Yes: He is mine! and nought of earthly things, Not all the charms of pleasure, wealth or power, The fame of heroes, or the pomp of kings, Could tempt me to forego His love an hour. Go, worthless world, I cry with all that's thine! Go, I my Saviour's am, and He is mine. The good I have is from His stores supplied; He for my Friend, I'm rich with nought beside: Whate'er may change, in Him no change is seen, All may depart; I fret not nor repine He stays me falling, lifts me up when down, Reclaims me wandering, guards from every foe, Plants on my worthless brow the victor's crown Which, in return, before His feet I throw, Grieved that I cannot better grace His shrine, While here, alas! I know but half His love; Rev. H. Lyte. "Consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds." OW many, might they hear their Saviour's voice Requiring for His own their loved and best, Would hail such gracious summons, and rejoice To yield their all at that dear Lord's behest. And many, with those martyr'd saints of old Who stood triumphant at the cross and stake, As champions in the ranks of Christ enroll'd, Would welcome death, were it for Jesu's sake. "Oh Lord," they say, "our life, our spirit's powers, Our wealth, our all, yea, more than all is Thine; Take of Thine own; if still Thy love be ours, All else to Thee we joyfully resign." Yet oft the same who, at their Lord's command, If one small blossom of life's pleasures fade. Some word of light rebuke, some trivial loss, Will cloud their sunshine and obscure their light; And heirs of God, and children of the cross Not by the death alone, but by the life Of our Lord Christ; and by the wrong, the scorn, The daily mead of sorrow and of strife For you, O troubled ones, so meekly borne, Learn in each lesser pain, in trivial cares Sent by His hand the wayward heart to prove, To say, "Thy will be done;" since Jesus shares Each lightest woe, and gilds it with His love. II. PARTING. "And Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar. And Jacob said unto his brethren, Gather stones; and they took stones, and made an heap. . . . And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and thee this day. Therefore was the name of it called Galeed; and Mizpah; for he said, The Lord watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another."-GEN. xxxi. 45-49. |