Teach Me to Love by Louisa Knight Wheatley

I googled some of the text and was able to find  a 1908 Christian Science publication that claimed it was “written for the Journal” by a “Louisa Knight Wheatley” -- I have amended the text to conform with what was published….  (apparently it was reprinted in other publications later with alterations, but this appears to be the earliest, and has attribution)

Teach Me to Love

Louisa Knight Wheatley

There was a time when, in my daily prayer,

I asked for all things I deemed most fair

and necessary to my life, ---  success,

riches, of course, and ease, and happiness ;

A host of friends, a home without alloy,

a primrose path of luxury and joy,

Social distinction, and enough of fame

To leave behind a well-remembered name.

Ambition ruled my way. I longed to do

Great things, that all my little world might view

And whisper “Wonderful.”

Ah, patient God,

how blind are we! Until Thy Shepherd's rod

of tender chastening gently leads us on

to better things!  Today I have but one

Petition, Lord: Teach me to love.  Indeed,

It is my greatest and my only need ---

Teach me to love not those who first love me,

But all the world: with that rare purity

Of broad outstretching thought, that bears no trace

Of worldly taint, but holds in its embrace

Humanity and seems to only see

The good in all, reflected, Lord, from thee.

And teach me, Father, how to love the most

Those who most stand in need of love --- that host

Of people who are poor and sick and bad,

Whose tired faces show their lives are sad,

Who toil along the road with footsteps slow

And hearts more heavy than the world can know ---

People whom others pass discreetly by,

Or fail to hear the pleading of that cry,

For help, amid the tumult of the crowd ;

Whose very anguish makes them cold and proud,

Resentful, stubborn, bitter  in their grief ---

I want to bring them comfort and relief;

to put my hand on theirs, and at their side

walk softly on, a faithful, fearless guide.

O Saviour, thou the Christ, Truth, ever near,

Help me to find these sad ones, doubly dear

Because they need so much!  Help me to seek

And find that which they thought was lost; to speak

Such words of cheer that, as we pass along,

The wilderness shall blossom into song.

Ah, Love divine, how empty was that prayer

of other days!  That which was once so fair ---

Those flimsy baubles which the world calls joys,

Are nothing to me now but broken toys,

Outlived, outgrown.  I thank the that I know

Those much-desired dreams of long ago,

Like butterflies, have had their summer’s day

Of brief enchantment, and have gone.  I pray

For better things.

Thou knowest God above,

My one desire now ---  Teach me to love.  

~~~