HEAVENWARD STILL OUR PATHWAY

TENDS.

(Himmelan geht unsre Bahn.)

BY BENJAMIN SCHMOLKE, 1731. Translated by Miss FRANCES ELIZABETH Cox. Another translation by Miss C. WINKWORTH: "Heavenward doth our journey tend."

EAVENWARD still our pathway tends,

Here on earth we are but strangers;
Till our road in Canaan ends,
Safely passed this wild of dangers,
Pilgrims we, a scattered band,
Seek above our Fatherland.

Heavenward still my soul ascend!

Thou art one of heaven's creations;
Earth can ne'er give aim or end
Fit to fill thy aspirations:
Turns a heaven-illumined mind
Evermore its source to find.

Heavenward still! God's volume blest,
Thus, throughout its sacred pages,

Calls me on, and speaks of rest,

Rest with Him through endless ages;

While my heart that call attends,
Still to heaven my path ascends.

Heavenward still my thoughts arise,
When His festal board invites me;
Then my spirit upward flies,

Foretaste then of heaven delights me:
When on earth this food has ceased
Comes the Lamb's own Marriage-feast.

Heavenward still my spirit wends,

That fair land by faith exploring;
Heavenward still my heart ascends,
Sun and moon and stars out-soaring;
Their faint rays in vain would try
Once with light of heaven to vie.

Heavenward still, when life shall close,
Death to my true home shall guide me;
There, triumphant o'er my woes,
Lasting bliss shall God provide me;
Christ Himself the way has led,
Joyful in His steps I tread.

Still then heavenward! heavenward still!
That shall be my watchword ever!
Joys of heaven my heart shall fill,

Chasing joys that filled it never:
Heavenward still my thoughts shall run,
Till the gate of heaven is won.

CONQUERING PRINCE AND LORD OF
GLORY.

(Siegesfürst und Ehrenkönig.)

FROM the German of GERHARD TERSTEEGEN, a deeply spiritual hymnist, 1731. Translated by Miss C. WINKWORTH "Lyra Germ." II. 76; changed, 1862).

ONQUERING Prince and Lord of glory,
Majesty enthroned in light!

All the heavens are bowed before Thee,
Far beyond them spreads Thy might.

Shall I fall not at Thy feet,

And my heart with rapture beat,

Now Thy glory is displayed,

Thine ere yet the worlds were made?

As I watch Thee far ascending

To the right hand of the throne,
See the host before Thee bending,
Praising Thee in sweetest tone,
Shall I not, too, at Thy feet
Hear the angels' strain repeat,
And rejoice that heaven doth sing
With the triumph of my King?

CONQUERING PRINCE, ETC.
Power and Spirit are overflowing;
On me also be they poured:
Every hinderance overthrowing,
Make Thy foes Thy footstool, Lord.
Yea, let earth's remotest end
To Thy righteous sceptre bend;
Make Thy way before Thee plain,
O'er all hearts and spirits reign.

Lo, Thy presence now is filling

All Thy Church in every place!
Fill my heart, too: make me willing
In this season of Thy grace.
Come, Thou King of glory! come:
Deign to make my heart Thy home:
There abide and rule alone,
As upon Thy heavenly throne.

Thou art leaving me, yet bringing

God and heaven most inly near:
From this earthly life upspringing,
As though still I saw Thee here,
Let my heart, transplanted hence,
Strange to earth and time and sense,
Dwell with Thee in heaven e'en now,
Where our only joy art Thou!

251

HAIL THE DAY THAT SEES HIM RISE!

REV. CHARLES WESLEY. From his "Hymns and Sacred Poems," 1739. In "Hymns Ancient and Modern," this hymn is radically changed so as to be hardly recognizable.

AIL the day that sees Him rise,
Ravished from our wishful eyes!
Christ, awhile to mortals given,'
Re-ascends His native heaven.

There the pompous triumph waits:
"Lift your heads, eternal gates,
Wide unfold the radiant scene;
Take the King of glory in!"

Circled round with angel powers,
Their triumphant Lord and ours,
Conqueror over death and sin;
Take the King of glory in!

Him though highest heaven receives,
Still He loves the earth He leaves;
Though returning to His throne,
Still He calls mankind His own.

See, He lifts His hands above!
See, He shows the prints of love!
Hark! His gracious lips bestow
Blessings on His Church below!

Still for us His death He pleads;
Prevalent He intercedes;
Near Himself prepares our place,
Harbinger of human race.

Master (will we ever say),
Taken from our head to-day,

See Thy faithful servants, see,

Ever gazing up to Thee.

Grant, though parted from our sight,

High above yon azure height,

Grant our hearts may thither rise,
Following Thee beyond the skies.

Ever upward let us move,
Wafted on the wings of love;
Looking when our Lord shall come,

Longing, gasping after home.

There we shall with Thee remain,
Partners of Thy endless reign;
There Thy face unclouded see,

Find our heaven of heavens in Thee.

OUR LORD IS RISEN FROM THE DEAD.

Rev. CHARLES WESLEY, 1739.

UR Lord is risen from the dead:

Our Jesus is gone up on high;

The powers of hell are captive led,
Dragged to the portals of the sky.
There His triumphant chariot waits,

And angels chant the solemn lay:
Lift up your heads, ye heavenly gates;
Ye everlasting doors, give way!

Loose all your bars of massy light,

And wide unfold the ethereal scene:
He claims these mansions as His right;
Receive the King of glory in!
Who is the King of glory? who?

The Lord who all our foes o'ercame;
The world, sin, death, and hell o'erthrew ;
And Jesus is the Conqueror's name.

Lo! His triumphant chariot waits,
And angels chant the solemn lay:
Lift up your heads, ye heavenly gates;
Ye everlasting doors, give way!

Who is the King of glory? who?

The Lord, of glorious power possessed;
The king of saints and angels too;
God over all, for ever blest!

ALL HAIL THE POWER OF JESUS' NAME.

By the Rev. EDWARD PERRONET (son of Rev. Vincent Perronet), an associate of the Wesleys; afterwards employed by Lady Huntingdon; then pastor of a dissenting congregation; d. at Canterbury, in 1792. From his "Occasional Verses, Moral and Social, published for the instruction and amusement of the candidly Serious and Religious," London, 1785 (216 pages). A copy of this rare volume, published by a friend of Perronet, without his name, with some written remarks of the former owner, John Gaddsby, on the back of the title page, is preserved in the Library of the British Museum,