WATCH AND PRAY

Spirit of Faith! I'll go with Thee,
Thou, if I hold Thee fast,

Wilt guide, defend, and strengthen me,
And bear me home at last.

Anne Brontë.

191

CH

YHRISTIAN, seek not yet repose,
Cast thy dreams of ease away;
Thou art in the midst of foes;

66

"Watch and pray."

Gird thy heavenly armour on,
Wear it ever, night and day;
Near thee lurks the evil one;
"Watch and pray."

Listen to thy sorrowing Lord,
Him thou lovest to obey:
It is He who speaks the word;
"Watch and pray.'

"Twas by watching and by prayer
Holy men of olden day

Won the palms and crowns they wear;
"Watch and pray.

Watch, for thou thy guard must keep;
Pray, for God must speed thy way;
Narrow is the road, and steep ;,
"Watch and pray.'

Charlotte Elliott.

192

OY Thine inward consecration

BY Make in hed to Thy temple true;

Let Thy bright illumination

Search our spirit through and through;
So shall we, Thy new creation,
Strive to pay Thee worship due.

With Thy eye of love behold us;
Our affections heavenward raise;
Into Thine own likeness mould us
On Thy glory while we gaze.
Let Thine altar-fire enfold us
Purifying prayer and praise.

Keep Thy lamp within us burning,
With undimmed and steady ray;
That indwelling light discerning,
May we ever near Thee stay;
Often to that shrine returning
Through the toilsome working-day.

Dr. Bourne.

RESIGNATION AND DISCIPLINE

193

I

DO not ask, O Lord, that life may be
A pleasant road:

I do not ask that Thou wouldst take from me
Aught of its load.

I do not ask that flowers should always spring Beneath my feet;

I know too well the poison and the sting

Of things too sweet.

For one thing only, Lord, dear Lord, I plead : Lead me aright,

Though strength should falter and though heart should bleed,

Through peace to light.

I do not ask, O Lord, that Thou shouldst shed
Full radiance here;

Give but a ray of peace, that Í may tread
Without a fear.

I do not ask my cross to understand,
My way to see;

Better in darkness just to feel Thy hand,
And follow Thee.

Joy is like restless day; but peace divine
Like quiet night.

Lead me, O Lord, till perfect day shall shine,
Through Peace to Light.

Adelaide A. Proctor.

Where the mourner weeping
Sheds the secret tear,
God His watch is keeping,
Though none else be near.

God will never leave thee,
All thy wants He knows,
Feels the pains that grieve thee,
Sees thy cares and woes.

Raise thine eyes to heaven
When thy spirits quail,
When, by tempests driven,
Heart and courage fail.

When in grief we languish,
He will dry the tear,
Who His children's anguish
Soothes with succour near.

All our woe and sadness,
In this world below,
Balance not the gladness

We in heaven shall know.

Jesu, Holy Saviour,

In the realms above,

Crown us with Thy favour,
Fill us with Thy love.

F. E. Cox.

195

THE BETTER PART

LOVE Divine, how sweet Thou art!
When shall I find my willing heart
All taken up by Thee?

My thirsty spirit faints to prove
The greatness of redeeming love,
The love of Christ to me.

Stronger His love than death and hell;
Its riches are unsearchable;
The first-born sons of light
Desire in vain its depths to see;
They cannot reach the mystery,
The length, and breadth, and height.

God only knows the love of God;
Oh that it now were shed abroad
In this poor stony heart!
For love I sigh, for love I pine:
This only portion, Lord, be mine,
Be mine this better part.

Oh that I could for ever sit,
Like Mary, at the Master's feet!
Be this my happy choice:
My only care, delight, and bliss,
My joy, my heaven on earth be this,
To hear the Bridegroom's voice!
C. Wesley.

196

LORD, when we bend before Thy throne,

And our confessions pour,

Teach us to feel the sins we own,
And hate what we deplore.