Part 9
By Thy Spirit’s grace impart That pure, humble, contrite heart, Loved of Thee, that we may share All thy goodness, power, and care.
Omnipresent Power.
Oh God thine omnipresent power ’Tis beautiful to trace, As manifested in each flower, Or through the realms of space.
All nature’s scenes, though in themselves Most lovely, bright, and fair, Are redolent with glorious life When we behold Thee there!
The gentle breeze, or verdant mead; The sunset clouds above; The sparkling stream, the waving tree, Then witness to thy love.
And e’en the grandeur of the storm, Or dashing of the tide, Their terrors lose when thou art known Their fearful might to guide.
The starry worlds so clear and bright, And numberless foretel, There must be worlds of heavenly light Where minds angelic dwell.
The pure in heart behold their God, Oh make our spirits pure, That both in earth and heaven we may Behold Thee evermore.
Providence.
Lord! thy providential care Through life’s journey may we share; Knowing, from thy throne above, Thou regardest us with love.
Daily give us food to eat, Peaceful homes, and raiment meet; All our earthly wants supply With a Father’s watchful eye.
Guard by thine Almighty power In temptation’s trying hour; And each chast’ning sorrow bless To eternal happiness.
Sunshine and alternate rain Make the green herbs spring amain; May the joys or pains we know Cause our hearts in grace to grow.
Mighty Father, Prince of Peace, Give thy kingdom vast increase; Make thy sons in every land Countless as the sea-side sand.
Day by day our souls advance To their heavenly heritance, Till at last they calmly rest In thy glorious presence blest.
Angelic Visits.
In ancient times bright angels Oft burst upon the sight, In radiant forms, and filled the hearts Of men with rich delight.
Then earth was nigh to heaven, And man more good and pure, And through his spirit’s holy strength Such brightness could endure.
But now deep clouds of darkness Shut out the realms of light, And shroud the earth beneath the shade Of sin’s impervious night.
Oh that the veil were rended Which hides them from our view, That they might come in loving bands Their visits to renew.
Are they not elder brothers Advanced to higher spheres, Who with bright tales of those high worlds Could oft entrance our ears?
Then darkening doubt would vanish, And faith would burn serene, And man rejoice in glorious hope Of heavenly worlds unseen.
Yea oft in holy vision Their shores he might behold, More fair than light, more rich than gems, More radiant than gold.
Oh Thou with love Redemptive, Thy mighty work complete, And cleanse all souls, that heaven and earth, In one pure bond may meet.
Joy in God.
Phil. c. 4, v. 4.
“Rejoice ye always in the Lord, Rejoice again, I say rejoice!” What words of triumph, sounds of cheer, As sweet as from a seraph’s voice!
Although temptations reign on earth, Deep sorrows pierce, and losses pain, Yet christians oft with holy mirth May cheerfully rejoice again.
A heart replete with steadfast hope, Illumed by faith serene and bright, And warmed with holy love, will make All earth’s afflictions short and light.
As sunshine spreading o’er the land, Makes all creation seem more fair, So God a higher honour gains When happy looks his people wear.
Give us, O God, bright faith and love, That we may praise with cheerful voice, And hastening to glad realms above, In thee may evermore rejoice.
The Great Object of Life.
The soul was framed to trust In God’s eternal might, His Goodness love, His truth revere, And in His works delight.
This is the law of life, And brings unfailing peace, Gives praise to God, deep bliss to man, And joys that never cease.
But man has fallen thence And lost his primal state; For falsehood changed the light of truth And holy love to hate.
Truth’s kingdom to restore, From evil to redeem, Christ came, God manifest in flesh, And reigns in heaven supreme.
Free pardon he can give, And by the Spirit’s might, Create the soul to love again The good, the true, the right.
Thus “born of God” will man A son of God become, And through a pilgrimage on earth Haste to a Father’s home.
The Close of Life.
Whene’er this breath of life departs And mortals find a grave, The dust alone to earth returns, The soul to God who gave!
Just as the eaglet leaves its shell To seek its native sky, The spirit quits its flesh to gain A spirit-world on high.
The sanctified, the good and true, The pure in heart ascend, To dwell before the eternal throne In joys that know no end.
The resurrection and the life, Redeeming God, art Thou; Oh raise our souls to love divine, And holy life bestow;
That when our time of trial ends, In triumph we may soar, To join the glorious angel bands Rejoicing evermore.