As that which calls me to thy feet
The hour of prayer?

2 Then is my strength by thee renewed;
Then are my sins by thee forgiven;
Then dost thou cheer my solitude,
With hopes of heaven.

3 No words can tell what sweet relief
Here for my every want I find;
What strength for warfare, balm for grief,
What peace of mind!

4 Hushed is each doubt, gone every fear; My spirit seems in heaven to stay; And e'en the penitential tear

Is wiped away.

5 Lord, till I reach yon blissful shore,
No privilege so dear shall be

As thus my inmost soul to pour
In prayer to thee.

628.

Charlotte Elliott, 1854.

C. M.

1 FAR from the world, O Lord, I flee,
From strife and tumult far;

From scenes where Satan wages still
His most successful war.

2 The calm retreat, the silent shade,
With prayer and praise agree,
And seem by thy sweet bounty made
For those who follow thee.

3 There, if thy Spirit touch the soul,
And grace her mean abode,

Oh with what peace, and joy, and love,
She communes with her God!

4 There, like the nightingale, she pours
Her solitary lays,

Nor asks a witness of her song,
Nor thirsts for human praise.

5 Author and Guardian of my life,
Sweet Source of light divine,
And, all harmonious names in one,
My Saviour! thou art mine!

6 What thanks I owe thee, and what love, A boundless, endless store,

Shall echo through the realms above
When time shall be no more!

629.

William Cowper, 1779.

C. M.

1 PRAYER is the soul's sincere desire, Uttered or unexpressed;

The motion of a hidden fire

That trembles in the breast.

2 Prayer is the burden of a sigh,
The falling of a tear,

The upward glancing of an eye,
When none but God is near.

3 Prayer is the simplest form of speech
That infant lips can try;

Prayer the sublimest strains that reach
The Majesty on high.

4 Prayer is the contrite sinner's voice,
Returning from his ways,

While angels in their songs rejoice, "Behold he prays!"

And cry,

5 Prayer is the Christian's vital breath,
The Christian's native air;

His watchword at the gates of death,
He enters heaven with prayer.

6 Nor prayer is made by man alone;
The Holy Spirit pleads,

And Jesus, on th' eternal throne,
For sinners intercedes.

7 0 thou, by whom we come to God,
The life, the truth, the way,
The path of prayer thyself hast trod;
Lord, teach us how to pray.

James Montgomery, 1819.

THE CHRISTIAN LIFE,

FAITH.

630.

L. M.

1 FAITH is a living power from heaven Which grasps the promise God has given; Securely fixed on Christ alone,

A trust that cannot be o'erthrown.

2 Faith finds in Christ whate'er we need
To save and strengthen, guide and feed;
Strong in his grace it joys to share
His cross, in hope his crown to wear.
3 Faith to the conscience whispers peace,
And bids the mourner's sighing cease;
By faith the children's right we claim,
And call upon our Father's name.

4 Faith feels the Spirit's kindling breath
In love and hope that conquer death;
Faith blesses e'en his smiting rod,
And brings us to delight in God.
5 Such faith in us, O God, implant,
And to our prayers thy favor grant
In Jesus Christ, thy saving Son,
Who is our fount of health alone.

6 In him may every trusting soul
Press onward to the heavenly goal,
The blessedness no foes destroy,
Eternal love and light and joy.

Bohemian Brethren, 1531. Hymnologia Christiana, 1863.

631.

L. M.

1 SEE a poor sinner, dearest Lord,
Whose soul, encouraged by thy word,
At mercy's footstool would remain,
And then would look, and look again.

2 Take courage then, my trembling soul, One look from Christ will make thee whole;

Trust thou in him, 'tis not in vain,

But wait, and look, and look again.

3 Look to the Lord, his word, his throne; Look to his grace, and not your own: There wait and look, and look again; You shall not wait nor look in vain.

4 Ere long that happy day will come, When I shall reach my blissful home; And when to glory I attain,

Oh then I'll look, and look again.

Samuel Medley, 1789.

632.

L. M.

1 'Tis by the faith of joys to come We walk through deserts dark as night: Till we arrive at heaven our home,

Faith is our guide, and faith our light.

2 The want of sight she well supplies,
She makes the pearly gates appear;
Far into distant worlds she pries,
And brings eternal glories near.

3 Cheerful we tread the desert through, When faith inspires a heavenly ray. Though lions roar, and tempests blow, And rocks and dangers fill the way.

Isaac Watts, 1709.

633.

1 O FAITII, thou workest miracles Upon the hearts of men,

C. M.

Choosing thy home in those same hearts
We know not how or when.

2 O gift of gifts! O grace of faith!
My God, how can it be

That thou, who hast discerning love,
Shouldst give that gift to me?

3 There was a place, there was a time,
Whether by night or day,
Thy Spirit came and left that gift,
And went upon his way.

4 Ah, Grace! into unlikeliest hearts
It is thy boast to come,
The glory of thy light to find
In darkest spots a home.

5 The crowd of cares, the weightiest cross,
Seem trifles less than light,
Earth looks so little and so low,
When faith shines full and bright.

6 Oh happy, happy that I am!
If thou canst be, O Faith,

The treasure that thou art in life,
What wilt thou be in death?

634.

F. W. Faber, 1840.

C. M.

1 FAITH adds new charms to earthly bliss, And saves me from its snares;

Its aid in every duty brings,

And softens all my cares.

2 The wounded conscience knows its power

The healing balm to give;

That balm the saddest heart can cheer,
And make the dying live.