Scouts Own Resources

Some Ideas on Scouts' Owns 
 
For an open Troop, or for Troops in camp, I think the Scouts' Own should be open to all denominations, and carried on in such manner as to offend none. There should not be any special form, but it should abound in the right spirit, and should be conducted not from any ecclesiastical point of view, but from that of the boy. Everything likely to make an artificial atmosphere should be avoided. We do not want a kind of imposed Church Parade, but a voluntary uplifting of their hearts by the boys in thanksgiving for the joys of life, and a desire on their part to seek inspiration and strength for greater love and service for others. 
 A Scouts' Own should have as big an effect on the boys as any service in Church, if in conducting the Scouts' Own we remember that boys are not grown men, and if we go by the pace of the youngest and most uneducated of those present. Boredom is not reverence, nor will it breed religion. 
 To interest the boys, the Scouts' Own must be a cheery and varied function. Short hymns (tree verses are as a rule quite enough-never more than four); understandable prayers; a good address from a man who really understands boys (a homely "talk" rather than an address), which grips the boys, and in which they may laugh or applaud as the spirit moves them, so that they take a real interest in what is said. If a man cannot make his point to keen boys in ten minutes he ought to be shot! If he has not got them keen, it would be better not to hold a Scouts' Own at all. 
 
By Baden Powell 
Printed in "The Scouter" 
November 1928

This Is The Beginning Of A Brand New Day

This is the beginning of a brand new day. 
I can waste it or use it for good. 
What I do today is important because I am exchanging a day of my life for it. 
When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever, leaving in its place 
What I have traded for it. 
I want it to be gain, not loss -- good, not evil -- success, not failure -- so that I shall never regret the price I paid for today. 

Help Us To Understand Our Promise Better 

God our Father, Bless us as we gather here today. 
Help us to understand our promise better. 
Teach us to love you more and to love all your people and to do our very best every day. 
Amen 

As I Start Upon My Chosen Way
 
Lord, as I start upon my chosen way, 
In all I do, my thoughts, my work, my play, 
Grant as I promise, Courage new for me, 
To be the best, the best that I can be. 
 
Silent Prayer For Our Brothers

B.P wrote: 
  First love and serve God. 
  Second love and serve your neighbor. 
  In doing you duty to God always be grateful to him. 
  Whenever you enjoy a pleasure or a good game, or succeed in doing a good thing, thank Him for it, if only with a word or two. 
 
Let us each now say a silent prayer for our brother on our right.... For our brother on our left... 
And now for our brother scouts around the world. 

For the Joy of the Year 
 
Our Lord and creator, 
We thank You today for the beauty of our world. 
For sunshine and flowers, 
Storm-cloud and starry nights, 
For the first radiance of dawn 
And the last glow of sunset. 
 
We thank you for physical joy, 
For clear water to swim in, 
For the fresh smell of rain on dry ground, 
For hills to climb and work to do together. 
 
Make our hearts wide open to these gifts, 
And help us to live in thanksgiving to You, 
Our Lord and our creator. 

Prayer of Thanks Giving 
 
We thank you today 
For the adventure of Scouting, 
For the unselfishness of parents, 
For the patience of teachers 
And for the encouragement of friends. 
 
We give thee thanks, O Lord, for our Founder's life of service and for his gift of Scouting to the world. Help us to hold firmly to the Law which he gave us for guidance and so to understand more fully thy will. Inspire us to find a way of life, in which the youth of all nations, may find unity and true brotherhood. 
 
Amen. 

Your tasks - To build a better world 

"Your task - 
To build a better world", God said. 
I answered, "How? 
The world is such a large, vast place, 
So complicated now. 
And I so small and useless am, 
There's nothing I can do." 
In all His wisdom said, 
"Just build a better you." 
 
Salutation to the Dawn 
 
Look to this day 
For it is life; the very life of life. 
In its brief path lie all the verities and realities of our 
existence, 
The bliss of growth, 
The glory of action, 
The splendor of beauty. 
For yesterday is but a dream 
And tomorrow is only a vision, 
But today well lived 
Makes every yesterday a dream of happiness 
And every tomorrow a vision of hope. 
Look well therefore to this day. 

Wood Campfires 
 
Kneel always when you light a fire! 
Kneel reverently, 
And grateful be 
To God for His unfailing charity. 
 
              - John Oxenham 
 
God of the Open Air

God of the open air, we kneel reverently in this temple not made with hands. 
The tall pines lift our thoughts above us to the Source of all this beauty. 
The singing of the feather-throated choir  puts a melody in our hearts, a song of joy and praise and trust. 
All the discordant notes of the world are muted; all the problems of life are forgotten. 
We are filled with an inner peace  and know that here we have found Thee. 
As we leave this hallowed spot, may the reality of Thy presence go with us to give us courage and strength for our daily tasks. 
 
Amen. 
 
- Dorothy Wells Pease 
 
Some Thoughts
 
O God, Thou hast given so much to us, give one thing more - a grateful heart. Amen. 
                         -George Herbert 

To be closer to God, be closer to people. 
                         -Kahlil Gibran 

When praying, do not give God instructions  - report for duty. 

Real Religion

Real religion is a way of life, not a white cloak to be worn only on Sundays and then tossed aside into the weekday closet  of unconcern. 
                 -William A. Ward 

God Give Me A Task Too Big

God give me a task too big, 
Too hard for human hands. 
Then I shall come at length 
To lean on Thee; 
And leaning, find my strength. 
               -Wilbur Humphrey Fowler 

God of the Sea
 
God of the sea, the winds, the tides, we praise thee for the greatness of thy power and the certainty of thy laws. We see careless picnickers throw their litter to be carried far out into the sea by the outgoing tied, but the next morning it lies stranded on the beach where the high tide has left it. 
 
So it is, our Father, in our lives. We throw out a careless word, an unkind thought, and it comes back to us in resentments and friendlessness. A selfish act, a yielding to temptation, or a deed left undone comes back as a haunting memory, another's failure, or a missed opportunity. 
 
Help us, Our Father, to cast only good upon the waters that good may come back with the tide. Amen. 
                 -Dorothy Wells Pease 
 
We Thank Thee
 
We thank Thee 
For flowers that bloom about our feet; 
For tender grass so fresh and sweet; 
For song of bird and hum of bee; 
For all things fair we hear and see, 
Father in heaven, we thank Thee! 
                  -Ralph Waldo Emerson 

Could You Afford It? 
 
Suppose God charged us for the rain, 
Or put a price on a song-bird's strain 
Of music-the dawn-mist on the plain. 
How much would autumn landscapes cost, 
Or a window etched with winter's frost, 
And the rainbow's glory so quickly lost? 
Suppose that people had to pay 
To see the sunset's crimson play 
And the magic stars of the Milky Way. 
Suppose it was fifty cents a night 
To watch a gull in graceful flight. 
How much, I wonder, would it be worth 
To smell the good, brown, fragrant earth 
In spring? The miracle of birth- 
How much do you think people would pay 
For a baby's laugh at the close of day? 
Suppose God charged us for them, I say! 
Suppose we paid to look at the hills, 
For the rippling mountain rills, 
Or the mating song of the whippoorwills, 
Or curving breakers of the sea, 
For grace, and beauty, and majesty? 
And all these things He gives us free! 
 
          -Author Unknown 
 
I Know Not Where

I know not were the white road runs, 
   nor what the blue hills are, 
But man can have the sun for a friend, 
   and for his guide a star; 
And there's no end of voyaging when once 
   the voice is heard. 
For the river calls and the road calls, 
   and oh, the call of a bird! 

The Log in the Woods
 
The old log in the woods will never be a great tree again, things never go back, yet lying there, covered with moss, it is creating new life, which in turn will be great and beautiful.... 
The fish eats the insect, the bird the fish, The mammal the bird, and the insect the mammal, as each, in universal rhythm is creating new life, for there is no life except life which comes from life... 
Waters flow where daisies grew, Trees grow where swans once swam 
All things upon this earth are developing into new things, from what is here must come what is to be.... There is no other material. 
 
                -Gwen Frostic 

The Precious Pearl

Each day, a precious pearl, to you is given 
That you must string upon the silver thread of life 
And once strung, can never be unthreaded but stays, 
An undying record of your faith and skill. 
Each golden link you then must weld into the chain of hours 
That is no stronger than its weakest link. 
Into your hands is given all the wealth and power 
To make your life just what you will. 
God gives to you, free and unstinted, twelve glorious months 
Of soothing rain and sunshine golden. 
The days for work and play, the nights for peaceful slumber. 
All that He has, He gives, with love unspoken. 
All that He asks - you keep the faith unbroken. 

Let Me Live Each Day
 
Let me live each day as if it were my last. 
Let me enjoy each fleeting hour of time. 
Let me give of myself to those who need me. 
Let me make each passing face to glow and shine. 
 
Let me bring hope to those who haven't any. 
Let me be a friend to those who claim they've none. 
Let me show the way, to those who've lost it. 
Let me share well with those who've fought and won. 
Let me be truthful, where truth cannot let down. 
Let me lead, where leaders are most wanted. 
Let me smile, when others want to frown. 
 
Let me be, as Thou must well have wanted. 
Let me always pay my way, my earthly lease. 
Let me richly fill the space Thou givest me. 
Let me, finally come to Thee, in peace. 

God Forgive Me When I Whine

Today, upon a bus, 
I saw a girl with golden hair, 
I envied her, she seemed so gay. 
When she rose to leave, 
I saw her hobble down the aisle. 
She had one leg, and used a crutch, 
But as she passed, she smiled. 
 
Oh God, forgive me when I whine, 
I have two legs, The world is mine. 
 
I stopped to buy some candy, 
The lad who sold it had such charm, 
I talked with him, he seemed so glad, 
and as I left he said to me, 
"I thank you. You have been so kind, 
it's nice to talk to folks like you, 
you see," he said, "I'm blind." 
 
Oh God, forgive me when I whine, 
I have two eyes, the world is mine. 
 
Later, when walking down the street, 
I saw a child with eyes of blue. 
He stood and watched the others play, 
I stopped a moment, then said, 
"Why don't you join the others dear?" 
He looked ahead without a word 
and then I knew he couldn't hear. 
 
Oh God, forgive me when I whine, 
I have two ears, the world is mine. 
 
With feet to take me where I want to go, 
with eyes to see the sunset's glow, 
with ears to hear what I would know, 
Oh God, forgive me when I whine, 
I'm blessed indeed. 
The world is mine. 

You gave me eyes to see and I see, 
   but yet I see so little. 
You gave me ears to hear, 
   and I listen not enough. 
You gave me a mind to think 
   but so many times I don't. 
You gave me hands to reach out to others, 
   but so many times I don't reach out far enough. 
You gave me a heart to be filled with love, 
   but so many times it doesn't show. 
Help me Lord to use to the fullest, 
   the things You have given me. 

I Thank You Just for Life 
 
I thank You just for life. 
The chance to live, to be alive! 
So great Your gift, 
if You do nothing give besides, 
it is enough. 
 
To breathe Your air, 
to walk the woodland sod, 
to feel the play of mighty winds, 
to look You in the face, 
and call You God. 
 An Irish Blessing 
 
May the blessed sunlight shine upon you and warm your heart until it glows like a great fire, so that a stranger may come and warm himself at it, and also a friend. 

Simple Easy and Wrong 

For every complex and difficult issue, there is always and answer that is simple, easy and wrong. 
 
      -H.L. Mencken 

Camping in the Snow 
 
Lord, we are camping in the snow today; 
We may fear the cold, 
But we trust that your Spirit 
Will guide and warm us. 

Beaver Prayer 
 
The air we breathe, the friends we meet, 
The walk to use our eyes and feet, 
The things around us make us say, 
Thank you, God, for each new day! 
 
     -from Scouting (U.K.) magazine 

Gifts 
 
The best thing to give to your enemy is forgiveness 
to an opponent, tolerance 
to a friend, understanding 
to a child, a good example 
to your father, deference 
to you mother, conduct that will make her proud of you 
to yourself, respect 
to all men, charity. 
 
      -Arthur James Balfour 
 
 Clear Morning 
 
My will slowly forces my resting eyes to peer into the land of the awake 
The orange light through the tent shatters the work of my will by slamming my eyelids together. 
I try again 
Now, I am prepared 
The morning is fresh and crisp clear 
The sun dawns over the mountains reaching for the sky 
The snow, white, clean glistens and shines 
I walk to meet nature 
The reunion lasts..... 
 
     -By Venturer Gavin De Lint 

Love 
 
Love all God's creation, 
both the whole and every grain of sand. 
Love every leaf, every ray of light. 
Love the animals, love the plants, 
love each separate thing. 
If you love each thing, 
you will perceive the mystery of God in all; 
and when once you perceive this, 
you will thence-forward grow every day 
to a fuller understanding of it, 
until you come at last to love the whole world 
with a love that will then be all embracing and universal. 

A Thought
 
If fun is good, truth is still better, and love best of all. 

Declaration 
 
The world is my country, 
The human race is my race, 
The spirit of man is my god, 
The future of man is my heaven. 
         -F.R. Scott 

Good News 
 
Everyone has inside himself a piece of good news. 
The good news is that you really don't know.... 
How great you can be, 
How much you can love, 
What you can accomplish, or what your potential is. 
How can you top good news like that? 
      -Anne Frank, From her diary 

A Scout's Prayer 
 
We have hiked along life's pathway, 
Our packs upon our backs, 
We have pitched our tents and rested 
Here and there along the tracks. 
We have used our compass wisely 
To guide us on our way 
And hope to reach the campsite 
Of our Great Chief Scout some day. 
 
We have tried to be trustworthy - 
Kept our honor high and clean, 
We have been as loyal as any 
To our Country and our Queen. 
We have done our best at all times - 
Kept our Promise - been prepared, 
And hope our good deeds please Him 
When at last our souls are bared. 
 
We have lightened others' burdens, 
With our smiles along the way, 
We have kept our hand in God's hand, 
Walked beside Him day by day. 
And when our span of life runs out, 
We'll make this gentle plea - 
May we sit around His Campfire 
At the Final Jamboree. 
 
     -from "Scouting in New South Wales" 

Present Tense 
 
It was spring, but it was summer I wanted, 
The warm days, and the great outdoors. 
 
It was summer, but it was fall I wanted, 
The colorful leaves, and the cool, dry air. 
 
It was fall, but it was winter I wanted, 
The beautiful snow, and the joy of the holiday season. 
 
It was winter, but it was spring I wanted, 
The warmth, and the blossoming of nature. 
 
I was a child, but it was adulthood I wanted, 
The freedom, and the respect. 
 
I was 20, but it was 30 I wanted, 
To be mature, and sophisticated. 
 
I was middle aged, but it was 20 I wanted, 
The youth, and the free spirit. 
 
I was retired, but it was middle age I wanted, 
The presence of mind, without limitations. 
 
My life was over. but I never got what I wanted. 
 
   -Jason Leham (age 14) 

Take Time 
 
Take time to work, 
It is the price of success. 
Take time to think, 
It is the source of power. 
Take time to read, 
It is the foundation of knowledge. 
Take time to give to others, 
It will bring you happiness. 
Take time to love, 
It is the sacrament of life. 
Take time to dream, 
It hitches the soul to the stars. 
Take time to laugh, 
It lightens the highway to eternal life. 
Take time to plan, 
And you will have time for all the rest. 
       - From Jo-Anne Wood 

Campers 
 
Campers are very special people: 
They have felt the cool wind of dawn; 
They have known the slow march of the stars along the milky way; 
The have reached out their hands to new friends; 
They have stood tiptoe to the meaning of life, and found it good: 
Their eyes have caught the vision of the shining future, 
Their hearts have encompassed all the bounds of the earth. 
And their minds have listened to God. 
 
     -from "Campfires, A Collection of Favorites 
      compiled by Linda Kish 

Rainbow 
 
Rainbow, rainbow 
The heavenly miracle of - 
Rainbow, rainbow, 
A rainbow colored with love. 
 
Gem conjured out of the shadows, 
Miracle wrought in the rain, 
We see in each shimmering rainbow 
Life's wonderful colors again; 
Like poppies ablaze in the cornfield, 
With midsummer blue skies above, 
Like butterflies' wings and all living things, 
The rainbow is colored with love. 
 
Rainbow, rainbow, 
That sunshine caught in the rain; 
Rainbow, rainbow, 
A sunshine caught in the rain. 
 
The Lord made mankind in His image, 
To dwell on the earth in His place, 
And just as He colored the rainbow, 
He colored the folk of each race; 
So children are brothers and sisters, 
Whatever the language, they prove, 
With eyes shining bright and face black or white; 
The radiate friendship and love. 
 
Rainbow, rainbow, 
You tell us the sun's close by; 
Rainbow, rainbow, 
A smile in our troubled sky. 
 
- Words by Jack Macfarlane, written to celebrate the rainbow theme Cub Scouts in the U.K. are following this year. Thanks to Scouting (U.K.) magazine. 

Prayer for Peace 
 
God, make me an instrument of Your Peace; 
Where there is hatred, let me sow love; 
Where there is injury, pardon; 
Where there is doubt, faith; 
Where there is despair, hope; 
Where there is darkness, light; 
And where there is sadness, joy; 
That I may seek to console, rather than to be consoled, 
To understand rather than to be understood, 
To love rather than to be loved: 
For it is in giving that we receive, 
In self-forgetfulness that we find our true selves, 
In forgiving that we are forgiven: 
God, make me an instrument of Your Peace. 
       -From the organizers of "A Million Minutes of Peace" 

Sioux Prayer 
 
Ho! Great Spirit, Grandfather, you have made everything and are in everything. You sustain everything, guide everything, provide everything, and protect everything, because everything belongs to you. I am weak, poor and lowly; nevertheless, help me to care, in appreciation and gratitude to you and for everything. 
 
I love the stars, the sun and the moon, and I thank you for our beautiful mother, the Earth, whose many breasts nourish the fish, the fowls and the animals, too. May I never deceive Mother Earth; may I never deceive my people; may I never deceive myself; and above all, may I never deceive you. 

A True Friend 
 
A true friend is one to whom you can tip out all the contents of your heart, chaff and grain together, knowing that the gentlest hands will take and sift it, keep what is worth keeping and, with the breath of kindness, blow the rest away. 
 
        -an Arabian definition of a friend 

Thanks Be to God 
 
Thanks to God for things we see, 
The growing flower, the waving tree, 
Our mother's face, the bright blue sky 
Where birds and clouds go floating by; 
Thanks be to Dog for seeing. 
 
Thanks to God for things we hear, 
For sounds of friends who laugh and cheer, 
The merry bells, the songs of birds, 
For stories, tunes, and kindly words; 
Thanks be to God for hearing. 
 
      -from Hazel Tagg 

Beaver Prayer 
 
Now, before I run to play, 
Don't let me forget to pray 
To God who keeps me through the night 
And wakes me up with morning light; 
Help me, Lord, to love you more 
Than I have ever loved before, 
In my work and in my play; 
Thank you, God, for another day. 
 
     - 8th Belleville Beavers 

Needs 
 
You need enough happiness to keep you serene; 
Enough troubles to make you strong; 
Enough suffering to make you human; 
Enough hopes to keep you optimistic; 
Enough failures to keep you humble; 
Enough success to keep you confident; 
Enough friends to give you comfort; 
Enough enthusiasm to make you dare boldly; 
Enough faith to banish depression; 
Enough love to keep you young in heart; 
Enough time to sing your joy; 
And enough peace to keep you happy. 
          -"The Needs of Human Beings",Dr.Klies,Scouting U.K. 
 Lord We Thank You

Lord, we thank you for this day. 
Help us to do our best every day, 
And forgive use when we slip. 
 
Teach us to be kind to other people 
and to help them at all times 
Bless our parents and teachers and leaders 
and all the members of Scouting 
 
Bless us, Lord in your love for us 
Help us to be a better Scouts 
and let us do our best for you 
 
Amen 

We Thank You Lord .... 
 
 ... for the lives of Lord and Lady B.P. 
     for all the fun and adventures we have in Scouting 
     for the worldwide brotherhood of Scouts 
     for the beauty of the world and all the marvelous things 
          You have made in nature 
     for keeping us fit and well and happy 
     for our homes, our parents, and all who look after us 
 
Please help us .... 
 
 ... to be good sportsmen, fair and honest in work as in play 
          and in everything we do. 
     to find ways of serving You by helping other people as 
          best we can 
     to be worthy of our uniform and loyal to our promise, 
          behaving as true brothers to all mankind 
     to look after Your creation and keep this world as lovely 
          a place as You intended it to be 
     to help all children who are not so lucky as we, 
          especially those who are hungry or lonely, sick or 
          sad 
     to be loving and caring as we grow older and to do our 
          best to repay your blessings in every way we can. 
 
            -Thanks to Hazel Addis, Scouting (U.K.) 
 
Rope Circle Closing 
 
Give each boy a piece of rope about 1m long. Tell the boys to tie their ropes together with square knots. Then, holding the knotted rope they form a friendship circle, lean back, and let the rope support them. Scouter says, "You are now part of a group of close friends, held together by a square knot, the symbol of helping others. Let's say our promise together." 
	-- From Circle Ten Council, BSA, Pow Wow 1979 
 
A Camper's Ten Commandments 
 
Thou shalt do they share and more; 
Thou shalt keep thy sense of humor; 
Thou shalt do they camp duties to the best of thy ability; 
Thou shalt not cry over burnt food; 
Thou shalt treat other people as you would wish them to treat you; 
Thou shalt not pollute or destroy; 
Thou shalt not giggle all night; 
Thou shalt not forget about personal cleanliness; 
Thou shalt spread thy friendship to someone new; 
Thou shalt listen to thy leaders, for they are wise in the ways of making camp a happy time for everyone. 
 
           -from the Columbia Valley District, B.C. 

 Jamaican Camp Grace 
 
Lift up your hearts; 
Hearts and minds and voices all give thanks 
For this our bread; 
Hearts and minds and voices all give thanks 
For these our friends; 
Hearts and minds and voices all give thanks 
For this our camp; 
Hearts and minds and voices all give thanks 
For this our world; 
Hearts and minds and voices all give thanks 
We thank the Lord; 
Hearts and minds and voices all give thanks 

Give Thanks 
 
Give thanks for sun and sky around, 
And all the riches of the ground, 
For all our blessings and this food, 
For life and friends and all that's good. 

Lord's Prayer 
(Translated from Chinook) 
 
Our father who stayeth in the above 
God in our hearts be Thy name, 
God Thou Chief among all people 
God Thy will upon earth 
As in the above. 
Give us every day our food; 
If we do evil, 
Be not Thou very angry, and if 
Anyone evil towards us 
Not we angry towards them 
Send away far from us all evil. 

A thought for Closing 
 
May the road rise to meet you; 
May the wind be always at your back; 
May the rain fall softly upon your face; 
May the Lord hold you in the hollow of His hand. 

Isn't It Funny 
 
When the other fellow takes a long time to do something, he's slow. But when I take a long time to do something, I'm thorough. 
 
When the other fellow doesn't do it, he's too lazy. But when I don't do it, I'm to busy. 
 
When the other fellow goes ahead and does something without being told, he's overstepping his bounds. But when I do something without being told, that's initiative! 
 
When the other fellow states his side of a question strongly, he's bull-headed. But when I state my side of a question strongly, I'm being firm. 
 
When the other fellow overlooks a few of the rules of etiquette, he's rude. But when I skip a few of the rules, I'm being original. 
 
When the other fellow does something that pleases higher-ups, he's polishing the brass. But when I do something that pleases them, that's cooperation. 
 
When the other fellow gets ahead, he sure had the lucky breaks. But when I manage to get ahead - well, man! it was hard work that did it. 
 
Funny, isn't it? Or is it? 
 
          -New Brunswick Scouting News 

Canoeing Prayer 
 
Lord, we will be canoeing today; 
We shall be very busy; 
If, during the course of the day 
We forget about you, 
Please don't forget about us. 
 
Beaver Prayer 
 
Thank you God, who loves us, 
For every happy day, 
For trees and grass and flowers and sun, 
For friends to share our games and fun, 
Thank you God, we love you. 
Amen 

Some Thoughts 
 
If you can't see the bright side, 
polish up the dark one and look at that. 
 
           -Colin McKay 

Remember that it takes both sunshine and rain to make a rainbow. 

The Lord asks of you only this; to act justly, to love tenderly, and to walk humbly with your God. 
 
Measurements 
 
When God measures man. He puts the tape measure around the heart, not the head. 

Guide us Through and Out
 
Our Father, who art in heaven and who art on earth, even journeying with your people, thank you for being faithful and for never abandoning us. When we are in the wilderness, guide us through and out. When we are lost, please find us. When we cry out , please hear us - in the name of the One who said, "Lo, I am with you always." Amen 
 
         -From "Meditation" by Bruce Miles, Presbyterian Record March 1985 
 
Some Thoughts 
 
Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes. 
                          -Mohandas Gandhi 

A Leader is a person who finds out where everybody is heading, then shuffles around to get in front! 
         -'Scout', Australia 

God Surrounds Us

God's light surrounds us, 
God's love enfolds us, 
God's power protects us, 
God's presence watches over us; 
Wherever we are, God is. 

God of the Universe

God of the universe, help us to see the hope of a better future for all your people. Help us to rise above our own likes and dislikes when there are more important things to consider, and to play our part in achieving some great good for our country and for the world. Amen. 

Gaelic Prayer 
 
Be Thou a bright flame before me, 
Be Thou a guiding star above me, 
Be Thou a smooth path below me, 
And be a kindly shepherd behind me, 
Today, tonight and forever. 

Be At Peace 
 
You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. 
Therefore, be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be and, whatever your labors and aspirations in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace with your soul. 
With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world... 
	 -- From an inscription in St. Paul's Church, Baltimore 

International Youth Year Prayer 
 
May men, with the help of God, build up throughout 1985, united 
communities of participation, development and peace. 

Think Truly 
 
Think truly, and thy thoughts shall the world's family feed; 
Speak truly, and each word of thine shall be a fruitful; seed; 
Live truly, and thy life shall be a great and noble creed. 

Prayer from the West Indies 
 
Oh God, who has made the earth so varied and cast the races of man in so many different molds, we who live in these lovely islands of the western sea pray for all your children. Grant that we, with all men everywhere, may enter into the full joyous life of Your Kingdom. 
	-- From 'Scouting' (U.K.) 

Lord's Prayer for Beavers 
 
Our Father who art in heaven, and who art very near to us. 
Help us to keep thy name holy, and never to use it in wrong ways; 
Help us to do what you want us to, as the angels do in heaven; 
Give us this day the food we need, and may we help to fee the hungry; 
Forgive us when we are naughty as we forgive those who are naughty to us; 
Keep us from wanting to do wrong and help us to do right; 
For thine is the kingdom and the glory and the power, for ever and ever. Amen. 

Friendship: from India 
 
There is beauty in the earth, 
The mountains high, the valleys green, 
The rippling brook, the waterfall. 
The wild sweet rose so oft unseen; 
The song of birds, the smell of spring 
Autumn colors bright and gay, 
A thousand treasures we can find 
If we but look about each day; 
Yes, gracious is the bounty 
That God to man does send; 
Then, as a crowning glory, 
God gave to men - a friend. 

Closing Ceremony Thoughts 
 
May I grow in character and ability as I grow in size. 
May I be honest with myself and others in what I do and say. 
May I always honor my parents, my elders and my leaders. 
May I develop high moral principles and the courage to live by them. 
May I strive for health in body, mind and spirit. 
May I always respect the rights of others. 
May I set a good example so that others may enjoy and profit from my company. 
May I give honest effort to my work. 
May I learn things that will help me make life better for every living thing in God's beautiful world. 

The Spirit Lives 
 
The Spirit lives, there is no doubt, 
Within the heart of every Scout, 
The hope lives  on, the dreams survive, 
The Scouting spirit is alive! 
 
In England, many years ago, 
There lived a man who sought to sow 
The seeds of brotherhood of man, 
And there the spirit first began. 
 
The Scouting spirit spread about 
To nations east, west, north and south, 
And soon, on every land and shore, 
Young men were taught the Scouting Law. 
 
We camped and learned of nature's ways, 
We gloried in our youthful days, 
We ventured where all others feared, 
Because we knew we were prepared. 
 
The world has changed as years went by, 
Society's values went awry, 
And many ask, "What is the worth 
of Scouting on this wretched earth?" 
 
But each new Scout who learns our law 
Brings with him hope, and much, much more; 
Each generation of Scouts gives 
The proof that Scouting's spirit lives. 
 
The treasured values of the past 
Still guide Scouts of today; they last 
In spite of changes that we see 
Around us in society. 
 
And still, adventures filled with fun 
Await today's Scouts, every one; 
In them that spirit, born of old 
May yet transform this sorry world.
 
And so we say without a doubt, 
That in the heart of every Scout 
The hope lives on, the dreams survive, 
The Scouting spirit is alive! 
 
	-- By G.K. Sammy, former Scout of 31st Trinidad, dedicated to the Naparima District Scouts, who attended the XV World Jamboree, 1983 

Camp Graces

For food and all Thy gifts of love 
We give Thee thanks and praise 
Look down O Lord from above 
And bless us all our days. 

God we thank Thee for this food 
For rest and home and all things good 
For wind and rain and sun above 
But most of all for those we love. 

Bless O Lord this food to our use, 
And us to Thy service. 

We thank Thee Lord for happy hearts 
For rain and sunny weather 
We thank Thee Lord for this our food 
And that we are together. 

God is great and God is good 
And we thank Him for our food 
By His hand we must be fed 
Give us, Lord, our daily bread. 

Let us bow our heads and say: 
We thank You, God, for food this day. 
Thank You, God, for things to eat 
For fruit and mild, for bread and meat 
Thank You, God, for words to say 
So we can speak and we can pray. 

Thank you for the world so sweet, 
Thank you for food we eat 
Thank you for the birds that sing, 
Thank you God, for everything. 

Be present at our table, Lord, 
Be here and everywhere adored, 
These morsels blessed grant that we 
May feast in Paradise with Thee. 

God, friend of all people, 
Be a friend to me; 
Take my hand and ever keep me 
Close to Thee. 

For health and friends, 
And daily food 
We give Thee thanks, O Lord. 

We praise Thee, Father, for food for fellowship 
Give to us thru' the one, vigour of body 
Thru' the other, strength of spirit. 

The bread is on our table 
Bless those who have no bread 
And give us grace in sharing 
This bounty round us spread. 

Success 
 
Success is in the way you walk, 
The paths of life each day; 
It's in the little things you do 
And in the things you say. 
Success is not in getting rich 
Or rising high to fame; 
It's not alone in winning goals 
Which all men hope to claim. 
It's being faithful to your friends 
And to the strangers kind, 
It's in the children whom you love 
And all they learn from you; 
Success depends on character 
And everything you do. 

The Best We Can Be 
 
If you can't be a pine on top of the hill 
Be a scrub in the valley- 
but be the best little scrub on the side of the hill 
Be a bush if you can't be a tree. 
 
If you can't be a bush be a bit of grass 
Some highway to happier make. 
 
If you can't be a muskie then just be a bass, 
But the liveliest bass in the lake. 
 
We can't all be captains, we've got to have crew, 
There's something for all of us here. 
There's big work to do and there's lesser work too 
And the task we must do is near. 
 
If you can't be a highway, then just be a trail. 
If you can't be the sun, be a star. 
It isn't by size that you win or fail. 
Be the best of whatever you are. 

The Rule of Three 
 
Three things to govern: Temper, tongue and conduct. 
Three things to cultivate: Courage, affection and gentleness. 
Three things to comment: thrift, industry, and promptness. 
Three things to give: help to the needy, comfort to the sad, and appreciation to the worthy. 

Count That Day Lost 
 
If you sit down at set of sun 
And count the acts that you have done, 
And, counting find 
One self-denying deed, one word 
That eased the heart of him who heard; 
One glance most kind, 
That fell like sunshine where it went- 
Then you may count that day well spent. 
But if, through all the livelong day, 
You've cheered no heart, by yea or nay- 
If, through it all 
You've nothing done that you can trace 
That brought the sunshine to one face- 
No act most small 
That helped some soul and nothing cost- 
Then count that day as worse than lost. 
           -George Eliot 

Three Things Come Not Back 
 
Remember three things come not back; 
The arrow sent upon its track- 
It will not swerve, it will not stay 
Its speed; it files to wound, or slay. 
The spoken word so soon forgot 
By thee; but it has perished not; 
In other hearts 'tis living still 
And doing work for good or ill. 
And the lost opportunity 
That cometh back no more to thee, 
In vain thou weepest, in vain dost yearn, 
Those three will nevermore return. 
 	-- From the Arabick 

It Couldn't Be Done 
 
Somebody said that it couldn't be done, 
But he, with a chuckle, replied 
That maybe it couldn't, but he would be one 
Who wouldn't say so till he'd tried. 
So he buckled right in with a trace of a grin 
On his face; if he worried, he hid it. 
He started to sing as he tackled the thing 
That couldn't be done - and he did it. 
 
Somebody scoffed, "Oh, you'll never do that, 
At least, no one ever has done it;" 
But he took off his coat and he took off his hat, 
And the first thing we knew he'd begun it. 
With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin, 
Without any doubting or quiddit, 
He started to sing as he tackled the thing 
That couldn't be done - and he did it. 
 
There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done, 
There are thousands to prophesy failure; 
There are thousands to point out to you - one by one 
The dangers that wait to assail you. 
But just buckle in with a bit of a grin, 
Just take off your coat and go to it; 
Just start to sing as you tackle the thing 
That cannot be done - and you'll do it. 
	-- By Edgar A. Guest 

The Scout Law Litany 
 
S) A Scouts Honor is to be trusted. 
L) We pray Thee, Lord, for fearless honest, that knowing neither "but" nor "if" we may be known as trustworthy men. 
 
A) Make us good Scouts, Lord. 
 
S) A Scout is loyal to the Queen, his country, his Scouters, his parents, his employers, and to those under him. 
L) We pray Thee, Lord, for every knightly virtue, that no ignoble quest or untrue thing may dim the splendor of our loyalties. 
 
A) Make us good Scouts, Lord. 
 
S) A Scout's duty is to be useful and helpful to others. 
L) We pray Thee, Lord, for happy diligence, that as apprentices of Him who served mankind, we may master the virtue of helpfulness. 
 
A) Make us good Scouts, Lord. 
 
S) A Scout is a friend to all, and a brother to every other Scout. 
L) We pray Thee, Lord, for friendly hearts, that neither class nor creed, nor color, nor accident of birth may blind us to claims of brotherhood. 
 
A) Make us good Scouts, Lord. 
 
S) A Scout is courteous. 
L) We pray Thee, Lord, for simple courtesy, that being strong we may uphold the weak, and being men, may yet be gentlemen. 
 
A) Make us good Scouts, Lord. 
 
S) A Scout is a friend to animals. 
L) We pray Thee, Lord, for all the speechless subjects of God's kingdom, that we may be humble to learn the lessons they can teach us, and eager to befriend them. 
 
A) Make us good Scouts, Lord. 
 
S) A Scout obeys orders of his parents, Patrol Leader and Scoutmaster without question. 
L) We pray Thee, Lord, for vigorous free obedience, that being masters of ourselves, we may be willing servants of authority. 
 
A) Make us good Scouts, Lord. 
 
S) A Scout smiles and whistles under all difficulties. 
L) We pray Thee, Lord, for joyful humor, that we may not run before the gale, but beat into the wind with hearts held high, and gay and gallant constancy. 
 
A) Make us good Scouts, Lord. 
 
S) A Scout is thrifty. 
L) We pray Thee, Lord, for generous thrift, that we may save the gifts of God and yet be set on giving more than getting. 
 
A) Make us good Scouts, Lord. 
 
S) A Scout is clean in thought, word and deed. 
L) We pray Thee, Lord, for Thy presence in our hearts, that all befouling things may drop away from us as dead desires. 
 
A) Make us good Scouts, Lord. 
 
L) Truly our Law is founded as a house upon a rock. It is rooted in the principles of God. Let us then with pride and purpose renew our Scout Promise. 
A) The Scout Promise. (Make the Scout sigh and repeat) I Promise to do my best, to love and serve God, My Queen, my country and my fellow men, And to live by the Scout Law. 
 
   -------- A) All   S) A Scout   L) Leader ----------