4

The lily must decay;

The rose that blooms beneath the hill
Must shortly fade away.

And soon, too soon, the wintry hour
Of man's maturer age

Will shake the soul with sorrow's power,
And stormy passion's rage.

5 O Thou, whose infant feet were found
Within Thy Father's shrine,
Whose years, with changeless virtue.
Were all alike divine, [crowned,

6 Dependent on Thy bounteous breath,
We seek Thy grace alone,

In childhood, manhood, age, and death, To keep us still Thine own.

401

Bp. Reginald Heber (1783-1826), 1812.
Christ's Regard for Children.
MARK X. 13-16.

I SEE, Israel's gentle Shepherd stands,
With all-engaging charms;
Hark, how He calls the tender lambs,
And folds them in His arms!

2 "Permit them to approach," He cries, "Nor scorn their humble name; For 't was to bless such souls as these, The Lord of angels came."

3 We bring them, Lord, in thankful hands, And yield them up to Thee;

Joyful that we ourselves are Thine,
Thine let our offspring be.

I WITNESS, ye men and angels, now,
Before the Lord we speak ;
To Him we make our solemn vow,
A vow we dare not break :-

2 That long as life itself shall last,
Ourselves to Christ we yield;
Nor from His cause will we depart,
Or ever quit the field.

3 We trust not in our native strength,
But on His grace rely,

That, with returning wants, the Lord
Will all our need supply.

4 O guide our doubtful feet aright,
And keep us in Thy ways;

And, while we turn our vows to prayers, Turn Thou our prayers to praise.

Rev. Benjamin Beddome (1717-1795), 1787

BLISS. 6.6.6. 6. 8. 6.

2 Take my hands, and let them move At the impulse of Thy love : Take my feet, and let them be Swift and beautiful for Thee. 3 Take my silver and my gold; Not a mite would I withhold: Take my intellect, and use Every power as Thou dost choose. BUDLEIGH. 6.4. 6. 4.10.10.