Content that God's decree
Should order all for thee.
Content with sickness or with health--
Content with poverty or wealth--
Content to walk in humble guise,
And as He wills it sink or rise.
Content to live alone
And call no place thine own.
No sweet reunions day by day.
Thy kindred spirits far away.
And, since God wills to have it so,
Thou wouldst not change for weal or woe.
Content that others rise
Before thy very eyes.
How bright their lot and portion here!
Wealth fills their coffers--friends are near.
Behold their mansions tall and fair!
The timbrel and the dance are there.
Content to toil or rest--
God's peace within thy breast--
To feel thy times are in His hand
Who holds all worlds in his command--
Thy time to laugh--thy time to sigh--
Thy time to live--thy time to die.
And is it so indeed
Thou art with God agreed?
Content 'mid all the ills of life?
Farewell, then, sorrow, pain and strife!
Such high content is heaven begun.
The battle's fought, the victory won!
--Mary Ann W. Cook.