The prophets sons, in time of old

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This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.

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The prophets sons, in time of old
John Newton
11743The prophets sons, in time of oldJohn Newton

The borrowed axe by John Newton

The prophets sons, in time of old,
Though to appearance poor;
Were rich without possessing gold,
And honored, though obscure.
In peace their daily bread they eat,
By honest labor earned;
While daily at Elisha's feet,
They grace and wisdom learned.
The prophet's presence cheered their toil,
They watched the words he spoke;
Whether they turned the furrowed soil,
Or felled the spreading oak.
Once as they listened to his theme,
Their conference was stopped;
For one beneath the yielding stream,
A borrowed axe had dropped.
"Alas! it was not mine, he said,
How shall I make it good?"
Elisha heard, and when he prayed,
The iron swam like wood.
If God, in such a small affair,
A miracle performs;
It shows his condescending care
Of poor unworthy worms.
Though kings and nations in his view
Are but as motes and dust;
His eye and ear are fixed on you,
Who in his mercy trust.
Not one concern of ours is small,
If we belong to him;
To teach us this, the LORD of all,
Once made the iron swim.