"Blessed is he that watcheth."
YE servants of the Lord,
Each in his office wait,
Observant of His heavenly word,
And watchful at His gate.
Watch! 'tis your Lord's command,
And while we speak He's near;
Mark the first signal of His hand,
And ready all appear.
O happy servant he
In prayer and watching found!
He shall his Lord with rapture see,
And be with honour crowned.
Christ shall the banquet spread,
With His own royal hand;
And raise that faithful servant's head
Among His angel band.-AMEN.
"Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the
ESUS, Thy Church with longing eyes
For Thine expected coming waits.
When will the promised light arise,
And glory beam from Sion's gates?
O come and reign o'er every land;
Let Satan from his throne be hurled,
All nations bow to Thy command,
And grace revive a dying world.
Teach us in watchfulness and prayer
To wait for the appointed hour,
And fit us by Thy grace to share
The triumphs of Thy conquering power.
"His name shall endure for ever."
AIL to the Lord's Anointed,
Great David's greater Son!
Hail, in the time appointed,
His reign on earth begun!
He comes to break oppression,
To set the captive free ;
To take away transgression,
And rule in equity.
He shall come down like showers
Upon the fruitful earth,
And joy and hope, like flowers,
Spring in His path to birth;
Before Him on the mountains
Shall Peace, the herald, go;
From hill to vale the fountains
Of Righteousness o'erflow.
Kings shall bow down before Him,
And gold and incense bring;
All nations shall adore Him,
His praise all people sing;
To Him shall prayer unceasing
And daily vows ascend;
His kingdom still increasing,
A kingdom without end.
O'er every foe victorious,
He on His throne shall rest;
From age to age more glorious,
All-blessing and all-blessed :
The tide of time shall never
His covenant remove;
His Name shall stand for ever,
His changeless Name of Love. Amen.
"Behold, the Bridegroom cometh."
REJOICE, rejoice, believers!
And let your lights appear;
The evening is advancing,
The darker night is near.
The Bridegroom is arising;
And soon will He draw nigh:
Up! pray, and watch, and wrestle,
At midnight comes the cry.
See that your lamps are burning,
Replenish them with oil;
Look now for your salvation,
The end of sin and toil.
The watchers on the mountain
Proclaim the Bridegroom near,
Go, meet Him as He cometh,
With Alleluias clear.
Oh! wise and holy virgins,
Now raise your voices higher,
Till, in your jubilations,
Ye meet the angel-choir.
The Marriage Feast is waiting,
The gates wide open stand;
Up, all ye heirs of glory,
The Bridegroom is at hand.
Our hope and expectation,
O Jesu, now appear;
Arise, Thou Sun so looked-for,
O'er this benighted sphere!
With hearts and hands uplifted,
We plead, O Lord, to see
The day of our redemption,
And ever be with Thee !-AMEN.
"Even so, come, Lord Jesus."
COME, Lord, and tarry not;
Bring the long-looked-for day;
Oh, why these years of waiting here,
These ages of delay?
Come, for Thy saints still wait ;
Daily ascends their sigh;
The Spirit and the Bride say, Come:
Dost Thou not hear the cry?
Come, for creation groans,
Impatient of Thy stay,
Worn out with these long years of ill,
These ages of delay.
Come, for the corn is ripe,
Put in Thy sickle now,
Reap the great harvest of the earth;
Sower and Reaper Thou!
Come, in Thy glorious might,
Come with the iron rod,
Scattering Thy foes before Thy face,
Most mighty Son of God.
Come, and make all things new,
Build up this ruined earth,
Restore our faded Paradise,
Creation's second birth.
Come, and begin Thy reign
Of everlasting peace;
Come, take the kingdom to Thyself,
Great King of Righteousness.-AMEN.
"Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto
HOW precious is the Book Divine,
By inspiration given !
Bright as a lamp its doctrines shine,
To guide our souls to heaven.
It sweetly cheers our drooping hearts,
In this dark vale of tears:
Life, light, and joy it still imparts,
And quells our rising fears.
This lamp, through all the tedious night.
Of life, shall guide our way;
Till we behold the clearer light
Of an eternal day -AMEN.
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