Sunday, January 12, 1868 - "Is a man a whit the better?"

This is a very cold day. Thare is none of the folks to church to day.
Every thing is quiet to day.
Bill is home to day.
Thare is no preaching at Lees church to day.
Lill is not home to day.
Brushland, Del Co. N.Y. 1868

The Man*
Is a man a whit the better
For his riches and his gains?
For his acres and his palace-
If his inmost heart is callous-
Is a man a whit the better?
Is a man a whit the worse
For a lowly dress of rags?
Though he owns no lordly rental.
If his heart is kind and gentle
Is a man a whit the worse.

*This poem dates from the 1860s and appears in several publications found on Google, but I have not found who wrote it.