Please note
There
is a God, I know, I
found him in my heart, My
progress is but slow, But
I have made a start. He
came to me when I was ill, He
came close and warmed my soul, And
I can find him near me still, If
his help I but enroll. For
he has pledged not to desert One
so much in need of care And
he will never, never hurt One
who seeks him everywhere.
Myself Morning My
daily stage of duty run; Shake
off dull sloth, and joyful rise, To
pay thy morning sacrifice. Redeem
thy misspent moments past, And
live this day as if thy last; Thy
talents to improve take care; For
the great day thyself prepare. Let
all thy converse be sincere, Thy
conscience as the noonday clear; For
God’s all-seeing eye surveys They
secret thoughts, thy words and ways. Wake,
and lift up thyself, my heart, And
with the angels bear thy part, Who
all night long unwearied sing High
praise to the eternal king. All
praise to thee, who safe hast kept, And
hast refreshed me whilst I slept. Grant,
Lord, when I from death shall wake, I
may of endless life partake. Lord,
I my vows to thee renew; Disperse
my sins as morning dew; Guard
my first springs of thought and will; And
with thyself my spirit fill. Direct,
control, suggest, this day, All
I design, or do, or say, That
all my powers, with all their might, In
thy sole glory may unite. Praise
God, from whom all blessings flow; Praise
him, all creatures here below; Praise
him above, ye heavenly host; Praise
father, son, and Holy Ghost.
Thomas Ken, 1637-1711 Closing of the Year
This
winter’s eve are fleeting; We
come to thee the life and light, In
solemn worship meeting; And
as the year’s last hours go by We
lift to thee our earnest cry, Once
more thy love entreating. Before
the cross subdued we bow, To
thee our prayers addressing; Recounting
all thy mercies now, And
all our sins confessing; Beseeching
thee, this coming year, To
hold us in thy faith and fear, And
crown us with thy blessing. We
gather up in this brief hour The
memory of thy mercies; Thy
wondrous goodness, love, and power Our
grateful song rehearses; For
thou hast been our strength and stay In
many a dark and dreary day Of
sorrow and reverses. Then,
O great God, in years to come, Whatever
fate betide us, Right
onward through our journey home Be
thou at hand to guide us; Nor
leave us till, at close of life, Safe
from all peril, toil, and strife, Heaven
shall receive and hide us. James Hamilton 1819-9 Reverence and Worship
I
will love thee; And
that love may never cease, I
will move thee. Thou
hast granted my request, Thou
hast heard me; Thou
didst note my working breast, Thou
hast spared me. Wherefore
with my utmost art I
will sing thee, And
the cream of all my heart I
will bring thee. Though
my sins against me cried, Thou
didst clear me; And
alone, when they replied, Thou
didst hear me. Seven
whole days, not one in seven, I
will praise thee; In
my heart, though not in heaven, I
can raise thee. Small
it is, in this poor sort To
enrol thee; E’en
eternity’s too short To
extol thee.
George Herbert, 1593-1632 God is Great
Heaven
and earth and sea and sky, All
were for thy glory made, That
thy greatness thus displayed Should
all worship bring to thee; All
things praise thee: Lord, may we.
George Williams Conder, 1821-74 God’s love
Eternal,
and yet ever new; Uncomprehended
and unbought, Beyond
all knowledge and al thought! O
heavenly love, how precious still, In
days of weariness and ill, In
nights of pain and helplessness, To
heal, to comfort, and to bless. O
wide-embracing, wondrous love; We
read thee in the sky above, We
read thee in the earth below, In
seas that swell and streams that flow. We
read thee best in him who come To
bear for us the cross of shame, Sent
by the father from on high, Our
life to life, our death to die. We
read thy power to bless and save E’en
in the darkness of the grave; Still
more in resurrection light We
read the fullness of thy might. O
love of God, our shield and stay Through
all the perils of our way; Eternal
love, in thee we rest, For
ever safe, for ever blest.
Horatius Bonar,
1808-89
And
love this sight so fair, Give
me a heart to find out thee, And
read thee everywhere.
John Keble, 1792-1866
Unveiled
thy whole creation lies, All
souls are thine; we must not say That
those are dead who pass away; From
this our world of flesh set free, We
know them living unto thee. Released
from earthly toil and strife, With
thee is hidden still their life; Thine
are their thoughts, their works, their powers, All
thine, and yet most truly ours; For
well we know, where’er they be, Our
dead are living unto thee. Thy
word is true, thy will is just; To
thee we leave them, Lord, in trust; And
bless thee for the love which gave Thy
son to fill a human grave, That
none might fear that world to see Where
all are living unto thee. O
giver unto man of breath, O
holder of the keys of death, O
quickener of the life within, Save
us from death, the death of sin; That
body, soul, and spirit be For
ever living unto thee!
John Ellerton, 1826-93 Devotion All
the year to thee In
whatever worldly state Thou
wilt have me be; Not
from sorrow, pain or care, Freedom
dare I claim; This
alone shall be my prayer; Glorify
they name. If
in mercy thou wilt spare Joys
that yet are mine; If
on life, serene and fair, Brighter
rays may shine; Let
my glad heart, while it sings, Thee
in all proclaim. And,
Whate’er the future brings, Glorify
thy name. If
thou callest to the cross, And
its shadow come, Turning
all my gain to loss, Shrouding
heart and home; Let
me think how thy dear son To
this glory came, And
in deepest woe pray on: Glorify
thy name.
Praise
the Lord, for his is kind; Let
us blaze his name abroad, For
of Gods he is the God; He,
with all-commanding might, Filled
the new-made world with light; All
things living he doth feed, His
full hand supplies their need; He
his chosen race did bless In
the wasteful wilderness; Let
us then with gladsome mind Praise
the lord, for he is kind.
John Milton, 1608-74 Opening of the
Year
Words
of comfort meet us, hushing every fear, Spoken
through the silence by our father’s voice, Tender,
strong, and faithful, making us rejoice. Onward,
then, and fear not, children of the day! For
his word shall never, never pass away! I,
the Lord, am with thee, be thou not afraid! I
will help and strengthen, be thou not dismayed! Yea,
I will uphold thee with my own right hand; Thou
art called and chosen in my sight to stand. For
the year before us, O what rich supplies! For
the poor and needy living streams shall rise; For
the sad and sinful shall his grace abound, For
the faint and feeble perfect strength be found. He
will never fail us, he will not forsake; His
eternal covenant he will never break! Resting
on his promise, what have we to fear? God
is all-sufficient for the coming year.
Frances Ridley Havergal, 1836-79
Hymns
of adoration sing; Praise
him that he made the sun Day
by day his course to run; And
the silver moon by night, Shining
with her gentle light; Praise
him that he gave the rain To
mature the swelling grain; And
hath bid the fruitful field Crops
of precious increase yield; Praise
him for our harvest store, He
hath filled the garner floor; And
for richer food than this Pledge
of everlasting bliss; Glory
to our bounteous king! Glory
let creation sing.
Henry Williams Baker, 1821-77
Of
quiet sleep and rest. For
all the joy of morning light Thy
holy name be blest. Now
with the new-born day I give Myself
anew to thee, That
as thou willest I may live, And
what thou willest be Whate’er
I do, things great or small, Whate’er
I speak or frame, Thy
glory may I seek in all Do
all in Jesus’s name. My
father, for his sake, I pray, Thy
child accept and bless; And
lead me by thy grace today In
paths of righteousness. Henry
Williams Baker, 1821-77
Dear
master, let it be, In
working or in waiting, Another
year for thee. Another
year of mercies, Of
faithfulness and grace; Another
year of gladness In
the shining of thy face. Another
year of progress, Another
year of praise, Another
year of proving Thy
presence all the days. Another
year of service, Of
witness for thy love, Another
year of training For
holier work above. Another
year is dawning, Dear
master, let it be, On
earth, or else in heaven Another
year for thee.
Frances Ridley Havergal, 1836-79 His Life
Around
thy steps below; What
patient love was seen in all Thy
life and death of woe! For
ever on the burdened heart A
weight of sorrow hung, Yet
no ungentle, murmuring word Escaped
thy silent tongue. Thy
foes might hate, despise, revile Thy
friend unfaithful prove. Unwearied
in forgiveness till, Thy
heart could only love. O
give us hearts to love like thee, Like
thee, O lord, to grieve Far
more for other’s sins, than all The
wrongs that we receive. One
with thyself, may every eye In
us, thy brethren, see The
gentleness and grace that spring From
union, lord, with thee. The humane approach
Whate’er
the gift may be; All
that we have is thine alone, A
trust, O Lord, from thee. May
we thy bounties thus As
stewards true receive, And
gladly, as thou blessest us, To
thee our first-fruits give. O
hearts are bruised and dead, And
homes are bare and cold, And
lambs, for whom the shepherd bled, Are
straying from the fold. To
comfort and to bless, To
find a balm for woe, To
tend the lone and fatherless Is
angels’ work below. The
captive to release, To
God the lost to bring, To
teach the way of life and peace, It
is a Christ-like thing. And
we believe thy word, Though
dim our faith may be; Whate’er
for thine we do, O Lord, We
do it unto thee.
William Walsham How, 1823-97 God’s giving
To
thee all praise and glory be; How
shall we show our love to thee Who
givest all? The
golden sunshine, vernal air, Sweet
flowers and fruits thy love’s declare; Where
harvests ripen, thou art there, Who
givest all. For
peaceful homes and healthful days, For
all the blessings earth displays, We
owe thee thankfulness and praise, Who
givest all. Thou
didst not spare thine only son, But
gav’st him for a world undone, And
freely with that blessed one Thou
givest all. Thou
giv’st the spirit’s blessed dower, Spirit
of life, and love, and power, And
dost his sevenfold graces
shower Upon
us all. For
souls redeemed, for sins forgiven, For
means of grace and hopes of heaven, Father,
all praise to thee be given, Who
givest all.
Christopher Wordsworth,
1807-85 The Lord’s
Ways
Vast
as eternity thy love; Firm
as a rock thy trust shall stand, When
rolling years shall cease to move.
Isaac Watts, 1674-1748 God’s grace
in sickness
Was
strong to heal and save; It
triumphed o’er disease and death, O’er
darkness and the grave. To
thee they went – the blind, the dumb, The
palsied, and the lame, The
leper with his tainted life, The
sick with fevered frame. And,
lo, thy touch brought life and health, Gave
speech, and strength, and sight; And
youth renewed and frenzy calmed Owned
thee, the God of lights; And
now, O Lord, be near to bless, Almighty
as of yore, In
crowded street, by restless couch, As
by Gennesaret’s shore. Be
thou our great deliverer still, Thou
lord of life and death; Restore
and quicken, soothe and bless, With
thine almighty breath; To
hands that work and eyes that see Give
wisdom’s heavenly lore, That
whole and sick, and weak and strong, May
praise thee evermore.
Edward Hayes Plumptre, 1821-91 God’s peace in the night
For
all the blessings of the light: Keep
me, O keep me, king of kings, Beneath
thine own almighty wings. Forgive
me, Lord, for thy hear son, The
ill that I this day have done; That
with the world, myself, and thee, I,
ere I sleep, at peace may be. Teach
me to live, that I may dread The
grave as little as my bed; Teach
me to die, that so I may Rise
glorious at the awful day. O
may my soul on thee repose, And
may sweet sleep mine eyelids close; Sleep
that may me more vigorous make To
serve my God when I awake. If
in the night I sleepless lie, My
soul with heavenly thoughts supply; Let
no ill dreams disturb my rest, No
powers of darkness me molest. O
may I always ready stand With
my lamp burning in my hand; May
I in sight of heaven rejoice Whene’er
I hear the bridegroom’s voice. All
praise to thee in light arrayed, Who
light thy dwelling-place hast made; A
boundless ocean of bright beams From
thy all-glorious Godhead streams. Praise
God, from whom all blessings flow, Praise
him all creatures here below; Praise
him above, ye heavenly host: Praise
Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
Thomas Ken 1637-1711 For absent friends
O
hear us, as we plead for loved ones far away, And
shield with thine almighty hand Our
wanderers by sea and land. For
thou, our father God, art present everywhere, And
bendest low thine ear to catch the faintest prayer, Waiting
rich blessings to bestow On
all thy children here below. O
compass with thy love the daily path they tread; And
may thy light and truth upon their hearts be shed, That,
one in all things with thy will, Heaven’s
peace and joy their souls may fill. Guard
them from every harm when dangers shall assail, And
teach them that thy power can never, never fail: We
cannot with our loved ones be, But
trust them, Father, unto thee.
Edith Jones: Home Hymn Book, 1885 For travellers
Hear
our anxious prayer; Keep
our loved ones, now far distant, ‘neath
thy care. Jesus,
Saviour, let thy presence Be
their light and guide; Keep,
O keep them, in their weariness, At
thy side. When
in sorrow, when in danger, When
in loneliness, In
thy love look down and comfort Their
distress. May
the joy of thy salvation Be
their strength and stay; May
they love and may they praise thee Day
by day. Holy
spirit, let thy teaching Sanctify
their life; Send
thy grace that they may conquer In
their strife. Father,
Son and Holy Spirit, God,
the one in three, Bless
them, guide them, save them, keep them Near
to thee.
Isobel Stephana Stevenson, 1843-90 Our Country
Entire
and whole and perfect, the service of my love; The
love that asks no question, the love
that stands the test That
lays upon the altar the dearest and the best; The
love that never falters, the love that pays the price, The
love that makes undaunted the final sacrifice. And
there’s another country, I’ve heard of long ago, Most
dear to them that love her, most great to them that know; We
may not count her armies, we may not see her king; Her
fortress is a faithful heart, her pride is suffering; And
soul by soul and silently her shining bounds increase, And
her ways are ways of gentleness and all her paths are peace.
Cecil Spring-Rice, 1859-1918 Our suffering
Saviour
Upon
a cross they bound thee; And
mocked thy saving kingship
then By
thorns with which they crowned thee: And
still our wrongs may weave thee now New
thorns to pierce that steady brow, And
robe of sorrow round thee. O
awful love which found no room In
life where sin denied thee, And,
doomed to death, must bring to doom The
power which crucified thee, Not
a stone was left on stone, And
all a nation’s pride o’erthrown Went
down to dust beside thee. New
advent of the love of Christ, Shall
we again refuse thee, Till
in the night of hate and war We
perish as we lose thee? From
old unfaith our soul release, To
seek the kingdom of thy peace, By
which alone we choose thee. O
wounded hands of Jesus, build In
us thy new creation; Our
pride is dust, our vaunt is stilled, We
wait thy revelation: O
love that triumphs over loss, We
bring our hearts before thy cross, To
finish thy salvation.
Walter Russell Bowie, 1882-
Happy in the
love of God
Sing
out with exultation; Rejoice
and praise our mighty lord, Whose
arm hath brought salvation; His
works of love proclaim The
greatness of his name; For
he is God alone, Who
hath his mercy shown; Let
all his saints adore him. When
in distress to him we cried, He
heard our sad complaining; O
trust in him, whate’er betide, His
love is all-sustaining; Triumphant
songs of praise To
him our hearts shall raise; Now
every voice shall say O
praise our God always; Let
all his saints adore him.
Henry Williams Baker, 1821-77 Thirsting for
Christ
Christ,
the true, the only light, Sun
of righteousness, arise, Triumph
o’er the shades of night; Day-spring
from on high, be near; Day-star,
in my heart appear. Dark
and cheerless is the morn Unaccompanied
by thee; Joyless
is the day’s return, Till
thy mercy’s beams I see, Till
thou inward light impart, Glad
my eyes, and warm my heart. Visit
then this soul of mine; Pierce
the gloom of sin and grief; Fill
me, radiancy divine; Scatter
all my unbelief; More
and more thyself display, Shining
to the perfect day.
Charles Wesley, 1707-88 In sorrow and
are we seek our God
Our
sharpest pang, our bitterest tear, On
thee we cast each earth-born care; We
smile at pain while thou art near. Though
long the weary way we tread, And
sorrow crown each lingering year, No
path we shun, no darkness dread, Our
hearts still whispering: Thou
art near. When
drooping pleasure turns to grief, And
trembling faith is changed to fear, The
murmuring wind, the quivering leaf, Shall
softly tell us: thou art near. On
thee we fling our burdening woe, O
lord divine, for ever dear; Content
to suffer, while we know, Living
and dying, thou art near.
Oliver Wendell Holmes 1808-94 For of such is the Kingdom of god
When
Jesus was here among men, Now
he called little children as lambs to his fold, I
should like to have been with them then; I
wish that his hands had been placed on my head, That
his arms had been thrown around me, And
that I might have seen his kind look when he said: Let
the little ones come unto me! Yet
still to his footstool in prayer I may go, And
ask for a share in his love; And
if I now earnestly seek him below, In
that beautiful place he is gone to prepare For
all who are washed and forgiven; And
many dear children are gathering there, For
of such is the kingdom of heaven. But
thousands and thousands who wander and fall Never
herd of that heavenly home; I
should like them to know here is room for them all, And
that Jesus has bid them to come, I
long for the joy of that glorious time, The
sweetest and brightest and best, When
the dear little children of every clime Shall
crowd to his arms and be blessed.
Jemima Luke, 1813-1906 A
prayer for help
I
do not know which way to turn; I
try and sense you everywhere, But
you are difficult to discern.
Be
the master of my mind; Bless
and guide and strengthen still All
my powers of thought and will. While
I ply the scholar’s task, Jesus
Christ, be near, I ask; Help
the memory, clear the brain, Knowledge
still to seek and gain. Here
I train for life’s swift race; Let
me do it in thy grace: Here
I arm me for life’s fight; Let
me do it in thy might. Thou
hast made me mind and soul; I
for thee would use the whole: Thou
hast died that I might live; All
my powers to thee I give. Striving,
thinking, learning still, Let
me follow thus thy will, Till
my whole glad nature be Trained
for duty and for thee.
Handley Carr Glyn Moule, 1841-1920 A child’s appeal – “reveal to me the Lord Jesus”
Things
I would ask him to tell me if he were here; Scenes
by the wayside, tales of the sea, Stories
of Jesus, tell them to me. First
let me hear how the children stood round his knee; And
I shall fancy his blessing resting on me: Words
full of kindness, deeds full of grace, All
in the love-light of Jesu’s face. Tell
how the sparrow that twitters on yonder tree And
the sweet meadow – side lily may speak to me; Give
me their message, for I would hear How
Jesus taught us our father’s care. Tell
me, in accents of wonder, how rolled the sea, Tossing
the boat in a tempest on And
now the master, ready and kind, Chided
the billow and hushed the wind. Into
the city I’d follow the children’s band, Waving
a branch of the palm-tree high in my hand; One
of his heralds, yes, I would sing Loudest
Hosannas! Jesus is King! Show
me that scene, in the garden of bitter pain; And
of the cross where my saviour for me was slain: Sad
ones or bright ones, so that they be, Stories
of Jesus, tell them to me.
William Henry Parker, 1845-1929 Answer my request
Take
my heart and make it thine; Nothing
matters in this world Only
that your nature be unfurled.
By myself Give us the blessing that was Samuel’s
They
temple courts were dark, The
lamp was burning dim Before
the sacred When
suddenly a voice divine Rang
through the silence of the shrine. The
old man, meek and mild, The
priest of His
watch the temple child, The
little levite, kept: And
what from Eli’s sense was sealed The
Lord to Hannah’s son revealed. O
give me Samuel’s ear The
open ear, O Lord Alive
and quick to hear Each
whisper of thy word; Like
him to answer at thy call, And
to obey thee first of all. O
give me Samuel’s heart A
lowly heart, that waits Where
in thy house thou art Or
watches at thy gates of
day and night – a heart that still moves
at the breathing of thy will. O
give me Samuel’s mind O
sweet murmuring faith, Obedient
and resigned To
thee in life and death, That
I may read with children eyes Truths
that are hidden from the wise.
James Drummond Burns, 1823-64 A
child’s appeal
My
saviour was a child That
Jesus walked this earth along With
feet all undefiled. He
kept his father’s word of truth, As
I am taught to do; And
while he walked the paths of youth, He
walked in wisdom too. I
love to think that he who spake And
made the blind to see, And
called the sleeping dead to wake, Was
once a child like me. That
he who wore the thorny crown, And
tasted death’s despair, Had
a kind mother like my own, And
knew her love and care. I
know ‘twas all for love of me That
he became a child, And
left the heavens, so fair to see, And
trod earth’s pathway wild. Then,
saviour, who wast once a child, A
child may come to thee; And
O in all thy mercy mild, Dear
saviour, come to me!
Edwin Paxton Hood 1820-85 The saint’s
homecoming
And
life’s long battle won at last, No
more they need the shield or sword; They
cast them down before their Lord: O
happy saints! For ever blest, At
Jesu’s feet how safe their rest. The
saints of God, their wanderings done, No
more their weary course thy run, No
more they faith, no more they fall, No
foes oppress, no fears appal: O
happy saints! For ever blest, In
that dear home, how sweet their rest. The
saints of God, life’s voyage o’er Safe
landed on that blissful shore, No
stormy tempests now they dread, No
roaring billow lift their head: O
happy saints! For ever blest, In
that calm haven of their rest. O
God of saints, to thee we cry; O
saviour, plead for us on high; O
Holy Ghost, our guide and friend, Grant
us thy grace till life shall end: That
with all saints our rest may be In
that bright paradise with thee.
William Dalrymple Maclagan 1826-1910 A
child’s prayer
Father,
lead me day by day Ever
in thine own sweet way; Teach
me to be pure and true, Show
me what I ought to do. When
in danger, make me brave; Make
me know that thou canst save; Keep
me safe by thy dear side; Let
me in thy love abide. When
I’m tempted to do wrong, Make
me steadfast, wise and strong; and
when all alone I stand, shield
me with thy mighty hand. When
my heart is full of glee, Helped
me to remember thee, Happy
most of all to know That
my father love me so. When
my work seems hard and dry, May
I press on cheerily; Help
me patiently to bear Plain
and hardship, toil and care. May
I see the good and bright When
they pass before my sight; May
I hear the heavenly voice When
the pure and wise rejoice.
John Page Hopps, 1834-1912 Follow
Jesus vv.5 and 6 only And
seek thy risen lord; Joy
in his resurrection take, And
comfort in his word. And
let thy life through all its ways One
long thanksgiving be; Its
theme of joy, its song of praise – Christ
died and rose for me. John Samuel Bewley Monsell (1911-75) Mankind can
bring God to everyone
God
is working his purpose out, and the time is drawing wear – Nearer
and nearer draws the time – the time that shall surely be, When
the earth shall be filled with the glory of God, as the waters cover the
sea. From
utmost east to utmost west, where’er man’s foot path trod. By
the mouth of many messengers goes forth the voice of God: Give
ear to me, ye continents – ye isles, give ear to me, That
the earth may be filled with the glory of God, as the waters cover the
sea. What
can we do to work God’s work, to prosper and increase the brotherhood
of all mankind – the reign of the prince of peace? What
can we do to hasten the time – the time that shall surely be, When
the earth shall be filled with the glory of God, as the waters cover the
sea? March
we forth in the strength of God, with the banner of Christ unfurled, That
the light of the glorious gospel of truth may shine throughout the
world: Fight
we the fight with sorrow and sin, to set their captives free, That
the earth may be filled with the glory of God, as the waters cover the
sea. All
we can do is nothing worth, unless God blesses the deed; Vainly
we ho0pe for the harvest-tide, till God gives life to the seed; Yet
nearer and nearer draws the time – the time that shall surely be, When
the earth shall be filled with the glory of God, as the waters cover the
sea.
Arthur Campbell Ainger, 1841-1919 A
prayer for the world
The
lift of life to all who live, Look
down on all earth’s sin and strife And
lift us to a nobler life. Lift
up our hearts, O king of kings, To
brighter hopes and kindlier things, To
visions of a larger good. And
holier dreams of brotherhood. They
world is weary of its pain, Of
selfish greed and fruitless gain, Of
tarnished honour, falsely strong, And
all its ancient deeds of wrong. Hear
thou the prayer thy servants pray, Uprising
from all lands today, And
o’er the vanquished powers of sin O
bring thy great salvation in.
John Howard Bertram Masterman, 1867-1933 Deliverance
from Oppression
Eternal
in the height. May
all our country’s cities Be
holy in thy sight; Cleansed
from the deeds of darkness – Cities
of light. Teach
love to gladden children That
know not childhood’s mirth, Wronged
of their rights - no beauty In
their scant reach of earth; To
hope’s large sunshine give them A
second birth. Lord,
end the spell of passion, Break
thou the drunkard’s lure: Thou
art the one physician The
human heart to cure; The
wavering will to strengthen, Foul
life make pure. Give
joy to all the joyless, Song’s
voice to sorrows dumb, May
light invade with blessing Each
dark and deathly slum; Into
earth’s realms of horror Thy
kingdom come! Soon
may our country’s cities, Thy
robe of glory wear; Each
place of toil a temple, Each
house a home of prayer: Each
city’s name of beauty – The
lord is there!
George Thomas Coster, 1835-1912 Help us to find
thee, O God
Where
sound the cries of race and clan, Above
the noise of selfish strife, We
hear thy voice, O son of In
haunts of wretchedness and need, On
shadowed thresholds dark with fears, From
paths where hide the lures of greed, We
catch the vision of thy tears. From
tender childhood’s helplessness, From
woman’s grief, man’s burdened toil, From
famished souls, from sorrow’s stress, Thy
heart has never known recoil. The
cup of water given for thee Still
holds the freshness of thy grace; Yet
long these multitudes to see The
sweet compassion of thy face. O
master, from the mountain side, Make
haste to heal these harts of pain; Among
these restless throngs abide, O
tread the city’s streets again: Till
sons of men shall learn thy love, And
follow where thy feet have trod; Till
glorious from thy heaven above, Shall
come the city of our God.
Frank Mason North 1850-1936 Ask
and you will receive
In
troubles that I find myself; I
am not now so close to you, I’m
one of the many, not the few.
By myself Lord, help us to remember thee
In
meek humility, This
will I do, my dying Lord, I
will remember thee. Thy
body, broken for my sake, My
bread from heaven shall be; Thy
testamental cup I take, And
thus remember thee. When
to the cross I turn mine eyes, And
rest on O
lamb of God, my sacrifice, I
must remember thee – Remember
thee, and all thy pains, And
all thy love to me; Yea,
while a breath, a pulse remains, Will
I remember thee. And
when these failing lips grow dumb, And
mind and memory flee, When
thou shalt in thy kingdom come, Jesus,
remember me.
James Montgomery, 1771-1854 Help
us to reveal thee
Within
the world to glow; A
little flame that burneth bright, Wherever
I may go. God
make my life a little flower That
giveth joy to all, Content
to bloom in native bower, Although
the place be small. God
make my life a little song That
comforteth the sad, That
helpeth others to be strong, And
makes the singer glad. God
make my life a little staff Whereon
the weak may rest, That
so what health and strength I have May
serve my neighbours best. God
make my life a little hymn Of
tenderness and praise, Of
faith, that never waxeth dim, In
all his wondrous ways.
Matilda Barbrara Betham-Edwards, 1836-1919 A prayer for peace
Make
wars throughout the world to cease; The
wrath of sinful man restrain; Give
peace, O god, give peace again. Remember,
Lord, thy works of old, The
wonders that our fathers told; Remember
not our sin’s dark stain; Give
peace, O God, give peace again. Whom
shall we trust but thee O lord? Where
rest but on thy faithful word? None
ever called on thee in vain: Give
peace, O God, give peace again. Where
saints and angels dwell above, All
hearts are knit in holy love; O
bind us in that heavenly chain: Give
peace, O god, give peace again.
Henry Williams Baker, 1821-77 Let
us remember your years upon this earth, O Lord
Should
set his love upon the sons of men, Or
why, as shepherd, he should seek the wanderers, To
bring them back, they know not how or when. But
this I know, that he was born of Mary, When
And
that he lived at And
so the saviour, saviour of the world, is come. I
cannot tell how silently he suffered, As
with his peace he graced this place of tears, Or
how his heart upon the cross was broken, The
crown of pain to three and thirty years. But
this I know, he heals the broken-hearted, And
stays our sin, and calms our lurking fear, And
lifts the burden from the heavy laden, For
yet the saviour, saviour of the world, is here. I
cannot tell how he will win the nations, How
he will claim his earthly heritage, How
satisfy the needs and aspirations Of
east and west, of sinner and of sage. But
this I know, all flesh shall see his glory, And
he shall reap the harvest he has sown, And
some glad day his sun shall shine in splendour When
he the saviour, saviour of the world, is known. I
cannot tell how all the lands shall worship, When,
at his bidding, every storm is stilled, Or
who can say how great the jubilation When
all the hearts of men with love are filled. But
his I know, the skies will thrill with rapture, And
myriad, myriad human voices sing, And
earth to heaven, and heaven to earth, will answer: At
last the saviour, saviour of the world, is King!
William Young We listen for
your voice
Waiting
for thy gracious word, Longing
for thy voice that cheereth; Master,
let it now be heard, I
am listening, Lord, for thee; What
hast thou to say to me? Speak
to me by name, O master, Let
me know it is to me; Speak,
that I may follow faster, With
a step more firm and free, Where
the shepherd leads the flock In
the shadow of the rook. Master,
speak! Though least and lowest, Let
me not unheard depart; Master,
speak! For O thou knowest All
the yearning of my heart, Knowest
all its truest need; Speak,
and make me blest indeed. Master,
speak: and make me ready, When
thy voice is truly heard, With
obedience glad and steady Still
to follow every word. I
am listening, Lord, for thee; Master,
speak! O speak to me!
Frances Ridley Havergal, 1836-79 Do this in
remembrance
Now
let every heart be fed With
the true and living bread. While
in penitence we kneel, Thy
sweet presence let us feel, All
thy wondrous love reveal. While
on thy dear cross we gaze, Mourning
o’er our sinful ways, Turn
our sadness into praise. When
we taste the mystic wine, Of
thine outpoured blood the sign, Fill
our hearts with love divine. Draw
us to thy wounded side, Whence
there flowed the healing tide; There
our sins and sorrows hide. From
the bonds of sin release, Cold
and wavering faith increase, Lamb
of God, grant us thy peace. Lead
us by thy pierced hand Till
around thy throne we stand In
the bright and better land.
Robert Hall Baynes, 1831-95 vv.1
and 2 only
Thine
own gift of this new day; Doubt
of what it holds in store Makes
us crave thine aid the more; Lest
it prove a time of loss, Make
it, saviour, with thy cross. Bring us your help
If
it flow on calm and bright, Be
thyself our chief delight; If
it bring unknown distress, God
is all that thou canst bless; Only,
while its hours begin, Pray
we, keep them clear of sin.
William Bright, 1824-1901 We know you are
always with us Lord
They
who worn without complaining do the holy will of God; Nevermore
thou needest seek me; I am with thee everywhere; Raise
the stone, and thou shalt find me; cleave the wood and I am there. Where
the many toil together, there am I among my own; Where
the tired workman sleepeth, there am I with him alone. I,
the peace that passeth knowledge, dwell amid the daily strife; I,
the bread of heaven, am broken in the sacrament of life. Every
task, however simple, sets the soul that does it free; Every
deed of love and mercy done to man; is done to me. Nevermore
thou needest seek me;; I am with thee everywhere; Raise
the stone, and thou shalt find me; cleave the wood and I
am there.
Henry Van Dyke, 1852-1933 Help us Lord
Thy
people still are fed; Who
through this weary pilgrimage Hast
all our father led: Our
vows, our prayers, we now present Before
thy throne of grace; God
of our fathers, be the God Of
their succeeding race. Through
each perplexing path of life Our
wandering footsteps guide; Give
us each day our daily bread, And
raiment fit provide. O
spread thy covering wings around, Till
all our wanderings cease, And
at our father’s loved abode Our
souls arrive in peace. Such
blessings from thy gracious hand Our
humble prayers implore; And
thou shalt be our chosen God, And
portion evermore.
Philip Doddridge 1702-51 Oppressed
with sin and woe, A
burdened heart I hear; Opposed
by many a mighty foe, Yet
will I not despair. In
my redeemer’s name I
give myself to thee; And,
all unworthy as I am, My
God will welcome me.
Anne Bronte, 1820-49 Keep us near to
you O Lord
Brightest
beam of love divine, With
the early morning rays, Do
thou on our darkness shine, And
dispel with purest light All
our night. As
on drooping herb and flower Falls
the soft refreshing dew, Let
thy spirit’s grace and power All
our weary souls renew; Showers
of blessing over all softly
fall. Like
the sun’s reviving ray, May
thy love with tender glow All
our coldness melt away, Warm
and cheer us forth to go. Gladly
serve thee and obey All
the day. O
our only hope and guide, Never
leave us nor forsake; Keep
us ever at the side Till
the eternal morning break, Moving
on to Homeward
still.
Christian Knorr Von Rosenroth, 1636-89;
Tr. By Jane Laurie Borthwick, 1813-97 Help us to know
you better verse 2 omitted
Nor
learned thy wisdom, grace, and power; The
things of earth have filled our thought, And
trifles of the passing hour: Lord,
give us light thy truth to see, And
make us wise in knowing thee. We
have not loved thee as we ought, Nor
cared that we are loved by thee: Thy
presence we have coldly sought, And
feebly longed thy face to see: Lord,
gave a pure and loving heart To
feel and know the love thou art. We
have not served thee as we ought; Alas
the duties left undone, The
work with little fervour wrought, The
battles lost or scarcely won! Lord,
give the zeal, and give the might, For
thee to toil, for thee to fight. When
shall we know thee as we ought, And
fear, and love, and serve alright? When
shall we, lout of trial brought, Be
perfect in the land of light? Lord,
may we day be day prepare To
see thy face and serve thee there I’m
not ashamed to own my lord, Or
to defend his cause, Maintain
the honour of his word, The
glory of his cross. Jesus,
my God! I know his name, His
name is all my trust; Nor
will he put my soul to shame, Nor
let my hope be lost.
v.v.1 and 2 only, Isaac Watts, 1674-1748 A prayer to
Jesus
Much
we need thy tender care; In
thy pleasant pastures feed us, For
our use thy folds prepare: Blessed
Jesus, Thou
hast bought us, thine we are. We
are thine, do thou befriend us; Be
the guardian of our way; Keep
thy flock, from sin defend us, Seek
us when we go astray: Blessed
Jesus, Hear
us when we praise and pray. Thou
hast promised to receive us, Poor
and sinful though we be; Thou
hast mercy to relieve us, Grace
to cleanse, and make us free: Bless’ed
Jesus, Early
let us turn to thee. Early
let us seek thy favour; Early
let us do thy will; Gracious
lord, our only saviour, With
thyself our bosoms fill: Blessed
Jesus, Thou
hast loved us – love us still.
Dorothy Ann Thrupp:
Hymns for the young 1836 O
that the world might taste, and see The
riches of his grace; The
arms of love that compass me Would
all mankind embrace.
Charles Wesley, 1707-85 A
call to God
O’er
the world’s tempestuous sea; Guard
us, guide us, keep us, feed us, For
we have no help but thee. Yet
possessing every blessing If
our God our father be. Saviour,
breathe forgiveness o’er us; All
our weakness thou dost know: Thou
didst tread this earth before us, Thou
didst feel its keenest woe; Lone
and dreary, faint and weary, Through
the desert thou didst go. Spirit
of our God, descending, Fill
our hearts with heavenly joy, Love
with every passion blending, Pleasure
that can never cloy; Thus
provided, pardoned, guided, Nothing
can our peace destroy.
James Edmeston, 1791-1867 Lord,
dismiss us with thy blessing, Fill
our hearts with joy and peace; Let
us each, thy love possessing, Triumph
in redeeming grace; O
refresh us, Travelling
through this wilderness. Thanks
we give, and adoration, For
thy gospel’s joyful sound; May
the fruits of thy salvation In
our hearts and lives abound; May
thy presence With
us evermore be found.
John Fawcett, 1740-1817 Our reward will
be in heaven
A
little longer, let us linger still; With
all the mighty ones of old beside, Near
to the awful presence still abide; Before
the throne of light we trembling stand, And
catch a glimpse into the spirit-land. Stay,
master, stay! We breathe a
purer air; This
life is not the life that waits us there; Thoughts,
feelings, flashes, glimpses come and go; We
cannot speak them – nay, we do not know; Wrapt
in this cloud of light we seem to be The
thing we fain would grow – eternally. No,
saith the Lord, the hour is past, we go; Our
home, our life, our duties lie below. While
here we kneel upon the mount of prayer, The
plough lies waiting in the furrow there. Here
we sought God that we might know his will; There
we must do it, serve him, seek him still. If
man aspires to reach the throne of God, O’er
the dull plains of earth must lie the road: He
who best does his lowly duty here, Shall
mount the highest in a nobler sphere: At
God’s own feet our spirits seek their rest, And
he is nearest him who serves him best.
Samuel Greg , 1804-87 When
our heads are bowed with woe, When
our bitter tears o’erflow, When
we mourn the lost, the dear, Jesu,
son of Mary, hear. When
the heart is sad within With
the thought of all its sin, When
the spirit shrinks with fear, Jesu,
Son of Mary, hear.
v.v.3 and 4 omitted
Henry Hart Milman, 1791-1868 Nearer we come
and clearer your ways
Listen
while we sing; Hearts
and voices raising Praises
to our king: All
we have we offer, All
we hope to be, Body,
soul, and spirit, All
we yield to thee. Nearer,
ever nearer, Christ,
we draw to thee, Deep
in adoration Being
low the knee. Thou,
for our redemption, Cam’st
on earth to die; Thou,
that we might follow, Hast
gone up on high. Clearer
still and clearer, Dawns
the light from heaven, In
our sadness bringing News
of sin forgiven; Life
hast lost its shadows, Pure
the light within; Thou
hast shed thy radiance On
a world of sin. Onward,
ever onward, Journeying
o’er the road Worn
by saints before us, Journeying
on to God; Leaving
all behind us. May
we hasten on, Backward
never looking Till
the prize is won. Higher
then, and higher, Bear
the ransomed soul, Earthly
toils forgotten, Saviour,
to its goal; Where,
in joys unthought of, Saints
with angels sing. Never
weary, raising Praises
to their king.
Godfrey Thring 1823-1903 Blest
are the pure in heart, For
they shall see our God; The
secret of the lord is theirs, Their
soul is Christ’s abode. The
Lord, who left the sky Our
life and peace to bring, And
dwelt in lowliness with men, Their
pattern and their king. Omit
verse 3
Lord,
we thy presence seek; May
ours this blessing be; Give
us a pure and lowly heart, A
temple meet for thee.
John Keble, v.1., 1792-1866;
William John Hall, v.v.2.4, 1793-1861 Be near us at
all times
Till
our rest be won, And
although the way be cheerless. We
will follow, calm and fearless: Guide
us by thy hand, To
our fatherland. If
the way be drear, If
the foe be near, Let
not faithless fears o’ertake us, Let
not love and hope forsake us, For,
through many a foe, To
our home we go. When
we seek relief From
a long-felt grief, When
oppressed by new temptations, Lord
increase and perfect patience: Show
us that bright shore Where
we weep no more. When
sweet earth and skies Fade
before our eyes; When
through death we look to heaven, And
our sins are all forgiven, From
thy bright abode, Call
us home to God. Jesus,
still lead on, Till
our rest be won; Heavenly
leader, still direct us, Still
support, console, protect us, Till
we safely stand In
our fatherland.
Nicolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf, 1700-1760
Tr. By Jane Laurie Borthwick 1813-97 Seek
and you will find
Meek
in heart, be meeker still; Day
by day your sins confess, Ye
that walk in righteousness: Gracious
souls in grace abound, Seek
the lord, whom ye have found. Sing
ye happy souls, that press Toward
the height of holiness; All
his promises receive, All
the grace he hath to give; Follow
on, nor slack your pace Till
ye see his glorious face.
Charles Wesley, 1707-88 I
am the light of the world
Show
the brightness of thy face; Shine
upon us, saviour, shine Fill
thy church with light divine; And
thy saving health extend Unto
earth’s remotest end. Let
the peoples praise thee, lord; Be
by all that live adored; Let
the nations shout and sing Glory
to their saviour king; At
thy feet their tribute pay, And
thy holy will obey. Let
the peoples praise thee, lord; Earth
shall then her fruits afford; God
to ma his blessing give, Man
to God devoted live; All
below, and all above, One
in joy, and light, and love.
Henry Francis Lyte, 1793-1847 Bernhardt
Severin Ingemann 1789-1862; Tr.
By Sabine Baring-Gould, 1834-1924
Onward
goes the pilgrim band, Singing
songs of expectation Marching
to the promised land. Clear
before us through the darkness Gleams
and burns the guiding light; Brother
clasps the hand of brother, Stepping
fearless through the night. One
the light of God’s own presence, O’er
his ransomed people shed, Chasing
far the gloom and terror, Brightening
all the path we tread: One
the object of our journey, One
the faith which never tires, One
the earnest looking forward, One
the hope our God inspires. One
the strain that lips of thousands Lift
a from the heart of one; One
the conflict, one the peril, One
the march in God begun: One
the gladness of rejoicing On
the far eternal shore, Where
the one almighty father Reigns
in love for evermore. Onward
therefore, pilgrim brothers, Onward
with the cross our aid! Bear
its shame, and fight its battle, Till
we rest beneath its shade. Soon
shall come the great awaking, Soon
the rending of the tomb; Then
the scattering of all shadows, And
the end of toil and gloom. Thomas
Joseph Potter, 1827-78; William Walsham How, 1823-97, and othersBrightly
gleams our banner, Pointing
to the sky, Waving
on Christ’s soldiers To
their home on high. Marching
through the desert, Gladly
thus we pray Still
with hearts united Singing
on our way. Brightly
gleams our banner, Pointing
to the sky Waving
on Christ’s soldiers To
their home on high. Jesus,
Lord and Master, At
thy sacred feet, Here,
with hearts rejoicing, See
they children meet, Often
have we left thee, Often
gone astray; Keep
us, mighty saviour, In
the narrow way. All
our days direct us In
the way we go; Lead
us on victorious Over
every foe; Bid
thine angels shield us When
the storm-clouds lower; Pardon
thou and save us In
the last dread hour. Then
with saints and angels May
we join above, Offering
prayers and praises At
they throne of love. When
the march is over, Then
come rest and peace, Jesus
in his beauty, Songs
that never cease. Our Trust in
you, Lord, will have its reward
O’er
earth’s green fields and ocean’s wave-beat shore; How
sweet the truth those blessed strains are telling Of
that new life when sin shall be no more! Angels
of Jesus, angels of light, Singing
to welcome the pilgrims of the night! Onward
we go; for still we her them singing; Come,
weary soul, for Jesus bids you come; And
through the darn, its echoes sweetly ringing, The
music of the gospel leads us home. Far,
far away, like bells at evening pealing, The
voice of Jesus sounds o’er land and sea, And
laden souls, by thousands meekly stealing Mind
shepherd, turn their weary steps to thee. Rest
comes at length; though life be long and dreary, The
day must dawn and darksome night be past; Faith’s
journey ends in welcomes to the weary, And
heaven, the heart’s true home, will come at last. Angels,
sing on, your faithful watches keeping; Sing
us sweet fragments of the songs above, Till
morning’s joy shall lend the night of weeping, And
life’s long shadows break in cloudless love.
Frederick William Faber, 1814-63 I
am not worthy, holy lord, That
thou shouldst come to me; Speak
but the word: one gracious word Can
set the sinner free. I
am not worthy; cold and bare The
lodging of my soul; How
canst thou deign to enter there? Lord
speak, and make me whole. I
am not worthy; yet, my God, How
can I say thee nay, Thee,
who didst give thy flesh and blood My
ransom-price to pay? O
come, in this sweet morning hour, Feed
me with food divine; And
fill with all thy love and power This
worthless heart of mine.
Henry Williams Baker, 1821-77 Nearness to God
My
daily labour to pursue, Thee,
lonely thee, resolved to know In
all I think, or speak, or do. The
task thy wisdom hath assigned O
let me cheerfully fulfil, In
all my works thy presence find, And
prove thy acceptable will. Thee
may I set at my right hand, Whose
eyes my inmost substance see, And
labour on at thy command, And
offer all my works to thee. Give
me to bear thy easy yoke, And
every moment watch and pray, And
still to things eternal look, And
hasten to thy glorious day. For
thee delightfully employ Whate’er
thy bounteous grace hath given, And
run my course with even joy, And
closely walk with thee to heaven.
Charles Wesley, 1707-88 Help me Lord
In paths of lowly
service free; My secret tell; help
me to bear The strain of toil,
the fret of care; Help me the slow of
heart to move By some clear winning
word of love; Teach me the wayward
feet to stay, And guide them in the
homeward way. Teach me thy patience;
still with thee In closer, dearer
company. In work that keeps
faith sweet and strong, In trust that triumphs
over wrong, In hope that sends a
shining ray Far down the
future’s broadening way, In peace that only
thou canst give, With thee, O master,
let me live!
An appeal to Jesus
In
thy risen power; Let
this time of worship Be
a hallowed hour. Breathe
the holy spirit Into
every heart; Bid
the fears and sorrows From
each soul depart. Thus
with quickened footsteps We’ll
pursue our way, Watching
for the dawning Of
eternal day. William Pennefather, 1816-73 Trust in God
All
will be well; Free
and changeless in his favour, All,
all is well: Precious
is the blood that healed us; Perfect
is the grace that sealed us; Strong
the hand stretched forth to shield us, All
must be well. Though
we pass through tribulation, All
will be well; Christ
hath purchased full salvation, All,
all is well: Happy
still in God confiding; Fruitful,
if in Christ abiding; Holy,
through the spirit’s guiding; All
must be well. We
expect a bright tomorrow; All
will be well; Faith
can sing through days of sorrow, All,
all is well: On
our father’s love relying, Jesus
every need supplying, Then
in living or in dying All
must be well.
Mary Peters, 1813-56 Let us Pray
Uttered
or unexpressed, The
motion of a hidden fire That
trembles in the breast. Prayer
is the burden of a sign, The
falling of a tear, The
upward glancing of any eye When
none but God is near. Prayer
is the simplest form of speech That
infant lips can try; Prayer
the sublimest strains that reach The
majesty on high. Prayer
is the contrite sinner’s voice Returning
from his ways, While
angels in their songs rejoice, And
cry: behold he prays! Prayer
is the Christian’s vital breath, The
Christian’s native air, His
watchword at the gates of death; He
enters heaven with prayer. O
thou by whom we come to God, The
life, the truth, the way! The
path of prayer thyself hast trod: Lord!
Teach us how to pray.
James Montgomery, 1771-1854 O
light, from age to age the same, O’ever-living
word, Here
have we felt thy kindling flame, Thy
voice within have heard. Here
holy thought and hymn and prayer Have
winged the spirit’s powers, And
made these walls divinely fair, Thy
temple, lord, and ours. What
visions rise above the years; What
tender memories throng Till
the eye fills with happy tears, The
heart with happy song. O
not in vain their toil, who wrought To
build faith’s freer shrine; Not
theirs, whose steadfast love and thought Have
watched the fire divine. Burn,
holy fire, and shine more wide! While
systems rise and fall, Faith,
hope, and charity abide, The
heart and soul of all.
Frederick Lucian Hosmer, 1840-1929 When
the day of toil is done, When
the race of life is run, Father,
grant thy wearied one Rest
for evermore. When
the strife of sin is stilled, When
the foe within is killed, Be
thy gracious word fulfilled – Peace
for evermore. When
the darkness melts away At
the breaking of the day, Bid
us hail the cheering ray – Light
for evermore. When
the heart by sorrow tried Feels
at length is throbs subside, Bring
us, where all tears are dried, Joy
for evermore. When
for vanished days we yearn, Days
that never can return, Teach
us in thy love to learn Love
for evermore.
John Ellerton, 1826-93 My
heart is full of doubt, and deep despair. I
turn to you, Lord, in solemn, and in silent prayer, In
the earnest hope that you are surely there. And
then I see your wonders everywhere! I
sense the fragrance of your flowers in the air! And
of their brilliant colours I become aware! Then
I feel sure that you will not impair My
faith and love so lacking and so rare; That
you will assuredly come to me and declare, That
I, of your love may, have a constant and unfailing share.
By myself In
full and glad surrender I
give myself to thee; Thine
utterly, and only, And
evermore to be. O
son of God, who lov’st me, I
will be thine lone; And
all I have, and all I am, Shall
henceforth be thine own. Reign
over me, Lord Jesus; O
make my heart thy throne, It
shall be thine, my saviour, It
shall be thine alone. O
come and reign, Lord Jesus, Rule
over everything; And
keep me always loyal And
true to thee, my king. Frances Ridley Havergal, 1836-7 Thine
for ever! God of love, Hear
us from they throne above; Thine
for ever may we be, Here
and in eternity. Thine
for ever! Lord of life, Shield
us through our earthly strife; Thou
the life, the truth, the way, Guide
us to the realms of day. Thine
for ever! O how blest They
who find in thee their rest! Saviour,
guardian, heavenly friend, O
defend us to the end. Thine
for ever! Shepherd keep These
thy frail and trembling sheep; Safe
alone beneath thy care, Let
us all thy goodness share. Thine
for ever! Thou our guide, All
our wants by thee supplied, All
our sins by thee forgiven, Lead
us, lord, from earth to heaven. Mary Fawler Maude, 1819-1913Rise
up, O men of God! Have
done with lesser things; Give
hearts and soul and mind and strength To
serve the king of kings. Rise
up, O men of God! His
kingdom tarries long; Bring
in the day of brotherhood, And
end the night of wrong. Rise
up, O men of God! The
church for you doth wait, Her
strength unequal to her task; Rise
up and make her great. Lift
high the cross of Christ! Tread
where his feet have trod; As
brothers of the son of man Rise
up, O men of God!
William Pierson Merrill, 1867-? The
court of God most high, The
heaven of heavens, the throne Of
spotless majesty! O
happy place! When shall I be My
God, with thee, to see thy face? There
dwells my Lord, my king, Judged
here unfit to live; There
angels to him sing, And
lowly homage give. The
patriarchs of old There
from their travels cease; The
prophets there behold Their
longed-for prince of peace. The
lamb’s apostles there I
might with joy behold; The
harpers I might hear Playing
on harps of gold. The
faithful martyrs, they Within
those courts are found; All
clothed in pure array, Their
scars with glory crowned. My
song and city is, My
home whene’er I die, The
centre of my bliss.
Samuel Crossman, 1624-83 O
how blest the hour, Lord Jesus, When
we can to thee draw near, Promises
so sweet and precious From
thy gracious lips to hear. Be
with us this day to bless us, That
we may not hear in vain; With
the saving truths impress us, Which
the words of life contain. Open
thou our minds, and lead us Safely
on our heavenward way; With
the lamp of truth precede us, That
we may not go astray. Make
us gentle, meek, and humble, And
yet bold in doing right; Scatter
darkness, lest we stumble; Men
walk safely in the light. Lord,
endue thy word from heaven With
such light, and love, and power, That
in us its silent leaven May
work on from hour to hour. Give
us grace to bear our witness To
the truths we have embraced; And
let others both their sweetness And
their quickening virtue taste.
Carl Johann Philipp Spitta, 1801-59;
Tr. By Richard Massie, 1800-87 God
of pity, god of grace, When
we humbly seek thy face, Bend
from heaven, thy swelling-place; Hear,
forgive and save. When
we in thy temple meet, Spread
our wants before thy feet, Pleading
at thy mercy-seat, Look
from heaven and save. When
thy love our hearts shall fill, And
we long to do thy will, Turning
to thy holy hill, Lord,
accept and save. Should
we wander from thy fold, And
our love to thee grow cold, With
a pitying eye behold; Lord,
forgive and save. Should
the hand of sorrow press, Earthly
care and want distress, May
our souls thy peace possess; Jesus,
hear and save. And
whate’er our cry may be, When
we lift our hearts to thee. From
our burden set us free; Hear,
forgive and save.
Eliza Fanny Morris, 1821-74 Stand
up and bless the lord, Ye
people of his choice; Stand
up and bless the lord your God, With
heart and soul and voice. Though
high above all praise, Above
all blessing high, Who
would not fear his holy name, And
laud and magnify? O
for the living flame From
his own alter brought, To
touch our lips, our minds inspire, And
wings to heaven our thought. There,
with benign regard, Our
hymns he deigns to hear; Though
unrevealed to mortal sense, Our
spirits feel him near. God
is our strength and song, And
his salvation ours; Then
be his love in Christ proclaimed With
all our ransomed powers. Stand
up and bless the Lord, The
Lord your God adore; Stand
up and bless his glorious name Henceforth
for evermore.
James Montgomery, 1771-1854 Jesus
came; not in power, not in fame: But
in gentleness and meekness, The
God of love to proclaim, And
to light in us, a flame. Sweet
is the work, my God, my King, To
praise thy name, give thanks, and sing; To
show thy love by morning light, And
talk of all thy truth at night. Sweet
is the day of sacred rest; No
mortal cares disturb my breast: O
may my heart in tune be found Like
David’s harp of solemn sound! My
heart shall triumph in the Lord, And
bless his works, and bless his word: Thy
works of grace, how bright they shine! How
keep thy counsels, how divine! And
I shall share a glorious part, When
grace has well refined my heart, And
fresh supplies of joy are shed, Like
holy oil to cheer my head. Then
shall I see, and hear, and know All
I desired and wished below; And
every power find sweet employ In
that eternal world of joy.
Isaac Watts, 1674-1748 Lord
of the worlds above, How
pleasant and how fair The
dwelling of thy love, Thine
earthly temples are! To
thine abode My
heart aspires With
warm desires To
see my God. O
happy souls that pray Where
God delights to hear! O
happy men that pay Their
constant service there! They
praise thee still, And
happy they Who
love the way To
They
go from strength to strength, Through
this dark vale of tears, Till
each o’ercomes at length, Till
each in heaven appears: O
glorious seat! Thou
God, our king, Shalt
thither bring Our
willing feet. God
is our sun and shield, Our
light and our defence; With
gifts his hands are filled, We
draw our blessings thence: He
shall bestow Upon
our race His
saving grace, And
glory too. The
Lord his people loves; His
hand no good withholds From
those his heart approves, From
holy, humble souls: Thrice
happy he, O
lord of hosts, Whose
spirit trusts Alone
in thee!
Isaac Watts, 1674-1748 Lift
up your hearts! We lift
them, Lord, to thee; Here
at thy feet none other may we see; Lift
up your hearts! E’en so, with one accord, We
lift them up, we lift them to the Lord. Above
the level of the former years, The
mire of sin, the slough of guilty fears, The
mist of doubt, the blight of love’s decay, O
lord of light, lift all our hearts today! Above
the swamps of subterfuge and shame, The
deeds, the thoughts that honour may not name, The
halting tongue that dares not tell the whole, O
lord of truth, lift every Christian soul! Lift
every gift that thou thyself hast given; Low
lies the best till lifted up to heaven: Low
lie the bounding heart, the teeming brain, Till,
sent from God, they mount to God again. Then,
as the trumpet-call, in after years: Lift
up your hearts, rings pealing in our ears, Still
shall those hearts respond, with full accord: We
lift them up, we lift them to the Lord!
Henry Montagu Butler, 1833-1918 In
memory of the saviour’s love We
keep the sacred feast, Where
every humble, contrite heart Is
made a welcome guest. By
faith we take the bread of life With
which our souls are fed, The
cup in token of his blood That
was for sinners shed. Under
his banner thus we sing The
wonders of his love, And
thus anticipate by faith The
heavenly feast above.
Thomas Cotterill, 1779-1823 O
Saviour, bless us ere we go; Thy
word into our minds instil; And
make our lukewarm hearts to glow With
lowly love and fervent will. Through
life’s long day and death’s dark night, O
gentle Jesus, be our light. The
day is done, its hours have run, And
thou hast taken count of all – The
scanty triumphs grace hath won, The
broken vow, the frequent fall. Grant
us, dear Lord, from evil ways True
absolution and release; And
bless us, more than in past days, With
purity and inward peace. Fall
all we love, the poor, the sad, The
sinful, unto thee we call; O
let thy mercy make us glad; Thou
art our Jesus and our all.
Frederick William Faber, 1814-63 Blest
are the humble souls that see Their
emptiness and poverty; Treasures
of grace to them are given, And
crowns of joy laid up in heaven. Blest
are the souls that long for grace, Hunger
and thirst for righteousness; They
shall be well supplied and fed With
living streams and living bread. Blest
are the poor, whose hearts are clean From
the defiling power of sin; With
endless pleasure they shall see The
god of spotless purity. Blest
are the sufferers who partake Of
pain and shame for Jesu’s sake; Their
souls shall triumph in the Lord; Glory
and joy are their reward.
Isaac Watts, 1674-1748 We
love thy kingdom, Lord, The
house of thine abode, The
church our blest redeemer saved With
his own precious blood. For
her our tears shall fall, For
her our prayers ascend, To
her our cares and toils be given, Till
toils and cares shall end. Beyond
our highest joy We
prize her heavenly ways, Her
sweet communion, solemn vows, Her
hymns of love and praise. Jesus,
thou friend divine, Our
saviour, and our king, Thy
hand from every snare and foe Shall
great deliverance bring. Sure
as thy truth shall last, To
The
brightest glories earth can yield, And
brighter bliss of heaven.
Timothy Dwight, 1752-1817 O
thou not made with hands, Not
throned above the skies, Nor
walled with shining walls, Nor
framed with stones of price, More
bright than gold or gem, God’s
own Where’er
the gentle heart Finds
courage from above; Where’er
the heart forsook Warms
with the breath of love; Where
faith bids fear depart, City
of god, thou art. Thou
art where’er the proud In
humbleness melts down; Where
self itself yields up; Where
martyrs win their crown; Where
faithful souls possess Themselves
in perfect peace. Where
in life’s common ways With
cheerful feet we go; Where
in his steps we tread Who
trod the way of woe; Where
he is in the heart, City
of Not
throned above the skies, Nor
golden-walled afar. But
where Christ’s two or three In
his name gathered are, Be
in the midst of them God’s
own
Francis Turner Palgrave, 1824-97 Ten
thousand times ten thousand, In
sparkling raiment bright, The
armies of the ransomed saints, Throng
up the steps of light; ‘tis
finished, all is finished, Their
fight with death and sin; Fling
open wide the golden gates, And
let the victors in. What
rush of hallelujahs Fills
all the earth ad sky! What
ringing of a thousand harps Bespeaks
the triumph nigh! O
day for which creation And
all its tribes were made! O
joy, for all its former woes A
thousand-fold repaid! O
then what raptured greetings On
What
knitting severed friendships up Where
partings are no more! Then
eyes with joy shall sparkle That
brimmed with tears of late; Orphans
no longer fatherless, Nor
widows desolate. Bring
near thy great salvation, Thou
lamb for sinners slain; Fill
up the roll of thine elect, Then
take thy power and reign; Appear,
desire of nations – Thine
exiles long for home; Show
in the heaven thy promised sign; Thou
prince and saviour, come.
Henry Alford, 1810-71 O
God our father, who dost make us one, Heart
bound to heart, in love of thy dear son Now
as we part and go our several ways, Touch
every lip, may every voice be praise. Praise
for the fellowship that here we find, The
fellowship of heart and soul and mind, Praise
for the bonds of love and brotherhood, Bonds
wrought by thee, who makest all things good. Lord,
make us strong, for thou alone dost know How
oft we turn our faces from the foe; How
oft, when claimed by dark temptation’s hour We
lose our hold on thee, and of thy power. Go
with us, Lord, from hence; we only ask That
thou be sharer in our daily task; So,
side by side with thee, shall each one know The
blessedness of heaven begun below.
William Vaughan Jenkins, 1868-1920 I
love to hear the story Which
angel voices tell, How
once their king of glory Came
down on earth to dwell. I
am both weak and sinful, But
this I surely know; The
Lord came down to save me, Because
he loved me so. I’m
glad my blessed saviour Was
once a child like me, To
show how pure and holy His
little ones might be; And
if I try to follow His
footsteps here below, He
never will forsake me, Because
he loves me so. To
sing his love and mercy My
sweetest songs I’ll raise; And
though I cannot see him, I
know he hears my praise: For
he has kindly promised That
even I may go To
sing among his angels, Because
he loves me so.
Emily Huntington Miller, 1833-1913 Jesus,
tender shepherd, hear me; Bless
thy little lamb tonight; Through
the darkness be thou near me; Keep
me safe till morning light. All
this day thy hand has led me, And
I thank thee for thy care; Thou
hast clothed me, warmed and fed me; Listen
to my evening prayer. Let
my sins be all forgiven; Bless
the friends I love so well; Take
me, when I die, to heaven, Happy
there with thee to dwell.
Mary Duncan 1814-40 Who
would true valour see, Let
him come hither; One
here will constant be, Come
wind, come weather: There’s
no discouragement Shall
make him once relent His
first avowed intent To
be a pilgrim. Who
so beset him round With
dismal stories, Do
but themselves confound; His
strength the more is. No
lion can him fright. He’ll
with a giant fight, But
he will have a right To
be a pilgrim. Hobgoblin
nor foul fiend Can
daunt his spirit; He
knows me at the end Shall
life inherit. Then
fancies fly away; He’ll
fear not what men say: He’ll
labour night and day To
be a pilgrim.
John Bunyan, 1628-88 Show
me the way, O Lord, And
make it plain; I
would obey thy word, Speak
yet again; I
will not take one step until I know Which
way it is that thou wouldst have me go. O
lord, I cannot see! Vouchsafe
me light: The
mist bewilders me, Impedes
my sight: Hold
thou my hand, and lead me by thy sides;
I
dare not go alone: be thou my guide. I
will be patient, Lord, Trustful
and still; I
will not doubt thy word; My
hopes fulfil: How
can I perish, clinging to thy side, My
comforter, my saviour, and my guide?
Jane Euphemia Saxby, 1811-98 A
little child may know Our
father’s name of love; ‘tis
written on the earth below, and
on the sky above. Around
me when I look, His
handiwork I see; This
world is like a picture book To
teach is name to me. The
thousand little flowers Within
our garden found, The
rainbow and the soft spring flowers, And
every pleasant sound. The
birds that sweetly sing, The
moon that shines by night; With
every tiny living thing Rejoicing
in the light. And
every star above, Set
in the deep blue sky, And
tell me that our God is love, All
tell me he is nigh.
Jane Eliza Leeson, 1807-82 I
dared not hope that thou wouldst deign to come And
make this lowly heart of mine thy home, That
thou wouldst deign, O king of kings, to be E’en
for one hour a sojourner in me; Yet
art thou always here to help, and bless And
lift the load of my great sinfulness. I
dared not ever hope for such a guide To
walk with me my faltering steps beside To
help me when I fall, and, when I stray, Constrain
me gently to the better way: Yet
art thou always at my side to be A
counsellor and comforter to me. I
do not always go where thou dost lead, I
do not always thy soft whispers heed; I
follow other lights, and, in my sin, I
vex with many a slight my friend within: Yet
dost thou not, though grieved, from me depart, But
guardest still thy place within my heart.
Edwin Hatch, 1835-89 Jesus
meek and gentle, Son
of God most high, Pitying,
loving saviour, Hear
thy children’s cry. Pardon
our offences, Loose
our captive chains, Break
down every idol Which
our soul detains. Give
us holy freedom, Fill
our hearts with love, Draw
us, holy Jesus, To
the realms above. Lead
us on our journey, Be
thyself the way Through
earth’s passing darkness To
heaven’s endless day. Jesus,
meek and gentle, Son
of God most high, Pitying,
loving saviour, Hear
thy children’s cry.
George Rundle Prynne 1818-1903 God
has given us a book full of stories, Which
was made for his people of old, It
begins with the tale of a garden, And
ends with the city of gold. But
the best is the story of Jesus, Of
the babe with the ox in the stall, Of
the song that was sung by the angels, The
most beautiful story of all. There
are stories for parents and children, For
the old who are ready to rest, But
for all who can read them or listen, The
story of Jesus is best. For
it tells how he came from the father, His
far-away children to call, To
bring the lost sheep to their shepherd, The
most beautiful story of all.
Maria Matilda Penstone, 1859-1910 Lead,
kindly light, amid the encircling gloom Lead
thou me on! The
night is dark, and I am far from home; Lead
thou me on! Keep
thou my feet; I do not ask
to see The
distant scene: one step enough for me. I
was not ever thus, nor prayed that thou Shouldst
lead me on, I
loved to choose and see my path, but now Lead
thou me on! I
loved the garish day, and, spite of fears, Pride
ruled my will: remember not past years. So
long thy power hath blest me, sure it still Will
lead me on O’er
moor and fen, o’er crag and torrent, till The
night is gone; And
with the morn those angel faces smile Which
I have loved long since, and lost awhile.
John Henry Newman, 1801-90 O
happy band of pilgrims, If
onward ye will tread, With
Jesus as your fellow, To
Jesus as your head! O
happy if ye labour As
Jesus did for men: O
happy if ye hunger As
Jesus hungered then! The
cross that Jesus carried, He
carried as your due: The
crown that Jesus weareth, He
weareth it for you. The
faith by which ye see him, The
hope in which ye yearn, The
love that through all troubles To
him alone will turn. The
trials that beset you, The
sorrows ye endure, The
manifold temptations That
death alone can cure: What
are they but his jewels Of
right celestial worth? What
are they but the ladder Set
up to heaven on earth? O
happy band of pilgrims, Look
forward to the skies, Where
such a light affliction Shall
win you such a prize.
John Mason Neale, 1818-66; Based on Joseph, the Hymnographer, 9th cent. verses
3 and 4 only
One
in our love of all things sweet and fair, One
with the joy that breaketh into song, One
with the grief that trembleth into prayer, One
in the power that makes the children free To
follow truth, and thus to follow thee. O
clothe us with thy heavenly armour, Lord, Thy
trusty shield, thy sword of love divine; Our
inspiration be thy constant word; We
ask no victories that are not thine: Give
or withhold, let pain or pleasure be: Enough
to know that we are serving thee.
John White Chadwick, 1840-1904 Lord,
it belongs not to my care Whether
I die or live; To
love and serve thee is my share, And
this thy grace must give. If
life be long, I will be glad That
I may long obey; If
short, yet why should I be sad, To
soar to endless day? Christ
leads me through no darker rooms Than
he went through before; He
that into God’s kingdom comes Must
enter by this door. Come,
Lord, when grace has made me meet, Thy
blessed face to see; For
if thy work on earth be sweet, What
will thy glory be? Then
shall I end my sad complaints, And
weary, sinful days, And
join with the triumphant saints That
sing Jehovah’s praise. My
knowledge of that life is small, The
eye of faith is dim; But
‘tis enough that Christ knows all And
I shall be with him.
Richard Baxter, 1615-91 Jerusalem
, my happy
home, Name
ever dear to me! When
shall my labours have an end, In
joy, and peace, and thee? When
shall these eyes thy heaven-built walls And
pearly gates behold, Thy
bulwarks with salvation strong, And
streets of shining gold? There
happier bowers than Nor
sin nor sorrow know: Blest
seats, through rude and stormy scenes I
onward press to you. Why
should I shrink at pain and woe, Or
feel, at death, dismay? I’ve
And
realms of endless day. Apostles,
martyrs, prophets there Around
my saviour stand; And
soon my friends in Christ below Will
join the glorious band. My
soul still pants for thee! Then
shall my labours have an end, When
I thy joys shall see.
Joseph Bromehead, 1748-1826 Verses
4 and 5
And
fervent as the young-eyed throng Who
chant their heavenly psalms before God’s
face with undiscordant song. New
arts shall bloom of loftier mould, And
mightier music thrill the skies, And
every life shall be a song, When
all the earth is paradise.
John Addington Symonds, 1840-93 Jesus, with thy church
abide; Be her saviour, Lord,
and guide, While on earth her
faith is tried: We beseech thee, hear
us. Keep her life and
doctrine pure; Grant her patience to
ensure, Trusting in thy
promise sure; We beseech thee, hear
us. May
her voice be ever clear, Warning
of a judgement near, Telling
of a saviour dear: We
beseech thee, near us. All
her fettered powers release; Bid
all strife and envy cease; Grant
the heavenly gift of peace: We
beseech thee, hear us. May
she guide the poor and blind, Seek
the lost until she find, And
the broken-hearted bind: We
beseech thee, hear us. May
her lamp of truth be bright; Bid
her bear aloft its light Through
the realms of heathen night: We
beseech thee, hear us. May
she holy triumphs win, Overthrow
the hosts of sin, Gather
all the nations in: We
beseech thee, hear us.
Thomas Benson Pollock, 1836-96 Stand
up, stand up for Jesus! Ye
soldiers of the cross; Lift
high his royal banner: It
must not suffer loss, From
victory unto victory His
army shall he lead, Till
every foe is vanquished And
Christ is lord indeed. Stand
up, stand up for Jesus! The
trumpet-call obey; In
this his glorious day! Ye
that are men, now serve him Against
unnumbered foes; Let
courage rise with danger, And
strength to strength oppose. Stand
up, stand up for Jesus! Stand
in his strength alone: The
arm of flesh will fail you; Ye
dare not trust your own. Put
on the Christian’s armour, And
watching unto prayer, Where
duty calls or danger, Be
never wanting there. Stand
up, stand up for Jesus! The
strife will not be long; This
day the noise of battle, The
next the victor’s song. To
him that ovrecometh A
crown of life shall be; He
with the king of glory, Shall
reign eternally.
George Duffield, 1818-88 Christ,
from whom all blessings flow, Perfecting
the saints below, Hear
us, who thy nature share, Who
thy mystic body are. Join
us, in one spirit join, Let
us still receive of thine; Still
for more on thee we call, Thou
who fillest all in all. Move,
and activate, and guide: Divers
gifts to each divide; Placed
according to thy will, Let
us all our work fulfil. Sweetly
may we all agree, Touched
with loving sympathy: Kindly
for each other care; Every
member feel its share. Love,
like death, hath all destroyed, Rendered
all distinctions void; Names,
and sects, and parties fall: Thou,
O Christ, art all in all.
Charles Wesley, 1707-88 O
God of mercy, God of might, In
love and pity infinite, Teach
us, as ever in thy sight, To
live our life to thee. And
thou, who cam’st on earth to die, That
fallen man might live thereby, O
hear us, for thee we cry, In
hope, O Lord, to thee. Teach
us the lesson thou hast taught, To
feel for those thy blood hath bought, That
every word and deed and thought, May
work in strength for thee. For
all are brethren, far and wide, Since
thou, O Lord, for all hat died: Then
teach us, whatsoe’er betide, To
love them all in thee. In
sickness, sorrow, want, or care, What’er
it be, ‘tis ours to share; May
we, where help is needed, there Give
help as unto thee. And
may thy holy spirit move All
those who live, to live in love, Till
thou shalt greet in heaven above All
those who live to thee.
Godfrey Thring, 1823-1903 O
Jesus, we are well and strong, And
we can run about and play; But
there are children who are sick, And
have to lie in bed all day. We
thank thee for our health and strength; And,
loving Lord, we pray thee bless The
children who are weak and ill And
suffer pain and weariness. Lord,
give us thoughtful, loving hearts, Show
us kind deeds which may be done By
us, for Jesu’s sake, to help Some
sad or suffering little one.
Edith Heavenly
father, thou hast brought us safely to the present day, Gently
leading on our footsteps, watching o’er us all the way. Friend
and guide through life’s long journey, grateful hearts to thee we
bring; But
for love so true and changeless how shall we fit praises sing? Mercies
new and never-failing brightly shine through all the past, Watchful
care and loving-kindness always near from first to last, Tender
love, diving protection ever with us day and night; Blessings
more than we can number strow the path with golden light. Shadows
deep have crossed our pathway; we have trembled in the storm; Clouds
have gathered round so darkly that we could not see they form: Yet
thy love hath never left us in our griefs alone to be, And
the help each gave the other was the strength that came from thee. Many
that we loved have left us, reaching first their journey’s end; Now
they wait to give us welcome, brother, sister, child, and friend. When
at last our journey’s over, and we pass away from sight, Father,
take us through the darkness into everlasting light.
Hester Periam Hawkins: Home Hymn Book, 1885 Guide
me, O thou great Jehovah, Pilgrim
through this barren land; I
am weak, but thou art mighty; Hold
me with they powerful hand: Bread
of heaven! Feed
me now and evermore. Open
thou the crystal fountain, Whence
the healing stream shall flow; Let
the fiery, cloudy pillar Lead
me all my journey through: Strong
deliverer! Be
thou still my help and shield.
William Williams , 1717-91 verse
1 only
All
pity, care, and love, All
calm and courage, faith and hope: O
pour them from above; And
part them, Lord, to each and all, As
each and all shall need, To
rise like incense, each to thee, In
noble thought and deed.
Charles Kingsley 1819-75 O Christ, our God, who
with thine own hast been, Our spirits cleave to
thee, the friend unseen. Vouchsafe that all,
who on thy bounty feed May heed thy love and
prize thy gifts indeed. Make every heart that
is thy dwelling-place A watered garden
filled with fruits of grace. Each holy purpose help
us to fulfil; Increase our faith to
feed upon thee still. Illuminate our minds
that we may see In all around us holy
signs of thee. And may such witness
in our lives appear, That all may know thou
hast been with us here. So shalt thou be for
ever, loving lord, Our shield and our
exceeding great reward.
George Hugh Bourne, 1840-1928 The fields are all
white, And the reapers are
few; We children are
willing, But what can we do To work for our lord
in his harvest? Our hands are so
small, And our words are so
weak: We cannot teach
others; How then shall we seek To work for our lord
in his harvest? We’ll work by our
prayers, By the offerings we
bring, By small self-denials; The least little thing May work for our lord
in his harvest: Until by and by, As the years pass, at
length We too may be reapers, And go forth in
strength, To work for our lord
in his harvest.
The Book of Praise for Children, 1881 God the father, be
thou near, Save from every harm
tonight; Make us all thy
children dear, In the darkness be our
light. God the saviour, be
our peace, Put away our sins
tonight; Speak the word of full
release, Turn our darkness into
light. Holy spirit, deign to
come, Sanctify us all
tonight; In our hearts prepare
thy home, Turn our darkness into
light. Holy
trinity, be nigh; Mystery
of love adored, Help
to live, and help to die, Lighten
all our darkness, Lord!
George Rawson, 1807-89 Please note
31 Oct 1979 See
also Book 1 (pages 30 and 71) and Book 2 (pages 37 and 38) See
also Book 1 (page 24) and Book 3 (page 114) ( Paul and his followers have to suffer for their faith In
his introduction to the second letter to the Corinthians (A.D.57), See also Book Two
(page 29) (Extracts) See
also Book One (page 88) Jews and Gentiles are one in Christ Unity in the body of Christ (Extracts) (This was written while Paul was in prison) Paul’s letter
to the Philippians (AD56-57) A thanksgiving
and a prayer See also Book 1 pages 22 and 26 If there is any point on which you see things differently,
God will make it clear to you; meanwhile let us go forward on the road
that has brought us to where we are.
Be united in following my rule of life, brothers, and take as
your models those who live according to the pattern we give you.
For us, our homeland is in heaven, and we eagerly await a saviour
from there, the Lord Jesus Christ. So
then, my dear friends, do not give way, but remain faithful in the Lord.
How I miss you! How
happy you make me, and how proud I am of you!
I rejoice greatly in the Lord.
There is nothing I cannot master with the help of the one who
gives me strength. (Extracts) Paul’s letter
to the Galatians (A.D.57/58) Galatia was a
Roman province in Asia Minor See also Book One (page 34) Extracts The letter of
Paul to the Church at ( Prayer of
thanksgiving See also Book One (page 89) The sovereignty
of Christ (Extracts) The first letter
of Paul to the church in Thessalonika (A.D.50-51) Thessalonica was
the capital city of the Roman Extracts The
second letter of Paul to the (Extracts) The
first letter of Paul to Timothy (A.D.65) (Timothy, a young Christian from Asia Minor, was
the son of a Jewish mother and a Greek father.
He became a companion an assistant to Paul in his missionary
work) Paul’s gratitude to Christ Now, to the immortal, invisible and only God, be
honour and glory for ever and ever, Amen. (Extracts) Paul’s second letter to Timothy (A.D.65) Greeting, Thanksgiving and encouragement
How Timothy, a loyal soldier of Christ Jesus, should face hardshipsTake your share of difficulties, like a good
soldier of Christ Jesus. Think
over what I have said, and the Lord will help you to a full
understanding of it. A workman approved by GodDo your best to present yourself to God as a man
who ahs come through his trials. A
workman who need not be ashamed; one who is straightforward in
proclaiming the message of God’s truth. Avoid the passions and wayward impulses of
youth, and strive for righteousness; fasten your attention on faith,
love and peace, in union with those who call on the lord with pure
minds. Don’t have anything
to do with foolish arguments or quarrels; instead by kindly towards all,
a goo, patient teacher, gently correcting your opponents, and never
forgetting that God may give them a change of heart, leading them to a
knowledge of the truth. Paul’s last instructions to TimothyYou, then, have followed my teaching, my way of
life, my conduct, my purpose; you know my faith, my patience and my
love; my endurance and fortitude under the persecutions and hardships
that I went through in places like But you must keep to what you have been taught;
remember who your teachers were, and how, ever since you were a child,
you have known the holy scriptures – from these you can learn the
wisdom that leads to salvation. All
scripture is inspired by God and can profitably be used for teaching the
truth. In this way a man who
is dedicated to God, becomes fully qualified and equipped for good work
of every kind. Be careful always to choose the right courses;
be brave under trials; make the preaching of the good news your life’s
work, and do all the duties of your ministry faithfully and
conscientiously. Paul, in the evening of his lifeAs for me, my life is already coming to an end,
and the time has come for my departure.
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race and kept
the faith. And now the crown
of righteousness awaits me, the prize which the lord will award me on
that day. Do your best to come and see me as soon as you
can. And bring Mark with
you, for I find him a useful helper in my work. The Lord be with your spirit.
Grace be with you. (Extracts) Paul’s letter to Titus (A.D.65) (Titus was a Gentile convert to Christianity who
became a fellow worker and assistant to Paul in his missionary work.
Paul’s letter to Titus is addressed to his young helper in
Crete, who had been left there to supervise the work of the church). AddressFrom Paul an apostle of Jesus Christ, to bring
those whom God has chosen to faith and to the knowledge of the truth;
and to give them the hope of eternal life.
To Titus, true child of mine in the faith that we share, wishing
you grace and peace from God the father and from Christ Jesus our
saviour. The appointment of elders in
|