What was his Creed? Anonymous. IV. Sabbath: Worship: Creed. Bliss Carman, et al., eds. 1904. The World's Best Poetry. IV. The Higher Life

Bliss Carman, et al., eds. The World’s Best Poetry.
Volume IV. The Higher Life. 1904.

IV. Sabbath: Worship: Creed

What was his Creed?

Anonymous

“Religion relates to life, and the life of religion is to do good.”—SWEDENBORG.

HE left a load of anthracite
In front of a poor woman’s door,
When the deep snow, frozen and white,
Wrapped street and square, mountain and moor.
That was his deed.	5
He did it well.
“What was his creed?”
I cannot tell.

Blessed “in his basket and his store,”
In sitting down and rising up;	10
When more he got, he gave the more,
Withholding not the crust and cup.
He took the lead
In each good task.
“What was his creed?”	15
I did not ask.

His charity was like the snow,
Soft, white, and silent in its fall;
Not like the noisy winds that blow
From shivering trees the leaves,—a pall	20
For flowers and weed,
Drooping below.
“What was his creed?”
The poor may know.

He had great faith in loaves of bread	25
For hungry people, young and old,
Hope he inspired; kind words he said
To those he sheltered from the cold.
For we should feed
As well as pray.	30
“What was his creed?”
I cannot say.

In words he did not put his trust;
His faith in words he never writ;
He loved to share his cup and crust	35
With all mankind who needed it.
In time of need
A friend was he.
“What was his creed?”
He told not me.	40

He put his trust in heaven, and he
Worked well with hand and head;
And what he gave in charity
Sweetened his sleep and daily bread.
Let us take heed,	45
For life is brief.
What was his creed—
What his belief?