Classic Poem

They've been a-preachin' it, people, that faith is a thing played out,
That the angels never hear us when we sing to the skies, an' shout;
That if the world is beamin', it's Man that makes it bright —
That God's voice ain't in the thunder, an' His smile ain't in the light.

They've been a-preachin' it, people, from the hilltops fur an' nigh;
That the rainbow's only a ribbon roun' the black dress o' the sky;
That there ain't no promise in it, like the Good Book said of old —
" It's only a dream, " they tell us, with its purple an' its gold.

They've been a-preachin' it, people, an' I've hearn 'em 'long the way;
But I thank the Lord above us there's faith in the world to-day!
Faith in the true and steadfast — in the hearts that still believe
The great an' glorious promise: — " Ask, and ye shall receive! "

Listen! — The flowers were wiltin' in the gardens o' the May;
An' June saw the lilies droopin' in the face o' the rainless day;
An' we said: " The craps still thirstin' by the valley an' the plain;
The clouds of God above us, an' never a drap o' rain! "

An' we sat in the gloom an' grumbled, an' scowled at the skies above,
Till it come to our minds the rain-clouds were ruled by a God of Love;
An' that comfortin' word o' Scripture — to all o' the hearts that grieve,
Come to us then — sweet-sayin': " Ask, an' ye shall receive! "

An' the brotherin called a meetin' in the old church in the pines —
Blest by the summer blossoms, kissed of the climbin' vines;
An' the preacher rose an' told us: " The Word o' the Lord is plain:
Let us kneel in the Light of His Presence an' pray to the Lord for rain! "

The sky wuz jest like a oven — blazin' all roun' with heat,
But Faith saw the raindrops fallin' in coolin' showers an' sweet;
An', " Lord, send the rain, " cried the preacher, " to the hill, an' the field, an' glen! "
An' the very gates of heaven were shook by a loud " Amen! "

An' even as we prayed — no wonder! — bowed in His presence there,
We heard God's voice in the thunder — the God that answers prayer!
We saw the flash o' the lightnin' on the field and the hillside, plain!
And we shouted: " Halleluia! Thank God for the rain! — the rain! "

Oh, it fell like a benediction, on the dry an'sunburnt sod;
Till the hills seemed clappin' their hands for joy, an' the glad fields said, " Thank God! "
An' over its gracious fallin' rose the shout o' the people then,
With " Halleluia to heaven! " an' the chorus: " Amen! Amen! "

Brotherin, the Bible's with us! — the promise is true today:
When you're needin' the rain or the sunshine, git down on your knees an' pray!
Thanks be to God for His blessin's, for He's with us now as then:
Jest shout " Halleluia! " to heaven, an' the angels will say " Amen! "