420

No. 28.

WHY should-sorrow ever grieve me?

Christ is near, || What can here

E'er of Him deprive me?

Who can rob me of my heaven
That God's Son, || As mine own,
To my faith hath given?

2 God oft gives me days of gladness,
Shall I grieve | If He give
Seasons too of sadness?

God is good, and tempers ever
Me desert

Ev'ry hurt;

Wholly can He never.

3 What is all this life possesseth?
But a hand | Full of sand
That the heart distresseth.

Noble gifts that tire me never,
Christ so free | There gives me
To enjoy forever.

4 Shepherd! Lord! joy's fountain ever,
Thou art mine, || I am Thine,

No one can us sever.

I am Thine because Thou gavest
Life and blood || For my good,

By Thy death me savest.

5 Thou art mine, I love and own Thee,
Ne'er shall I, || Light of joy,

From my heart dethrone Thee.

Let me,
Face to face; Thy embrace,
May it soon enfold me!

let me | Soon behold Thee

421

No. 8.

LORD! how happy is the time,
When in Thy love I rest,

When from my weariness I climb
E'en to Thy tender breast.
The night of sorrow endeth there,
Thy rays outshine the sun,
And in Thy pardon, and Thy care,
The heaven of heavens is won.

2 The world may call itself my foe,
Or let the world allure,

I care not for the world—I go

To this tried Friend and sure.
And when life's fiercest storms are sent,
Upon life's wildest sea,

My little bark is confident,

Because it holds by Thee.

3 When the law threatens endless death,
Upon the dreadful hill,

Straightway from its consuming breath
My soul mounts higher still;
It hastes to Jesus, wounded, slain,
And finds in Him its home,

Whence it shall not go forth again,
And where no death can come.

4 I do not fear the wilderness,

Where Thou hast been before;
Nay! rather would I daily press
Toward Thee, and near Thee more!
Thou art my Strength, on Thee I lean,
My heart thou makest sing,

And to Thy pastures rich and green
Thy chosen flock wilt bring.

5 And if the gate that opens there
Be closed to other men,

422

It is not closed to those who share
The heart of Jesus then.

That is not losing much of life,
Which is not losing Thee,

Who art as present in the strife,
As in the victory!

HELP

[ELP me, O Lord, to trust in Thee,
Whatever may betide;

No. 77.

Though health should fail, and riches flee,
Though friends, the dearest far to me,

Be taken from my side.

2 I know that sickness, sorrow, death,
Lie in the onward way;

O help me, in true-hearted faith,
To rest on Jesus' word, which saith,
"Strength shall be as thy day."

3 In sickness passed, in dangers o'er,
My Helper Thou hast been;

Then should I, for each coming hour,
Trust childlike that thy love and power
Support will yield again.

4 Though in that last, that darksome glade,
Ends all our earthly view,

If but Thy voice, "Be not afraid,"
Be heard amid its deep'ning shade,
I'll calmly journey through.

5 When this poor heart on Thee I stay,
On earth is heaven begun;

Then love leads on from day to day
In duty's path and helps me say,
"Thy will, not mine, be done."

6 Thus would I ever trust in Thee,
My Comforter and Guide:

423

For e'en though fears and sins prevail,
Thy promises can never fail,

Whatever may betide.

No. 19.

MY soul, what means this sadness?
Wherefore art thou thus cast down?
Let thy griefs be turned to gladness,
Bid thy restless fears be gone;

Look to Jesus,

And rejoice in His dear name.

2 What though Satan's strong temptations Vex and grieve thee day by day?

And thy sinful inclinations

Often fill thee with dismay?

Thou shalt conquer

Through the Lamb's redeeming blood.

3 Though ten thousand ills beset thee,
From without and from within,
Jesus saith, He'll ne'er forget thee,
But will save from hell and sin:
He is faithful

To perform His gracious word.

4 Though distresses now attend thee,
And Thou tread'st the thorny road,

424

His right hand shall still defend thee;
Soon He'll bring thee home to God!

Therefore praise Him,

Praise thy great Redeemer's name.

MY Father! cheering name!

O may I call Thee mine!

S. M.-No. 3.

Give me with humble hope to claim
A portion so divine.

2 Whate'er Thy will denies,

I calmly would resign;

For Thou art just, and good, and wise:
O bend my will to Thine!

3 Whate'er Thy will ordains,
O give me strength to bear;
Still let me know a Father reigns,
And trust a Father's care.

4 Thy ways are little known

425

To my weak erring sight;

Yet shall my soul, believing, own
That all Thy ways are right.

I

C. M.-No. 2.

THANK Thee, Savior! for the grief,
Thy goodness bids me bear,

And for each word of sweet relief,

That saves me from despair.

2 I see but dimly all Thy ways,
Nor may each purpose tell,

But this I know to wake my praise:
Thou doest all things well.