Part 1 — BROTHERHOOD.

BY ALFRED H. MILES.

I am my brother's keeper, And I the duty own; For no man liveth to himself Or to himself alone; And we must bear together A common weal and woe, In all we are, in all we have, In all we feel and know.

I am my brother's keeper, In all that I can be, Of high and pure example, Of true integrity; A guide to go before him, In darkness and in light; A very cloud of snow by day, A cloud of fire by night.

I am my brother's keeper, In all that I can say, To help him on his journey To cheer him by the way; To succour him in weakness, To solace him in woe; To strengthen him in conflict, And fit him for the foe.

I am my brother's keeper, In all that I can do To save him from temptation, To help him to be true; To stay him if he stumble, To lift him if he fall; To stand beside him though his sin Has severed him from all.

I am my brother's keeper, In sickness and in health; In triumph and in failure, In poverty and wealth; His champion in danger, His advocate in blame, The herald of his honour, The hider of his shame.

And though he prove unworthy, He is my brother still, And I must render right for wrong And give him good for ill; My standard must not alter For folly, fault, or whim, And to be true unto myself I must be true to him.

And all men are my brothers Wherever they may be, And he is most my proper care Who most has need of me; Who most may need my counsel, My influence, my pelf, And most of all who needs my strength To save him from myself.

For all I have of power Beyond what he can wield, Is not a weapon of offence But a protecting shield, Which I must hold before him To save him from his foe, E'en though I be the enemy That longs to strike the blow.

I am my brother's keeper, And must be to the end— A neighbour to the neighbourless, And to the friendless, friend; His weakness lays it on me, My strength involves it too, And common love for common life Will bear the burden through.