Poems by my great-grandfather

[Worm of Despite]

The following poems are all by my great-grandfather, Ralph Toles. He was born January 21, 1910, passed away August 23, 1990.

"What I am, believe, and think
Poems to Live & Die By"

GOD'S WORD

Matthew 4:4 - 24:35

I love thy true and precious word.
It means so much to me.
It helps us when our spirit's low,
Thank God, for peace and liberty.

Thy word is so clean and pure,
It helps our soul and heart within,
And gives strength, hope, and joy
That can only come from Him.

God's word is perfect and sure,
The storm of life is calmed from fear.
Our faith is steadfast in Him so true
Who is so very kind and dear.

The word doth shine into this world
So sick and dark with sin and shame.
It brightens the hearts of the lost
To love, obey, and praise His name.

Thy word will call us home some day
To heaven's fair land above,
Then we'll know more what it is
To praise God's words of love.

A HELPING HAND

Has your life been a blessing
As you walked along today?
Have you helped some weary traveler
As he struggled in the way?

Did you help him carry his burden
Far into the dark of night,
Or leave him by the roadside
There to perish in his plight?

Just a little hand of kindness,
Just a little thoughtful deed,
It can mean a world of happiness
To a pilgrim that's in need.

Many feet are weary,
Many hearts are sad,
Encourage, comfort, help them,
You can make them glad.

Here your life on earth's a vapor
It will vanish soon away.
Will your influence be living,
Or will it crumble and decay?

Pilgrims on this road soon vanish
As a flower they fade away.
Have you held them up to Jesus,
As a Christian should, I say?

On life's highway you're swiftly passing
At an awful dangerous speed,
Slow, stop, look and listen,
A fallen traveler is in need.

Lift him, help him, save him,
As onward through life you go.
God has promised to help you.
You'll reap just what you sow.

GOD'S CHURCH

We may travel to the lakes and mountains
And to the far off distant sea,
But there's no place like God's Church,
That will feed the hunger of you and me.

We may visit all the great wonders
That museums and parks may hold,
But there's no place like God's Church,
For the good, bad, young, and old.

There's no place to go to like God's Church
When the burdens of life doth abound,
When God's Word is lived and preached in its fullness,
Forgiveness, love and power will come down.

So today we are glad you have traveled
And turned your footsteps this way.
We love you, and may God bless and help you,
As you worship in God's Church today.

WHEN MOTHER PRAYS

Our pathway may be uphill or downward
And stumble along it we may,
But all of the rough places will be smoother,
If our mothers for us will pray.

We know not what tomorrow may bring us
Nor what the pages of life may unfold,
But our hearts are lifted heavenward
When our mothers pray for our soul.

Word of encouragement may be spoken
And praise of your deeds may be,
There's nothing so fills your longing
As when your mother prays for thee.

The dark sea of life may be raging
Many pitfalls of the journey one may not see,
But to help me land safely in the harbor of Heaven
My mother did pray for me.

The Savior has set the example
As he prayed in Gethsemane,
Footsteps of all ages have followed
Does your mother pray for thee?

AFTER THE NIGHT

The night encamps so dark and fast
And brings with it much sorrow,
Beyond the blackness of the night
The sun will shine tomorrow.

Oft times the clouds are hanging low
Our tears and grief doth follow,
But just beyond the stormy clouds
The sun will shine tomorrow.

Deprived of things we love so well
Our hearts are torn by sorrow,
Inside the mist and through the fog
The sun will shine tomorrow.

Our way grows dim, we stumble on
Through paths that are filled with horror,
But if we lean on God's great arm
The sun will shine tomorrow.

The sun will shine tomorrow
There's a ray for every sorrow,
Prayer will avail, night will assail
But the sun will shine tomorrow.

DEATH'S VICTORY

Far across the expanding ocean,
There upon a mountain side,
I can see the blessed Savior
As he spilled His blood and died.

Seems that now I can see Him
As he prays to God above;
Father forgive them,
For they know not of My love.

As the sun beat down upon Him
And the day grew hotter still,
Then the Savior suffered agony
Still no thirst the mob would fill.
I can see the thorns pressed downward
Far into His fevered brow,
And His back's swollen gashes
Like a furrow of a plow.

Yet, I see the Savior, patient
In this awful horrible pain,
That he might redeem us
From all guilt of sin and shame.

There on Calvary's mountain,
As the blood drops splashed the ground,
How the earth quaked and quivered
When the Master's blood came down.

All the world grew darkened
As the Savoir bowed His head;
Now he prayed to God "It's finished".
As he finished He was dead.

May our vision today grow brighter,
To that scene of long ago;
Always marching, Marching upward
Helping others as we go.

NO SUNSET'S FOREVER

As life sunrises in the dawning
Then we say that life begins.
But the morning soon is passing
Than life's evening soon descends.

Through the morning, through the evening
We are passing on and on,
Always nearing that great sunset
Whether living right or wrong.

As the sun is swiftly setting
Far into the western skies,
So too, our life is passing
As the rays, we dim and die.

Now the rays of sun have darkened,
On this world of sad disdain;
But across the great horizon
Is a light that will remain.

Now life's rays of sun are setting,
If we have done the thing that's right,
We shall enter God's great country
Where forever He will be our light.

OUR MOTHER AND FATHER

Friends are people that love you.
They are touched by your sorrow too.
The ones we can always depend on
Are a mother and father like you.

The thoughts of our mind become weary.
Our hearts despondent and blue.
Someone that's understanding and patient
Are a mother and father like you.

The trials of life may press downward.
We oft know not what to do.
The praying that helps lift the burdens,
Comes from a mother and father like you.

Disappointments may come as the raindrops,
And joy like sun on the dew,
But there's none that helps more faithful
As a mother and father like you.

The lightning may flash in the darkness,
The waves roll high on the blue,
Two who can help still the tempest
Are a mother and father like you.

I'll not have the world's great riches,
As onward through life I pursue;
But I thank our great God of the universe
For giving me a mother and father like you.

BE ESTABLISHED

Let us be established,
For the time is drawing nigh
For the light of God's children
To their homeland in the sky.

Let us be established
Upon the rock of ages fair,
When the trials of life beset us,
We can find a refuge there.

Let us be established
As a soldier for the fight,
Satan's forces has encamped
Against our Captain and the light.

Let us be established
While this world is dark with sin,
We can be a lighthouse shining out
Into the hearts of men.

Let us be established,
For the sea is rough and wild,
As we sail homeward
To our harbor in the skies.

Let us be established
As this life we swiftly run,
Looking beyond the great horizon
For the coming of God's son.

Let us be established
Until the life shall end;
Then we'll see the great establisher
Of the Heaven we are entering in.

THE GOOD AND BAD WAY

Matthew 7:13 - 14

We are pilgrims and strangers on this road here below.
The devil is following us where ever we go.
Our God in His heaven looks down from above.
He is touched and cares with His heart of love.

We have so many troubles, we can not carry the load.
Thank God for a way of escape, Christ knows this road.
His yoke is easy and His burden is light,
Casting all your care upon Him and things will be right.

We may not be praised for the good things we do.
Neither was Christ, but He lived good and true.
Oft times we labor, pray, and give and yet do not reap.
Do we have love, and His commandments keep?

Young people are tempted as same as the old.
Our duty is to help them keep in God's fold.
Be patient, not criticize and cause them to fall.
Remember God in heaven will be the judge of us all.

Life's road may be weary, we know not what to do,
Christ is our example, He will carry us through.
Death soon will come to the bad, good, young, and old,
Are we prepared to meet God on streets of gold?

The Devil's way to hell is sinful, broad and wide.
If we obey him, in hell we will forever abide.
God's way to heaven is so true, narrow and straight.
All of His people can enter heaven's gate.

Ralph Toles

[Cate]

Your grandfather was quite a poet and a man with a loving heart.
So this is one of the people through whom you have passed. I see the resemblance in talented gifts.