I JUST PUBLISHED
THE POEMS AND
VERSE
of
BETTY
SCOTT
ST AM
“These verses came warm from
a school-girl’s heart, from that
of a student and a budding
missionary. Taken together,
they form to the understanding
reader a spiritual biography
of the author
This comment of Dr. Howard Taylor’s on
Betty Scott Stain’s verses expresses ;he
purpose of those who have brought them
together for the joy of her friends.
8vo
Pp. xiv and 130 Price $4.50
JgOOKS dealing with the life and matyr-
dom of John and Betty Stain have been
widely read throughout the world, and the
tragic circumstances of their death on
December 8th, 1934, at Miao Sheo, near
Wuhu, at the hands of Chinese communists,
are known to all. The story of their lives
is a record of devoted Service, and an in-
spiration to those who continue to “go about
doing good”.
From childhood days until the time of her
death Mrs. Stain continued to write Poems
and Verse, and as a result of repeated
requests, these have now been collected in
Book form under five headings: —
1. Poems of Childhood.
2. College Days.
3. Moody Bible Institute Days.
4. Missionary Days.
5. Love Poems.
Order Form
KELLY AND WALSH, LIMITED
(INCORPORATED IN HONG KONG)
P. O. BOX No. 613
SHANGHAI
Dear Sirs,
Please supply cop of
“THE POEMS AND
VERSE OF BETTY
S C 0 T T S T A M”
at $4.50 per copy
Name . ,
Address
Date
POORS dealing with the life and maty r-
dom of John and Betty Stain have been
widely read throughout the world, and the
tragic circumstances of their death on
December 8th, 1934, at Miao Sheo, near
Wuhu, at the hands of Chinese communists,
are known to all. The story of their lives
is a record of devoted Service, and an in-
spiration to those who continue to “go about
doing good”.
From childhood days until the time of her
death Mrs. Stain continued to write Poems
and Verse, and as a result of repeated
requests, these have now been collected in
Book form under five headings: —
1. Poems of Childhood.
2. College Days.
3. Moody Bible Institute Days.
4. Missionary Days.
5. Love Poems.
The following is the Foreword to the Book,
written by Rev. and Mrs. Charles E. Scott: -
Among the hundreds of letters of sympathy
received after the the death of our dear ones,
John and Betty, very many wrote especially
of Betty’s poems, and expressed the hope
that they might be put out in book form.
To assemble these for publication f>re-
sented many difficulties, but gradually we
have been able to collect more than eighty,
written for the most j>art during eight busy
student years, and reflecting in lighter vein
as well as in more serious mood her love for
nature and her deep heart experiences.
Some of the poems had been written for
various members of her immediate family,
on Birthdays and other special occasions;
some had appeared in “Pharetra”, her
college magazine, and in various religious
publications. An especially treasured col-
lection was a little book of poems written
by her own hand and given to her room-
mate and class-mate, Marguerite Luce, for a
Christmas present.
But what helped us most was the finding
of some of Betty's own note books among
the wreckage of their home in Tsingteh,
Anhwei, after its looting by communist
soldiers. On some of the loose sheets of
Extracts from letters referring to Betti/ Scott
Stain's poems are as follows:
“Betty’s poems are so full of beauty and
love and a great understanding of her
Master, and what He should mean to all
of us, that I marvel that one so young should
have ventured so far into His presence. I
long to have known her in life as I feel
I knew her through her writings. Her
radiant personality envelops me and uplifts
me, and helps me as no other so young has
ever done. ...”
“My husband and I have often noticed a
strain in Betty’s poems, as in ‘I’m Standing,
Lord,’ hard to understand in a young girl
leading sueli a sheltered and peaceful life.
May it not have been a premonition that
sometime she would encounter terrible
things and suffer much for her faith. . . .”
“From Betty’s poems it seems as if God
had been preparing her for this supreme
gift of herself, — and that in this way she
could bring the greatest blessing to
China. ...”
Romance Is
What?
Romance is never deadl It cnnnot die;
Because Sod is - and God is on the throne
Homanc is living in a glad surprise;
Sot with an aching heart, nor by the Law,
It is a hanpiness we ha ve not planned.
But recognize as what we waited for ,
Bo matter in what shape it both appear*
It is the unexpected, ever new;
Undreamed of beauty in a human face^
C ontent^and calnTand cou rage born__of Love;
Unheard of tenderness, or strength, or tears.
I tie tr emend o iis action }r ropose;
A sight to see, in which one, looking, li ves.
We cannot make an ho ir; he years are lanned:
Today the waif's of Jericho shall fall;
Tomorrow, lawless bandit s turn to fl e
An undefended hut white ;mgals guard;
And, only yesterday, Quern Esther cried,
"Thou art the man! ” - a lonely girl was she.
Who braved a villain rid an Emperor.
But God is never awed by miracles;
The sea and su u have never disob eyed.
His ways are wond rful, liis thoughts are high;
He will do stranger things before the end.
But God has marvelled at one thi :g alone^J
The time or two some nor tal~eh owed Him faith
Elizabeth a, Scott
IZoody Bible Institute
Jan. 16, 19151
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Home Thoughts in Sumner <j sd) t^,w-J£v~^
It is hot; along the highroad lies the dust on field and tree,
And my heart returns with longing to a cottage by the sea.
I can see it - broad and low, and browny-orange in its hue,
With & sturdy stone foundation, and a porch well-screened from view.
There1 s a tennis court beside it, with a Bmooth and sandy floor.
And nasturtiums, gay and juicy, flaunt and flourish ’round the door.
I can see my dear old family, in a sort of savage dance,
Bursting forth to go in swimming, with a warwhoop and a pra^Sei- j>ra/V\CC.
Laddie, striped in black and white, and patched profusely on the seat,
Never stick nor stone disturbs the toughness of his swarthy feel;
Helen, in a wollen suit of brown arid orange, -very cute;
Kewpie, in a smaller size of Laddie’s bathing suit.
Kewpie wears an/ ancient, very ,,millydewedH chapeau,
Worn by me- I am the oldest- in the ages long ago.
Bunny’s suit, a winter dress bereft of sleevesjdeserves much praise,
It has served her very staunchly, though it once saw better days.
Bunny bears a massive bath tow’l , draped in Greco-Roman folds;
Laddie flips a tiny face tow’l, which he by the fringes holds ;
Kewpie wears a tummy-dooza; Helen v^aves a large barett.
And a bathing cap of green prevents her hair from getting wel.
When their chasing and their shouts have in/ the distance died away.
Here comes Daddy forth, and Mother, for to Join the merry fray.
Daddy we&rs a one-pieoe knitted suit of navy blue,
Which admits his brawnjr arms and bi^, brown shoulders to the view;
Daddy wears a tummy- do oza, and he picks his way with care
Hor the path is rather rocky and, ydu see, his feet are bare.
Mother wears a bathing suit like ladies wore in 1903,
And her arms and legs are soft and vfiite, as darling as can be.
Daddy opes the door for Mother; theri he whistles in surprise.
"What! The children gone already? $iy, they just came out l" he cries.
Then they hasten on together, stopping now to pull a weed.
Now to speculate on where to get the( best of garden seed.
Do you wonder that I’m wishing it wajs home again for me,
That I’m longing for ray family in the cottage by the sea?
(* Scott family name for a wollen pie£e of cloth pinned around the waist
to protect the stomach!)
t *
Elizabeth
Alden Scott
July, 1924
1
i
Romance Is
What?
Romance in never deadl It cannot die;
Because God is - and God is on the throne
Romance is living in a glad surprise;
Rot with an aching heart, net hy the law.
It is a happiness we have not planned ,
But recognize as what we • wa.it ed for ,
No matter in what shape it doth appear.
It is the unexpected, ever new;
Undreamed of beauty in a hiupan face,
dtntent and calm and courage born of love ;
Unheard of tenderness, or strength, or tears.
It is tremendous action or repose;
A sight to see, in which one /looking , loves.
We cannot make an hour; the years are planned:
Today the walls of Jericho snail fall;
Tomorrow, Lawless bandits turn to flee
An undefended hut white angels guard;
And, only yesterday, Queen Esther cried,
"Thou art the man!" - a lonely girl was she,
Who braved a vellain and an Emperor.
But God is never awed by miracles;
The sea and sun have never disobeyed.
His ways are wonderful. His thoughts are high;
He well do stranger things before the end.
But God had marvelled at one thing alone.
The time or two some mortal showed Him faith.
Elizabeth A. Scott
Moody Bible Institute
Jan. 16, 1931
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Open ay eye* in sympathy,
Clear into «an*e deep noul to aee;
V^iae with Thy wiedoo to diacern.
And with Thy heart of love to yearn.
Open ay eyee in power# I pray#
Give ae the strength to apeak today#
So»e one to brinj# dear Lord# to Tree#
Ueo *e, 0 Lord# uae oven meJ
t llwobctb A. Soott
MY PRAYER
( Poem found In the Stams’ China Inland Mission home (if ter their martyrdom, Dec. 8, 1934.)
Betty Scott Stam Copyright, 11)36, by Paul White Paul WHiTE.(7Vie»ie-N. P.)
1. O - pen my eyes, that
2. O - pen my eyes in
3. O - pen my eyes in
I may see This one and that one need ing Thee ;
sym-pa - thy, Clear in - toman’s deep soul to see;
faith, I pray ; Give me Thy strength to speak to- day,
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Copies:— The Musical Whites, Highland Park, III.
“THEIR SOUL SHALL BE AS A
WATERED GARDEN”
Jer. 31 : 12.
A Sonnet of Prayer
I Passed a thorny desert soul one day —
A soul as fruitless as a painted mast,
So harsh and hard and dry I stood aghast,
And would have helped, hut had no time to stay;
Yet, half in doubtfulness, began to pray
To Him, the Source of living streams. . . At last,
Returning, I beheld, a velvet'grassed,
Abundant garden; saw the rainbow spray
Of fountains shimmering high against the trees;
Saw old'time flowers, bluebells, and sweet peas,
Pmk'hearted phloxes, heliotrope, heartsease.
Rambling roses hung from arches there;
The scent of hidden orchards filled the air.
And there were children’s voices everywhere.
ELISABETH ALDEN SCOTT
Wilson College. '28.
ex. “Snnday School Times”
Dec. 1927.
The distinguishing mark of
Betty's character became the
sincerity, depth and power of
her prayer life .
Charles Ernest Scott
“THEIF SOUL SHALL BE AS A
WATERED GARDEN”
(Jer. 31:12)
A Sonnet of Prayer
/ passed a thorny desert soul one day —
A soul as fruitless as a painted mast,
So harsh and hard and dry I stood aghast,
And would have herped, but had no time to stay;
Yet, half tn doubtfulness, began to pray
To Him, the Source of living streams. . . At last,
Returning, I beheld, a velvet-grassed.
Abundant garden; saw the rainbow spray
Of fountains shimmring high against the trees;
Saw old-time flowers, bluebells, and sweet peas ,
Pink'hearted phloxes, heliotrope, heartsease.
Rambling roses hung from arches there;
The scent of hidden orchards filed the air.
And there were children s voices everywhere.
ELISABETH ALDEN SCOTT
Dec. 1927. Wilson College. '28
ex. “Sunday School Times''.
The distinguishing mark of
Bettv’s character Become the
A
sincerity, depth and power
of her prayer life.
Charles Ernest Scott
(Written for her father's birthday)
“STAND STILL, AND SEE ”
(A Message of Peace.)
“I’M STANDING, Lord.
1 There is a mist that blinds my sight.
Steep jagged rocks, front, left, and right.
Lower, dim, gigantic, in the night.
Where is the way?
“ I'm standing, Lord.
The black rock hems me in behind.
Above my head a moaning wind
Chills and oppresses heart and mind.
I am afraid!
“ I'm standing, Lord.
The rock is hard beneath my feet.
I nearly slipped , Lord, on the sleet.
So weary. Lord, and where a seat?
Still must I stand?”
He answered me, and on His face
A look ineffable of grace,
Of perfect , understanding love,
Which all my murmuring did remove.
“Tm standing, Lord.
Since Thou hast spoken, Lord, I see
Thou hast beset ; these rocks are Thee ;
And, since Thy love encloses me,
I stand and sing!”
ELISABETH ALDEN SCOTT; Wilson’ 28.
from “Thd Sunday School Tjmes”
22 June, 1929.
Lear Friend:
Betty wrote me, "This poem
expresses the distress of soul and fear
of mind that was mine Before I surren-
dered my all, even inmost motive, (so
far as I know) to God’s control.
The four-line stanza is His
gracious answer of assurance to me that
he accepts my unworthy self.
The last five-line stanza is
my satisfaction and joy in the peace of
guidance that Christ my Saviour, and
now Lord of my life, gives me."
Charles Ernest Scott
Some lines elucidating, confirming,
Sidney Lanier’s discerning phrase,
“Good Paragon, the Crystal Christ”
“WHITER THAN SNOW"
(A Help to Real Christian Cheer and
Gratitude to God)
I
When snow has fallen the night before,
Covering all the grayness o*er
W ith a delicate robe of mystery,
IV oven from stars of purity.
Of whiteness dazzling the human eye, —
With the eyes of sense I look, and cry:
“Nothing at all in the world I know
Whiter than newly fallen snow."
II
The snow is fair; but fairer still
Are the Christ-filled heart, and the Spirit-led will,
And the soul at rest and free from sin,
And the face that shines from His joy within.
Though as filthy rags be the sinner’s soul,
Jesus can make him pure and whole;
By His precious, cleansing blood I know
He can wash one whiter than the snow.
Elisabeth Alden Scott,.
Wilson College '28.
From "Sunday School Times''
Dear Friend
"Whiter than Snow" illust-
rates the reverence and awe for
Jesus Christ, also the complete
consecration to Him, in the spirit
of pure worship of him as God —
holy, eternal, adorable, worthy
of our best — that so characterized
Betty. All this was reflected in
many of her poems.
Charles Ernest Scott
"I WILL LOVE THEE, O LORD, MY
STRENGTH”.
(Lines of Self-dedication to Christ.)
O Jesus Christ, Thou Son of God
And Son of Man;
Thy love no angel understands,
Nor mortal can!
Thy strength of Soul, Thy cleanest purity,
Thy understanding heart of sympathy;
The vigor of Thy mind, Thy poetry,
Thy Heavenly wisdom, Thy simplicity —
Such sweetness and such power in harmony!
Thy perfect oneness with Thy God above,
The agony endured to show Thy love!
Thou Who didst rise, triumphantly to prove
Thou art the Living God,
Before Whom Death and Hell
Must shake and move!
Lord Jesus Christ, Thou Son of Man,
Thou Son of God,
Grant me Thy face to see,
Thy voice to hear, Thy glory share,
Never apart from Thee,
Ever Thine own to be
Through all eternity. Amen!
ELISABETH ALDEN SCOTT
Moody Bible Institute
Sept. 1928.
Dear Friend: —
Scores of people have, in Betty s poems, remarked that,
along with the maturity of thought and the quality of lyric ex-
pression, there was high devotion io her Lord. It was as if in
preparation, out of her peaceful and sheltered life, she had
prescience of terrible things that she, some day, would encoun-
ter for Him, and also be called upon to suffer for Fils dear
sake; meantime her leal heart was in spiritual training for the
tragic test ; while word artistry was given her to voice her
loyalty to Christ and firm faith in His Holy Word.
Charles Ernest Scott.
“I WILL LOVE THEE, O LORD, MY STRENGTH’
Psalm 18 :1.
(Lines of Adoration and SelTdedication to Christ.)
O Jesus Christ, Thou Son of God
And Son of Man;
Thy love no angel understands,
Nor mortal can !
Thy strength of Soul, Thy radiant purity.
Thy understanding heart of sympathy;
The vigor of Thy mind. Thy poetry,
Thy Heavenly wisdom, Thy simplicity —
Such sweetness and such power in harmony!
Thy perfect oneness with Thy God above,
The agony endured to show Thy love !
Thou, Who didst rise triumphantly to prove
Thou art the Living God,
Before Whom Death and Hell
Must shake and move! —
Lord Jesus Christ, Thou Son of Man,
Thou Son of God,
Grant me Thy face to see.
Thy voice to hear. Thy glory share,
Never apart from Thee,
Ever Thine own to be
Through all eternity. Amen !
ELISABETH ALDEN SCOTT
On entering Moody Bible Institute,
after graduation from College
Sept. 1928.
Dear t riend : —
Scores of people have , in Betty’s poems, remarked that,
along with the maturity of thought and the quality of lyric ex-
pression, there Was high devotion to her Lord. It was as if in
preparation, out of her peaceful and sheltered life, she had
prescience of terrible things that she, some day, would encoun-
ter for Him, and also be called upon to suffer for His dear
sake ; meantime her leal heart was in spiritual training for the
tragic test; while Word artistry Was given her to Voice her
loyalty to Christ and firm faith in His Holy Word.
Charles Ernest Scott.
To a young American Missionary and His Poet
Wife, John and Betty Stam, “Beheaded for Jesus” in
China by the Reds, at Miao Sheo, Anhwei Province,
8th December 1934.
A Sonnet
on
“THEIR WELCOME IN HEAVEN”
by Hugh Richardson Fitch:
In that far choir, bright choir, where martyrs stand
In white-winged, white-robed splendor, row on row,
And sing of One with locks like purest snow,
Or sing of conquered sword, rack, hissing brand,
Of slanders, jeers, of torments Devil-planned,
Of joy through tribulation and great woe —
In that white choir I see two new souls go
No tears — for Christ takes each one by the hand.
One is a mother — she a poet sweet,
And one a preacher — he with blessed feet;
And crowding round with joyous, swift wing-beat,
The courteous, sweet-faced Chinese martyrs greet
Them, saying: “Yours was martyrdom complete,
Dear Reapers, reaping alien fields of wheat.”
Hugh Richardson Fitch is a Poet-teacher in
an American university; the son of a senior
colleague and revered friend, now honorably re-
tired, the Rev. J. Ashley Fitch DD., and formerly
of Wei Hsien Station, Shantung, of our American
Presbyterian Mission, (and to whose place, in-
cidentally, our son-in-law, The Rev. Geo. Gordon
Mahy, Jr. has been assigned).
As the son of a missionary and sympathetic
with the missionary view-point, and as under-
standing and loving the Chinese, Professor Hugh
Fitch has written in this sonnet of the Chinese
martyrs with a fineness of spirit, a delicacy of
touch, and a noble appreciation that is admir-
able.
C. E. S.
MY TESTIMONY
(On decision made for service in China)
I .
And shall I fear
That there is anything
That men hold dear
Thou wouldst deprive me of,
And nothing give in place?
II.
That is not so,
For I can see Thy face;
I hear Thee now:
"My child, I died for thee;
And, if the gift
Of love and life you took from Me,
Shall I one precious thing
Withhold to all eternity —
One beautiful and bright,
One pure and precious thing, withhold —
It cannot be . "
Elizabeth Alden Scott
Moody Bible Institute.
Eeb. 22, 1929 (Betty’s birthday)
Given to each guest at the "Triumph Service", held
at the home of Rev.A Mrs .C#E« Scott, 18th Dec., 1934.
A^ft ^(JLrjrA , A? - 4 U\
J MY TESTIMONY
(On decision made for service in China)
I .
And shall I fear *
That there is anything
That men hold dear
Thou wouldst deprive me of,
And nothing give in place?
II.
That is not so,
Bor I can see Thy face;
I hear Thee now:
"My child, I died for thee;
And, if the gift
Of love and life you took from Me,
Shall I one precious thing
Withhold to all eternity —
One beautiful and bright,
One pure and precious thing, withhold —
It cannot be . "
Elizabeth Alden Scott-
Moody Bible Institute.
Eeb. 22, 1929 (Betty’s birthday)
Her life motto verse, written on her photo, given to m
many friends on accasion of her graduation ffiom M.B.I.
was Phil .1:21.
In his last noble letter, while in hands of the Feds,
before translation of this Shining Pair, -John used
Phil. 1:20
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A Latter to Bunny, la College; Betty In koody Bible Institute
The lust few weeks I have been inspired to write two poems,
which I thought youfd like to see* ( By the wayf did I ever tell
you how I treasure that dear little Christmas Lullaby you wrote //
for the Pharetra? ) The first was written after seeing a miniature plan fi
of the stars in Adler Planetarium#
Astronoroy
I look into the heavens , and I believe
Thou knowest all about / tlieoe worlds, and more;
The portal of the utmost is the door
Through which hi gh-p raisin* creatures can receive
Iraaedi&te access to Thy Throne or leave*
The Ifilky Way is vast - its suns are hour;
And yet f tis but a feather, on the floor
Before the Great bite Throne, a breath would heave*
The eighty spirit works th not as wei
he dwelleth not in temples made with hands;
He knew the million feathers at His feet;
And yet, seeing creation incomplete.
Descended, years and years of light, for - mel.
In such a love no angel understands*
January 7f 19^1
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hi
3.
The final phrase of John's noble letter, of 6th of Dec.,
penned after their seizure, was “But as for us, whether by life or
by death that Christ may be magnified”. (Phil. 1;20) Perhaps the
spirit of the young couple is nowhere more adequately expressed
than in Betty * s
A Song of Sending
(Tune "0, Wert Thou in the Cauld Bias tM — Burns ) •
I.
When Christ the Saviour lived on earth.
Long, long ago, long years ago.
He bade us tell to all the world,
“God loves you so! He loves you so!”
He gave command to heal the sick
From sin— wrought woe, all sin— wrought woe;
He said to cleanse the leper, too.
As white as snow, yes, white as snow.
II.
Lord Jesus, Thou art waiting still.
We hear Thee call, so clearly call;
“Who loves Me, forth! and follow Me!
Though weak and small, so weak and small ,
In God's own Spirit shall tie go.
He shall not fall, no, never fall;
That man / need to move the world,
Who gives Me all, to Me his all ”
III.
See, all the careless multitudes
Are passing by, now passing by.
The world is sick with sin and woe.
All men must die, some day must die.
The time set for our Lord's return
Is drawing nigh, draws ever nigh.—
Send us in all Thy cleansing power -
Lord, here am I! Here, Lord , am I!
(Dedicated to “Pat” O'Brien) Elisabeth Alden Scott
June 1929, Moody Bible Institute
Note: This was set to music, and sung over the Radio from Chicago,
as a surprise to Betty,
Yours in His faithfulness, love, and sustaining power
Clara and Charles Ernest Scott.
raa THa'/flLJdiH'S sons
By illeubeth Llden ficott
Oils Scott is a daughter of F.ev. C
Scott, fun is missionary to China
I °.o ight for be ity o'er the earth,
-nd found it everywhere I burned;
A 'r clous stone from Singapore
That sanj hire ah in9 and sri hire burned;
A rajah's ransom it wna worth .
Uternal grandeur brooded dee;)
In Sgyrt's pyramids of stone,
vnd still T smell the or an ■ e bloom,
t see the frosty stars that shone
And cooled the tranquil lille to sle
I loved the skies of Italy,
The swarthy, singing boatmen there,
The Virgins of the Benal usance ,
ith grave, sweet eyes one "Olden hair;
The la id of Art a id "olodyl
Lingers long into the night
On snowy enks the Alpine glow,
And every lake is loveliest,
■nd there, amidst the ndiens 3now,
I picked the edelweiss so white.
Boforo a Chinese city r-te.
The entrance to an ancient tov/n,
I saw the man fly dragon-kites;
h.lle, b. the willows wee . l g dow. ,
Their wivea beat clothes, from dawn till late.
Then home T cane, as though onr wings.
The Joy of life in heart and eyes;
Vor, everything was glorified-
Tho earth, the ocean, and th e skies,
.nd even all the common things!
/
{
Janaary 7, 1932
The T lght of the World
1.
The Father of Lights, unaeon in His glory.
Sent forth the Son of Hia love.
To tell in His life and death the story
Of grace from Heavon above, -
For Jeans Christ is the Image bright
Of the Loving God, of the great "I AM";
That powerful, precious, holy Light
tfhose countenance shines as the sun in his night.
2.
The world in the shadow of sin is lying;
It gropes for it cannot see;
And millions are daily stumbling , dying;
The Light is shining on me.
If Jes.is Christ is the Image Bright
Of the Loving God, of the groat "I AM";
It is only Just, it is only right.
That I Bhould hoar witness of that Light.
3.
Oh, many <3ie lights thnt are not or Koavsnl
They flicker, grow Sim, and die;
But only the Son T-Tio God hath given
Forever can satisfy.
For Jenna Christ is the Image Bright
Of the Loving God, of the great "I AK";
and He Tho sent Christ from the glory-height
Sends us to beat witness of that Light.
4.
Th» Spirit of God, most gentle and gracious.
Invites to the city above;
Her light is like unto a stone most precious;
The Lamb is the Light thereof, —
For Jesus Christ is the Image bright
Of the Laving God, of the gret t "I AM";
And we who shall walk in robee of white
\re sent to bear witness of that Light.
Botty ^cott
TO MONA LISA
Mona Lisa, smiling from the bed-room wall,
And thesharer of my thoughts when I wassmall.
Mona Lisa, fascinating now as then,
Mona Lisa, what can you reveal of men?
Subtle smiler, though a simplemerchant's wife.
You, if anyone, have really fathomed life.
What is love, or fear, or hate, or sympathy?
Why do 1 believe in things I cannot see?
Is my body really, I, or what's within?
What is happiness, and why do people sin?
Could there ever be a soul completely bad?
Why is loneliness more powerful when sad?
Mona Lisa, is it true each lather's son
Thinks he feels as no one else has ever done?
Does a woman love a man because he’s strong,
Or because she wants to smooth his way along?
Why are people both so simple and so deep? —
Mona Lisa, did you ever, ever weep?
Though the little child pretends he is a man,
And imagines grownup power all he can,
Though intelligence increase with muscle might,
Mona Lisa, do we ever grow up, quite?
Elisabeth Alden Soott
Wilson College 1928
“Their Soul Shall Be As A
Watered Garden
A Sonnet of Prayer
I Passed a thorny desert soul one day—
A soul as fruitless as a painted mast,
So harsh and hard and dry I stood aghast,
And would have helped, but had no time
to stay;
Yet, half in doubtfulness, began to pray
To Him, the Source of living streams . . .
At last,
Returning, I beheld, a velvet-grassed,
Abundant garden; saw the rainbow spray
Of fountains shimmTing high against the
trees;
Saw old-time flowers, bluebells, and sweet
peas,
Pink-hearted phloxes, heliotrope, heart’sease.
Rambling roses hung from arches there;
The scent of hidden orchards filled the air.
And there were children’s voices everywhere.
Elisabeth Alden Scott
Dec. 1927. Wilson College.
With Apologies to Wordsworth
The world is too much with us. History
Is happening too fast before our sight.
We can’t digest the facts we’re forced to bite.
These things that Mussolini's Facisti
Are doing for their native Italy;
The way these fifty Chinese gen'rals fight;
The way these Tutankhamens come to fight;
Bewilder us. Indeed, I’d rather be
A Crusoe on an unknown desert isle.
So might my brain assume some liberty;
So might I have a chance to lose awhile
That awful strain that still envelops me.
I think that I could welcome with a smile
The thought that round me there was onlysea.
Elisabeth Alden Scott
Wilson College 1928.
The Traveller’s Song
1. I sought for beauty o’er the earth,
And found it everywhere I turned :
A precious stone from Singapore
That sapphire shone and sapphire burned;
A rajah's ransom it was worth.
2. Eternal grandeur brooded deep
In Egypt’s pyramids of stone,
And still I smell the orange bloom,
I see the frosty stars that shone
And cooled the tranquil Nile to sleep.
3 I loved the skies of Italy,
The swarthy, singing boatmen there,
The Virgins of the Renaissance,
With grave, sweet eyes and golden hair;
The land of Art and Melody !
4. Lingers long into the night
On snowv peaks the Alpine glow'.
And every lake is loveliest,
And there, amidst the endless snow,
I picked the edelweiss so white.
5 Before a Chinese city gate,
The entrance to an ancient town,
I saw the men flv dragon-kites;
While, by the willows weeping down,
Their wivesbeatclothes, from dawn till late.
6. Then home I came, as though on wings,
The joy of life in heart and eyes;
For, everything was glorified —
The earth, the ocean, and the skies,
And even all the common things!
Elisabeth Alden Scott
April 1926. Wilson College.
Whiter Than Snow
When snow has fallen the night before,
Covering all the grayness o’er
With a delicate robe of mystery,
Woven from stars of purity,
Of whiteness dazzling the human eye, —
With the eyes of sense l Jook, and cry:
“Nothing at all in the world l know
Whiter than newly fallen snow.1’
The snow is fair; but fairer still
Are the Christ-filled heart, and the Spirit-led
will,
And the soul at rest and free from sin,
And the face that shines from His joy within.
Though as filthy rags be the sinner's soul,
Jesus can make him pure and whole;
By His precious, cleansing blood I know1
He can wash one whiter than the snow.
Elisabeth Alden Scott*
Wilson College Jan. 1926.
Mary Magdalene?
Content in Heart- Worship
In Simon’s house, in Bethany, the Master
sat at meat ;
Holiness and strength and pity shone within
His wondrous face,
And the hearts of all were burning, at His
words of heavenly grace —
When a woman came and poured her pre-
cious ointment on His feet.
Fragrance, as of Eastern gardens, lingered
sweetly in the air,
And the box that had contained the
perfume, alabaster, exquisite,
Shattered lay upon the floor, a rainbow
curving in each bit ;
As a woman, kneeling, weeping, wiped His
feet upon her hair.
Then to disapproving murmurs the as-
sembled guests gave vent ;
For the world cannot endure the wasting
of a priceless thing,
When it is a gift of loving consecration to
the King ;
But a woman, once a sinner, kissed His
feet, and found Content .
Elisabeth Alden Scott.
March 1927. Wilson College.
“My Testimony/*
And shall I fear
That there is anything that men hold dear
Thou wouldst deprive me of, and nothing
give in place ?
That is not so; for I can see Thy face,
I hear Thee now:" My Child, I died for Thee;
And, if the gift of love and life you took
from Me,
Shall I one precious thing withhold to all
eternity —
One beautiful and bright, one pure and pre-
cious, thing withhold? —
It cannot be”,
Elisabeth Alden Scott.
Moody Bible Institute. Feb. 1929.
A Garden Sonnet
I stole into the garden late one night,
When in the moonlight gently drowsed the wind,
And shadows were with jet outlined
Upon a fairy world of silver-white.
I saw my tulips in the pale-blue light, —
Erect, though other flowers with sleep were
blind, —
I saw, and, seeing, wondered in my mind
Just why they were so vigilant and bright.
I looked within one tulip. Sound asleep,
Curled in the cup a baby fairy lay.
Between his locks wee elfin ears did peep,
His blanket was a moth-skin, soft and grey.
No wonder that the tulips vigil keep!
Each cradles carefully a tiny fay.
Elisabeth Alden Scott.
June 1924. Wilson College.
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