  The world is strong with a mighty hope Of a good time yet to be, And carefully casts the horoscope Of her future destiny; And poet, and prophet, and priest, and sage, Are watching, with anxious eyes, To see the light of that promised age On the waiting world arise. O, weary and long seems that time to some, Who under Life’s burdens bow, For while they wait for that time to come, They forget ’tis a good time now. Yes, a good time now—for we cannot say What the morrow will bring to view; But we’re always sure of the time to-day, And the course we must pursue; And no better time is ever sought, By a brave heart, under the sun, Than the present hour, with its noblest thought, And the duties to be done. There is work to be done, and how, For he knows that the good time yet to be, Depends on the good time now. There is never a broken link in the chain, And never a careless flaw, For cause and effect, and loss and gain, Are true to a changeless law. Now is the time to sow the seed For the harvest of future years, Now is the time for a noble deed, While the need for the work appears. You must earn the bread of your liberty By toil and the sweat of your brow, And hasten the good time yet to be, By improving the good time now. ’Tis as bright a sun that shines to-day As will shine in the coming time; And Truth has as weighty a word to say, Through her oracles sublime. There are voices in earth, and air, and sky, That tell of the good time here, And visions that come to Faith’s clear eye, The weary in heart to cheer. Is ripening on every bough, And the wise in spirit rejoice to see The light of the good time now. The world rests not, with a careless ease, On the wisdom of the past— From Moses, and Plato, and Socrates, It is onward advancing fast; And the words of Jesus, and John, and Paul, Stand out from the lettered page, And the living present contains them all, In the spirit that moves the age. Great, earnest souls, through the Truth made free, No longer in blindness bow, And the good time coming, the yet to be, Has begun with the good time now. Then up! nor wait for the promised hour, For the good time now is best, And the soul that uses its gift of power Shall be in the present blest. Whatever the future may have in store, With a will there is ever a way; And none need burden the soul with more Than the duties of to-day. And put the hand to the plow, Nor wait for the good time yet to be, But work in the good time now. |
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