JESUS, seek Thy wandering sheep;
Bring me back, and lead, and keep; Take on Thee my every care;
Bear me, on Thy bosom bear:
Let me know my Shepherd's voice,
More and more in Thee rejoice;
More and more of Thee receive;
Ever in Thy Spirit live ;-
2 Live, till all Thy life I know,
Perfect like my Lord below;
Gladly then from earth remove,
Gathered to the fold above.
With the sheep at Thy right hand;
Take the crown so freely given,
Enter in by Thee to heaven!
Gen. xxviii. 10-22.
S. F. ADAMS.
NEARER, my God, to Thee—
Nearer to Thee,
E'en though it be a cross
That raiseth me:
Still all my song would be,
Nearer, my God, to Thee
Nearer to Thee.
2 Though like a wanderer,
Daylight all gone,
Darkness be over me,
My rest a stone;
Yet in my dreams, I'd be
Nearer, my God, to Thee-
Nearer to Thee.
3 There let the way appear
Steps up to heaven;
All that Thou send'st to me
In mercy given.
Angels to beckon me
Nearer, my God, to Thee
Nearer to Thee.
4 Then with my waking thoughts,
Bright with Thy praise,
Out of my stony griefs,
Bethel I'll raise;
So by my woes to be
Nearer, my God, to Thee-
Nearer to Thee.
5 Or if on joyful wing,
Cleaving the sky,
Sun, moon, and stars forgot,
Upwards I fly;
Still all my song shall be,
Nearer, my God, to Thee-
Nearer to Thee.
1 Kings viii. 38-40.
MONTGOMERY.
Fin whom we move and live,
ATHER of all our mercies, Thou
Hear us, in heaven Thy dwelling, now,
And answer and forgive.
2 When bound with sins and trespasses,
From wrath we fain would flee,
Lord, cancel our unrighteousness,
And set the captivos free.
3 When harassed by ten thousand foes,
Our helplessness we feel;
O give the weary soul repose,
The wounded spirit heal.
4. When dire temptations gather round,
And threaten or allure,
By storm or calm, in Thee be found
A refuge strong and sure.
5 When age advances, may we grow
In faith, and hope, and love;
And walk in holiness below,
To holiness above.
6 When earthly joys and cares depart,
Desire and envy cease,
Be Thou the portion of our heart,
In Thee may we have peace.
7 When flames these elements destroy,
And worlds in judgment stand,
May we lift up our heads with joy,
And meet at Thy right hand.
Gen. xxxii. 26. 112th M. C. WESLEY.*
LORD my God, to me reveal
10 Thy new unutterable Name:
Tell me, I now beseech Thee, tell;
To know it well resolved I am :
Wrestling, I will not let Thee go,
Till I Thy Name, Thy Nature know.
2 "Tis love! 'tis love! Thou diedst for me:
I hear Thy whisper in my heart!
The morning breaks, the shadows fice,
Pure, universal Love, Thou art:
To me, to all, Thy mercies move,
Thy Nature and Thy Name is Love.
3 I know Thee, Saviour, who Thou art,-
Jesus, the feeble sinner's friend :
Nor wilt Thou with the night depart,
But stay and love me to the end;
Thy mercies never shall remove;
Thy Nature and Thy Name is Love.
HIS ASPIRATIONS AFTER HEAVEN.
Heb. xiii. 14. 112th M. C. WESLEY. EADER of faithful souls, and guide
Lof all who travel to the sky,
Come, and with us, even us abide,
Who would on Thee alone rely:
On Thee alone our spirits stay,
While held in life's uneven way.
2 Strangers and pilgrims here below,
This earth, we know, is not our place;
But hasten through this vale of woe,
And, restless to behold Thy face,
Swift to our heavenly country move,
Our everlasting home above.
3 We've no abiding city here,
But seek a city out of sight:
Thither our steady course we steer,
Aspiring to the plains of light;
Jerusalem, the saints' abode,
Whose founder is the living God.
4 Through Thee, who all our sins hast borne,
Freely and graciously forgiven,
With songs to Zion we return,
Contending for our native heaven:
That palace of our glorious King,
We find it nearer while we sing.
5 Raised by the breath of love divine,
We tread the way the saints have trod;
The church of the first-born to join,
We travel to the mount of God;
With joy upon our heads arise,
And meet our Captain in the skies,
524 Psalm Ixxiii. 24.
YUIDE me, O Thou great Jehovah,
Pilgrim through this barren land;
I am weak, but Thou art mighty,
Hold me with Thy powerful hand;
Bread of heaven,
Feed me, till I want no more.
2 Open now the crystal fountain,
Whence the healing streams do flow;
Let the fiery, cloudy pillar
Lead me all my journey through:
Strong Deliverer,
Be Thou still my strength and shield.
3 When I tread the verge of Jordan,
Bid my anxious fears subside;
Bear me through the swelling current,
Land me safe on Canaan's side;
Songs of praises,
I will ever give to Thee.
525 1 Cor. ii. 9, 10.
And mount and bear us far above
The reach of these inferior things;
2 Beyond, beyond this lower sky,
Up where eternal ages roll;
Where solid pleasures never die,
And fruits immortal feast the soul.
3 O for a sight, a pleasing sight,
Of our Almighty Father's throne!
There sits our Saviour crowned with light,
Clothed in a body like our own.
4. Adoring saints around Him stand,
And thrones and powers before Him fall;
The God shines gracious through the Man,
And sheds sweet glories on them all.
|