ASCENSION. L. M.

TEMPLI CARMINA.

604. Ministry.

2 To win them from the fatal way

Where erring folly thoughtless roves, And that blest righteousness display Which Jesus wrought and God approves. 3 The shining firmament shall fade,

And sparkling stars resign their light; But these shall know nor change nor shade,

Forever fair, forever bright.

605.

Convocation of Ministers.

1 POUR out thy Spirit from on high ;
Lord thine assembled servants bless;
Graces and gifts to each supply,
And clothe thy priests with righteousness.
2 Within thy temple where we stand,
To teach the truth as taught by thee,
Saviour! like stars in thy right hand,
The angels of the churches be!
3 Wisdom and zeal, and faith impart,
Firmness with meekness from above,
To bear thy people on our hearts,
And love the souls whom thou dost

love :

4 To watch and pray, and never faint; By day and night strict guard to keep; To warn the sinner, cheer the saint, Nourish thy lambs, and feed thy sheep. 5 Then, when our work is finished here, In humble hope, our charge resign: When the chief Shepherd shall appear, O God! may they and we be thine.

1 THE perfect world, by Adam trod,
Was the first temple built to God;
His fiat laid the corner-stone,
And heaved its pillars one by one.
2 He hung its starry roof on high—
The broad, illimitable sky;
Hespread its pavement, green and bright,
And curtained it with morning light.
3 The mountains in their places stood,
The sea-the sky-and "all was good;"
And when its first few praises rang,
The "morning stars together sang.'
4 Lord, 't is not ours to make the sea,
And earth, and sky, a house for thee;
But in thy sight our offering stands-
An humbler temple, " made with hands."
5 We cannot bid the morning star
To sing how bright thy glories are;
But, Lord, if thou wilt meet us here,
Thy praise shall be the Christian's tear.

2 Lord, from thine inmost glory send,
Within these courts to bide,
The peace that dwelleth without end,
Serenely by thy side!

3 May erring minds that worship here
Be taught the better way;
And they who mourn, and they who fear,
Be strengthened as they pray.

4 May faith grow firm, and love grow warm, And pure devotion rise,

While round these hallowed walls the

storm

Of earth-born passion dies.

609.

For Organization.

1 CHURCH of the ever-living God,
The Father's gracious choice,
Amid the voices of this earth
How feeble is thy voice!

2 A little flock!-so calls he thee
Who bought thee with his blood;
A little flock, disowned of men,
But owned and loved of God.
3 Not many rich or noble called,

Not many great or wise;

They whom God makes his kings and priests

Are poor in human eyes.

4 But the chief Shepherd comes at length; Their feeble days are o'er,

No more a handful in the earth,
A little flock no more.

5 No more a lily among thorns,
Weary and faint and few;

But countless as the stars of heaven,
Or as the early dew.

6 Then entering th' eternal halls,
In robes of victory,

1

That mighty multitude shall keep The joyous jubilee.

610.

For Organization.

OH, where are kings and empires now
Of old that went and came?
But, Lord, thy church is praying yet,
A thousand years the same.

2 We mark her goodly battlements,
And her foundations strong;
We hear within the solemn voice
Of her unending song.

3 For not like kingdoms of the world
Thy holy church, O God!
Though earthquake shocks are threaten-
ing her,

And tempests are abroad;

4 Unshaken as eternal hills,

Immovable she stands,

A mountain that shall fill the earth,
A house not made by hands.

614.

1 SEE Israel's gentle Shepherd stand,
With all-engaging charms;
Hark! how he calls the tender lambs,
And folds them in his arms!

2 "Permit them to approach," he cries, "Nor scorn their humble name;

It was to bless such souls as these
The Lord of angels came."

3 We bring them, Lord, with fervent prayer,

And yield them up to thee; Joyful that we ourselves are thine, Thine let our offspring be!

615.

1 How large the promise! how divine!
To Abr'ham and his seed:
"I'll be a God to thee and thine,
Supplying all their need."

2 The words of his extensive love
From age to age endure:
The angel of the covenant proves,
And seals the blessings sure.

3 Jesus the ancient faith confirms
To our great fathers given;
He takes young children to his arms,
And calls them heirs of heaven.

4 Our God!-how faithful are his ways!
His love endures the same;
Nor from the promise of his grace
Blots out the children's name.

1 THIS child we dedicate to thee,
O God of grace and purity!
Shield it from sin and threatening wrong,
And let thy love its life prolong.
2 Oh, may thy Spirit gently draw
Its willing soul to keep thy law;
May virtue, piety, and truth,
Dawn even with its dawning youth.
3 We, too, before thy gracious sight,
Once shared the blest baptismal rite,
And would renew its solemn vow
With love, and thanks, and praises, now.
4 Grant that, with true and faithful heart,
We still may act the Christian's part,
Cheered by each promise thou hast given,
And laboring for the prize in heaven.

617.

1 OBEDIENT to our Zion's King,

We to his holy laver bring
These happy converts, who have known
And trusted in his grace alone.

2 Lord, in thy house they seek thy face;
Oh, bless them with peculiar grace;
Refresh their souls with love divine;
Let beams of glory round them shine.
3 Ye, who your native vileness mourn,
And to the great Redeemer turn,
Arise, his gracious call obey,
And be baptized without delay.

1 O LORD! encouraged by thy grace,
We bring our infant to thy throne;
Give it within thy heart a place,
Let it be thine, and thine alone.

2 Wash it from every stain of guilt,
And let this child be sanctified;
Lord! thou canst cleanse it, if thou wilt,
And all its native evils hide.

3 We ask not, for it, earthly bliss,
Or, earthly honors, wealth or fame:
The sum of our request is this-
That it may love and fear thy name.

619.

1 DEAR Saviour, if these lambs should stray, From thy secure inclosure's bound, And, lured by worldly joys away, Among the thoughtless crowd be found; 2 Remember still that they are thine, That thy dear sacred name they bear; Think that the seal of love divine, The sign of covenant grace they wear. 3 In all their erring, sinful years,

Oh! let them ne'er forgotten be;' Remember all the prayers and tears Which made them consecrate to thee. 4 And when these lips no more can pray, These eyes can weep for them no more, Turn thou their feet from folly's way; The wanderers to thy fold restore.

1 LORD, I am thine, entirely thine,
Purchased and saved by blood divine!
With full consent thine I would be,
And own thy sovereign right in me.
2 Grant one poor sinner more a place,
Among the children of thy grace;
A wretched sinner, lost to God,
But ransomed by Immanuel's blood.
3 Thine would I live, thine would I die,
Be thine through all eternity;
The vow is passed beyond repeal;
Now will I set the solemn seal.

4 Here at that cross where flows the blood
That bought my guilty soul for God;
Thee, my new Master, now I call,
And consecrate to thee my all.
5 Do thou assist a feeble worm,
The great engagement to perform;
Thy grace can full assistance lend,
And on that grace I dare depend.

622.

1 WE pray thee, wounded Lamb of God, Cleanse us in thy atoning blood;

2

Grant us by faith to view thy cross, Then life or death is gain to us.

Take our poor hearts and let them be Forever closed to all but thee;

Seal thou our breasts, and let us wear That pledge of love forever there.

623.

1 My gracious Lord, I own thy right
To every service I can pay,
And call it my supreme delight
To hear thy dictates and obey.
2 What is my being, but for thee,
Its sure support, its noblest end?
Thine ever smiling face to see,
And serve the cause of such a Friend.
3 I would not breathe for worldly joy,
Or to increase my worldly good;
Nor future days nor powers employ
To spread a sounding name abroad.
4 'T is to my Saviour I would live,
To him who for my ransom died;
Nor could the bowers of Eden give
Such bliss as blossoms at his side.

5 His work my hoary age shall bless,
When youthful vigor is no more;
And my last hour of life confess
His dying love, his saving power.