CHRISTIAN CHARACTER AND LIFE.
Reading edition
339. L. M. Watts.
"Ye shall know them by their Fruits."
1So let our lips and lives express The holy gospel we profess: So let our works and virtues shine, To prove the doctrine all divine.
2Thus shall we best proclaim abroad The honors of our Saviour, God, When the salvation reigns within. And grace subdues the power of sin.
3Our flesh and sense must be denied, Passion and envy, lust and pride, While justice, temperance, truth and love, Our inward piety approve.
4Religion bears our spirits up, While we expect that blessed hope, The bright appearance of the Lord, And faith stands leaning on his word.
340. C. M. Gisborne.
The Christian's Life and his Hope.
1A soldier's course, from battles won To new-commencing strife; A pilgrim's, restless as the sun-- Behold the Christian's life!
2O! let us seek our heavenly home, Revealed in sacred lore; The land whence pilgrims never roam, Where soldiers war no more;
3Where grief shall never wound, nor death, Beneath the Saviour's reign; Nor sin, with pestilential breath, His holy realm profane;
4The land where, suns and moons unknown, And night's alternate sway, Jehovah's ever-burning throne Upholds unbroken day;
5Where they who meet shall never part; Where grace achieves its plan; And God, uniting every heart, Dwells face to face with man.
341. L. M. E. Taylor.
"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God."
1"Thus shalt thou love the Almighty Lord, With all thy heart, and soul, and mind:" So speaks to man that sacred word, For counsel and reproof designed.
2"With all thy heart;" no idol thing, Though close around the heart it twine, Its interposing shade must fling, To darken that pure love of thine.
3"With all thy mind;" each varied power, Creative fancy, musings high, And thoughts that glance behind, before, These must religion sanctify.
4"With soul and strength;" thy days of ease, While vigor nerves each youthful limb, And hope and joy, and health and peace, All must be freely brought to him.
342. C. M. Doddridge.
Walking with God.
1Thrice happy souls, who, born from heaven, While yet they sojourn here, Do all their days with God begin, And spend them in his fear.
2'Midst hourly cares, may love present Its incense to thy throne; And while the world our hands employs, Our hearts be thine alone.
3As sanctified to noblest ends, Be each refreshment sought; And by each various providence Some wise instruction brought.
4When to laborious duties called, Or by temptations tried, We'll seek the shelter of thy wings, And in thy strength confide.
5In solid, pure delights like these, Let all our days be past; Nor shall we then impatient wish, Nor shall we fear, the last.
343. S. M. Heath.
Watchfulness and Prayer inculcated.
1My soul, be on thy guard; Ten thousand foes arise; The hosts of sin are pressing hard To draw thee from the skies.
2O, watch, and fight, and pray; The battle ne'er give o'er; Renew it boldly every day, And help divine implore.
3Ne'er think the victory won, Nor lay thine armor down: Thy arduous work will not be done Till thou obtain thy crown.
4Fight on, my soul, till death Shall bring thee to thy God; He'll take thee, at thy parting breath, To his divine abode.
344. L. M. Watts.
The Beatitudes.
1Blest are the humble souls that see Their emptiness and poverty; Treasures of grace to them are given, And crowns of joy laid up in heaven.
2Blest are the souls that thirst for grace, Hunger and long for righteousness; They shall be well supplied and fed With living streams and living bread.
3Blest are the pure, whose hearts are clean From the defiling power of sin; With endless pleasure they shall see A God of spotless purity.
4Blest are the men of peaceful life, Who quench the coals of growing strife; They shall be called the heirs of bliss, The sons of God, the God of peace.
5Blest are the sufferers who partake Of pain and shame for Jesus' sake; Their souls shall triumph in the Lord; Glory and joy are their reward.
345. L. M. Rippon's Coll.
Patience.
1Patience, O, 't is a grace divine, Sent from the God of peace and love, That leans upon our Father's arm, As through the wilds of life we rove.
2By patience, we serenely bear The troubles of our mortal state, And wait, contented, our discharge, Nor think our glory comes too late.
3O, for this grace to aid us on, And arm with fortitude the breast, Till, life's tumultuous voyage o'er, We reach the shores of endless rest.
4Faith into vision shall resign, Hope shall in full fruition die, And patience in possession end, In the bright worlds of bliss on high.
346. 7s. M. Merrick.
"Who shall abide in thy tabernacle?" Ps. 15.
1Who shall towards thy chosen seat Turn, O Lord, his favored feet? Who shall at thine altar bend? Who shall Zion's hill ascend? Who, great God, a welcome guest, On thy holy mountain rest?
2He whose heart thy love has warmed, He whose will, to thine conformed, Bids his life unsullied run; He whose word and thought are one; Who, from sin's contagion free, Lifts his willing soul to thee.
3He who thus, with heart unstained, Treads the path by thee ordained, He shall towards thy chosen seat Turn, O Lord, his favored feet; He thy ceaseless care shall prove, He shall share thy constant love.
347. C. M. Tate & Brady.
The Same.
1Lord, who's the happy man, that may To thy blest courts repair, Not, stranger-like, to visit them, But to inhabit there?
2'Tis he whose every thought and deed By rules of virtue moves; Whose generous tongue disdains to speak The thing his heart disproves;
3Who never did a slander forge, His neighbor's fame to wound; Nor hearken to a false report, By malice whispered round;
4Who to his plighted vows and trust Has ever firmly stood; And though he promise to his loss, He makes his promise good.
5The man who by this steady course Has happiness ensured, When earth's foundations shake, shall stand By Providence secured.
348. S. M. Anonymous.
"Blessed are the Meek."
1"Blest are the meek," he said, Whose doctrine is divine; The humble-minded earth possess, And bright in heaven will shine.
2While here on earth they stay, Calm peace with them shall dwell, And cheerful hope and heavenly joy Beyond what tongue can tell.
3The God of peace is theirs; They own his gracious sway; And yielding all their wills to him, His sovereign laws obey.
4O gracious Father, grant, That we this influence feel, That all we hope, or wish, may be Subjected to thy will.
349. L. M. Scott.
The Blessing of Meekness.
1Happy the meek, whose gentle breast, Clear as the summer's evening ray, Calm as the regions of the blest, Enjoys on earth celestial day.
2His heart no broken friendships sting, No storms his peaceful tent invade; He rests beneath th' Almighty wing, Hostile to none, of none afraid.
3Spirit of grace, all meek and mild, Inspire our breasts, our souls possess; Repel each passion rude and wild, And bless us as we aim to bless.
350. C. M. M. W. Hale.
The Pure Heart.
1Whatever dims thy sense of truth, Or stains thy purity, Though light as breath of summer air Count it as sin to thee.
2Preserve the tablet of thy thoughts From every blemish free, While the Redeemer's lowly faith Its temple makes with thee.
3And pray of God, that grace be given To tread time's narrow way:-- How dark soever it may be, It leads to cloudless day.
351. S. M. Keble.
"Blessed are the Pure in Heart."
1Blest are the pure in heart For they shall see our God; The secret of the Lord is theirs, Their soul is Christ's abode.
2Still to the lowly soul He doth himself impart, And for his temple and his throne Chooseth the pure in heart.
352. C. M. Watts.
Prudence.
1O, 't is a lovely thing to see A man of prudent heart, Whose thoughts and lips and life agree To act a useful part.
2When envy, strife, and wars begin, In fierce, contentious souls, Mark how the sons of peace come in, And quench the kindling coals.
3Their minds are humble, mild, and meek, Nor let their anger rise; Nor passion moves their lips to speak, Nor pride exalts their eyes.
4Their lives are prudence mixed with love; Good works employ their day; They join the serpent with the dove, But cast the sting away.
353. L. M. 6l. Montgomery.
Humility.
1The bird that soars on highest wing Builds on the ground her lowly nest; And she that doth most sweetly sing Sings in the shade when all things rest:-- In lark and nightingale we see What honor hath humility.
2When Mary chose the better part, She meekly sat at Jesus' feet; And Lydia's gently opened heart Was made for God's own temple meet:-- Fairest and best adorned is she Whose clothing is humility.
3The saint that wears heaven's brightest crown In deepest adoration bends; The weight of glory bows him down Then most when most his soul ascends:-- Nearest the throne itself must be The footstool of humility.
354. C. M. Watts.
Humility and Submission.
1Is there ambition in my heart? Search, gracious God, and see; Or do I act a haughty part? Lord, I appeal to thee.
2I charge my thoughts, be humble still, And all my carriage mild; Content, my Father, with thy will And quiet as a child.
3The patient soul, the lowly mind, Shall have a large reward: Let saints in sorrow lie resigned, And trust a faithful Lord.
355. L. M. Watts.
Love to God and our Neighbor.
1Thus saith the first, the great command, "Let all thy inward powers unite To love thy Maker and thy God With utmost vigor and delight.
2"Then shall thy neighbor next in place Share thine affections and esteem; And let thy kindness to thyself Measure and rule thy love to him."
3This is the sense that Moses spoke; This did the prophets preach and prove, For want of this the law is broke, And the whole law's fulfilled by love.
4But, O, how base our passions are! How cold our charity and zeal! Lord, fill our souls with heavenly fire, Or we shall ne'er perform thy will.
356. S. M. L. H. Sigourney.
Active Piety.
1Servants of Christ, arise, And gird you for the toil; The dew of promise from the skies Already cheers the soil.
2Go where the sick recline, Where mourning hearts deplore; And where the sons of sorrow pine, Dispense your hallowed lore.
3Urge, with a tender zeal, The erring child along, Where peaceful congregations kneel, And pious teachers throng.
4Be faith, which looks above, With prayer, your constant guest, And wrap the Saviour's changeless love A mantle round your breast.
5So shall you share the wealth, That earth may ne'er despoil, And the blest gospel's saving health Repay your arduous toil.
357. L. M. Steele.
Example of the Saviour.
1And is the gospel peace and love? So let our conversation be; The serpent blended with the dove, Wisdom and meek simplicity.
2Whene'er the angry passions rise, And tempt our thoughts or tongues to strife, On Jesus let us fix our eyes, Bright pattern of the Christian life!
3O, how benevolent and kind! How mild! how ready to forgive! Be this the temper of our mind, And his the rules by which we live.
4Dispensing good where'er he came, The labors of his life were love; If, then, we love our Saviour's name Thus let us our relation prove.
358. S. M. Doddridge.
"Again, I say--Watch!"
1Ye servants of the Lord, Each in his office wait, Observant of his heavenly word, And watchful at his gate.
2Let all your lamps be bright, And trim the golden flame; Gird up your loins, as in his sight, For awful is his name.
3Watch,--'tis your Lord's command; And while we speak, he's near; Mark the first signal of his hand, And ready all appear.
4O, happy servant he, In such a posture found! He shall his Lord with rapture see And be with honor crowned.
359. S. M. Bulfinch.
The Use of Present Opportunities.
1Children of light, awake, At Jesus' call arise, Forth with your leader to partake His toils, his victories.
2Ye must not idly stand, His sacred voice who hear; Arm for the strife the feeble hand, The holy standard rear.
3Nought doth the world afford, But toil must be the price; Wilt thou not, servant of the Lord, Then toil for paradise?
4Awake, ye sons of light, Strive till the prize be won; Far spent already is the night; The day comes brightening on.
360. C. M. H. K. White.
The Christian's Contest, Rest, and Hope.
1Through sorrow's night and danger's way Amid the deepening gloom, The soldiers of an injured King Are marching to the tomb.
2Their service done, securely laid In this their last retreat, Unheeded o'er their silent dust The storms of life shall beat.
3Yet not thus lifeless in the grave The vital spark shall lie; O'er nature's ruins it shall rise, To reach its kindred sky.
4Then heaven's soft dew o'er every eye Shall shed its mildest rays; And the long silent dust shall wake In strains of endless praise.
361. C. M. Anonymous.
The whole Armor.
1O, speed thee, Christian, on thy way, And to thy armor cling; With girded loins the call obey That grace and mercy bring.
2There is a battle to be fought, An upward race to run, A crown of glory to be sought, A victory to be won.
3O, faint not, Christian, for thy sighs Are heard before His throne; The race must come before the prize, The cross before the crown.
362. L. M. Montgomery.
The Christian Warrior.
1The Christian warrior, see him stand In the whole armor of his God; The spirit's sword is in his hand; His feet are with the gospel shod.
2In panoply of truth complete, Salvation's helmet on his head, With righteousness, a breastplate meet, And faith's broad shield before him spread.
3With this omnipotence he moves; From this the alien armies flee; Till more than conqueror he proves, Through Christ, who gives him victory.
4Thus strong in his Redeemer's strength, Sin, death and hell he tramples down,-- Fights the good fight; and takes at length, Through mercy, an immortal crown.
363. L. M. G. Rogers.
Religion.
1Religion! in its blessed ray All thought of hopeless sorrow flies, Despair and anguish melt away Where'er its healing beams arise. How dark our sinful world would be-- A flowerless desert, dry and drear! Did not this light, O God, from thee Its gloom dispel, its aspect cheer.
2Oh! by it many a heart is soothed, Which else would be with sorrow crushed, And many a dying pillow smoothed, And sob of parting anguish hushed. Across the troubled sky of time It doth the bow of promise bend, A symbol of that cloudless clime That waits the soul when time shall end.
3Religion! may its holy light Our footsteps guide to paths of peace! Our solace in deep sorrow's night, Our stay as mortal powers decrease. With this our guide, we care not when Death's signal to depart is given; Its word shall bring our spirits then The calm and holy peace of heaven.
364. L. M. Watts.
The Humble and Pure Accepted.
1Thus saith the high and lofty One: "I sit upon my holy throne; My name is God, I dwell on high, Dwell in my own eternity.
2"But I descend to worlds below; On earth I have a mansion too; The humble spirit, and contrite, Is an abode of my delight.
3"The humble soul my words revive; I bid the mourning sinner live; Heal all the broken hearts I find, And ease the sorrows of the mind.
4"The soul that seeks me shall obtain Immortal wealth and heavenly gain; Eternal life is his reward, Life, and the favor of the Lord."
365. 7s. M. Methodist Coll.
A Call to Prayer.
1They who seek the throne of grace Find that throne in every place; If we love a life of prayer, God is present everywhere.
2In our sickness, in our health; In our want or in our wealth, If we look to God in prayer, God is present everywhere.
3When our earthly comforts fail, When the woes of life prevail, 'Tis the time for earnest prayer, God is present everywhere.
4Then, my soul, in every strait, To thy Father, come and wait; He will answer every prayer, God is present everywhere.
366. C. M. Anonymous.
Secret Prayer.
1Sweet is the prayer whose holy stream In earnest pleading flows! Devotion dwells upon the theme, And warm and warmer glows.
2Faith grasps the blessing she desires; Hope points the upward gaze; And Love, celestial Love, inspires The eloquence of praise.
3But sweeter far the still, small voice, Unheard by human ear, When God has made the heart rejoice, And dried the bitter tear.
4No accents flow, no words ascend; All utterance faileth there; But Christian spirits comprehend, And God accepts the prayer.
367. L. M. Mrs. Barbauld.
The Warfare of the Soul.
1Awake, my soul! lift up thine eyes! See where thy foes against thee rise, In long array a numerous host; Awake, my soul! or thou art lost.
2See where rebellious passions rage, And fierce desires and lusts engage; The meanest foe of all the train Has thousands and ten thousands slain.
3Come then, my soul! now learn to wield The weight of thine immortal shield; Put on the armor from above, Of heavenly truth and heavenly love.
4The terror and the charm repel, And powers of earth and powers of hell, The man of Calvary triumphed here;-- Why should his faithful followers fear?
368. C. M. Doddridge.
The Christian Race.
1Awake, my soul! stretch every nerve, And press with vigor on; A heavenly race demands thy zeal, And an immortal crown.
2A cloud of witnesses around Hold thee in full survey; Forget the steps already trod, And onward urge thy way.
3'T is God's all-animating voice That calls thee from on high; 'T is his own hand presents the prize To thine aspiring eye;--
4That prize with peerless glories bright, Which shall new lustre boast, When victors' wreaths and monarchs' gems Shall blend in common dust.
369. C. M. Watts.
Christian Courage and Self-denial.
1Am I a soldier of the cross, A follower of the Lamb? And shall I fear to own his cause, Or blush to speak his name?
2Must I be carried to the skies On flowery beds of ease, While others fought to win the prize, And sailed through bloody seas?
3Sure I must fight, if I would reign; Increase my courage, Lord! I'll bear the toil, endure the pain, Supported by thy word.
4Thy saints, in all this glorious war, Shall conquer, though they're slain: They see the triumph from afar, And soon with Christ shall reign.
5When that illustrious day shall rise, And all thy armies shine In robes of victory through the skies, The glory shall be thine.
370. L. M. Watts.
The Christian Race.
1Awake, our souls, away, our fears; Let every trembling thought be gone; Awake and run the heavenly race, And put a cheerful courage on.
2True 'tis a strait and thorny road, And mortal spirits tire and faint; But they forget the mighty God, That feeds the strength of every saint.
3From thee, the overflowing spring, Our souls shall drink a fresh supply, While such as trust their native strength, Shall melt away, and droop, and die.
4Swift as an eagle cuts the air, We'll mount aloft to thine abode; On wings of love our souls shall fly, Nor tire amidst the heavenly road.
371. C. M. Montgomery.
What is Prayer?
1Prayer is the soul's sincere desire, Uttered or unexpressed, The motion of a hidden fire, That trembles in the breast.
2Prayer is the burden of a sigh, The falling of a tear, The upward glancing of an eye, When none but God is near.
3Prayer is the simplest form of speech That infant lips can try, Prayer the sublimest strains that reach The Majesty on high.
4Prayer is the Christian's vital breath, The Christian's native air, The watchword at the gates of death; He enters heaven with prayer.
5Prayer is the contrite sinner's voice, Returning from his ways; While angels in their songs rejoice, And cry "Behold, he prays!"
372. 7s. M. Mrs. Hemans.
"I will that men pray everywhere."
1Child, amidst the flowers at play, While the red light fades away; Mother, with thine earnest eye Ever following silently; Father, by the breeze of eve Called thy daily work to leave; Pray! ere yet the dark hours be, Lift the heart and bend the knee!
2Traveller, in the stranger's land, Far from thine own household band; Mourner, haunted by the tone Of a voice from this world gone; Captive, in whose narrow cell Sunshine hath not leave to dwell; Sailor, on the darkening sea-- Lift the heart and bend the knee!
373. 7s. & 6s. M. Edin. Lit. Review.
Pray without ceasing.
1Go when the morning shineth, Go when the noon is bright, Go when the eve declineth, Go in the hush of night; Go with pure mind and feeling, Cast earthly thought away, And, in thy closet kneeling, Do thou in secret pray.
2Remember all who love thee, All who are loved by thee; Pray, too, for those who hate thee, If any such there be; Then for thyself, in meekness, A blessing humbly claim, And blend with each petition Thy great Redeemer's name.
3Or, if 'tis e'er denied thee In solitude to pray, Should holy thoughts come o'er thee When friends are round thy way, E'en then the silent breathing, Thy spirit raised above, Will reach his throne of glory, Where dwells eternal love.
4O, not a joy or blessing With this can we compare,-- The grace our Father gave us To pour our souls in prayer: Whene'er thou pin'st in sadness, Before his footstool fall; Remember, in thy gladness, His love who gave thee all.
374. L. M. Watts.
"We walk by faith, not by sight."
1'T is by the faith of joys to come We walk through deserts dark as night; Till we arrive at heaven, our home, Faith is our guide, and faith our light.
2The want of sight she well supplies; She makes the pearly gates appear; Far into distant worlds she flies, And brings eternal glories near.
3Cheerful we tread the desert through, While faith inspires a heavenly ray; Though lions roar and tempests blow, And rocks and dangers fill the way.
4So Abraham, by divine command, Left his own house to walk with God; His faith beheld the promised land, And fired his zeal along the road.
375. C. M. Salisbury Coll.
The Power of Faith.
1Faith adds new charms to earthly bliss, And saves us from its snares; Its aid in every duty brings, And softens all our cares.
2The wounded conscience knows its power The healing balm to give; That balm the saddest heart can cheer, And make the dying live.
3Wide it unveils celestial worlds, Where deathless pleasures reign, And bids us seek our portion there, Nor bids us seek in vain.
4On that bright prospect may we rest, Till this frail body dies; And then, on faith's triumphant wings, To endless glory rise.
376. S. H. M. Christian Watchman.
Excellence of Faith.
1Faith is the Christian's prop Whereon his sorrows lean; It is the substance of his hope, His proof of things unseen; It is the anchor of his soul When tempests rage and billows roll.
2Faith is the polar star That guides the Christian's way, Directs his wanderings from afar To realms of endless day; It points the course where'er he roam, And safely leads the pilgrim home.
3Faith is the rainbow's form, Hung on the brow of heaven, The glory of the passing storm, The pledge of mercy given; It is the bright, triumphal arch, Through which the saints to glory march.
377. C. M. Bath Coll.
Prayer for Strong Faith.
1O, for a faith that will not shrink Though pressed by every foe, That will not tremble on the brink Of any earthly woe!--
2That will not murmur nor complain Beneath the chastening rod, But, in the hour of grief or pain, Will lean upon its God;--
3A faith that shines more bright and clear When tempests rage without; That when in danger knows no fear, In darkness feels no doubt;--
4Lord, give us such a faith as this, And then, whate'er may come, We'll taste, e'en here, the hallowed bliss Of an eternal home.
378. C. M. Sidney.
Hope.
1Borne o'er the ocean's stormy wave, The beacon's light appears, When yawns the seaman's watery grave, And his lone bosom cheers.
2Then, should the raging ocean foam, His heart shall dauntless prove, To reach, secure, his cherished home, The haven of his love.
3So, when the soul is wrapt in gloom, To worldly grief a prey, Thy beams, blest Hope, beyond the tomb, Illume the pilgrim's way.
4They point to that serene abode Where holy faith shall rest, Protected by the sufferer's God, And be forever blest.
379. 7s. M. Cennick.
The Christian rejoicing in Hope.
1Children of the Heavenly King, As ye journey, sweetly sing; Sing your Saviour's worthy praise, Glorious in his works and ways.
2Ye are travelling home to God, In the way the fathers trod; They are happy now, and ye Soon their happiness shall see.
3Shout, ye little flock, and blest; You on Jesus' throne shall rest; There your seat is now prepared, There your kingdom and reward.
4Lord, submissive make us go, Ready, leaving all below; Only thou our Leader be, And we still will follow thee.
380. C. M. H. H. Hawley.
The Hope, the Star, the Voice.
1There is a hope, a blesséd hope, More precious and more bright Than all the joyless mockery The world esteems delight.
2There is a star, a lovely star, That lights the darkest gloom, And sheds a peaceful radiance o'er The prospects of the tomb.
3There is a voice, a cheering voice, That lifts the soul above, Dispels the painful, anxious doubt, And whispers, "God is love."
4That voice, aloud from Calvary's height, Proclaims the soul forgiven; That star is revelation's light; That hope, the hope of heaven.
381. C. M. Drennan.
Law of Love.
1All nature feels attractive power, A strong, embracing force; The drops that sparkle in the shower, The planets in their course.
2Thus, in the universe of mind, Is felt the law of love; The charity both strong and kind, For all that live and move.
3In this fine sympathetic chain All creatures bear a part; Their every pleasure, every pain, Linked to the feeling heart.
4More perfect bond, the Christian plan Attaches soul to soul; Our neighbor is the suffering man, Though at the farthest pole.
5To earth below, from heaven above, The faith in Christ professed, More clearly shows that God is love, And whom he loves is blessed.
382. C. M. Doddridge.
The Same.
1O, may our sympathizing breasts The generous pleasure know, Kindly to share in others' joy, And weep for others' woe!
2Where'er the helpless sons of grief In low distress are laid, Soft be our hearts their pains to feel, And swift our hands to aid.
3O, be the law of love fulfilled In every act and thought, Each angry passion far removed, Each selfish view forgot!
4Be thou, my heart, dilated wide With this kind, social grace, And, in one grasp of fervent love, All earth and heaven embrace.
383. C. M. Watts.
Love to God.
1Happy the heart where graces reign, Where love inspires the breast: Love is the brightest of the train, And strengthens all the rest.
2Knowledge--alas! 'tis all in vain, And all in vain our fear; Our stubborn sins will fight and reign, If love be absent there.
3This is the grace that lives and sings, When faith and hope shall cease; 'Tis this shall strike our joyful strings In realms of endless peace.
4Before we quite forsake our clay, Or leave this dark abode, The wings of love bear us away To see our gracious God.
384. L. M. Browne.
Love to all Mankind.
1O God, my Father, and my King, Of all I have, or hope, the spring! Send down thy spirit from above, And fill my heart with heavenly love.
2May I from every act abstain, That hurts or gives another pain: And bear a sympathizing part, Whene'er I meet a wounded heart.
3And let my neighbor's prosperous state A mutual joy in me create; His virtuous triumph let me join; His peace and happiness be mine.
4And though my neighbor's hate I prove, Still let me vanquish hate with love; And every secret wish suppress, That would abridge his happiness.
5Let love through all my conduct shine, An image fair, though faint, of thine! Thus let me his disciple prove, Who came to manifest thy love.
385. C. M. Roscoe.
The Two Commandments.
1This is the first and great command-- To love thy God above; And this the second--as thyself Thy neighbor thou shalt love.
2Who is my neighbor? He who wants The help which thou canst give; And both the law and prophets say, This do, and thou shalt live.
386. C. M. Watts.
Christ's Love to Enemies our Example.
1God of our mercy and our praise, Thy glory is our song; We'll speak the honors of thy grace With a rejoicing tongue.
2When Christ among the sons of men In humble form was found, With cruel slanders, false and vain, They compassed him around.
3Their miseries his compassion moved, Their peace he still pursued; They rendered hatred for his love, And evil for his good.
4Their malice raged without a cause; Yet, with his dying breath, He prayed for murderers on his cross, And blest his foes in death.
5O, may his conduct, all divine, To us a model prove: Like his, O God, our hearts incline Our enemies to love.
387. C. M. Christian Psalmist.
Faith, Hope and Charity.
1Faith, hope, and love, now dwell on earth, And earth by them is blest; But faith and hope must yield to love, Of all the graces best.
2Hope shall to full fruition rise, And faith be sight above; These are the means, but this the end, For saints forever love.
388. L. M. Montgomery.
The Christian Graces.
1Faith, hope, and charity, these three, Yet is the greatest charity; Father of lights, these gifts impart To mine and every human heart.
2Faith, that in prayer can never fail, Hope, that o'er doubting must prevail, And charity, whose name above Is God's own name, for God is love.
3The morning star is lost in light, Faith vanishes at perfect sight, The rainbow passes with the storm And hope with sorrow's fading form.
4But charity, serene, sublime, Beyond the reach of death and time, Like the blue sky's all-bounding space, Holds heaven and earth in its embrace.
389. C. M. Watts.
A Living and a Dead Faith.
1Mistaken souls! that dream of heaven, And make their empty boast Of inward joys, and sins forgiven, While they are slaves to lust.
2Vain are our fancies, airy flights, If faith be cold and dead; None but a living power unites To Christ the living head.
3'T is faith that purifies the heart; 'T is faith that works by love; That bids all sinful joys depart, And lifts the thoughts above.
4This faith shall every fear control By its celestial power, With holy triumph fill the soul In death's approaching hour.
390. L. M. Scott.
"Two men went up into the temple to pray."
1The uplifted eye, and bended knee, Are but vain homage, Lord, to thee; In vain our lips thy praise prolong, The heart a stranger to the song.
2The pure, the humble, contrite mind, Sincere, and to thy will resigned, To thee a nobler offering yields, Than Sheba's groves, or Sharon's fields.
3Love God and man--this great command, Doth on eternal pillars stand; This did thine ancient prophets teach, And this thy Well-Belovéd preach.
391. H. M. Montgomery.
Brotherly Love. Ps. 133.
1How beautiful the sight Of brethren who agree In friendship to unite, And bonds of charity! 'T is like the precious ointment shed O'er all his robes from Aaron's head.
2'Tis like the dews that fill The cups of Hermon's flowers; Or Zion's fruitful hill, Bright with the drops of showers; When mingling odors breathe around, And glory rests on all the ground.
3For there the Lord commands Blessings, a boundless store, From his unsparing hands, Yea, life for evermore. Thrice happy they who meet above To spend eternity in love!
392. 7s. M. C. Wesley.
The Harmony of Love.
1Lord! subdue our selfish will; Each to each our tempers suit, By thy modulating skill, Heart to heart, as lute to lute.
2Sweetly on our spirits move; Gently touch the trembling strings: Make the harmony of love, Music for the King of kings!
393. S. M. Watts.
The Bond of Peace.
1Blest are the sons of peace, Whose hearts and hopes are one; Whose kind designs to serve and please Through all their actions run.
2Blest is the pious house Where zeal and friendship meet; Their songs of praise, their mingled vows, Make their communion sweet.
3Thus on the heavenly hills The saints are blest above, Where joy like morning dew distils, And all the air is love.
394. C. M. Montgomery.
"The unity of the spirit in the bond of peace."
1The glorious universe around, The heavens with all their train, Sun, moon, and stars, are firmly bound In one mysterious chain.
2The earth, the ocean, and the sky, To form one world agree, Where all that walk, or swim, or fly, Compose one family.
3In one fraternal bond of love, One fellowship of mind, The saints below and saints above Their bliss and glory find.
4Here in their house of pilgrimage, Thy statutes are their song; There, through one bright, eternal age, Thy praises they prolong.
395. C. M. C. Wesley.
The Church on Earth and in Heaven, One.
1The saints on earth and those above But one communion make: Joined to their Lord in bonds of love, All of his grace partake.
2One family, we dwell in him; One church above, beneath; Though now divided by the stream, The swelling stream of death.
3One army of the living God,-- To his command we bow; Part of the host have crossed the flood, And part are crossing now.
4O God, be thou our constant guide! And when the word is given, Sustain us o'er the fearful tide, And bring us safe to heaven.
396. S. M. Beddome.
Christian Unity.
1Let party names no more The Christian world o'erspread; Gentile and Jew, and bond and free, Are one in Christ their head.
2Among the saints on earth Let mutual love be found; Heirs of the same inheritance, With mutual blessings crowned.
3Let envy and ill-will Be banished far away; Those should in holy friendship dwell, Who the same Lord obey.
4Thus will the church below Resemble that above; Where streams of pleasure always flow, And every heart is love.
397. L. M. Barbauld.
Christian Friendship.
1How blest the sacred tie that binds In union sweet according minds! How swift the heavenly course they run, Whose hearts, and faith, and hopes are one!
2To each the soul of each how dear! What jealous love, what holy fear! How doth the generous flame within Refine from earth, and cleanse from sin!
3Their streaming eyes together flow For human guilt and mortal woe; Their ardent prayers together rise Like mingling flames in sacrifice.
4Together shall they seek the place Where God reveals his awful face: How high, how strong, their raptures swell There's none but kindred souls can tell.
398. L. M. Anonymous.
Charitable Judgment.
1Omniscient God, 'tis thine to know The springs whence wrong opinions flow; To judge from principles within, When frailty errs, and when we sin.
2Who with another's eye can read, Or worship by another's creed? Revering thy command alone, We humbly seek and use our own.
3If wrong, forgive; accept, if right, Whilst faithful, we obey our light, And judging none, are zealous still To follow, as to learn, thy will.
4When shall our happy eyes behold Thy people, fashioned in thy mould? And charity our kindred prove Derived from thee, O God of love?
399. L. M. Watts.
The Same.
1Not different food, nor different dress, Compose the kingdom of our Lord; But peace, and joy, and righteousness, Faith, and obedience to his word.
2When weaker Christians we despise, We do the gospel mighty wrong; For God, the gracious and the wise, Receives the feeble with the strong.
3Let pride and wrath be banished hence, Meekness and love our souls pursue, Nor shall our practice give offence To saints, the Gentile or the Jew.
400. S. M. Scott.
Private Judgment and Accountability.
1Imposture shrinks from light, And dreads the curious eye; But sacred truths the test invite, They bid us search and try.
2With understanding blest, Created to be free, Our faith on man we dare not rest, Subject to none but thee.
3Lord, give the light we need; With soundest knowledge fill; From noxious error guard our creed, From prejudice our will.
4The truth thou shalt impart, May we with firmness own; Abhorring each evasive art, And fearing thee alone.
401. C. M. Newton.
True Zeal.
1Zeal is that pure and heavenly flame The fire of love supplies; Whilst that which often bears the name, Is self but in disguise.
2True zeal is merciful and mild, Can pity and forbear; The false is headstrong, fierce and wild, And breathes revenge and war.
3While zeal for truth the Christian warms, He knows the worth of peace; But self contends for names and forms, Its party to increase.
4Zeal has attained its highest aim, Its end is satisfied, If sinners love the Saviour's name,-- Nor seeks it aught beside.
5This idol self, O Lord, dethrone, And from our hearts remove; And let no zeal by us be shown But that which springs from love.
402. C. M. Needham.
Moderation.
1Happy the man whose cautious steps Still keep the golden mean; Whose life by wisdom's rules well formed, Declares a conscience clean.
2To sect or party his large soul Disdains to be confined; The good he loves of every name, And prays for all mankind.
3His business is to keep his heart; Each passion to control; Nobly ambitious well to rule The empire of his soul.
4Not on the world his heart is set, His treasure is above; Nothing beneath the sovereign good Can claim his highest love.
403. L. M. Sir H. Wotton.
The Independent and Happy Man.
1How happy is he born or taught, Who serveth not another's will; Whose armor is his honest thought, And simple truth his highest skill;
2Whose passions not his masters are; Whose soul is still prepared for death; Not tied unto the world with care Of prince's ear or vulgar breath;
3Who God doth late and early pray More of his grace than goods to lend, And walks with man from day to day, As with a brother and a friend.
4This man is freed from servile bands Of hope to rise, or fear to fall; Lord of himself, though not of lands, And having nothing, yet hath all.
404. C. M. Logan.
Wisdom.
1O happy is the man, who hears Instruction's warning voice; And who celestial wisdom makes His early, only choice.
2Her treasures are of more esteem Than east or west unfold; And her rewards more precious are Than all their mines of gold.
3In her right hand she holds to view A length of happy days; Riches with splendid honors joined, Her left hand full displays.
4She guides the young with innocence In pleasure's path to tread; A crown of glory she bestows Upon the hoary head.
5According as her labors rise, So her rewards increase; Her ways are ways of pleasantness, And all her paths are peace.
405. C. M. Campbell's Coll.
"They shall walk and not faint."
1Mere human power shall fast decay, And youthful vigor cease; But they who wait upon the Lord In strength shall still increase.
2They with unwearied feet shall tread The path of life divine, With growing ardor onward move, With growing brightness shine.
3On eagles' wings they mount, they soar; Their wings are faith and love; Till, past the cloudy regions here, They rise to heaven above.
406. C. M. Watts.
Hidden Life of the Christian.
1O happy soul that lives on high, While men lie grovelling here! His hopes are fixed above the sky, And faith forbids his fear.
2His conscience knows no secret stings, While grace and joy combine To form a life whose holy springs Are hidden and divine.
3He waits in secret on his God; His God in secret sees; Let earth be all in arms abroad, He dwells in heavenly peace.
4His pleasures rise from things unseen, Beyond this world and time; Where neither eyes nor ears have been, Nor thoughts of mortals climb.
5He wants no pomp nor royal throne To raise his honors here; Content and pleased to live unknown, Till Christ, his life, appear.
407. 8s. M. C. Wesley.
"That they also may be one in us."
1Lord, from whom all blessings flow, Perfecting the church below! Steadfast may we cleave to thee; Love the mystic union be. Join our faithful spirits, join Each to each, and all to thine: Lead us through the paths of peace, On to perfect holiness.
2Sweetly may we all agree, Touched with softest sympathy: There is neither bond nor free, Great nor servile, Lord, in thee; Love, like death, hath all destroyed Rendered all distinctions void! Names, and sects, and parties fall: Thou, O Christ, art all in all!
408. S. M. Steele.
Religion a Support in Life.
1Religion can assuage The tempest of the soul; And every fear shall lose its rage At her divine control.
2Through life's bewildered way, Her hand unerring leads; And o'er the path her heavenly ray A cheering lustre sheds.
3When reason, tired and blind, Sinks helpless and afraid, Thou blest supporter of the mind, How powerful is thine aid!
4O, let us feel thy power, And find thy sweet relief, To brighten every gloomy hour And soften every grief.
409. C. M. Tate & Brady.
The Righteous and the Wicked.
1How blest is he, who ne'er consents By ill advice to walk; Nor stands in sinners' ways, nor sits Where men profanely talk:
2But makes the perfect law of God His business and delight; Devoutly reads therein by day, And meditates by night.
3Like some fair tree, which, fed by streams, With timely fruit does bend, He still shall flourish, and success All his designs attend.
4Ungodly men, and their attempts, No lasting root shall find; Untimely blasted, and dispersed Like chaff before the wind.
410. C. M. Exeter Coll.
The Influence of Habitual Piety.
1Blest is the man who fears the Lord! His well established mind, In every varying scene of life, Shall true composure find.
2Oft through the deep and stormy sea The heavenly footsteps lie; But on a glorious world beyond His faith can fix its eye.
3Though dark his present prospects be, And sorrows round him dwell, Yet hope can whisper to his soul, That all shall issue well.
4Full in the presence of his God, Through every scene he goes; And, fearing him, no other fear His steadfast bosom knows.
411. C. M. Proud.
The Happiness of a Christian.
1When true religion gains a place, And lives within the mind, The sensual life subdued by grace, And all the soul refined:
2The desert blooms in living green, Where thorns and briers grew; The barren waste is fruitful seen, And all the prospect new.
3O happy Christian, richly blessed! What floods of pleasure roll! By God and man he stands confessed, In dignity of soul.
4Substantial, pure, his every joy: His Maker is his friend; The noblest business his employ, And happiness his end.
412. 7s. & 8s. M. Bowring.
"He that walketh uprightly, walketh surely."
1He who walks in virtue's way, Firm and fearless, walketh surely; Diligent, while yet 'tis day, On he speeds, and speeds securely.
2Flowers of peace beneath him grow, Suns of pleasure brighten o'er him; Memory's joys behind him go, Hope's sweet angels fly before him.
3Thus he moves from stage to stage, Smiles of earth and heaven attending; Softly sinking down in age, And at last to death descending.
4Cradled in its quiet deep, Calm as summer's loveliest even, He shall sleep the hallowed sleep; Sleep that is o'erwatched by Heaven.
413. C. M. Burns.
The Happiness of the Righteous.
1The man, in life wherever placed, Hath happiness in store, Who walks not in the wicked's way, Nor learns their guilty lore:
2Nor from the seat of scornful pride Casts forth his eyes abroad, But with humility and awe, Still walks before his God.
3That man shall flourish like the trees Which by the streamlets grow; The fruitful top is spread on high, And firm the root below.
4But he whose blossom buds in guilt Shall to the ground be cast, And, like the rootless stubble, tossed Before the sweeping blast.
414. L. M. Keble.
"Not that thou wouldst take them out of the world, but keep them from its evil."
1Sweet is the bliss of souls serene, When they have sworn and steadfast mean, Counting the cost, in all t' espy Their God, in all themselves deny.
2O could we learn that sacrifice, What lights would all around us rise! How would our hearts with wisdom talk, Along life's dullest, dreariest walk!
3We need not bid, for cloistered cell, Our neighbor and our work farewell, Nor strive to wind ourselves too high For sinful man beneath the sky:
4The trivial round, the common task, Would furnish all we ought to ask; Room to deny ourselves; a road To bring us, daily, nearer God.
415. 7s. & 6s. M. Cowper.
Joy and Peace in Believing.
1Sometimes a light surprises The Christian while he sings: It is the Lord, who rises With healing in his wings: When comforts are declining, He grants the soul again A season of clear shining, To cheer it after rain.
2In holy contemplation, We sweetly then pursue The theme of God's salvation, And find it ever new: Set free from present sorrow, We cheerfully can say, "E'en let the unknown morrow Bring with it what it may."
3It can bring with it nothing, But he will bear us through: Who gives the lilies clothing, Will clothe his people too: Beneath the spreading heavens, No creature but is fed; And he who feeds the ravens, Will give his children bread.
4Though vine, nor fig tree neither, Its wonted fruit should bear; Though all the field should wither, Nor flocks, nor herds be there: Yet God the same abiding, His praise shall tune my voice; For while in him confiding, I cannot but rejoice.
416. S. M. Anonymous.
For a Right Spirit.
1I want a sober mind, A self-renouncing will, That tramples down and casts behind The baits of pleasing ill; A soul inured to pain, To hardship, grief and loss, Bold to take up, firm to sustain The consecrated cross.
2I want a godly fear, A quick-discerning eye, That looks to thee when sin is near, And sees the tempter fly; A spirit still prepared, And armed with jealous care, Forever standing on its guard, And watching unto prayer.
3I want a true regard, A single, steady aim, Unmoved by threatening or reward, To thee and thy great name; A zealous, just concern For thine immortal praise; A pure desire that all may learn And glorify thy grace.
417. S. M. Watts.
Heavenly Joy on Earth.
1Come, ye that love the Lord, And let your joys be known; Join in a song with sweet accord, And thus surround the throne.
2The sorrows of the mind Be banished from the place! Religion never was designed To make our pleasures less.
3The men of grace have found Glory begun below; Celestial fruits on earthly ground From faith and hope may grow.
4The hill of Sion yields A thousand sacred sweets, Before we reach the heavenly fields, Or walk the golden streets.
5Then let our songs abound, And every tear be dry; We're marching through Immanuel's ground, To fairer worlds on high.
418. S. M. Miss Fletcher.
Where is Heaven?
1Our heaven is everywhere, If we but love the Lord, Unswerving tread the narrow way, And ever shun the broad.
2'T is where the trusting heart Bows meekly to its grief, Still looking up with earnest faith For comfort and relief.
3Where guileless infancy In happiness doth dwell, And where the aged one can say "He hath done all things well."
4Wherever truth abides Sweet peace is ever there; If we but love and serve the Lord, Our heaven is everywhere.
419. 8s. & 7s. M. J. G. Adams.
Heaven Here.
1Heaven is here; its hymns of gladness Cheer the true believer's way, In this world where sin and sadness Often change to night our day.
2Heaven is here; where misery lightened Of its heavy load is seen, Where the face of sorrow brightened By the deed of love hath been:
3Where the bound, the poor, despairing Are set free, supplied and blest; Where, in others' anguish sharing, We can find our surest rest.
4Where we heed the voice of duty Rather than man's praise, or rod; This is heaven,--its peace, its beauty, Radiant with the smile of God.
420. L. M. 6l. Mrs. Case.
God's Kingdom Here.
1Oh, where, our Saviour! sweeps the line That marks thy kingdom's holy reign? Is it where northern meteors shine Or gilds the cross the southern main? Where breaks the dawn o'er spicy lands? Or twilight sleeps on desert sands?
2Is it where sunny skies grow dim With smoke of heathen sacrifice? Or where, in costly domes, the hymn Is taught on incense clouds to rise? Nay, nay, thy blessed word has shown Thy kingdom is the heart alone!
3That solemn world, whose bounds between Life's mysteries of birth and death, Are filled with warring hosts unseen, Beings of power, though not of breath-- The spirit realm, where'er it be, Is the dominion swayed by thee.
4Wild, phantom shapes of gloom and fear, Roam dimly through the haunted spot, And earth holds not a land so drear As the sad heart that owns thee not, Where sorrows wound and pleasures pall, And death's dread shadow darkens all.
5But lift thy sceptre there, its bowers Shall be serene and sweet and fair, And, as in time's primeval hours, The holy ones shall gather there, And heaven's own peace the soul o'erflow, E'en while it lingers here below.
421. 7s. M. Beaumont.
The Heaven Within.
1As earth's pageant passes by, Let reflection turn thine eye Inward, and observe thy breast; There alone dwells solid rest.
2That's a close immured tower, Which can mock all hostile power; To thyself a tenant be, And inhabit safe and free.
3Say not that this house is small, Girt up in a narrow wall; In a cleanly, sober mind, Heaven itself full room doth find.
4The infinite Creator can Dwell in it; and may not man? Here, content, make thy abode With thyself and with thy God.