At days end poem john hall

By John Hall

At Day’s End

Is anybody happier because you passed his way?

Does anyone remember that you spoke to him today?

The day is almost over, and its toiling time is through;

Is there anyone to utter now a kindly word of you?

Can you say tonight, in parting with the day that’s slipping fast,

That you helped a single brother of the many that you passed?

Is a single heart rejoicing over what you did or said;

Does the man whose hopes were fading, now with courage look ahead?

Did you waste the day, or lose it? Was it well or sorely spent?

Did you leave a trail of kindess, or a scar of discontent?

As you close your eyes in slumber, do you think that God will say,

“You have earned one more tomorrow by the work you did today?”

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I found this poem on a piece of paper that my mother gave to me when Jim and I were first married. I have looked on the net and I found several poets by this name but no John Hall that has this poem listed under his credits. If anyone has any info on this poem/poet I would love to hear it.

At day's end is an interesting poem to me for a variety of reasons. My dad (Florence's nephew ) was also John Hall. I don't think he is the author, because he was born in 1924 and would have been 9 or 10 when Florence pasted this piece in the book.

I believe that the author was a member of the Masonic Order. The poem in Florence's journal uses the term "The Great Architect" to refer to God. When I google "At Day's End," most of the more current citing of this poem have changed "The Great Architect" to "God".

To me, that's a curious change. The Masons refer to a higher Deity as The Great Architect because they allow their members to believe in the deity of their choice. The term "The Great Architect" includes, God, Allah, Yahweh, or whatever the individual personal god happens to be. As much bad press as the Masonic Order seems to receive lately, I personally find this to be a very inclusive viewpoint.

It's also curious that my dad, John Hall, was a Mason. Just one of those weird coincidences in life. I do love this poem, it's a great read at bedtime, or to post in a gratitude journal.

Is anyone happier now

because you passed this way?

Does anyone remember

that you spoke to him today?

The day is almost over,

as its toiling time is though;

Is there anyone now

to utter a kindly word of you?

Can you say tonight, in parting

with the day that's slipping fast,

That you helped a single Brother

of the many that you passed?

Is a single heart rejoicing

over what you did or said;

Does the friend whose hopes were fading,

now with renewed courage look ahead?

Did you waste the day, or lose it?

Was it well, or sorely spent?

Did you leave a trail of kindness,

or a bleak scar of discontent?

As you close your eyes in slumber,

do you think the Great Architect will say,

"You have earned one more tomorrow

by the good works you did today"

One of our folks, Thumper, was explaining to me his life. He said that he had raised fifteen children, paid all the bills and maintained a household for decades. After his final child was settled, he never wanted to pay a bill again, so he decided to become homeless. He lives a quiet, very simple life, and generally comfortable.

He helped me out so much a few weeks ago. My car developed a gas leak, and it really shouldn’t have been driven (but I did for a while anyway). The part that needed to be replaced was only available through the dealer and then I would have to pay for someone to repair it in a shop. It was going to be expensive. and I had a dozen people wanting to help me with it. That was fine, but I know from experience not everyone knows what they are doing. One person had a plan, but he warned me that the plan might not work. And he was right. It didn’t.

So my vehicle was leaking a stream of gas now and I was going to have to have it towed as well as the part and the repair in a shop. Thump, however, said that he thought he could fix it cheaply and easily. I didn’t figure he could make it worse than it was, so I gave him twenty bucks for parts and got him a ride to a parts store. In about an hour he had repaired my vehicle and it still works now. I consider this to be a miracle of God, because a huge burden had been lifted off me.

He said that he never did have much use for a preacher or a church, although Anawim is different because they actually help people and he is able to help with us. The only sermon he took in and treasured was a poem he found in the Gresham Outlook in 1961, a hundred years after the poem was originally written by John Hall. It’s called “At Day’s End”:

Is anybody happier because you passed his way?
Does anyone remember that you spoke to him today?

The day is almost over, and its toiling time is through;
Is there anyone to utter now a kindly word of you?

Can you say tonight, in parting with the day that’s slipping fast,
That you helped a single brother of the many that passed?

Is a single heart rejoicing over what you did or said;
Does the man whose hopes were fading, now with courage look ahead?

Did you waste the day, or lose it? Was it well or sorely spent?
Did you leave a trail of kindness, or a scar of discontent?

As you close your eyes in slumber, do you think that God will say,
“You have earned one more tomorrow by the work you did today”.

I can’t actually say that I had ever preached a better sermon, so I just let it go.

Thanks, Thump.

days end poem john hall