L. M. PIERPONT.
Ordination Hymn.
1 O THOU, who art above all height!
Our God, our Father, and our Friend!
Beneath thy throne of love and light,
Let thine adoring children bend.
2 We kneel in praise, that here is set
A vine that by thy culture grew;
We kneel in prayer that thou wouldst wet Its opening leaves with heavenly dew.
3 Since thy young servant now hath given
Himself, his powers, his hopes, his youth
To the great cause of truth and heaven,
Be thou his guide, O God of truth!
4 Here may his doctrine drop like rain,
His speech like Hermon's dew distil,
Till green fields smile, and golden grain,
Ripe for the harvest, waits thy will.
5 And when he sinks in death-by care,
Or pain, or toil, or years oppressed-
O God! remember thou our prayer,
And take his spirit to thy rest.
L. M. FROTHINGHAM.
1 O GOD, whose presence glows in all Within, around us, and above!
Thy word we bless, thy name we call, Whose word is Truth, whose name is Love
2 That truth be with the heart believed Of all who seek this sacred place;
With power proclaimed, in peace received—
Our spirits' light, thy Spirit's grace,
3 That love its holy influence pour,
To keep us meek, and make us free,
And throw its binding blessing more
Round each with all, and all with thee.
Direct and guard the youthful strength
Devoted to thy Son this day;
And give thy word full course at length
W'er man's defects and time's decay.
On laying the foundation stone of a Chapel. 1 THIS stone to thee in faith we lay, We build the temple, Lord, to thee; Thine eye be open, night and day, To guard this house and sanctuary. 2 Here, when thy people seek thy face, And dying sinners pray to live,
Hear thou in heaven, thy dwelling-place,
And, when thou hearest, O forgive!
3 Here, when thy messengers proclaim
The blessed gospel of thy Son,
Still, by the power of his great name,
Be mighty signs and wonders done.
4 Hosanna! to their heavenly King,
When children's voices raise that song,
Hosanna! let thy servants sing,
And heaven with earth the strain prolong.
5 But will indeed Jehovah deign
Here to abide no transient guest?
Here will the world's Redeemer reign,
And here the Holy Spirit rest?
6 That glory never hence depart!
Yet choose not, Lord, this house alone;
Thy kingdom come to every heart,
In every bosom fix thy throne.
On opening a new place of Worship.
1 LORD of hosts, to thee we raise
Here a house of prayer and praise;
Thou thy people's hearts prepare
Here to meet for praise and prayer.
2 Let the living here be fed
With thy word, the heavenly bread;
Here, in hope of glory blest,
May the dead be laid to rest.
3 Here to thee a temple stand,
While the sea shall gird the land;
Here reveal thy mercy sure,
While the sun and moon endure.
4 Hallelujah!-earth and sky To the joyful sound reply; Hallelujah!-hence ascend
Prayer and praise till time shall end.
10 BOW thine ear, Eternal One!
On thee each heart adoring calls;
To thee the followers of thy Son
Have raised, and now devote these walls.
2 Here let thy holy days be kept;
And be this place to worship given,
Like that bright spot where Jacob slept,
The house of God, the gate of heaven.
3 Here may thine honour dwell; and here,
As incense, let thy children's prayer,
From contrite hearts and lips sincere,
Rise on the still and holy air.
4 Here be thy praise devoutly sung;
Here let thy truth beam forth to save,
As when, of old, thy spirit hung
On wings of light o'er Jordan's wave.
5 And when the lips, that with thy name
Are vocal now, to dust shall turn,
On others may devotion's flame
Be kindled here, and purely burn.
610.
L. M. WILLIS.
1 THE perfect world by Adam trod,
Was the first temple-built by God;
His fiat laid the corner stone,
And raised its pillars, one by one.
2 He hung its starry roof on high-
The broad illimitable sky;
He spread its pavement, green and bright,
And curtained it with morning light.
e mountains in their places stood-
e sea, the sky-and "all was good;"
d, when its first pure praises rang,
"morning stars together sang."
ord! 'tis not ours to make the sea
d earth and sky a house for thee;
ut in thy sight our offering stands,
An humbler temple, "made with hands,"
1 OUR God, where'er thy people meet, There they behold thy mercy-seat: Where'er they seek thee, thou art found, And every place is hallowed ground.
2 For thou, within no walls confined,
Inhabitest the humble mind;
Such ever bring thee where they come,
And going, take thee to their home.
3 Here may we prove the power of prayer,
To strengthen faith, and sweeten care;
To teach our faint desires to rise,
And bring all heaven before our eyes.
4 Behold at thy commanding word,
We stretch the curtain and the cord;
Come thou, and fill this wider space,
And bless us with a large increase.
5 Lord, we are few, but thou art near;
Nor short thine arm, nor deaf thine ear:
O rend the heavens, come quickly down,
And make a thousand hearts thine own.
L. M. DYER.
Public Humiliation.
1 GREAT Framer of unnumbered worlds, And whom unnumbered worlds adore ! Whose goodness all thy creatures share, While nature trembles at thy power:
2 Thine is the hand that moves the spheres,
That wakes the wind, and lifts the sea;
And man, who moves the lord of earth,
Acts but the part assigned by thee.
2 While suppliant crowds implore thine aid
To thee we raise the humble cry;
Thine altar is the contrite heart,
Thine incense, a repentant sigh.
4 O may our land in this her hour,
Confess thy hand, and bless the rod,
By penitence make thee her friend,"
And find in thee a guardian God!
1 WHEN Abram, full of sacred awe,
Before Jehovah stood,
And, with an humble fervent prayer,
For guilty Sodom sued;
2 With what success, what wondrous grace,
Was his petition crowned!
The Lord would spare, if in the place
Ten righteous men were found.
3 And could a single holy soul
So rich a boon obtain?
Great God, and shall a nation cry,
And plead with thee in vain?
4 Columbia, guilty, as she is,
Her numerous saints can boast;
And now their fervent prayers ascend,
And can those prayers be lost?
5 Are not the righteous dear to thee,
Now as in ancient times?
Or does this sinful land exceed
Gomorrah in its crimes?
6 Still are we thine, we bear thy name,
Here yet is thine abode;
Long hast thy presence blessed our land;
Forsake us not, O God.
Thanks given for National Prosperity.
1 HOW rich thy gifts, almighty King!
From thee our public blessings spring:
The extended trade, the fruitful skies,
The treasures liberty bestows,
The eternal joys the gospel shows,
All from thy boundless goodness rise.
With grateful hearts, with joyful tongues,
o God we raise united songs.
pre still may God in mercy reign;
own our just counsels with success,
ith peace and joy our borders bless,
id all our sacred rights maintain.
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