4 Long may these walls resound
With thy salvation, Lord,
And grace to all abound,
Who hear thy holy word
And youth and age their offerings raise
In songs of ardent, cheerful praise.
Dedication of a Country Church.
1 On this fair spot where nature pays
From hill, and vale, and flower, and tree
In morning beams, in evening rays,
Its homage, God of all, to thee;-
2 Thy children meet to dedicate
This temple to thy gracious name;
Our hearts and songs to elevate,—
Thy grace and glory to proclaim.
3 Descend-and with thy spirit bless
The offering; may it ever be
Sacred to truth and righteousness,
From error's dread dominion free.
4 Here let the standard of thy word
Be raised and held by gospel hands;
Hither bring hearts with one accord,
To learn and do thy great commands.
5 And when we leave these courts below,
To join the hosts in praise above,
May others here rejoice to know
Thy boundless, everlasting love.
10 THOU, whose own vast temple stands
Built over earth and sea,
Accept the walls that human hands
Have raised to worship thee.
2 Lord, from thine inmost glory send,
Within these courts to bide,
The peace that dwelleth, without end,
Serenely by thy side.
3 May erring minds that worship here
Be taught the better way,
And they who mourn, and they who fear,
Be strengthened as they pray!
4 May faith grow firm, and love grow warm,
And pure devotion rise,
While round these hallowed walls the storm
Of earth-born passion dies.
1 WHERE shall we go to seek and find
A habitation for our God?
A dwelling for th' Eternal Mind
Among the sons of flesh and blood?
2 The God of Jacob chose the hill
Of Zion for his ancient rest;
And Zion is his dwelling still;
His church is with his presence blest.
3 Here will he meet the hungry poor,
And fill their souls with living bread;
Here sinners, waiting at his door,
With sweet provision shall be fed.
Here will I fix my gracious throne,
And reign forever," saith the Lord;
"Here shall my power and love be known,
And blessings shall attend my word."
Prayer for God's Presence and Blessing.
1 GREAT King of glory, come,
And with thy favor crown
This temple as thy home,
This people as thine own:
Beneath this roof, O deign to show
How God can dwell with men below.
2 Here may thine ears attend
Our interceding cries,
And grateful praise ascend,
Like incense to the skies:
Here may thy word melodious sound
And spread celestial joys around.
3 Here may our unborn sons
And daughters sound thy praise,
And shine, like polished stones,
Through long-succeeding days:
Here, Lord, display thy saving power,
While temples stand and men adore.
4 Here may the listening throng
Imbibe thy truth and love;
Here Christians join the song
Of seraphim above;
Till all, who humbly seek thy face,
Rejoice in thy abounding grace.
1 OUR Father God! not face to face
May mortal sense commune with thee,
Nor lift the curtains of that place
Where dwells thy secret Majesty.
Yet whereso'er our spirits bend
In rev'rent faith and humble prayer,
Thy promised blessing will descend,
And we shall find thy spirit there.
2 Lord! be the spot where now we meet,
An open gateway into heaven;
Here may we sit at Jesus' feet,
And feel our deepest sins forgiven.
Here may desponding care look up;
And sorrow lay its burden down,
Or learn, of him, to drink the cup,
To bear the cross, and win the crown.
3 Here may the sick and wandering soul,
To truth still blind, to sin a slave,
Find better than Bethesda's pool,
Or than Siloam's healing wave.
And may we learn, while here apart
From the world's passion and its strife,
That thy true shrine's a loving heart,
And thy best praise a holy life!
10 THOU, who art above all height !
Our God, our Father, and our Friend!
Beneath thy throne of love and light,
Let thine adoring children bend.
2 We kneel in praise, that here is set
A vine that by thy culture grew;
We kneel in prayer, that thou wouldst wet
Its opening leaves with heavenly dew,
3 Since thy young sei vant now hath given
Himself, his powers, his hopes, his youth
To the great cause of truth and heaven,
Be thou his guide O God of truth'
4 Here may his doctrines drop like rain,
His speech like Hermon's dew distil,
Till green fields smile, and golden grain,
Ripe for the harvest, waits thy will.
5 And when he sinks in death, - by care,
Or pain, or toil, or years uppressed,-
O God! remember then our prayer,
And take his spirit to thy rest.
Benefits of the Ministry.
1 BLEST is the hour when cares depart,
And earthly scenes are far,-
When tears of woe forget to start.
And gently dawns upon the heart
Devotion's holy star.
2 Blest is the place where angels bená
To hear our worship rise,
Where kindred thoughts their musings blend,
And all the soul's affections tend
Beyond the veiling skies.
3 Blest are the hallowed vows that bind
Man to his work of love
Bind him to cheer the humble mind,
Console the weeping, lead the blind,
And guide to joys above.
4 Sweet shall the song of glory swell,
Spirit divine to thee,
When they whose work is finished well,
In thy own courts of rest shall dwell
Blest through eternity.
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