24, 1907, Children’s Corner: How to Write a Composition

There are but few things more trying on a child than writing his first composition.

It usually takes him about a week to select his subject or rather to make choices among a dozen subjects already selected. The next thing after selecting his subject is to find something to write. He will dip his pen in the ink and sit and think while big thoughts pass through his mind, none of which seems to suit him, while he again and again dips in the ink. I seldom see a fellow fishing in the ink stand for ideas but I think of the city man who came out to the country to fish; he came as usual, well equipped with fine fishing tackle; he drove up to a nice pond and with a great deal of dignity arranged himself on the bank for fishing, he unrolled his line, sent his hook to the middle of the pond and waited for a bite. When the wind stirred the waves he would lift his line suddenly to see if he actually had a bite. A farmer passed that way and asked what he was doing. Fishing, sir, was the answer. When the farmer laughed outright, and said no use fishing there, there never was a fish in that pond. So there is no use in fishing in the inkstand for ideas, there never was an idea in the ink stand. I know that from experience. I have dipped in there many a time. The better plan is to write the first thoughts that present themselves, then others will come which he may continue to write, and the faster he writes, the faster the thoughts will come until he will not be able to write fast enough. The reason we do not write is not because we can’t think but because we want better ideas than we can think. The better way is to write the thoughts as they come and then go through and pencil such sentences as we do not want, leaving the better ones. When, after a little revision we will be surprised how well we have done. It is well after defining the subject to separate it into its different herds or branches and deal with each sub topic separately. For instance: he takes animals for his subject, he will see that it can readily be divided into two parts, domestic, or tame animals, and wild animals, naming each in turn and dwelling at length upon each species until he could almost spin his composition indefinitely. Almost any subject is capable of being divided into parts which will aid the writer very much in treating it.

As for the Children’s Corner, you will pardon me if I name a few subjects that might be written up by way of practice. I would analyze several of them myself, but we are taking up too much of Mr. Barrall’s valuable space. Parents would do well to help the children a little along this line. These are easy subjects for beginners when divided into parts: Education, friendship, visiting, farming, teaching, city and country life, flowers, flowers, school life, pets, trees, etc.

The children join me in thanking Mr. Barrall for the courtesy he has shown us.

C. W. R. (C. W. Ridgway)

April 19, 1907, Children’s Corner: A Little Trip.

A few days ago I had occasion to go to Mt. Washington, so early one morning I hitched up old Prince to the buggy and started.

I will first tell you where I live so you may have some idea of my route. I live on the South side of Salt river, six miles east of Shepherdsville. The river was deep and the ford difficult, so that I had to go by the bridge at Shepherdsville. If you will go with me I will write in the plural and say we, as I do not like too many I’s, especially big I’s.

After passing over a little rough road near our house we came out onto the county road leading from Shepherdsville to Greenwell’s ford. One of the first places we passed was Pate Swearingen’s. He owns and occupies his father’s old place. Following the decline in the road we came to James Ash’s; he is a blacksmith and runs a shop. Going on down the creek we crossed at a place commonly called Hecker’s ford. Up the hill a short distance we came to Ed Weller’s cottage home. Looking across the valley to the east we saw George Kulmer’s pretty home. Farther on we saw W. C. Parris’, an aged and respectable citizen who has raised a large family of boys. Going down the hill from there we came to the south branch of Cedar Creek, which we followed half a mile, where we came to Lick Skillett where Port Thompson keeps a dry goods and grocery store. Mr. Asa Davis also lives at the Skillett and his wife keeps the telephone exchange at that place. We do not think that place should be called “Lick Skillett,” for the people there are a thrifty people and do not lick the skillet, especially when it is hot. We next came to John Bolton’s saw mill where there were great piles of lumber; then we came to J. E. McGruder’s nice home with his clean country store in one corner of the yard. Farther down the pike is W. M. Combs’, he keeps a fruit nursery and raises fine stock. In a beech grove near the road is Glenn Ellis, where they also have church and Sunday School. Then we come to the Lee mansion where Mrs. Hamilton lives. Looking northward from where we saw Mr. Pope’s fertile fields and his splendid home in the distance. The hazy distance rendered it doubly beautiful. Next we came to Wm. Simmons’ fine stock farm where a number of young horses and mules were playing in the pastures. We then came to Buffalo run, a small creek which took its name in the early times from the numbers of buffalo and other wild animals that roamed over its rich valleys. Next was George Maraman’s new and beautiful home; who also occupies his father’s old homestead. We next came to Salt River Station, a thrifty, growing village on the South side of Salt river. From the station we followed a nice piece of rock and gravel road to the new bridge. On going out of the bridge on the north end a splendid view greets us in the shape of Main street, which forms a pretty avenue with its shade trees and fine buildings on each side. We followed Main street to the public square where we turned to the east and going through a rock walled culvert we found ourselves out on the open road to Mt. Washington. A short distance to the right was Paraquet Springs, but we had not time to stop there. Two miles on the road became rough, and going down a rocky place we came to Floyd’s Fork bridge, a nice new iron bridge painted red. The next two miles brought us to Tom Bridwell’s. He owns and occupies my old homestead. The house I planned and had built myself, and Messrs Quincy Bolton and John W. Whitledge done the carpenter work. We next came to Mr. Hardin James fish farm with its clear, deep ponds, where he raises German carp fish. We once went with Mr. James to see him feed his fish; he fed them on crumbled up biscuit bread; the pretty bright fish scrambled over their food like a gang of little pigs. A short distance brought us to Pleasant Grove school house, and near it is Pleasant Grove Baptist church, both new. Next was J. B. Proctor’s store. He is doing a thriving business. We stopped at John Lloyd’s for dinner and also at “aunt” Mag Stallings’ to deliver some carpet to be woven. One mile from there we camp to a place known as the brick house, where Washington Simmons lives. Mr. Simmons is quite old, yet he has a vivid remembrance of early days, which he loves to talk over. Another half mile brought us to Bethel church (Methodist) a large handsome church capable of seating several hundred people.

We must speak of Dr. Moore, an aged and respectable physician so well known in this and other counties. On arriving at Mt. Washington Mr. Ed Showalter’s children came out to talk with us; we are always glad to see them. We traded some at the store ten went to W. A. King’s and stayed all night. Next day Paul Jones came home with us. We returned by the same route and got home about two o’clock in the evening.

C. W. R. (C. W. Ridgway)

April 10, 1907, Children’s Corner: Good Children

We love the pretty springtime
With all its buds and flowers
It’s sunny slopes and grassy meads
And sweet and sunny bowers
Its orchards white with flowers bright
With fruitful nest in store
For it matters not how much we have
We always want some more.

Most children are good, and many would like to be better than they really are. Children generally possess a desire to be good, useful and pleasant, and we should encourage them in such habits. We should let them know that we appreciate their good qualities and actions. It will encourage them. I am not one to put a bad meaning upon every thing that children do. Inexperience may some time lead them into error, Then should be kindly advised and pass over the error as lightly as possible. In fact a little prompting in advance might save the child from many errors which would be better than fault finding afterwards. Many little children would like to know what is right and would receive any good advice gladly and profit by it. I believe that almost any child, if taken in time, might be trained to be good, useful, and happy, and when children fail to turn out well the fault is more often in the training than in the child. Their moral surroundings has much to do with their spiritual growth and happiness and everyone should see that their moral surroundings are good. It is a real pleasure to observe some children in their walks and actions in life. They are pleasant, sweet, and affable in all their ways and goodness seems to be almost natural with them. They have nice manners and they move in an easy, natural way, and seem to make friends of every one they meet. Such children are a delight to parents and a pleasure to everyone. Happy the parents who have such children, for nothing gives parents more pleasure than to see their children turn out well. Most parents know something of the evils and temptations that beset children in their course through life . and when they see them possessing good moral qualities that will make them strong to resist the evil it is a great source of pleasure to them. May God bless the children and help them to be good.

C. W. R. (C. W. Ridgway)

March 29, 1907, Children’s Corner: Possibility

Now I suppose we must begin like grown up people, with a little poetry:

I love my home, my happy home
Where mother rules as queen
Where papa’s lord of all around
And everything is clean.

Possibility looks mighty big in children’s corner and I tried hard to find a smaller word that would answer my purpose, but when we know the meaning of the word we will find that it is not a bad word after all. The Dictionary defines it as “the power of being or doing” and that is what we want to talk about. Many children who may read this are capable of being and doing wonderful things; in fact the human when developed possesses capabilities almost beyond limit. When God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and man became a living soul he entered upon a wonderful life. Possessing that spark of Divinity that made him akin to God, himself being created in God’s own image and after His own likeness thenceforth to be a living soul. How wonderful! Someone may say children cannot understand such talk, but in this day of Sunday Schools and early religious training for children they soon acquire a knowledge of the Scripture, and the subject of the creation is familiar to almost every intelligent child. Someone asked a good man how soon children understand the Scriptures. His answer was “so soon as they knew the meaning of words and could understand anything else.” Hence the importance of early training. The children of the present rising generation will soon be called upon to take the places of the older people and to fill the places of honor, trust, and responsibility. No wonder we look with pride and hope to the children of today. The children of today will be the men and women of tomorrow, and so much depends upon the child- life as to what his future may be. The habits and character he forms now will, to a great extent, shape his future destiny for good or bad. Now we live in a wonderful age and in a wonderful country where people can be almost anything they desire to be if they use the means necessary to accomplish that desire. This country furnishes so many opportunities for starting in life one can begin almost any vocation, calling or profession in a little way, and if he proves capable and deserving he can continue to rise in his favorite calling, until he reaches the object of his desire. If he seeks politics, if he can be elected even to some small office, he may hope by faithfulness in the discharge of his duty to succeed to still greater honors. And if better still, he seeks to be useful in his Master’s cause, he may begin in the Sunday School or in some humble church work with unlimited hope. The same may be said of all useful callings, yet we would not have any boy or girl think that success in life can be gained without effort. It requires the same diligent effort on the part of the rich and the poor alike. Success in life cannot be bought with money, but it must be acquired with worthy effort.
C. W. R. (C. W. Ridgway)

March 22, 1907 A Happy Rendezvous

Allow your boys and girls to subscribe to good magazines and to buy a new book occasionally. Have music of some kind and consider it a duty you owe your children to give them an education. If they have a talent for music give them music lessons if for drawing give them lessons in drawing; or if any of the arts, cultivate that talent to the best of your ability.

If you would have the farm become a happy rendezvous have it well lighted; oil is much cheaper than to have your children wonder off, you know not where, for they will go where it is bright and attractive.

Allow them to invite their friends to their home and assist in the entertaining. Do not call your children up at 4 o’clock to feed the horses or milk the cows; it does not make the morning very attractive for them, and in time they will dislike the farm. Give them time to live, and take time yourself to see a pretty sunset, a bright flower by the wayside or listen to the happy notes of the birds.

Unless the farm home can be made into a happy meeting place do not turn their faces toward the city disgusted with life on the farm. If they hear the only song of work, work, work, from sunrise until sunset it becomes monotonous, and they see that each day brings them no nearer the goal than the day before so they lose interest and grow dissatisfied with their daily duties and cares.

A holiday now and then, a pleasant, cheerful greeting each morning, work seasoned with a little sport all along the way is cheaper than having your children go to the city.

(C. W. Ridgway)

March 8, 1907, The Children’s Corney (sic): My First School

I was the oldest in a family of seven children, and after I began to arrive at the age of six years, it was a question of some importance as to how I was to be sent to school; we lived 1 ½ miles from the school house and no children came our way, so some plan had to be devised for me to have company. Now I had a cousin Joe who was a large boy and a fine manly fellow. So my Papa proposed to board him if he would go to school from our house and he let me go with him. He gladly accepted the offer. So the time came to go. I had looked forward to the time with a great deal of pleasure until the time actually came, and I began to feel curious about leaving home. I remember my Mama had fixed us a good dinner in a little new split basket. Fried pies, eggs, lean meat, preserves, etc., which was a great inducement to me (I being a greedy little fellow). Now my papa had supplied me with a new blue back spelling book in my hand and 7 nice marbles in my pocket and dressed in a nice clean suit that was rather small for me, we actually started for school, cousin Joe and I. I started off rather reluctant and when I got half way across a little meadow in front of the house, I began to slow up and like a Texas pony, I came to a standstill and refused to go any farther. Joe tried to persuade me to come on and told me about the good dinner in the basket and the fun we would have at school. But not an inch would I move. Joe finally called to Papa that I would not go. He came out in the yard and told me that I must go on. I still refused, when he picked up a switch and started down there. I then started on in a little trot, crying as I went. I followed on and we finally got to school. I would describe the school house and surroundings, but it would take too long. The room was filled with scholars of all sizes and ages, from 6 to 25 years. I had not been there long until I began to cry and kept it up at intervals until noon. At noon we sat on the door step and ate our dinner. After dinner the scholars all engaged in school games (the first I had ever seen and which I thought was awful funny). I stood up to cousin Joe and he actually laughed out loud. In the afternoon I did not cry so much and was glad to get home that evening. But the next morning at that same place I balked again with the same proceedings. And ever after when I would come to that same place I would feel like I wanted to stop.

I expect I have said enough for this time. Next week I will tell you what my first speech was and how I said it.
C.W.R. (C. W. Ridgway)

C. W. Ridgway: February 17, 1907, The Children’s Corner:

The weather has been so cold and the little ones have been housed up so much that I thought it would be nice to write a little especially for the little ones. I used to teach school myself and I always like children and still feel a great interest in them, and it is natural that my thoughts should turn to them during these shut-in times. Most children go to school when they can, and I think it would be nice to talk about school. In the first place we will give you a few little problems that might be interesting to you, (now all this is for the little children and we hope older ones will not criticize). Now for the problem: Suppose you are eight years old and Mama is 32 years old, when you are 32 how old will Mama be?

Miss Susie has 26 scholars and she wishes to treat them on oranges at 24 cents per dozen, what will it cost her to give one orange to each scholar?

Now for the little boys. Suppose you buy 2 dozen lead pencils at 2 cents each and sell them 2 pencils for 5 cents; how much do you make on the 2 dozen pencils? Next: Suppose you buy a yellow pony for $20 and a saddle for $4, you pay $16 down and then work 20 days at 35 cents per day, how much will you owe on your pony?

We might go a little farther and take in scholars a little larger. Suppose you have a cord of wood for sale and you sell 44 inches in length of the pile to one person for 42 cents and the balance of the cord to another customer at the same rate, how much will the second person pay for his part of the wood, and how much will you get for your cord of wood?

History. When did Kentucky become a State and who was President of the United States at the time?

Grammar. Would you say Papa come home Saturday, or Papa came home Saturday?

Geography. Which is farthest North, Washington City, Cincinnati, or St. Louis? Answer first, then look.

Before I close I wish to say something about Sunday school. When the weather is too bad to go to Sunday school we ought to study our lesson at home. This quarter’s lesson is so interesting. We learn how God’s special providence is over all His people, we learn how God took care of Noah and all his family and all the living creatures that he saved in the Ark. It is certainly a strong lesson in favor of trusting God. God’s care is not only over His people, but over all the living creatures that He has created. We are told that not even a sparrow falleth to the ground without His knowledge.

During the coldest weather and while the snow lay deep on the ground, I went to mill, and just in front of me a little gray squirrel crossed the road; he had evidently been to mill too, for he was hurrying homeward with a head of sorghum in his mouth. We can see the providence of God in providing for the little squirrel.

I will give you a Scripture verse on the subject: “Behold the fowls of the air, for they sow not, neither do they reap or gather into barns, yet your Heavenly Father feeds them; are ye not much better than they?”

We will not trouble the little ones to send their answers to the paper, but take them to Mama, she will tell you if they are right.
If you like all this I may write again.

Yours truly, C. W. R.

Series of posts- Wisdom from my GGGrandfather

I recently discovered a trove of articles written by my Great Great Grandfather in 1907. I have been moved and humbled by his wisdom. I truly have a lot to look up to and to live up to in this man. I am grateful to God that I have had the privilege of getting to know him better through his writings and am inspired to apply his wisdom in my own life as a husband, a father, and a leader.

All entries are from a local newspaper, The Bullitt County News, which ceased publication in 1911.

The Beloved One

You left your home in glory
To be made in the image of man
So that your image within us
Could come to understand
That by your word the world consists
Your word works and wonders exist
Forever to endure
For your mercy is sure.
For your mercy is sure.

You are the Word that was made flesh
Incarnate God, Creator
And every creature ever made
Shall bow sooner or later
Every planet, every star
Every nation near or far
Shall obey your sovereign will
For at your fountain hearts are filled.
For at your fountain hearts are filled.

Hearts are filled when e’re they yield
To the Lord who made the earth
Christ created all the universe
It declares His matchless worth
Behold what manner of Love is this
That sick sinners should become
The chosen children who are His
Adopted daughters and sons
Conformed to the Beloved One

You are the one who wrote our lives
You are the one who ever guides
The One on whom we cast our cares
See the tablets of our hearts laid bare
And from the depths of souls unbound
Sweet shouts of grace ever resound
Sweet shouts of grace ever resound

Hearts are filled when e’re they yield
To the Lord who made the earth
Christ created all the universe
It declares His matchless worth
Behold what manner of Love is this
That sick sinners should become
The chosen children who are His
Adopted daughters and sons
Conformed to the Beloved One


This may be, I believe, the 2000th hymn Spirit hath visited me with. Will check later.
Anthony Foster
May 2, 2011
Soli Deo Gloria!

True Shepherd

There are footsteps none can follow
Lest they take them to the pit
And the pathway there is broad as it can be.
There is truth that some can’t swallow
Cannot make good sense of it
Yet it smells and tastes like pure reality

There’s another path that’s narrow
Very few will walk that way
And this truth cuts to the marrow
And will crush those feet of clay
If they are found in darkness on that day.

For this way it is a sheep-path
And it’s trodden down and worn
By the flock that has escaped God’s wrath
It has left them shaved and shorn
Devastated by the shears
That cuts them off from all their fears
They only cling to the shepherd now
They only sing to the shepherd now
Who will lead them home somehow.

So lead us sinners home
Lead us sinners home
We follow the one true shepherd
He is leading sinners home.

For the shepherd laid his life down
So the sheep may pass this way
For the shepherd took his crown
That His Father gave that day
Love became a living offering
In a Shepherd crowned a Mighty King
And a Savior of the sheep who went astray.

Oh King, lead us sinners home
Lead us sinners home
We follow the one true shepherd
He is leading sinners home.


Anthony Foster
May 1, 2011