Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment, and the second is like unto it: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
Matthew 22:37–39
Words: Ella W. Wilcox, Custer and Other Poems (Chicago, Illinois: W. B. Conkey, 1896).
Music: Lanherne Henry Hayman (1820–1894) (🔊 pdf nwc).
If you know where to get a good photo of Hayman (head & shoulders, at least 200×300 pixels),
Love thyself last.
Look near, behold thy duty
To those who walk beside thee down life’s road;
Make glad their days by little acts of beauty,
And help them bear the burden of earth’s load.
Love thyself last.
Look far, and find the stranger
Who staggers ’neath his sin and his despair;
Go lend a hand and help him out of danger,
To heights where he may see the world is fair.
Love thyself last.
The vastnesses above thee
Are filled with spirit forces, strong and pure;
And fervently these faithful friends shall love thee,
Keep thy watch over others, and endure.
Love thyself last; and oh, such joy shall thrill thee,
As never yet to selfish souls was given.
Whate’er thy lot, a perfect peace will fill thee,
And earth shall seem the ante-room of Heaven.
Love thyself last;
And thou shalt grow in spirit
To see, to hear, to know and understand.
The message of the stars, lo, thou shalt hear it,
And all God’s joys shall be at Thy command.