Song #32

The Miserly Man

1)
There once was an old miserly man
Who laid up many treasures on earth
He lived only for this sordid world
In miserly bonds, caught in their web

2)
Once he sat in a splendid, blooming meadow
And calculated just how much he had
Then suddenly he heard a little voice which said
"Tis God who made the flowers to bloom"

3)
Then the old fellow saw its source
And asked the little one, "who are you?"
"I am Maria, Mama's little friend"
"Picking now some flowers in this meadow

4)
"The flowers which we see before us here
They are as beautiful as they can be
And any wealth that we may here possess
Cannot produce such a sight to see"

5)
When hearing then the child's happy voice
"What beauteous prayer you send now up to God
And what will be the answer you receive?
Surely it will be a crowning answer soon"

6)
God's Spirit then moved the old fellow's heart
"Such prayer I have never myself prayed
Perhaps you have a mother like unto mine,
Who therefore prays for you each day"

7)
His childhood memory now returned
Vividly, of how his mother prayed
She prayed with him, morning, noon and night
And those prayers were blessed to recall

8)
"Now I must be going home," said she
"I think that mother will be missing me"
"No, stay here just a little longer," replied he
"I want to hear more of your prayers

9)
"It is not yet midday," answered she
"I cannot offer midday prayers just yet"
"But Mama did tell me of Daniel"
"He prayed to God each morning, noon and night

10)
Then she bowed down po her knees
And prayed "O Jesus, hear me yet again"
Then said to the man "God bless you"
And suddenly disappeared from sight

11)
Sometime thereafter he became aware
Upon his bed, in sickness and in pain
On that day he had been sorely striken
But was delivered even from death to life

12)
When the doctor remarked about this turn
His answer was, "It was a prayer to God"
A prayer Maria once had prayed
A prayer dear to him his whole life long

13)
He then bequeathed his fortune to that doctor
And said, "build with a children's home"
"That many children there may learn to pray
"And round it plant a flower garden"

14)
And this, the crowning object was achieved
A monument no gravestone could exceed
Therefore it was done, he now was free and glad
Alive at last in heaven's holy city