But through the shadow streams the sun: 485.
We cannot doubt thy certain love;
And Man's true aim shall yet be won!
T. W. Higginson. 1847.
O SPIRIT of the living God!
In all thy plenitude of grace,
Where'er the foot of man hath trod,
Descend on our benighted race.
Be darkness, at thy coming, light;
Confusion, order in thy path;
Lift up your Heads, ye Gates.
Он, blest the souls, for ever blest,
Where God as Ruler is confessed!
O happy hearts and happy homes,
To whom the King of Glory comes !
Fling wide thy portals, O my heart!
Be thou a temple set apart,
So shall thy Sovereign enter in,
And new and nobler life begin.
Deliverer, come ! we open wide
Our hearts to thee; here, Lord, abide!
Souls without strength inspire with might; Let all thy glorious presence feel.
Bid mercy triumph over wrath.
O King of souls, thyself reveal!
Come, kingdom of our God,
And make the broad earth thine;
Stretch o'er her lands and isles the rod
That flowers with grace divine.
Soon may all tribes be blest
With fruit from life's glad tree,
And in its shade like brothers rest,
Sons of one family!
Thy kingdom come! for hosts
Meet on the battle-plain;
Our holiest hopes seem vainest boasts,
And tears are shed like rain.
Hark! herald voices near
Lead on thy happier day;
Come, Lord, and our hosannas hear!
We wait to strew thy way.
Come, as in days of old,
O God of grace and power!
Gather us all within thy fold,
And let us stray no more!
Human Brotherhood.
HUSH the loud cannon's roar,
The frantic warrior's call!
John Johns. 1837. Why should the earth be drenched with
THY kingdom come! for here
Our path through wilds is laid;
We watch, as for the dayspring near,
Amid the breaking shade.
Amid repentant tears,
We feel sweet peace within ;
We know the God of mercy hears,
And pardons every sin.
Father, the hindrance show,
Which I have failed to see;
And let me now consent to know
What keeps me far from thee.
Searcher of hearts, in mine
Thy trying power display:
Into its darkest corners shine,
Take every veil away.
In me the hindrance lies:
The fatal bar remove;
And let me see, in sweet surprise,
Thy full redeeming love.
Francis Joseph Haydn. 1798.
Arr. by William Henry Monk. 1861.
491.
THOU hidden love of God, whose height,
Whose depth unfathomed no man knows,
I see from far thy beauteous light,
Inly I sigh for thy repose.
My heart is pained; nor can it be
At rest, till it find rest in thee.
Thy secret voice invites me still
The sweetness of thy yoke to prove :
And fain I would; but though my will
Seem fixed, yet wide my passions rove;
Yet hindrances strew all the way;
I aim at thee, yet from thee stray.
'Tis mercy all, that thou hast brought
My mind to seek her peace in thee;
Yet, while I seek, but find thee not,
No peace my wandering soul shall see.
Oh, when shall all my wanderings end,
And all my steps to thee-ward tend!
Is there a thing beneath the sun,
That strives with thee my heart to share?
Ah! tear it thence, and reign alone,
The Lord of every motion there.
Then shall my heart from earth be free,
When it hath found repose in thee.
Gerhard Tersteegen. 1731. Tr. John Wesley. 1738.
PEACE, troubled soul. Thou need'st not
Thy great Protector still is near: [fear;
He who has fed, will feed thee still;
Be calm, and sink into his will:
Who hears the ravens when they cry
Will all his children's needs supply.
Peace, doubting heart; distrust not God:
Though dark the valley, steep the way,
Still lean upon his staff and rod,
Still make his providence thy stay:
A sudden calm thy soul shall fill,
'Tis God, who whispers, Peace; be still.
Samuel Ecking.
493.
I WANT the spirit of power within,
Of love and of a healthful mind,
Of power to conquer every sin,
Of love to God and all mankind ;
Of health that pain and death defies,
Most vigorous when the body dies.
Oh that the Comforter would come,
Nor visit as a transient guest,
But fix in me his constant home,
And keep possession of my breast;
And make my soul his loved abode,
The temple of indwelling God!
Living to God.
Он, draw me, Father, after thee!
So shall I run and never tire;
With gracious words still comfort me;
Be thou my hope, my sole desire :
Free me from every weight; nor fear
Nor sin can come, if thou art here.
From all eternity, with love
Unchangeable thou hast me viewed;
Ere knew this beating heart to move,
Thy tender mercies me pursued:
Ever with me may they abide,
And close me in on every side!
In suffering be thy love my peace,
In weakness be thy love my power;
And when the storms of life shall cease,
My God, in that important hour,
In death as life be thou my guide,
THOU hidden Source of calm repose,
Thou all-sufficient Love Divine,
My help and refuge from my foes,
Secure I am if thou art mine.
And, lo! from sin and grief and shame
I hide me, Father, in thy name.
Father, my all in all thou art,
My rest in toil, my ease in pain;
The healing of my broken heart;
In strife, my peace; in loss, my gain;
My smile beneath the cold world's frown;
In shame, my glory and my crown;
In want, my plentiful supply;
In weakness, my almighty power;
In bonds, my perfect liberty;
My light in evil's darkest hour;
In grief, my joy unspeakable;
And bear me thro' death's whelming tide. My life in death, my all in all.
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