ATHER, if that gracious name
Thou permit our souls to claim,
Hear us plead for those who stray,
Wanderers from the heavenly way,
Unrepentant, unforgiven,
Strangers yet to Thee and heaven :
Near them yawns the opening grave-
Save them, ere they perish, save!
2 Wanderers once ourselves as they,
Bound like them in Satan's sway,
Pardoned sinners, can our eye
See unmoved our brethren die?
Lord, Thy grace our hearts could melt;
Let that grace by them be felt!
Breathe on them that quickening breath
Which has waked our souls from death!
3 Thou! Omnipotent to save,
Great High-Priest, Thine aid we crave !
By Thy blood's transcendant price,
By Thy perfect sacrifice,
Thou whose dying breath implored
Grace for those who slew their Lord-
O repeat that prayer again,
Thou who canst not plead in vain!
PREAD, O spread, thou mighty Word,
Spread the kingdom of the Lord,
Wheresoe'er His breath has given
Life to beings born for Heaven.
2 Tell them how the Father's will
Made the world, and keeps it still,
How He sent His Son to save
All who help and comfort crave.
3 Tell of our Redeemer's love,
Who for ever doth remove,
By His holy sacrifice,
All the guilt that on us lies.
4 Tell them of the Spirit given
Now, to guide us up to heaven,
Strong and holy, just and true,
Working both to will and do.
5 Word of Life! most pure and strong,
Lo! for Thee the nations long:
Spread, till from its dreary night
All the world awakes to light.
6 Up, the ripening fields ye see:
Mighty shall the harvest be;
But the reapers still are few,
Great the work they have to do.
7 Lord of harvest, let there be
Joy and strength to work for Thee,
Till the nations far and near
See Thy light, and learn Thy fear.
HOU, whose Almighty word
Chaos and darkness heard,
And took their flight,
Hear us, we humbly pray;
And, where the Gospel-day
Sheds not its glorious ray,
Let there be light!
2 Thou who didst come to bring
On Thy redeeming wing
Healing and sight-
Health to the sick in mind,
Sight to the inly blind-
O now to all mankind
Let there be light!
3 Spirit of truth and love,
Life-giving holy Dove,
Speed forth Thy flight!
Move on the waters' face,
Bearing the lamp of grace,
And in earth's darkest place
Let there be light!
ATHER of mercies, God of love, Whose gifts all creatures share, The rolling seasons, as they move, Proclaim Thy constant care.
2 When in the bosom of the earth
The sower hid the grain,
Thy goodness marked its secret birth,
And sent the early rain.
3 The spring's sweet influence, Lord, was Thine, The seasons knew Thy call;
Thou mad'st the summer suns to shine,
The summer dews to fall.
4 The Hand unseen that works above
Matured the swelling grain;
And now the harvest crowns Thy love,
And plenty fills the plain.
5 O ne'er may our forgetful hearts
O'erlook Thy bounteous care;
But what our Father's hand imparts
Still own in praise and prayer!
HAND of bounty, largely spread, By whom our every want is fed, Whate'er we touch, or taste, or see, We owe them all, O Lord! to Thee: The corn, the oil, the purple wine, Are all Thy gifts, and only Thine! 2 The stream Thy word to nectar dyed, The bread Thy blessing multiplied, The stormy wind, the whelming flood, That silent at Thy mandate stood, How well they knew Thy voice divine, Whose works they were, and only Thine! 3 Though now no more on earth we trace Thy footsteps of celestial grace, Obedient to Thy word and will We seek Thy daily mercy still; Its blessed beams around us shine, And Thine we are, and only Thine!
GRACIOUS Hand, that freely gives
The fruits of earth, our toil to bless!
O love, by which the sinner lives!
O let our tongues that love confess!
2 Our God for all our need provides,
His sun o'er all alike doth shine;
From none his glorious beams he hides:
So wills the Father's love divine.
3 Again His love our garner fills,
This love again let all adore:
The cry of want His bounty stills,
Who biddeth all His name implore.
4 O may our lives through grace abound
In fruits of holiness and love:
Let all His courts with praise resound,
To echo angels' praise above!
5 O Lord! when Thou shalt come from heaven, Thy ripened harvest here to reap,
In that bless'd day Thy joy be given
To those who now go forth to weep!
AVIOUR! upon Thy glorious throne
Exalted Thou dost shine:
What can we render unto Thee,
When all the worlds are Thine?
2 But Thou hast brethren here below,
Partakers of Thy grace,
Whose humble names Thou wilt confess
Before Thy Father's face.
|
