s Then with assurance should I walk,

From all confusion free,
Convinced with joy, that all my ways

With thy commands agree.

-

1

S. M.

497. WESLEYAN.
Call to labor in God's Vineyard.
The vineyard of the Lord

Before his laborers lies;
And, lo! we see the vast reward

Which waits us in the skies.

2

O let us then proceed

In God's great work below,
And, following our triumphant Head,

To further conquests go.
The Church of the first-born,

We shall with them be blest,
And, crowned with endless joy, return

To our eternal rest.

3

What honor to behold,

In that sublime abode,
The patriarchs and prophets old,

And all the men of God!

5

Then spend our days beneath,

Toiling in cheerful hope;
And fearless pass the vale of death,

And gain the mountain-top.

C. M.

498.

COWPER.

Religious Retirement.

Far from the world, O Lord! I flee,

From strife and tumult far; From scenes where sin is waging still

Its most successful war.

2 The calm retreat, the silent shade,

With prayer and praise agree; And seem by thy sweet bounty made

For those who follow thee.

3 There, if thy Spirit touch the soul,

And grace her mean abode, O with what peace, and joy, and love,

She communes with her God!

There, like the nightingale, she pours

Her solitary lays;
Nor asks a witness of her song,

Nor thirsts for human praise.

5 Author and Guardian of my life,

Sweet Source of light divine, And all harmonious names in one,

My Father. thou art mine!

i My God! permit me not to be

A stranger to myself and thee; Amidst a thousand thoughts I rove, Forgetful of my highest love.

2 Why should my passions mix with earth,

And thus debase my heavenly birth?
Why should I cleave to things below,

And let my God, my Saviour, go?
3 Call me away from flesh and sense,

One sovereign word can draw me thence;
I would obey the voice divine,
And all inferior joys resign.
Be earth, with all her scenes, withdrawn;
Let noise and vanity be gone;
In secret silence of the mind,
My heaven, and there my God, I find.

PRAYERS, ASPIRATIONS, AND

DEVOUT AFFECTIONS.

S. M.

500.

ANONYMOUS.

Call to Prayer.

COME to the morning prayer,

Come, let us kneel and pray; -
Prayer is the Christian pilgrim's staff,

To walk with God all day.

2

At noon, beneath the Rock

Of Ages, rest and pray;
Sweet is that shelter from the heat,

When the sun smites by day.

3

At evening, shut thy door,

Round the home altar pray;
And, finding there the house of God,

At heaven's gate close the day.

4

When midnight veils our eyes,

O, it is sweet to say,
I sleep, but my heart waketh, Lord,

With thee to watch and pray!

1

2

S. M.
501.

ANONYMOUS.
The Hour of Prayer.
It is the hour of prayer:

Draw near and bend the knee,
And fill the calm and holy air

With voice of melody!
O’erwearied with the beat

And burden of the day,
Now let us rest our wandering feet,

And gather here to pray.
The dark and deadly blight

That walks at noontide hour,
The midnight arrow's secret flight.

O'er us have had no power :
But smiles from loving eyes

Have been around our way,
And lips on which a blessing lies

Have bidden us to pray.
O blessed is the hour

That lifts our hearts on high:
Like sunlight when the tempests lower,

Prayer to the soul is nigh;
Though dark may be our lot,

Our be dim with care,
These saddening thoughts shall trouble not

This holy hour of prayer.

3

eyes

C. M.

502. MONTGOMERY.

Prayer.
1 PRAYER is the soul's sincere desire,

Uttered or unexpressed ;
The motion of a hidden fire,

That trembles in the breast.