For all the 'believers' on here.

[astrologica]

A poem.

                 Hitherto.

When our souls are much discouraged, by the roughness of the way,

And the cross we have to carry seemeth heavier every day;

When some cloud that overshadows, hides our Father's face from view,

oh it's well then to remember, He has blessed us----hitherto.

Looking back the long years over, what a varied path, and yet

All the way His hand hath led us, placed each hindrance we have met,

Given to us the pleasant places, cheered us all the journey through,

Passing through the deepest waters, He has blessed us---hitherto.

Surely then our souls should trust Him, though the clouds be dark o'erhead,

We've a friend that draweth closer, when all other friends have fled;

When our pilgrimage is over, and the gates we're sweeping through,

We shall see with clearer vision, how He's blessed us----hitherto.

No....I haven't 'seen the light'.....I'm still an atheist....but this morning I found an old 'Woman's Weekly' magazine that belonged to my grandmother, dated February 1918. The country was war weary at that time...I wonder if people did actually find comfort in poems like this? The prose is so typical of the time..I just thought that maybe our 'people of Faith' might like to read it.

Some  of the other things in the magazine are hilarious...the Agony Aunt column, and the adverts.....how things have changed.😏

[cee-dee]

Atheists in foxholes,

Some say they are myths,
Creations of the mind,

Who just don't exist.
Yet, they answered the call to defend,

With great pride.
With reason their watchword,

They bled and they died."

[jd.linklater]

Believers will tell you that God is everywhere, to unbelievers he seems a bit of a recluse.

[astrologica]

'Recluse' is a good description.....his presence is sorely needed in Syria at the moment,but he is nowhere to be seen. I wonder how many of the Syrian people feel comforted by their God? Very few,I would imagine, as he doesn't seem to be doing much to help.

[evoman3957]

http://www.theabsolute.net/minefield/athquot.html

[astrologica]

Thanks Evo...there are some little 'pearls' in there!😄

[astrologica]

Thanks Evo ......there are some little 'pearls' in there!😀

[evoman3957]

There's an echo in here 

[tommy.irene]

---

@astrologica wrote:

'Recluse' is a good description.....his presence is sorely needed in Syria at the moment,but he is nowhere to be seen. I wonder how many of the Syrian people feel comforted by their God? Very few,I would imagine, as he doesn't seem to be doing much to help.

---

Hes helping them .. By sending them to Germany to live..

[astrologica]

Very true Tommy...I suppose it could be viewed that way! They do say that God moves in mysterious ways.!

[*.*..lola..*.*]

Some of the other things in the magazine are hilarious...the Agony Aunt column

What kind of advice was being sought in 1918 I wonder?

[merehazle]

Hello astro. Nice poem. Who wrote it please. Take your time I should be back tomorrow.

I wonder what all war leaders (including Blair & Bush) would have thought of this:

Remember me

Duty called and I went to war

Though I'd never fired a gun before

I paid the price for your new day

As all my dreams were blown away

Remember me

We all stood true as whstles blew

And faced the shell and stench of Hell

Now battles done, there is no sound

We cannot see, or smell, or hear

There is no death, or hope or fear

Remember me

Once we, like you, would laugh and talk

And run and walk and do the things that you all do

But now we lie in rows so neat

Beneath the soil, beneath your feet

Remember me

In mud and gore and the blood of war

We fought and tell no more no more

Remember me, I am not dead

I'm just a voice within your head

By H Riley. 

[astrologica]

Lola....among the questions being asked were...

'When a person has a long face, do you think a side or middle parting for the hair is better?' 😀

'Do you believe in diamonds as most suitable for an engagement ring, or is it a matter of choice?'

There were also paragraphs dealing with hasty marriages, spots on the forehead and chin, wrinkles, tweeting hairs on the lip, and the most hilarious of all...whether anyone could get seven years bad luck by keeping company with a 'cross-eyed' girl!

I grew up reading magazines like this because my Mother used to read them...they seemed normal then, but now, things are so different. And yet, not so different really.

There are also articles regarding whether the girl who has the largest number of men friends gets the most offers of marriage, and also another one about 'the things women keep quiet about.'

It seems that the main object in life for a women was to look her best in order to get a husband. There is nothing about getting a job or a career. There are lots of patterns for those pretty doilies crocheted in very fine cotton...it seems every women was encouraged to do that. I remember my Mum making them, and she taught me to make them too. Oh..and there are adverts for corsets and petticoats! 😧

[astrologica]

Hello Mere...that's a nice poem too! The one I posted here was printed in the 1918 Woman' Weekly. It doesn't say who wrote it, just that it was sent in to the magazine by a lady from Australia. The lady said that it had comforted her in times of world-wide distress and made her think of the all-loving Hand that guided her continually.

it is a nice poem, and to a person with Faith it might be of help, but not to me, I'm afraid. I just thought it might be appreciated by our Christian friends on here. I hope no-one minded.

[*.*..lola..*.*]

---

@astrologica wrote:

Lola....among the questions being asked were...

'When a person has a long face, do you think a side or middle parting for the hair is better?' 😀

'Do you believe in diamonds as most suitable for an engagement ring, or is it a matter of choice?'

There were also paragraphs dealing with hasty marriages, spots on the forehead and chin, wrinkles, tweeting hairs on the lip, and the most hilarious of all...whether anyone could get seven years bad luck by keeping company with a 'cross-eyed' girl!

I grew up reading magazines like this because my Mother used to read them...they seemed normal then, but now, things are so different. And yet, not so different really.

There are also articles regarding whether the girl who has the largest number of men friends gets the most offers of marriage, and also another one about 'the things women keep quiet about.'

It seems that the main object in life for a women was to look her best in order to get a husband. There is nothing about getting a job or a career. There are lots of patterns for those pretty doilies crocheted in very fine cotton...it seems every women was encouraged to do that. I remember my Mum making them, and she taught me to make them too. Oh..and there are adverts for corsets and petticoats! 😧

---

whether anyone could get seven years bad luck by keeping company with a 'cross-eyed' girl!

LOL

Thanks for elaborating, Astro fascinating stuff. Everything seemed so innocent back then.

Could you imagine if a young woman from 1918 was transported into 2015. I wonder what she would make of the lifestyles of some of todays young women.

Tattoos, body piercings, binge drinking, casual sex not to mention smart phones, social media and all the other technical gadgets LOL

My mum didn't know how to crochet but she did teach me how to knit. I got quite good at it for a while but haven't bothered for years. Lost interest.