Tuesday Is Poem Day! Think Gently of the Erring by. Julia Carney

Think Gently of the Erring



Think gently of the erring:

Ye know not of the power

With which the dark temptation came

In some unguarded hour.

Ye may not know how earnestly

They struggled, or how well,

Until the hour of weakness came

And sadly thus they fell.

Think gently of the erring:

Oh! do not thou forget,

However darkly stained by sin

He is thy brother yet;

Heir of the selfsame heritage,

Child of the selfsame God,

He has but stumbled in the path

Thou hast in weakness trod.

Speak gently to the erring:

For is it not enough

That innocence and peace have gone,

Without thy censure rough?

It sure must be a weary lot,

That sin-stained heart to bear,

And those who share a happier fate

Their chidings well may spare.

Speak gently to the erring:

Thou yet may'st lead them back

With holy words and tones of love,

From misery's thorny track:

Forget not thou hast often sinned,

And sinful yet must be;

Deal gently with the erring, then,

As God has dealt with thee.

~ Julia Carney ~