THE EVIL AND THE GOOD
by John Hendershot

Were there no shadows, there'd be no sun;
Were there no darkness, then no light;
Were there no sorrows, nor no sadness,
There'd be no cheer when all is bright.


We measure our joys by what we lose,
And our sorrows by what we gain;
Were there no contrast by which to choose,
Our pleasures would not vantage pain.


We sometimes wonder why it's so,
That good permits and evil reign,
But we the good could never know,
Were not the evil made so plain.

God in his wisdom ordained it all,
Makes us choose just as we would,
And we only escape the fall,
By knowing the evil -- Choose a good.

Let's cease to murmur or complain;
And try to see things as we should;
Not call this world a sad refrain,
Which God, when made, pronounced so good.

John Hendershot of Stevensville, Ontario, Canada
died in his 82nd year on the 2nd Feb. 1915.
This poem was printed in his obituary.
It was composed by John probably in the late
1800's as his misfortunes mounted --
the loss of his children and eventually his wife.

Contributed by John Ruch at ruchj@magma.ca