Childish Wisdom

38 IMPROVEMENT ERA.

would never have received the wondrous blessing of the Gospel, and now they can see the hand of God through it all! They are prospering now, and her letter concludes: "Tithing has established our faith as no other way could."

CHILDISH WISDOM.

'Twas the hour of prayer, and the farmer stood, With a thankful heart and a lowly mind, And prayed to the Author of every good, That the Father of all would be very kind, And bless his creatures with raiment and food; That the blessings each day might be renewed, That every man might find relief, And plenty for hunger, joy for grief, Be measured by the Merciful One, To all who suffered beneath the sun.

The prayer concluded, the godly man Went forth in peace to inspect his farm, And by his side delighted ran, Glowing with every healthful charm, His little son, a sprightly boy, Whose home was love, and whose life was joy; And the father said, "The harvest yields A plentiful crop, my son, this year; My barns are too small for my grain, I fear."

And they wandered on through row upon row Of plumy sheaves; and at length the child, With earnest look and a rosy glow On his shining cheek, looked up and smiled, And said, "My father, do you not pray For the poor and needy, day by day,- That God, the good, would the hungry feed?" "I do, my son." "Well, I think as you plead-" His eye waxed bright, for his soul shone through it- "That God, if he had your wheat, would do it." J. W. Ward.