Mountain Spring and Other Poems

<h2><SPAN name="THAT_JEWISH_LAD" id="THAT_JEWISH_LAD" />THAT JEWISH LAD</h2> <p><i>There is a lad here which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes.</i>&mdash;John 6:9.</p> <div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> <span>He must have been a thoughtful youth,<br/></span> <span>His name the record has not given,<br/></span> <span>But if his heart imbibed the truth,<br/></span> <span>'Tis written in the books of heaven.<br/></span> <span>A cipher in the multitude,<br/></span> <span>He followed with his meager store,<br/></span> <span>And far from his perception crude<br/></span> <span>The miracle that made it more.<br/></span></div> <div class="stanza"> <span>With loaves and fishes few, this lad<br/></span> <span>By power and aid of one divine<br/></span> <span>Has made the hungry thousands glad<br/></span> <span>And God's providing power to shine.<br/></span> <span>When at the midweek hour of prayer<br/></span> <span>Ye faithful mourn your number few,<br/></span> <span>Pray He who fed that throng be there<br/></span> <span>Your faith and vigor to renew.<br/></span></div> <div class="stanza"> <span>He will your meek petitions hear<br/></span> <span>Which, like those loaves and fishes small,<br/></span> <span>Will cause his glory to appear<br/></span> <span>In showers of blessing that will fall.<br/></span> <span>The centuries are sweeping by,<br/></span> <span>Bearing their millions gay and sad,<br/></span> <span>And wafting those to realms on high<br/></span> <span>Who follow with that Jewish lad.<br/></span></div> </div> <hr style="width: 65%;" /> <div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />