LORD ROBERTS

Clean, simple, valiant, well-beloved,
Flawless in faith and fame,

Whom neither ease nor honours moved
An hair's-breadth from his aim.

Never again the war-wise face,
The weighed and urgent word
That pleaded in the market-place-
Pleaded and was not heard!

Yet from his life a new life springs
Through all the hosts to come,
And Glory is the least of things
That follow this man home.

B

THE QUESTION

1916

RETHREN, how shall it fare with me
When the war is laid aside,

If it be proven that I am he
For whom a world has died?

If it be proven that all my good,
And the greater good I will make,
Were purchased me by a multitude
Who suffered for my sake?

That I was delivered by mere mankind
Vowed to one sacrifice,

And not, as I hold them, battle-blind,
But dying with open eyes?

That they did not ask me to draw the sword
When they stood to endure their lot-
That they only looked to me for a word,
And I answered I knew them not?

THE QUESTION

If it be found, when the battle clears,

Their death has set me free,

Then how shall I live with myself through the years Which they have bought for me?

Brethren, how must it fare with me,
Or how am I justified,

If it be proven that I am he

For whom mankind has died; If it be proven that I am he Who being questioned denied?

THE CHOICE

1917

(THE AMERICAN SPIRIT SPEAKS)

T0

10 the Judge of Right and Wrong With Whom fulfilment lies

Our purpose and our power belong, Our faith and sacrifice.

Let Freedom's Land rejoice!

Our ancient bonds are riven; Once more to us the eternal choice Of Good or Ill is given.

Not at a little cost,

Hardly by prayer or tears,

Shall we recover the road we lost
In the drugged and doubting years.

But, after the fires and the wrath,
But, after searching and pain,

His Mercy opens us a path

To live with ourselves again.

THE CHOICE

In the Gates of Death rejoice!
We see and hold the good-

Bear witness, Earth, we have made our choice
With Freedom's brotherhood!

Then praise the Lord Most High

Whose Strength hath saved us whole,

Who bade us choose that the Flesh should die And not the living Soul!

To the God in Man displayed-
Where e'er we see that Birth,
Be love and understanding paid
As never yet on earth!

To the Spirit that moves in Man,
On Whom all worlds depend,
Be Glory since our world began
And service to the end!