183

GEORGE N. Allen.

6 4

185

438, 227, 187.

1 LET all the heathen writers join
To form one perfect book:
Great God, if once compared with thine,
How mean their writings look!

2 Not the most perfect rules they gave
Could show one sin forgiven,
Nor lead a step beyond the grave;
But thine conducts to heaven.

3 Yet men would fain be just with God
By works their hands have wrought;
But thy commands, exceeding broad,
Extend to every thought.

4 Our faith, and love, and every grace
Fall far below thy word;
But perfect truth and righteousness
Dwell only with the Lord.

Anon.

1 HAIL, sacred truth! whose piercing rays Dispel the shades of night,

Diffusing o'er a ruined world

The healing beams of light.

Its holiness discern;

Its joyful news of saving grace
By blest experience learn.

4 Thus may thy word be dearer still,
And studied more each day;
And as it richly dwells within,
Thyself in it display.

Anon.

Restores our wandering feet; Converts the sorrows of the mind

To joys divinely sweet.

3 O send thy light and truth abroad,
In all their radiant blaze;
And bid the admiring world adore
The glories of thy grace.

John Buttress.

2 Bread of our souls, whereon we feed ;
True manna from on high;
Our guide and chart, wherein we read
Of realms beyond the sky.

3 Pillar of fire through watches dark,
And radiant cloud by day;

When waves would whelm our tossing bark,

Our anchor and our stay;

4 Word of the everlasting God;

Will of his glorious Son,

Without thee how could earth be trod,

Or heaven itself be won?

5 Lord, grant us all aright to learn
The wisdom it imparts,
And to its heavenly teaching turn
With simple, childlike hearts.

Barton.

3 That thou for us didst live and die, Make known to us, dear Lord;

To us the promises apply,

Recorded in thy word.

William Hammond.

189

201, 227, 183.

1 ALMIGHTY God, thy word is cast
Like seed upon the ground;

O let the dew of heaven descend,
And shed its influence round.

2 Let not the foe of Christ and man
This holy seed remove;
May it take root in every heart,
And grow in faith and love.

3 Let not this life's deceitful cares,
Nor worldly wealth and joy,
Nor scorching beam, nor stormy blast,
The rising plant destroy.

4 Where'er the word of life is sown,
A large increase bestow,
That all who hear thy message, Lord,
Its saving power may know.

John Cawood

192

Isaac Watts.

[Tune, Pleyel, No. 240.] 1 HOLY Bible! book divine! Precious treasure, thou art mine! Mine to tell me whence I came; Mine to teach me what I am; 2 Mine to chide me when I rove; Mine to show a Saviour's love; Mine art thou to guide my feet; Mine to judge, condemn, acquit;

193

85, 89, 601.

1 IMPOSTURE shrinks from light,
And dreads the curious eye;
But sacred truths the test invite,
They bid us search and try.

20 may we still maintain

A meek, inquiring mind,
Assured we shall not search in vain,
But hidden treasures find.

3 With understanding blessed,
Created to be free,

Our faith on man we dare not rest,
We trust alone in thee.

3 Mine to comfort in distress,
If the Holy Spirit bless;
Mine to show by living faith,
Man can triumph over death;
4 Mine to tell of joys to come,
And the rebel sinner's doom;
O thou holy book divine!
Precious treasure, thou art mine!
John Burton.

Anon.

8s & 7s.

[Tune, Stockwell, No. 162.] 1 BLESSED Bible, how I love it! How it doth my bosom cheer! What hath earth like this to covet? O, what stores of wealth are here! 2 'Tis a fountain ever bursting,

Whence the weary may obtain Water for the soul that's thirsting, That it may not thirst again.

3 'Tis a chart that never faileth,

One which God to man has given; And though oft the storm assaileth, It will guide you safe to heaven. 4 'Tis a pearl of price exceeding All the gems in ocean found; And, its sacred precepts heeding, So shall you in grace abound.

Anon.

195XAT

T. R. MATTHEWS,

1. O word of God in-car-nate, O

wis-dom from on high, Otruth unchanged, un

radiance That

호

492, 246, 415.

2 The church from her dear Master Received the gift divine,

And still that light she lifteth

O'er all the earth to shine.

It is the golden casket

Where gems of truth are stored,
It is the heaven-drawn picture
Of Christ the living Word.
3 It floateth like a banner

Before God's host unfurled,
It shineth like a beacon
Above the stormy world;
It is the chart and compass

That o'er life's raging sea, 'Mid mists and rocks and quicksands, Still guides, O Christ, to thee!

4 O, make thy church, dear Saviour,
A lamp of burnished gold,
To bear before the nations
Thy true light as of old;
O, teach thy wandering pilgrims
By this their path to trace,
Till, clouds and darkness ended,
They see thee face to face.

William How.

1 THE heavens declare his glory,
Their Maker's skill, the skies;
Each day repeats the story,
And night to night replies.
Their silent proclamation
Throughout the earth is heard,-
The record of creation,

The page of nature's word.

2 But there's a radiance streaming
More bright than that of day,
"Tis God's own glory beaming
In truth's celestial ray :
So pure, so soul restoring,
It makes the simple wise;
And, balm of comfort pouring,
Each aching heart supplies.
3 Thy word is richer treasure

Than lurks within the mine;
And daintiest fare less pleasure
Yields than this food divine.
How wise each kind monition!
Led by thy counsels, Lord,
How safe the saints' condition!
How great is their reward!

Josiah Conder.

197

VIRGIL C. TAYLOR.

That rule which is the angel's guide
Shall I not fear to disobey?

3 With all my power, from morn tiil night,
I'll publish 'mong the sons of men
That sacred law, though others scorn
To keep thy holy precepts ten.

4 0 that an angel's tongue were mine!
Then would I magnify that word,
Which, echoing from lips divine,

From Sinai's rugged mount was heard. 5 And when old earth shall be restored To Eden beauty, fair and bright, And God himself shall dwell with men, Still in that law shall I delight.

Mrs. L. D. A. Stuttie.

199

1

212, 215, 51.

TRUTH is the gem for which we seek, O tell us where shall it be found! For this we search, and pray, and weep, That truth may in our hearts abound. 2 We want the truth on every point, We want it all to practice by; Do thou, O Lord, our eyes anoint With a fresh unction from on high. 3 Were not the ten commandments given By the great Source of light and truth, For all who tread the path to heaven

4

From the dark wilderness of earth?
Then, as we would our God obey,
In letter and in spirit too,

O, let us keep the seventh day,
For it is plainly brought to view.