A beautiful stream is the river of life,

as it flows through the valley of years

into the sea of eternity,

where endeth all sorrows and fears.

For the babe in his cradle, life ripples along,

banks bordered with flowers of love,

of a Mother's fond heart, and a lullabye song

sweet as sung by angels above.

But the stream rushes on with its joys and its sorrows

between green mossy banks, so with never a care,

we float with the stream, till looking before us,

we see a rock- the rock of dispair.

Round the rock, the wave of adversity dashes

waves of sorrow, care, and  pain,

and we say to ourselves, is living worthwhile,

when in dying, there's so much to gain.

But we know that our Heavenly Father will help us

with the burdens that seem almost too great to bear.

He will guide our frail bark through life's troubled waters,

to the harbor of peace-past the rock of dispair.

And as we near the end of that beautiful river,

we think of our loved ones who have gone on before.

We know they will be waiting to meet us, to greet us

with glad songs of welcome to that Heavenly shore.

                                                            Emma Maxham Webb (1917)

01/02/2004