A Lancashire Doxology

"PRAISE God from whom all blessings flow." Praise Him who sendeth joy and woe. The Lord who takes, -- the Lord who gives, -- O praise Him, all that dies, and lives. He opens and He shuts his hand, But why, we cannot understand: Pours and dries up his mercies' flood, And yet is still All-perfect Good. We fathom not the mighty plan, The mystery of God and man; We women, when afflictions come, We only suffer and are dumb. And when, the tempest passing by, He gleams out, sun-like, through our sky, We look up, and through black clouds riven, We recognize the smile of Heaven. Ours is not wisdom of the wise, We have no deep philosophies: Childlike we take both kiss and rod, For he who loveth knoweth God.