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630

No success without God's blessing.

L. M.

EXCEPT the Lord our labours bless,

vain shall we desire success;

Except his guardian power restrain,
The watchman waketh but in vain.
2 'Tis useless toil our stores to keep,—
Early to rise and late to sleep,-
Unless the Lord, who reigns on high,
His providential care supply.

3 Grant, Lord, that we may ever flee
For guidance and for help to thee;
Thy blessing ask, whate'er we do,
And in thy strength our work pursue.

631

On returning from a journey.

C. M.

THOU, Lord, hast blest my going out;

bless my coming in:

Compass my weakness round about,
And keep me safe from sin.

2 Still hide me in thy secret place;
Thy tabernacle spread:
Shelter me with preserving grace,
And screen my naked head.
3 To thee for refuge may I run,
From sin's alluring snare:
Ready its first approach to shun,
And watching unto prayer.

4 0 that I never, never more
Might from thy ways depart:
Here let me give my wand'rings o'er,
By giving thee my heart.

5 Fix my new heart on things above,
And then from earth release;

I ask not life, but let me love,

And lay me down in peace.

632

L

Have mercy on us.

P. M. 77, 75.

ORD of mercy and of might,
Of mankind the life and light,
Maker, Teacher, Infinite,—
Jesus! hear and save.

2 Strong Creator, Saviour mild,
Humbled to a little child,
Captive, beaten, bound, reviled,-
Jesus! hear and save.

3 Borne aloft on angels' wings,
Throned above celestial things,
Lord of lords, and King of kings-
Jesus! hear and save..

4 Soon to come to earth again,
Judge of angels and of men,

Hear us now, and hear us then,—
Jesus! hear and save.

633

Acquiescence in the Divine Will.

C. M.

UTHOR of good, we rest on thee:

A Thine ever

Thine ever watchful eye

Alone our real wants can see,-
Thy hand alone supply.

2 In thine all-gracious providence
Our cheerful hopes confide;
O let thy power be our defence,—
Thy love our footsteps guide.

3 And since, by passion's force subdued, Too oft, with stubborn will,

We blindly shun the latent good,

And grasp the specious ill,

4 Not what we wish, but what we want, Let mercy still supply:

The good unask'd, O Father, grant;
The ill, though ask'd, deny.

634

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In deep affliction.

C. M.

GOD, who madest earth and sky,
The darkness and the day,

Give ear to this thy family,

And help us when we pray :-
2 For wild the waves of bitterness
Around our vessel roar,

And heavy grows the pilot's heart,
To view the rocky shore.

3 The cross our Master bore for us,
For him we fain would bear;
But mortal strength to weakness turns,
And courage to despair.

4 Have mercy on our failings, Lord;
Our sinking faith renew;

And when thy sorrows visit us,
O send thy patience too.

635

Parting of friends.

HY presence, everlasting God!

L. M.

Wide o'er all nature spreads abroad: Thy watchful eyes, which cannot sleep, In every place thy children keep.

2 While near each other we remain,
Thou dost our lives and souls sustain;
When sep'rate, happy if we share
Thy smiles and thy paternal care.

3 To thee we all our ways commit,
And seek our comforts near thy feet;
Still on our souls vouchsafe to shine,
And guard and guide us still as thine.
4 Bring us again to pay our vows,
O Lord, in thy beloved house;
Or, if that joy no more be known,
O may we meet around thy throne.

636

SOLE

On changing place of abode.

L. M.

OLE Sov'reign of the earth and skies,
Supremely good, supremely wise,

Fix thou the place of our abode,
But let it still be near our God.

2 On earth we weary pilgrims roam,
Nor find, nor hope, a lasting home;
We seek a house not made with hands,
A heavenly house, which ever stands.

3 Yet while we sojourn here below,
Let streams of mercy round us flow;
And when our destined race is run,
Assign us mansions near thy throne.

637

WH

6th P. M. 6 lines 7s.

Death of a child.

THEREFORE should I make my moan,
Now the darling child is dead?

He to early rest is gone,

He to paradise is fled:

I shall go to him, but he
Never shall return to me.

2 God forbids his longer stay;
God recalls the precious loan;
God hath taken him away,

From my bosom to his own: Surely what he wills is best; Happy in his will I rest.

3 Faith cries out,-It is the Lord, Let him do as seems him good! Be thy holy Name adored;

Take the gift awhile bestow'd: Take the child no longer mine; Thine he is, forever thine.

638

Overwhelming grief.

C. M.

THOU, who in the olive shade,
When the dark hour came on,
Didst, with a breath of heavenly aid,
Strengthen thy suff'ring Son,-
2 O, by the anguish of that night,
Send us down blest relief;
Or, to the chasten'd, let thy might
Hallow this whelming grief.

3 And thou, that, when the starry sky
Saw the dread strife begun,
Didst teach adoring faith to cry,-
Father, thy will be done :-

4 By thy meek Spirit, thou, of all
That e'er have mourn'd the chief,
Blest Saviour, if the stroke must fall,
Hallow this whelming grief.

639

10th P. M. 8 lines 8s.

Happiness of those whom God correcteth.

HOW

OW happy the sorrowful man,
Whose sorrow is sent from above!
Indulged with a visit of pain,-
Chastised by omnipotent love;
The Author of all his distress

He comes by affliction to know,
And God he in heaven shall bless,
That ever he suffer'd below.
2 Thus, thus may I happily grieve,
And bear the intent of his rod;
The marks of adoption receive,-
The strokes of a merciful God:
With nearer access to his throne,
My burden of folly confess;
The cause of my miseries own,

And cry for an answer of peace.

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