OLDIERS of the Cross, arise!
Gird you with your armour bright:
Mighty are your enemies,
Hard the battle ye must fight.
2 'Mid the homes of want and woe, Strangers to the living word, Let the Saviour's herald go,
Let the voice of hope be heard.
3 Where the shadows deepest lie
Carry truth's unsullied ray;
Where are crimes of blackest die,
There the saving sign display.
4 To the weary and the worn
Tell of realms where sorrows cease; To the outcast and forlorn
Speak of mercy and of peace.
5 Guard the helpless, seek the strayed,
Comfort troubles, banish grief;
With the shield of faith arrayed
Quench the darts of unbelief.
6 Be the banner still unfurled,
Bravely wield the Spirit's sword,
Till the kingdoms of the world.
Are the kingdoms of the Lord.
THOU, who didst at Pentecost
Send down from heaven the Holy Ghost, That He might with Thy Church abide For ever, to defend and guide; Illuminate Thy servants, Lord, The preachers of Thy holy word.
2 O may Thy pastors faithful be;
Not labouring for themselves, but Thee:
Give grace to feed with wholesome food
Whom Thou hast purchased by Thy blood,
Thy sheep and lambs; and thus to prove
How dearly they the Shepherd love.
3 That which Thy holy Scriptures teach,
That, and that only, may they preach;
May they the true Foundation lay,
Build gold thereon, not wood or hay;
And meekly preach, in days of strife,
The sermon of a holy life.
LORD, pour Thy Spirit from on high,
And Thine ordained servants bless :
Graces and gifts to each supply,
And clothe Thy priests with righteousness.
2 Within Thy temple when they stand
To teach the truth as taught by Thee,
Saviour, like stars in Thy right hand
Let all Thy Church's pastors be.
Wisdom and zeal and love impart,
Firmness and meekness, from above,
To bear Thy people on their heart,
And love the souls whom Thou dost love. 4 To watch and pray, and never faint, By day and night their guard to keep, To warn the sinner, cheer the saint, To feed Thy lambs and tend Thy sheep. 5 So, when their work is finished here, They may in hope their charge resign; So, when their Master shall appear, They may with crowns of glory shine!
ORD 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 blessed,
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!
ORD! whose temple once did glisten
With a monarch's rich supplies,
To our humbler praises listen,
Bless our willing sacrifice!
Be our freewill offering, given
To the Father and the Son,
Sweeter in the sight of Heaven
Than the scents of Lebanon !
2 Clouds and darkness veiled Thy dwelling
In Thy chosen house of old,
Though the hymn of praise was swelling
'Mid the pomp of Ophir's gold:
Here, Thy love our hearts shall brighten-
Hence, ye earth-born clouds, away!
Here Thy Spirit shall enlighten,
Shining to the perfect day.
3 Hither, on Thy holy morning,
Guide us on our church-way path:
Here, O Lord, in life's first dawning,
Sprinkle every child of wrath:
Here, around Thy table bending,
Feed us with the living bread:
Here, to wait their Lord's descending,
Hallowed earth, receive the dead!
4 When our Israel's sore transgression
Stops the windows of the sky;
When we sink beneath oppression,
When we see our thousands die-
Father, when we here adore Thee,
In Thy house our prayer receive;
When we spread our hands before Thee,
Here behold us, and forgive!
When a Voice to me shall say, “ Thou must rise and come away;
2 "All thine other journeys past,
Gird thee, and make ready fast,
For thy longest and thy last."
3 Day, deep-hidden from our sight
In impenetrable night,
Who may guess of thee aright?
4 Art thou distant? art thou near? Will thy dawn be dark or clear? Fraught with more of hope or fear?
Wilt thou come, not seen before,
That art standing at the door,
Saying," Light and life are o'er ?"
6 Or with such a gradual pace,
As shall leave me largest space
To regard thee face to face?
7 Little recks it where or how,
If thou comest then or now,
With a smooth or angry brow.
8 Come thou must, and we must die;
Jesus, Saviour, stand Thou by,
When that last sleep seals mine eye.
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