5 O Lord and Saviour of us all,
Whate'er our name or sign,
We own Thy sway, we hear Thy call,
And form our lives by Thine.
6 We faintly hear, we dimly see,
In differing phrase we pray;
But, dim or clear, we own in Thee
The life, the truth, the way.
J. G. WHITTIER. 1840.
The hour of prayer.—Acts 3. 1.
God, is any hour so sweet,
MY From blush of morn to evening star,
As that which calls me to Thy feet,—
The hour of prayer?
2 For then a day-spring shines on me,
Brighter than morn's ethereal glow;
And richer dews descend from Thee
Than earth can know.
3 Then is my strength by Thee renewed;
Then are my sins by Thee forgiven;
Then dost Thou cheer my solitude
With hope of heaven.
4 No words can tell what sweet relief
There for my every want I find,
What strength for warfare, balm for grief,—
What peace of mind!
5 Hushed is each doubt; gone every fear;
My spirit seems in heaven to stay:
And e'en the penitential tear
6 Lord! till I reach yon blissful shore,
No privilege so dear shall be,
As thus my inmost soul to pour
In prayer to Thee.
1116 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try
me, and know my thoughts.-Ps. 139. 23.
THOU, to whose all-searching sight
The darkness shineth as the light,
Search, prove my heart; it pants for Thee;
O burst these bonds and set it free!
2 Wash out its stains, refine its dross,
Nail my affections to the Cross;
Hallow each thought; let all within
Be clean, as Thou, my Lord, art clean.
3 While in this darksome wild I stray,
Be Thou my Light, be Thou my Way;
No foes, no violence I fear,
No fraud, if Thou, my God, art near.
4 Saviour, where'er Thy steps I see,
Dauntless, untired, I follow Thee;
O let Thy hand support me still,
And lead me to Thy holy hill.
5 If rough and thorny be my way,
My strength proportion to my day;
Till toil and grief and pain shall cease,
Where all is calm and joy and peace.
J. A. FREYLINGHAUSEN. 1730.
TR. BY J. WESLEY. 1740.
1117 Continue ye in My love.-John 15. 9.
HOLY Saviour, Friend unseen,
The faint, the weak, on Thee may
Help me, throughout life's varying scene,
By faith to cling to Thee.
2 Blest with communion so Divine,
Take what Thou wilt, shall I repine,
When, as the branches to the vine,
My soul may cling to Thee?
3 Without a murmur, I dismiss
My former dreams of earthly bliss;
My joy, my recompense is this,
Each hour to cling to Thee.
4 What though the world deceitful prove,
And earthly friends and joys remove,
With patient uncomplaining love
Still would I cling to Thee.
5 Though faith and hope awhile be tried,
I ask not, need not, aught beside;
How safe, how calm, how satisfied,
The souls that cling to Thee!
6 They fear not life's rough storms to brave,
Since Thou art near and strong to save;
Nor shudder e'en at death's dark wave,
Because they cling to Thee.
7 Blest is my lot, whate'er befal;
What can disturb me, who appal,
While as my Strength, my Rock, my All,
Saviour, I cling to Thee?
Speak, for Thy servant heareth.
1 ORD, speak to me, that I may speak
In living echoes of Thy tone:
As Thou hast sought, so let me seek
Thy erring children, lost and lone.
2 O lead me, Lord, that I may lead
The wandering and the wavering feet;
O feed me, Lord, that I may feed
Thy hungering ones with manna sweet.
3 O strengthen me, that while I stand
Firm on the Rock, and strong in Thee,
I may stretch out a loving hand
To wrestlers with the troubled sea.
4 O teach me, Lord, that I may teach
The precious things Thou dost impart ;
And wing my words, that they may reach
The hidden depths of many a heart.
5 O give Thine own sweet rest to me,
That I may speak with soothing power
A word in season, as from Thee,
To weary ones in needful hour.
6 O fill me with Thy fulness, Lord,
Until my very heart o'erflow
In kindling thought and glowing word,
Thy love to tell, Thy praise to show.
7 O use me, Lord, use even me,
Just as Thou wilt, and when, and where;
Until Thy blessed face I see,
Thy rest, Thy joy, Thy glory share.
F. R. HAVERGAL. 1879.
1119 Lord, teach us to pray.—Luke 11. 1.
1 WHEN cold our hearts, and far from Thee Our wandering spirits stray,
And thoughts and lips move heavily,
Lord, teach us how to pray!
2 Too vile to venture near Thy throne,
Too poor to turn away,
Our only voice Thy Spirit's groan;
Lord, teach us how to pray!
3 We know not how to seek Thy face,
Unless Thou lead the way;
We have no words unless Thy grace
Lord, teach us how to pray!
4 Here every thought and fond desire
We on Thy altar lay,
And when our souls have caught Thy fire,
Lord, teach us how to pray!
J. S. B. MONSELL. 1863.
1120 The Life was the light of men.—John 1. 4. 1 IGHT of life, seraphic fire,
Love Divine, Thyself impart;
Every fainting soul inspire;
Shine in every drooping heart.
2 Every mourning sinner cheer;
Scatter all our guilty gloom.
Son of God, appear! appear!
To Thy living temples come.
3 Come, in this accepted hour;
Bring Thy heavenly Kingdom in;
Fill us with Thy glorious power,
Rooting out the love of sin.
4 Nothing more can we require,
We will ask for nothing less;
Be Thou all our hearts' desire,
All our joy, and all our peace.
1121 God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be
tempted above that ye are able.-1 Cor. 10. 13.
1 THERE is no sorrow, Lord, too light To bring in prayer to Thee;
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