Jean de La Fontaine born 1621.
Dr. Samuel D. Gross born 1805.
Joseph Chamberlain born 1836.
Neither gold nor grandeur can render us happy.
--La Fontaine.
Spirit of God! descend upon my heart;
Wean it from earth; through all its pulses move;
Stoop to my weakness, mighty as thou art,
And make me love thee as I ought to love.
I ask no dream, no prophet ecstasies,
No sudden rending of the veil of clay:
No angel visitant, no opening skies--
But take the dimness of my soul away.
--George Croly.
For a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which
he possesseth.
--Luke 12. 15.
Eternal God, help me to honor my life; and may I realize, whether I
select good or bad, much or little, the harvesting is for eternity.
Grant that I may not make my life accumulate gold and grandeur, and
laden it with much spending; but may I strive and love what thou dost
love, and make my life worthy of my labor. Amen.