Father of Light! great God of Heaven!
Hear'st thou the accents of despair?
Can guilt like man's read more

Father of Light! great God of Heaven!
Hear'st thou the accents of despair?
Can guilt like man's be e'er forgiven?
Can vice atone for crimes by prayer?

Pray to be perfect, though material leaven
Forbid the spirit so on earth to be;
But if read more

Pray to be perfect, though material leaven
Forbid the spirit so on earth to be;
But if for any wish thou darest not pray,
Then pray to God to cast that wish away.

He prayeth well who loveth well
Both man and bird and beast.

He prayeth well who loveth well
Both man and bird and beast.

But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do:
for they think that they shall be read more

But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do:
for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

The saints will aid if men will call:
For the blue sky bends over all.

The saints will aid if men will call:
For the blue sky bends over all.

If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.

If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.

Don't pray for lighter burdens, but for stronger backs.

Don't pray for lighter burdens, but for stronger backs.

Hope, he called, belief
In God,--work, worship . . . therefore let us pray!

Hope, he called, belief
In God,--work, worship . . . therefore let us pray!

I ask not a life for the dear ones,
All radiant, as others have done,
But that read more

I ask not a life for the dear ones,
All radiant, as others have done,
But that life may have just enough shadow
To temper the glare of the sun;
I would pray God to guard them from evil,
But my prayer would bound back to myself:
Ah! a seraph may pray for a sinner,
But a sinner must pray for himself.