HARK, hark to the trumpet of grace from the glory,
It calls to a world, wretched, wrinkled, and hoary —
'Tis the voice of the Saviour, the Son of the Father,
Who died that in grace He might righteously gather

His blood, shed for sinners, has virtue to cleanse thee,
A pardon blood-purchased in mercy He sends thee
The sun of thy life all reluctant to leave thee
And away in the west waits thy grave to receive thee —

Already the step of the monarch, before whom
Man may be defied, but thou canst not ignore him,
Thy tears and entreaties shall feel but his scorning,
And night that shall never surrender to morning

Despise not the trump of salvation, resounding
Proclaiming the grace of God richly abounding
In tender youth hear it, in manhood, when faded,
To the shadows eternal: O man, be persuaded,

O say, I am Thine: Thou hast died to redeem me,
Thou hast paid the full price, from the judgment to free me,
I am Thine, Thou art mine, my eternal salvation,
In Thee do I stand clear from all condemnation,

To the Son of the Father low bend I the knee,
My soul, from the terrors of hades set free,
No one in creation but Jesus alone
None other has title to kingdom or throne

Most high! Most exalted! Enthroned above all!
His excellent name shall all nations extol,
No end shall His kingdom have, steadfast His throne,
And every intelligent creature must own

As soft on the mown grass descendeth the rain
So shall He in righteousness mercy maintain,
His sceptre a shield from oppression shall be,
As rivers of water in wastes flowing free,

WHEN the Son of Man comes in His glory
The heavens shall shake at His presence
At the tread of its mighty Creator
From their chambers shall leap the red lightnings

PASS on my soul: bright flash those lines of light,
Dispelling earth's dark shadows, and the night
Rays from yon sinless, deathless, heavenly home,
God's city glorious, and the world to come.

Fast fall the black night's shadows; from the deep
The soul arise; from the abyss they creep
Their noxious fumes fill the surrounding air,
And in their wake soul-slaughter everywhere.

What is there here to bind me and to hold
The stolen waters, to the thirsty doled,
And man must drink the nauseous alloy
Of death with every draught of creature joy.

Were Jesus here I would not wish to go,
His company in exile here below,
But the Earth-Rejected turns my thoughts to where
The Heaven-Accepted sits exalted there.

My home is there where He Himself has gone —
And through this wilderness I wander on,
From everything that holds the worldling bound,
To where my heart's affections rest have found.

All is light there, and life, and holy love,
Above the flight of fancy, far above
Of creature happiness. Bliss only known
To those the Saviour claims and calls His own.

Attracted thither by that living light,
Athwart my way love's rays, dispelling night,
Rays from that sinless, deathless, heavenly home,
God's city glorious, and the world to come.

LEADER of life, the eye of faith
Who hast the keys of hell and death

Supreme in death's dominion, Thou
And we before Thy footstool bow,

Our wordless grief into Thine ear
We only need to feel Thee near

Thou knowest, Lord, the gnawing pain,
The noxious mists which blind the brain,

Thou knowest all our feebleness,
Be with us in our soul's distress

Our tears are blinding, and our loss,
O Lord, direct us to Thy cross,

And to the hour when Thou shalt wake
When hades at Thy voice shall quake,

Not hopeless, Saviour, in the dust
Sure to come forth with all the just

We sow in tears, the harvest vast
Until the night of woe is past,

LORD Thou hast cast me down. It is Thy hand.
That crushes me to earth; here could not stand

My heart is weary, broken, sad and lone,
Not the vast universe could bid begone

Ye who would comfort me, what can ye give
Will ye command that lifeless form to live?

O powerless grief! No creature can command
Or call the spirit from the spirit-land,

Father, I take it from Thy hand. Thy rod
I lay these ashes down, and in the God

I would not murmur; death is ours, and I
Poor life which clings so close to earth, and die,

READY, aye ready! What is there to keep me,
Earth's links are broken. Do my kindred weep me?

Ready! Thy precious blood has made me whiter
Thy glorious company makes death's vale brighter

Ready! With me there is no bitter rending
Farewell, my heart said when first love was sending

Ready! Yea, Lord, for I am more than willing.
The light of heaven my ransomed soul is filling,

Ready! I feel the touch of Thy blest fingers,
Now free at last, my spirit only lingers

Ready! Behold, O Lord, no fetter binds me,
The brightness of Thy fadeless glory blinds me,

Ready! the quivering flesh all strengthless lieth.
Then like the joyous lark that upward flieth,

AWAKE, ye careless souls awake!
In which the stoutest heart shall quake.

A night of death and darkness drear,
Of woe and curse and wrath and fear.

A night in which the wrathful sky
And shafts of lightning fiercely fly.

A night when the Omnipotent
When quakes the earth and rocks are rent.

A night in which the Christless soul
His tears of penitence shall roll.

A night in which the lawlessness
The earth for God to rule and bless.

A night throughout whose moonless heart
And to the mourners joy impart.

A night which never morn shall know,
With wail of everlasting woe.

A night which falls with crushing weight
His hunger fierce shall satiate.

A night to righteous vengeance given,
And with the shriek of anguish riven.

Grace, long despised, at length, at last,
To hope when once the port is passed.

Therefore awake, ye Christless souls!
The heavenly music sweetly rolls.

That ye might live the Saviour died;
See flowing from His wounded side.

Love, boundless love, made manifest,
In Jesu's precious blood expressed.

Forgiveness in His name is preached
Which to the chief of sinners reached.

Therefore awake from sleep, awake!
In which the stoutest heart shall quake.

FATHER on high, our souls rise up to Thee
As graced in Thy Beloved, glad and free,

That love that from Thy heart, warm, strong and true,
In Him who in Thy bosom dwelt, and knew

All that within the vail for ages long
Has now become the subject of our song,

And there Thy nature hitherto unknown,
Have been declared, and in that radiant zone

O glorious light! whose every grateful ray
To turn the gloom of midnight into day,

Love fathomless we bless in blessing Thee,
And joy unspeakable bow low the knee,

It is THYSELF and Thy BELOVED SON,
Through that great deed upon Golgotha done,

Things for our glory Thou hast long prepared,
But when the heavens those secrets have declared,

For Thou wouldst have us there Thee to adore,
Where everlasting pleasures dwell — yet more

Godhead and power divine the worlds declare,
Thy wisdom speaks from heaven, earth and air,

Sons with Thy Son! We have our part with Him —
This fills our cup of blessing to the brim,

Feeble our song, but grateful to Thine ear
Thou lov'st the voices of Thy sons to hear

Thou lovest us, for we have Jesus loved.
In death's dread night of judgment fully proved

Our hearts o'erflow! The volume of our praise,
But fails the mortal tongue that song to raise

O holy, living Father! God of light,
With heart, and soul, and strength Thy saints unite,

BY Thy love divine,
Eternally Thine own, Thine, only Thine,

And our soul's delight
On earth, in heaven, yea, when clothed in white

Of Thy love we boast,
Love that at infinite and fearful cost

Not that death which lay
The mighty torrent of Thy love could stay —

Not the storms of woe
Could drive Thy love's unfathomable flow

All but served to bring
In one great wave broke over everything,

E'en the powers of hell
Pierced thro' by Thy sharp arrows, backward fell,

Thou hast fought the fight,
And we behold Thee in Thy glorious might

And the matchless love
To leave the heavens, lives in Thy heart above,

And in courts of light
And we on earth ascribe to Thee the might —

And though feeble here,
Shall prove sufficient for the desert drear

Then, Lord Jesus, then
The men for whom Thy blood was shed, the men

With Thee where Thou art,
Where Thy deep love, declared in death, each heart

It is desert now,
Fell fiery darts, but in the midnight Thou

And we need no more.
We shall sit down with Thee where — labour o'er —

REJOICE, O my friends, sing the song of salvation!
Far over the wilderness wide I have followed
What deserts I've traversed, through thirst, cold and hunger;
What trials, distresses, fierce, fiery temptations,

Refrain:
Rejoice, O rejoice, ye who love Me!
I have brought from the wilds home the wand'rer —
There is joy in the halls of high heaven,
There is mirth, there is music and dancing —

I climbed the bleak mountain, where shorn of all shelter
O'er My head all defenceless the thunder rolled wrathful,
The lightnings fierce flashed, raved around Me in madness
Their fiery darts fell like the hail in mid winter,
Rejoice, O rejoice, ye who love Me!

I entered the wild wood, unspeakable horrors
The pestilence walking the pathless night sought Me,
Through thickets of thorns, wildernesses bewildering,
Through vales of red raven, by caves of corruption,
Rejoice, O rejoice, ye who love Me!

Across My path oceans impassable weltered;
And where deep called to deep amid cataracts roaring
The earth with it bars closed about Me for ever;
I went down through the deep to the roots of the mountains,
Rejoice, O rejoice, ye who love Me!

I sank in deep mire, lone, abandoned, forsaken;
I drank to the dregs the deep chalice of judgment,
I tasted death's waters, offensive and bitter,
My great love upheld Me, strong, infinite, quenchless,
Rejoice, O rejoice, ye who love Me!

Then the pillars of earth trembled: strongholds infernal,
Huge battlements, dungeons of death and destruction,
And far through the heart of the midnight, with slaughter,
Till the deep-throated chasm of darkness devoured them;
Rejoice, O rejoice, ye who love Me!

Mine own have I rescued from ruin eternal,
What creature on earth or in heaven shall challenge
No more shall it wander I live to preserve it,
With pure living fountains shall teem the dry desert,
Rejoice, O rejoice, ye who love Me!

I have tasted all sorrow, the depths I have sounded,
I know every grief to which man can be subject,
No anguish exists to which I am a stranger,
I know how to succour the tried and the tempted,
Rejoice then, rejoice, ye who love Me!

I can save to the uttermost all who will trust Me;
Shall comfort the feeble mind, cheer the faint hearted,
I know each by name, and My sheep know their Shepherd;
They know that to death and the grave I have loved them,

Rejoice then, rejoice, ye who love Me!
Spread the news of eternal salvation,
There is joy in the halls of high heaven,
There is mirth, there is music and dancing,

THE Morning Star
Is seen afar
The world's night through

His silent tread
On cloudy bed
To Jesus true

He comes! And lo,
His own, who know
From tomb and waste

O glorious hour!
Almighty power
Whose every trust

From hill and dell,
From gloomy cell
With deathless song

Ascend to meet,
And kiss the feet
And o'er all ill

The false are left
Of hope bereft
That life to share

'Tis now too late,
Salvation's gate
Despise the blood

True joys are there;
Inside they share
For ever they

Their night is past
And trouble's blast
For them has dawned

This world of strife
Is changed for life
No pain to bide,

That pierced hand
Hath led the band
Hath given a part

That matchless love
That erst did prove
They shall enjoy

No night is there
To bring despair —
Beyond the tomb,

All things are new,
Spotless and true.
And hark, the pean

With raptured eyes
I view the skies
God's judgments beat

To yawning grave,
Wave after wave
Mid thunders loud

Hot bolts are sent
From battlement
Jehovah's darts

The reeling earth
Sees but the birth
In blood, with woes

Each sun goes down
'Neath heaven's frown,
And sudden fear

But from this storm,
Afar from harm
And whelming flood

Christ's spotless Bride
For whom He died
With Him, her heart

But those who heard
The living word
The love of Christ,

Whose lips could frame
To speak His name
Whose hearts arose

In Satan's thrall
They pass through all
In hopeless night

They now must hear
With helpless fear
Depart from Me;

Vain all regret,
Their sun has set,
In rayless night

O fools and blind,
To set the mind
And wrath to choose,

O woeful crime
To spend the time
In wilful ways

While from above
God speaks in love
In mercy's day,

"I HAVE Christ: what want I more? "
Laid upon the garret floor,
Radiant face lit up with praise,
Call me never poor," she says:

"I have Christ: what want I more? "
Christ as night is gathering o'er
Fevered pulse, lips parched and dry,
But my Well-Belov'd is nigh,

"I have Christ: what want I more?"
He who stooped to be so poor,
Jesus my Belov'd! My Lord!
Sweet Thy promise, sure Thy word.

"I have Christ: what want I more? "
What though bare and hard the floor,
Jesus folds me to His heart,
Frost of death, and fiery dart,

"I have Christ: what want I more?"
With His hand upon the door,
Throbbing heart be still as death,
Close my eyelids, stop my breath,

"I have Christ: what want I more? "
Mourn her? Never! Shut the door —
Pray that God may show us Christ
Shall He then by gold be priced

"I have Christ: what want I more? "
He can make thy cup run o'er
Christ for time — eternity —
Christ for life, for death, for me —

FOUNTAIN of life! Victorious Lord!
Didst bare Thy bosom to the sword,

Faint at Thy feet we humbly bow
For none in earth or heaven but Thou

Thou hast in lowly grace come near
And we have heard and seen Thee here

In our afflictions taking part,
To soothe the sorrow at our heart,

Revealer of the living God.
The heavenly light dispersed abroad,

But what it cost Thee, creature tongue
The wrath Thy tender heart that wrung

If Thou to human hearts wouldst bring
Thy soul must feel of death the sting,

If Thou wouldst dry our tearful eyes,
If ours be joy that never dies,

None felt as Thou the load which lay
We've heard Thee, Lord, in Bethany

But when we were by death undone,
Thou hast the battle fought and won

We see Thee now beyond the grave,
Able to sympathise and save,

And unto Thee we come, and bring
And shelter underneath Thy wing,

We've laid within the house of death
But at the threshold feeble faith

For black and starless was the night
Hammered with more than mortal might

But hope, the heavenly star, at length
And God's great love in glorious strength

We saw that Thou hadst entered where
And in Thy greatness, then and there,

For through the inky flood a road
And for Thy keeping, Son of God,

The keys of hades and of death
Strengthen, O Lord, our feeble faith,

Soon shall the grave the trumpet hear,
And he, for whom the scalding tear

And in Thy likeness rise again
Where comes no more death, woe, or pain,

To this bright hope our spirits cling,
Exulting:— "Death where is thy sting?

Lord Jesus, to us sanctify
Firm on Thyself to fix the eye

Till, as his day the hireling fills,
And we have reached, secure from ills,

SON of the love of God! Creator good!
Yet here among us found in flesh and blood,

Oh, infinite descent! By love impelled,
Love that could not in secret bliss be held,

By Thee the countless worlds were formed, for Thee —
The starry host, the earth, the soundless sea,

Yet hast Thou stooped a Servant to become,
How precious are Thy thoughts! How great the sum!

Thy ruined creature man, the slave of sin,
And Thou didst stoop his worthless heart to win,

Unfathomable grace! We Thee behold,
But lowly born, among earth's poor enrolled,

Within Thy body tabernacled God,
In Thy lone, patient pathway, blessing-strawed,

Oh, heavenly radiance! spirit-gladdening rays!
In withered hearts. Blest in that light we praise,

Jesus, we hail Thee! Sweetest name on earth,
Dear to our hearts, so weak, so little worth,

We follow Thee through all Thy ways of grace
Adoringly Thy patient pathway trace,

Upon the dust of earth Thy blessed feet
A perfect human life, with love replete

What distance Thou hast spanned! From circling light,
Down through the gloomy wastes and womb of night

Creator of the worlds! O'erwhelming thought
Despised, reproached, rejected, set at nought,

That Thou shouldst tread that God-forsaken road,
When staggered earth beneath the awful load

When glorious day ashamed slunk out of sight,
When terror-struck the sun withdrew his light,

When rocks were rent, when sobbed the wretched land,
Beat at their guilty breasts with vengeful hand,

When temple's veil from top to bottom torn,
And gaping graves, of all their victory shorn,

But Thou hast laid the power of evil low,
Victorious over every hostile foe

At God's right hand, upon the Father's throne,
Thee Lord of all the hosts of heaven own

And we are Thine, the fruit of all Thy toil,
Of Thy world-famous victories the spoil,

To be Thy brethren, Thy companions, where
With Thee eternal blessedness to share

That glorious day when Thou shalt be revealed
Obedience to the King of kings shall yield,

And all the universe with gladsome voice
And Thy redeemed around Thee shall rejoice

This earth, delivered from the grievous thrall
With heaven, and every living creature shall

IN the counsels of the Father,
In the faith of those who gather

There exists a city gleaming
Where from fount of love are streaming

There the voice of bitter weeping,
Here the grace of God is keeping

Home of glory! Crystal river!
Trod by feet defiling never,

Shall my pen be found comparing
In its light was Eden sharing?

Here on earth am I beholding
Every morning is unfolding

In this land a thousand splendours
And my heart rejoicing renders

E'en the smallest things in nature
And in wond'rous ways the creature

When the evening shades were darkling
Watched the dewdrop like a sparkling

And have heard His word, whose story
"Solomon in all his glory

Hill and vale before my vision
Faithful to their glorious mission,

I have thought of lands far distant
And to carols soft have listened

Vine and fig and palm tree flourish,
Swarthy sons of Shem to nourish

And I've passed on fancy's pinions
Round her desolate dominions

There where lingering night dejected,
Sullen sits, like sun reflected,

Through the heart of darkness, riven
Shimmering on the face of heaven

And I've thought, of God how gracious,
That He should, this light so precious,

I have seen the sun arising
And the shades of night surprising

And I've seen him drop at even
Leaving on the brow of heaven

And on one and then the other
Watched with wonderment and awe their

And I've said: — "His hand has made them,"
And in diverse robes arrayed them,

And when they have served His pleasure,
All their brightness, all their treasure,

But this city fadeth never,
Wall, and gate, and street, and river,

Home of glory! New creation!
Safe from sin's accursed invasion —

Living stones with glory blazing
Countless thousands loudly praising

'Tis our God and Father's dwelling,
Brought, with shouts of triumph swelling,

Once all helpless, sunk in ruin,
Bubbles recklessly pursuing

Once by Satan downward driven
Toward the pit of darkness riven

But by God beheld and pitied,
Cleansed by Jesus' blood and fitted

Perfected in form and feature,
God shall see His once lost creature

There for ever and for ever
Where a cloud of night shall never

Jesus Christ the sun and centre
Happy those decreed to enter
—
There's a place where voice of weeping
Night which adds to grief, while veiling

Place by mercy undiscovered,
In that region ne'er has hovered

Lamentation, bitter weeping,
Man for ever, ever reaping

There infernal hosts are banished,
Vanished every comfort, vanished

Drivelling foes of revelation,
From the map of all creation

But as sure as there's that city
There's this place from which His pity
—
Now, thou poor benighted sinner,
By those heights of highest honour,

By the deep despair of dying
By His love all thought defying,

Trifle not: the shadows lengthen,
That eternal night of weeping,

That long night which knows no morning,
Joys in memory returning,

Indignation, woe eternal,
Treasured up for things infernal

Worldling tell me, man of pleasure,
Can ye safe your vaunted treasure

Tell me, will it give you pleasure
Far from love that knows no measure

Will your idol wealth then hanker
No, the rust will as a canker

Sinner, hear the voice of warning,
For the heart of God is yearning

In that heart thou'st never trusted
Proof is given of what is boasted

See that suffering, bleeding, dying,
In the grave behold Him lying,

On the throne behold Him seated,
All the worth of that completed

'Twas the heart of God that gave Him,
He is Thine, if Thou wilt have Him —

LORD Jesus, blest Son of the Father, as nearing
Thy footfall on cloud-land we long to be hearing,

As the wayfarer lone upon bleak pathless mountains
As the thirsty soul, desert bound, faints for the fountains,

So lift we our eyes to the blue dome above us,
So faint we to see Thee who loved and will love us,

It may be that weak is our warmest affection,
It may be in much there's been sorry defection.

As the compass subjected to counter attraction,
So the world with suggestions of soul-satisfaction

But in spite of our moments of sad oscillation,
Our wretched retreat before hostile invasion,

We love Thee — have loved Thee — have longed to behold Thee
How dear Thou art to us, how oft we have told Thee,

Not yet have we seen Thee; Thy fame we have heard it,
Thy reproach, we have borne it; Thy shame we have shared it—

We, the fruit of Thy soul's all unspeakable sorrow,
Look longingly upward for tokens of morrow,

No home in this waste have we found since we knew Thee,
Since we tasted Thy grace thought-surpassing, which drew Thee

Belov'd of our souls! Well Belov'd of the Father!
O come, and from waste and from wilderness gather

O come with Thy shout, Lord, triumphant, victorious,
Call us hence to those halls of light, radiant, glorious,

SON of the living God, supreme
Crowned where angelic glories gleam,
Where in eternal brightness beam

With my whole heart I will Thee praise,
While I have power my voice to raise,
Throughout my earthly pilgrim days

The world through which my journey lies
Spreads all its charms before mine eyes,
My soul with tinsel to entice

And for the life that Thou hast given
Save that which falleth down from heaven,
Whence through the veil of byssus riven

Here burning sands my footsteps greet
The naked waste gives no retreat
From furious foe, or fiery heat,

Thou art my shelter, living Lord,
My rock with living water stored —
For ever be Thy name adored.

Yea, Thou art everything to me,
Thy love declared in death I see,
Thy glory and Thy victory,

Thou hast the Father's name declared,
And I Thy heavenly voice have heard,
Thy powerful life-imparting word,

What is the garish world to me —
Thy glory and Thy grace I see,
My soul is satisfied with Thee,

HEAR CHRIST, that formed by Him thou mayest be;
THINK CHRIST, for as a man thinks, such is he;
LIVE CHRIST, that all men Him in thee may see;
SPEAK CHRIST, that all may hear of Him through thee:

So shalt thou please the heart of Him who planned,
Before were fashioned heaven, sea, or land,
That thou among His many sons should stand,
Like Jesus, Chief and Firstborn of the band:

So shall ungrieved the Holy Spirit be,
To give thee power the unseen things to see,
And in His high and holy office free
To work the blessed will of God in thee:

So shalt thou be a tower of strength to those
Who in a lonely land beset by foes,
And fainting underneath their weight of woes,
Their souls to every fiery dart expose:

So shalt thou be in this dark world a light
To guide through the dark mazes of the night
The painful footsteps of the pilgrim right
To where the ransomed walk with Christ in white.

And when the desert path has all been trod,
And when no more is needed staff or rod;
When from celestial heights thou lookst abroad,
How sweet to thee shall be the rest of God.

ARISE my soul, awake with voice of praise
To God salvation's song triumphant raise,

Sing till the angels hear, faithful and fell.
On earth to every human being tell

In life, in death, in resurrection might,
Morning, or noon, or evening, or night,

Praise Him, whatever be thy earthly lot.
Praise Him with all thy powers. Who would not

JESUS, Saviour, Son of God, I fain would cast my soul on Thee,
Knowing that Thou ever livest, keepest vigil over me.
I am wilful, wayward, frail, and full of sinful foolishness,
Prone to confidence in self more than I know or can express,
Grieving oft Thy Holy Spirit by my crooked, carnal ways,
So that unto lamentation oft gives place the voice of praise.
But to Thee would I draw near and tell what no one else may hear,
All my faults and fears and failings, pour my griefs into Thine ear;
Though Thou knowest, not the fragments of my life, but Lord, the whole;
For Thine eye has searched the hidden secrets of my inmost soul;
And, of Thine omniscience conscious, all my care on Thee I roll.

Be Thou near me, Holy Saviour, when the sun shines on my path,
Even as when evil clouds about me gather threatening wrath;
When the storms assail my bark, and lightnings play across the prow,
And to swallow up my life the hungry ocean yawns, be Thou
Near me, Lord, that I may contemplate the peace upon Thy brow.

Be Thou with me in the black night, when the waves are swelling high,
Making thunder in the deep, and flinging foam against the sky,
When to right, or left, or forward, or behind, no earthly ray
Cheers the murky gloom that mantles all my solitary way;
Be Thou then my light, Lord Jesus, be my sun, my moon, my star,
Shedding beams of glory bright upon my pathway from afar,
Earthly fogs and mists dispelling, which my prospect bright would mar.

Hold my hand in Thine, my Saviour, hold me firmly, let me feel
Of Thy love the strong pulsations through my fainting spirit steal.
Succour me, when from the heavenward path my tottering steps would reel.

If I only feel the pressure of Thy hand omnipotent
Which was pierced when for my sinful soul Thy holy flesh was rent,
If I know that Thou art leading, and Thy well-known voice I hear,
Let the way be what it may, peaceful or begirt with fear,
I shall dread no demon, devil, principality, or power.
When the hosts of darkness close about me, this shall be my hour;
In Thy might they shall be broken, conquered, scattered, made to flee;
Like to chaff before the fury of the tempest they shall be,
And my soul triumphant shall ascribe the glory unto Thee.

Thou hast told me, if I trust Thee I shall surely win the fight,
Not by creature craft and cunning, human prowess, valour, might;
Greater ten times are the foes which do my heavenly way withstand
Than the forces I to meet them can at any time command:
Hence not on the arm of flesh would I for victory depend,
But upon Thy strength, almighty Saviour, Succourer, and Friend,
Heavenly Guide, Redeemer glorious, Lover, faithful to the end.

From the deep Thou wilt deliver, from the jaws of death and hell.
I commit me to Thy keeping from the wrath of angels fell.
Thou wilt be my bread and water, my support throughout the way;
Thou wilt be my rod and staff, my shield and shelter night and day:
E'en until the SUN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, with healing in His wings,
Round about the world the golden strands of love immortal flings,
And the great glad ransomed universe with "HALLELUJAH" rings.

AMID the countless worlds which through
The depths of the pellucid blue
Their paths circuitous pursue,

About His footstool bright they flame,
He knows their nature, number, name,
Mass, gravity, age, orbit, frame,

Their belts and rings and moons He made,
And here and there, their coasts to aid,
Is placed against all hostile raid,

Before our vision, huge; before
His, as the sand upon the shore:
Each world an atom, nothing more,

Yet from each scintillating sphere
Is wafted worship to His ear,
Euphonious, ravishing to hear,

And men in every clime they call
His power and Godhead to extol,
Who by His wisdom made them all,

Yet shall their comeliness decay,
Their primal brightness fade away,
And time's rough wear and tear shall fray,

But He who made them shall abide,
He who for our transgressions died,
Who, pierced through hands, and feet, and side,

He shall abide, when living light
Has put the gloom of death to flight,
And banished far the black-browed night,

He shall abide, when, winter fled,
Summer shall endless glories shed,
And man no more shall earn his bread

He shall abide, when we shall stand
Within that cloudless glory-land,
When the blood-ransomed heavenly band

And round about His feet for aye
Worlds shall pursue their shining way,
And earth shall in that glorious day

He shall abide, and we shall see
Creation bend to Him the knee.
And, as we would, with glad hearts, we

For in our Father's house above,
Lost in His everlasting love,
His favour boundless we shall prove

Isaiah 53:6.

"THE LORD" hath done it: 'twas not left to me.
But He who knew beforehand what would be,
His precious blood has set my spirit free.

"HATH LAID": it is not something to be done.
I wait not for a promised powerful One
And lead me out into the noonday sun;

"ON HIM": Jehovah, come in grace to save,
Who else had breasted that almighty wave
Which in the hour of judgment justice gave?

"THE INIQUITY," those sins of deepest dye,
Which far for ever from His holy eye
Welled that deep tide by which I am brought nigh.

"OF US": blest objects of His holy love,
Fast hold on Him who come from heaven above
To man His loving kindness yearned to prove.

"ALL": let the clouds of unbelief depart,
Vanish ye vapours which enfold the heart,
Let me be hidden from the fiery dart.

Oh, praise the grace which stooped so very low
And whiter far than e'en the falling snow
His advent we await that we may go

HARK, I hear a voice from heaven
Or immortal hosts awaking
High above the noise of nations
Louder than the ceaseless tumult

"I have loved thee, I have loved thee,
I have loved thee, I have loved thee

"From the courts of light I saw thee
Came compassionate to loose thee,
Brought with Me the light of heaven
Gave My life for thy redemption,

I have loved thee, etc.

"Doubt it not. Behold, My sorrow
Where in view of wrath I grappled
Bid the grave tell out the secret,
Ask thy thousand dark offences

I have loved thee, etc.

"Ask the lords of gloom and darkness
Desolation, death, destruction —
Heard of Me when indignation
Tempests raved, and thunders rumbled,

I have loved thee, etc.

"Doubtest thou My deep compassion?
Cross, and curse, cloud-swathed Golgotha,
What remains still unaccomplished?
Trembling soul, why unbelieving

I have loved thee, etc.

"Oh, bid unbelief be banished,
Leave the darkness and the distance,
Bid the world farewell for ever,
Glory, honour, incorruption,

I have loved thee," etc.

HE is not here Why seek ye, sadly grieving,
This fruitless vigil, lonely, unbelieving,
How could ye think that death's dark, doleful prison
O ye of little faith, the Lord is risen:

He is not here! Behold the bands that bound Him,
With which the trembling hands of lovers wound Him,
Nowhere the nervous haste of thieves appeareth;
This mighty stronghold shaken, shattered, weareth

He is not here! The power of death is broken:
See in this riven, rocky keep the token
This casket holds the Prince of life no longer;
The strong man has been vanquished by the Stronger;

He is not here! Behold, ye broken-hearted,
And yonder, through the veil of heaven parted,
Rejoice! Rejoice! The night of gloom and sorrow
Of that long-looked for, everlasting morrow

He is not here! Hushed are our woes for ever.
All heaven rejoices, for again shall never
The keys of death and hell are in the keeping
With exultation great my soul is leaping

"My Beloved is mine, and I am His." (Solomon's Song 2:16).
Appropriation. "My Beloved is Mine."
MINE, Lord, art Thou, my life, my righteousness,
And claimed when wrath was raging pitiless —

Mine, Lord, art Thou, my Saviour and my Friend,
And into death's domain Thou didst descend —

Mine, Lord, art Thou, victorious from the dead.
And Thou hast washed me — feet and hands and head —

Mine, Lord, art Thou, my Star of Morning bright.
Shedding upon my pathway living light —

Mine, Lord, art Thou, throughout my pilgrim way,
Through life, through death, through resurrection, yea,
Through Thy great love's eternal cloudless day,
Lord Jesus, Thou art mine.

Consecration. "I am His."
THINE, Lord, am I, Thine by the counsels vast
Were hid in God, now brought to light at last.

Thine, Lord, am I, Thine by the Father's choice,
And blessing Him and Thee I lift the voice

Thine, Lord, am I, Thine through Thy precious blood,
Through which Thy travail brought me home to God,

Thine, Lord, am I, Thine in Thy glorious might.
My heart is bathed in love's eternal light,

Thine, Lord, am I, Thine in affection true,
Eternity — in heaven and earth made new —

This is how the oscillating
Pendulum still keepeth prating;
Weary never, never waiting

Mercilessly moments killing,
Graves of bygone ages filling.
Don't you hear it throbbing, thrilling?

On the burning brain it crashes,
Moments come in fitful flashes,
Fall, like sparks, in dust and ashes.

Like a living thing it sigheth,
Every stroke, a moment flieth,
Every beat, a mortal dieth.

Hear the eternal dirge of sorrow!
Birth, and death, and night, and morrow!
Time can no man beg or borrow.

Who can stop the march of ages?
Closely Time his work engages,
Writing leaves, and turning pages.

See that orderly procession,
Pass along in quick succession,
Keeping rank without transgression!

Into Lethe's stagnant river!
See upon the brink they shiver!
Sunk and lost and gone for ever!

Still monotonously beating,
Everlastingly repeating,
Time is fleeting, fleeting, fleeting.

Years are flying, flying, flying!
Men are dying, dying, dying!
Dust to dust! the bells are crying.

Broken hearts are bleeding, bleeding;
Hands outstretched in pleading, pleading,
Death, the monster, all unheeding,
Gluttonously feeding, feeding!

Born and bred, matured and married,
Dead and coffined, mourned and carried
To the gaping grave, and buried —

But the spirit! what can save it?
Shall the bonds of death enslave it?
Nay, 'tis gone to God who gave it

Doomed to torment! Gone to heaven!
Blessed in light divine, or driven
Down to that dark pit, wrath-riven.

Heed, O sinner, timely warning,
Fly the everlasting burning,
Back from which there's no returning.

Let me ask, upon reflection,
Shall there be a resurrection,
And a general inspection,
Of that mighty, mouldering section?

Yes, the solemn hour is nearing,
When the dead at Christ's appearing,
His dread summons shall be hearing,
Who have hoping, doubting, fearing,

Some shall rise, in power and glory,
Swelling Love's eternal story,
Wrinkled cheek, and ringlet hoary,

Others weeping loud, and wailing;
At the bar of Judgment quailing —
Supplications unavailing,
Sneering, scoffing, mocking, railing,

Does the fear of death enslave me?
Never! Jesus died to save me;
From my scarlet sins to lave me;
All were gone when God forgave me;

Yes, my Lord has left death's prison.
In the glory see Him, risen!
What of my offences? Listen!

This is what that swinging, swaying
Pendulum now seemeth saying
Of those sins, which, spite of praying,
Heavy on my soul were weighing —

Sinner, life, while thou hast leisure,
Barter not for sinful pleasure,
Lest in hell a doleful measure,
Ceaseless, tells you of the treasure —

COME, Lord, in Thy might and Thy glory!
But earth with trangression is hoary,

That world which will burst into being
And the shadows of night shall be fleeing,

To Thy sheep and Thy lambs distant straying
The scoffers around us are saying

O come! Put an end to our wandering,
We reap what we've sown in our pandering

Put an end to the reign of oppression,
To pestilence, famine, transgression,

O come! Bid Thy church rise to meet Thee,
Give the groaning creation to greet Thee,

In Thy majesty, Lord, and Thy splendour,
Almighty Redeemer, Defender,

WE live in the life of the risen Christ,
With His first and latest breath.
And He lives in our hearts thro' faith.

We walk in the light of the risen Christ
At our tent door God hath placed;
To the home to which we haste.

We speak in the faith of the risen Christ,
And took the sinner's place;
A vile, apostate race.

We war in the might of the risen Christ
Repels the noxious showers;
The victory shall be ours.

We stand in the strength of the risen Christ,
Of God's salvation on;
Till the day of the Lord shall dawn.

We wait in the patience of that same Christ
Shall drive the night away,
His sceptre He shall sway.

Sustained by the power of this risen Christ
And joy with rejoicing great.
His chariot at the gate.

Then glorified with the risen Christ
Desertion and disgrace.
In the light of the Father's face.

Then let us be true to that risen Christ
And publish His name abroad,
At His shout and the trump of God.

Cast off the cables! All on board!
The engines turn,
And the great screws churn

A seething track on her wide wake foams,
White with the wrath
Of her salt sea-bath,

Past Sandy Hook and the Island Long,
Newfoundland Banks
She rapidly flanks,

Now out on the sullen, soundless sea,
She shivers and thrills
On the crystal hills,

And all on board reel to and fro,
And no landsman knows
The internal woes

But the Captain's heart is stout and strong,
And the man at the wheel
Makes the great ship feel

And the needle is true to the polar star,
And in God's good hand
Who doth all command

By night we look out on the restless waste
And toward the dome
See the flakes of foam

But leviathan glides like a living thing
And amid the spray
On her furious way

And the throb of her pulses strong is felt
And the cinders strawn
From her stacks seem drawn

And she flames along like a burning mount
In her desperate haste
O'er the watery waste,

And deep in her stomach vast we lie.
We are tossed and rolled,
Like the Prophet of old

But the moment comes when the creature huge
And, like Jonah's whale,
Put forth without fail

For the mercy of Him who rules the waves
From the perils great
Which lie in wait

And may we, drawn forth from the depths of death
From this world stand free,
And true-hearted be,

And whether in hemisphere east or west
And be little or great
Our earthly state,

OUR God is not a man that He should lie,
Though this our fell destroyer would deny,
And thus from love, and life, and blessing sever
Their hapless souls forever and forever.

His Son He sent to bear our load of woe,
To dig a channel through which love should flow
Who ever heard of grace so rich and boundless,
Vast, measureless, eternal, searchless, soundless.

In dark Golgotha's cross of curse and shame
A universe with Godhead light aflame,
That not one word that He has ever spoken
To creature has forgotten been or broken.

But all fulfilled in righteousness supreme,
When earth and heaven made anew shall gleam
Truth there shall flourish to His endless glory,
Which now is testified in Gospel story.

Therefore let no man hesitate to cast
That solid rock shall judgment's withering blast
Whatever else may fail His word shall never.
This consolation has my soul for ever.

Soon shall His kingdom come, and city great,
That bright metropolis for which we wait,
Within it may the reader and the writer
Be found with garments than the sunlight whiter.

There to lift up our voices and to boast
With all the blood-redeemed rejoicing host
Where Truth-Incarnate glorified is sitting,
A place the sons of truth so well befitting.

Then let us gladsome be, though called to pass
Where many a dark and treacherous morass
His truth shall keep us till we land in glory
To which He calls us by His gospel story.

LORD I am Thine My heart must now
Thy love has conquered, henceforth Thou
Lo, subject at Thy feet I bow.

Long to Thy heavenly voice mine ear
By this world's clamour: I would hear
Thy voice my subject soul shall cheer.

Thy precious blood has met the claim
And Thou for me hast borne the blame,
And I have pardon through Thy name.

No more my conscience fears the rod;
Within my heart is shed abroad
Through Thee I make my boast in God.

RISE my soul, thy night is past,
Fear of wrath's terrific blast

God, the God of boundless grace,
Christ, who took the sinner's place,

That dread scene on Calvary's hill
When with wild and wayward will,

Ah! Thou thoughtest God was hard,
That against thee heaven was barred:

But His love has broken down
Stormed thy heart, and wears the crown,

Blessed be His holy name!
Set my soul, O Lord aflame

THE voice of the scoffer comes barbed with a sneer
"The burden of Dumah. He calls out of Seir,

And the prophet of God in his vision is seeing
And the shadows of night at His presence fast fleeing,

As the bright beaming sun, from his absence returning,
And chases the chills of the night by his burning,

On the mind of the seer, the morning is casting,
But between, a black cloud, cheerless, chilling, and blasting,

And the form of a cross on the brow of yon mountain,
Yet deep from its foot springs a clear, crystal fountain,

But distant and dim through the darkness it seemeth,
While deep in their bosoms the thunder flash gleameth,

And a cloud on the brow of Jehovah is gathering,
And a hot curse of vengeance comes wasting and withering,

And the angel of death through the nations is rushing,
And the mountain of Seir to its basement is blushing

And Russia's legions are feeling His anger,
And the neighing of chargers, the shout, and the clangour

And the Empire of Rome trembles, struck by His thunders,
And the beast, and the prophet of lies with his wonders,

And the rod of His wrath over Egypt He shaketh,
And Babylon's pride He o'erturneth and breaketh,

And fiercely the wrath of the living God burneth,
And thus to the scoffer he answer returneth: —
—
Still slept the dark night, and the prophet was buried;
And long years on Time's bosom were silently carried

But at length over Palestine, lo, it seems breaking,
And voices angelic are joyfully waking

Jehovah the Saviour! Emmanuel! Jesus!
See, the banner of peace by God's hand to the breezes

He cometh to turn the world's gloom into gladness,
To songs of salvation the sighing and sadness,

To bind up the broken heart, strike off the fetters,
Sight bringing to sightless ones, pardon for debtors,

The tomb? Yes, the world would have none of the Saviour.
Determined to practice his lawless behaviour

And on wrath-crowned Golgotha, Messiah, rejected
And a robber and murderer madly elected;
—
And the night has rolled on since on Calvary's mountain
And who, risen and seated on high, is the fountain

Yet a morning is coming for all who have loved Him,
For all who have turned to Him, trusted, and proved Him,

And the voice of the scoffer again I am hearing,
"Where is the promise? Creation is wearing

But for all that, with Jesus there is no delaying.
Longsuffering salvation is, thus He is staying

But when the last guest at His supper is seated,
Then the Star of the Morning, in heaven secreted,

And we'll steal from the earth, as the drops from the ocean
And the world undisturbed by our heavenward motion,

Except where the dreamers accustomed to mutter,
Awaking too late in despair they shall utter

For a night is in store for the souls who neglect Him,
When shut is salvation's door, those who reject Him

But in vain, for the wrath of God then shall be burning,
Who has in these words both his answer and warning: —

DOES the reader know Jesus, the Sent One of God?
By every proud sage who earth's highway has trod,

A seat he may have where the great and the wise,
By his knowledge profound he may millions surprise,

As a king he may reign, and have worship from all,
Men may build him a tomb which his virtues extol,

But valueless every such honour shall be,
As a Saviour well known he is never to see,

Shall the feeble applause that once rose on the air
Make up for the horror of endless despair,

Shall his vaunted philosophy solace his woes
When the clouds of an endless night round him shall close,

O woe worth the day when he naked appears
When the voice of the Judge of all wrathful he hears

COME, let us sing unto the Lord victorious!
Shout, shout aloud! Proclaim His triumph glorious!

In dread array the might of hell was mustered,
Fell hosts about the Lord's Anointed clustered,

Their ranks, the whirlwind of His fury burning
His whelming waves of vengeance, overturning

Dashed down, deep driven to destuction, never
By death He overcame and crushed forever

A way thro' death and bitter bondage cleaving,
Then let us sing with joyful hearts, receiving

The sprinkled lintel met the dread avenger,
Now far from slavery, and death, and danger

Brought unto God! The wilderness is nothing:
And manna — He will furnish food and clothing —

The land is good! Its bubbling brooks and fountains
We see in vision verdant vales and mountains,

The Son of God, our Saviour, Leader, Master,
Drawn by His love, we dread no dark disaster,

LEAD on our souls, Lord, let us not turn back
What tho' before us lies the waste, can lack

O, let the riches of that radiant land,
Before faith's vision, vast, unveiled, expand,

Be absent from our breast the base desire
Thro' thirst and hunger, let the cloud and fire

Thro' this wide waste, blest Saviour, Son of God,
The living water; Thou art staff and rod:

The manna fails not: let us early haste,
To reach the rest of God, this weary waste

We only need to have our vision clear,
Each day to leave this world more in the rear,

And Thou shalt make the arid desert teem
Of our hearts' badness, but beneath the beam

E'en now we know Thee thro' Thy sacrifice,
But ere behind us all our journey lies,

And there is little else to learn, still slow
Oh, keep us ever in its heavenly glow,

Draw us, Lord Jesus, by those cords of love,
Of Thy loved voice, which calls us hence above,

So shall we prove the path Thy feet have pressed,
To where our names upon Thy faithful breast

Bow the knee!
'Tis the high decree
Bow the knee!
Send the fiat free

Lord alone,
On the Father's throne,
Hell, amazed,
Saw the Victor raised

Seraphim
Bow down to Him,
His is the throne,
Let the wide world own

Jesus! Son!
With the Father one
Glorified,
To battle ride —

Lord of the throng
Of angels strong,
Victorious Lord,
With flaming sword,

Once disowned,
But now enthroned;
God hath sworn,
Tho' the nations scorn,

Gird Thy sword
On Thy thigh, O Lord,
Thro' rebel hearts
Thy fiery darts

Most high God!
Of the earth He trod,
Subjects, kings,
Infernal things,

His brightness fills
The heavens, and thrills
The ransomed hear
The music clear,

His glorious bride,
See, by His side!
Robed in white,
Than the sun more bright,

Praise resounds!
Remotest bounds
Rejoice! rejoice!
Lift up the voice!

All nations sing,
The heavens ring,
The chorus thrills,
From the lasting hills —

"The Lord's my Shepherd!" He who looked from heaven
O'er moor and mountain, by the stranger driven,
When failed my trembling heart, with terror riven.

"I shall not want!" Tell me, how could I want
Fills the strong throne of the Omnipotent,
In heaven my portion is, nor scarce, nor scant.

"He makes me to lie down!" How great His care!
A gourd from burning heat He doth prepare,
And leave my head defenceless, weak, and bare.

"In pastures green!" His pierced hand smoothes my bed
I lay me down to rest, afar from dread;
The lilies round me smile, their perfume shed.

"He leadeth me!" I feel no stranger hand,
I feel my finger in the nail-print, brand
Which doth my heart's full confidence command.

"Beside the waters still!" No turbid river;
Thro' mountain gorge that growling dasheth ever,
That whoso drinketh lives and thirsteth never.

"He doth restore my soul" when slothfulness
To smoother paths, where flesh may find a place
And stirs my soul to triumph in His grace.

"He leadeth me," drives not, He goes before;
I hear His voice this Babel's clamour o'er,
And pleasures infinite forevermore.

"Within the paths of righteousness!" How sweet!
So marked by Jesus' holy, blessed feet,
Of His the blessed movements to repeat.

"For His name's sake!" No wayward act of mine
His patient grace instructs me, line on line.
That as His work I shall in glory shine.

"Yea, though I tread the valley of the shade
Yet shall my path be gloriously arrayed
Of golden harps by joyful fingers played.

"I'll fear no evil!" I shall flood the vale
Nor shall my fountain of refreshment fail,
By whispered falsehoods, I will still prevail.

"For Thou art with me!" Thou who once lay'st dead
But rising, death destroyed, and Satan's head
Dryshod I cross that swelling Jordon's bed.

"Thy rod" that points me out the perfect way,
When to the left or right one step astray
Calling me on to everlasting day.

"And Thy staff" gives my tottering frame support,
The way that seemed so long grows wondrous short,
Thy rod and staff preserve my soul from hurt.

"They comfort me!" Direction is not all,
Without Thy staff I sink, I faint, I fall;
They comfort me when terrors would appal.

"Thou dost prepare a table me before,"
The mighty love that wept my ruin o'er,
And I am fed from heaven's bounteous store.

"In presence of mine enemies" — dread foes!
Yet doth my soul, by living faith, repose
God's perfect peace, which not one ruffle knows.

"Thou dost anoint my head with oil!" What grace!
Within the holiest of all my place,
I pass within the veil, I see God's face.

"My cup runs over!" I participate
Still o'er with joys that never can abate,
My heaven shall be that love to contemplate.

"Surely goodness!" That grace that first me led,
When toiled my soul for that which was not bread,
Into a Father's arms — and clothed and fed;

"And mercy," as from heaven the gentle rain
And with life-giving power the burning plain
'Gainst me combine all hellish powers in vain).

"Shall follow me!" The cunning serpent creeps
From covering rock the crouching lion leaps
By power omnipotent, that safely keeps.

"The days of my whole life," while far from home
(Where found my Saviour but a cross and tomb,)
While waiting through this long night till He come.

"And I will dwell!" No transient visitor
Who, 'mid the darkness on Golgotha, bore
He bears in light, the throne of God before.

"In the Lord's house!" There, like and with my Lord,
My heart reposes in His faithful word,
For ever be His matchless grace adored.

"For ever" with Him in that home above;
To walk with Him in white, where only love
The depth of His great love my soul shall prove.

ELIHU, who in answer to the wail
Of the afflicted patriarch, stood forth,
Umpire between Jehovah and the poor
Tormented creature grovelling in the dust,
And covered with disease from head to foot,
Hath told us that the sorrows which befell
Unhappy Job were not confined to him,
But that the blessed God, compassionate
Toward His creature, brings those evils oft
Upon the sons of men, to draw their souls
Back from destruction's bottomless abyss,
And them illuminate with light divine.

And pitilessly leave us, to return
No more; death merciless invades
The peaceful home, and rends compassionless
The tender cords of sweet affections, and
Upon its gloomy and terrific way
Moves onward ruthlessly unmoved, and leaves
Bruised hearts in loneliness to bleed to death.

Rides loathsome pestilence, with noxious breath,
To kill within the soul the last desire
For earthly life, yet severs not the cord
That binds the spirit to the house of clay.

For death, which never comes to set him free
From the hard fortune which has him befallen.
It takes his friend, and from his bosom tears
Those to his soul most dear, but scorns to take
From him the life from which he longs to part,
Yet must perforce retain.

Gives place to still more hated night, the hours
Crawl wearily across the burning brain;
The sun looks down on wretchedness, the moon
And stars upon a writhing shape of dust
And ashes by fierce fever scorched and dry,
Flesh by disease devoured and wasted, skin
Fast cleaving unto bone; the outward man,
Like to a castle ravaged by the foe,
Roofless and ruined, from whose battered walls
The tenants stand prepared to make escape,
Draws near unto the narrow house, whose dark
And dull interior makes one recoil
With shuddering, till stand upon the brow
The dewy beads, which faithful witness bear
To the huge horror of the soul within.

And who, to humble him that he may hear
The voice of mercy, for a moment leaves
Him in the hand and to the will of his
Inexorable and relentless foe,
But draws a line which not Apollyon
With all his quenchless malice dare transgress.
Touch not his life is the command of God,
And there the waves that foam upon the sea
Of wrath infernal must their limit find.
Within that limit they may roar and rage
And lash themselves to fury; and the bark
Which at their mercy seems, may balanced be
For one brief moment on the crystal crags,
Then downward rushed by foaming cataracts
Into the seething vales, spray-drenched and rocked
And tossed and billow-beaten, till it seems
As though it must needs, by the violence
With which it is assailed, to pieces go.
But yet it lives, for guarded by a hand
That knows no weakness, it is there as safe
Amid the surf as on the calmest sea.

Upon its object bring, that he may learn
And know himself, and take his rightful place
Down in the dust before the face of God.
For deep within the human heart there lurks
The horrible, soul-murdering conceit,
That he himself is God; and this must be,
For his salvation and eternal bliss,
Eradicated, that he may be brought
To own himself a creature, lost and vile,
And into right relationships with God.
This to accomplish must his enemy,
The fell destroyer of the human race,
Be requisitioned; and his wrath and hate
Be made to serve.

Tossed by the tempest of his whelming woes,
Longs for his couch, and gentle sleep invokes,
Which o'er the wasted frame at midnight hoar
Her mantle casts so soothingly, and seals
The weary eyelids; and with velvet hand
Passed softly o'er the weary head, doth cool
The burning brain, and draw the weary soul
Clean out from all the troubles of this life
Into a region of unconsciousness.
The world with all its poverty and wealth,
Its laughter and its weeping, bruit, and broil,
Its pains and pleasures, health and illnesses,
Are laid aside, and the deep generous calm
Of death's resemblance settles on the frame.

Without compassion His poor creature drift
Towards the pit of everlasting grief,
Without an effort to withdraw him thence.
Therefore in vision dread the slumberer sees
Himself before the bar of judgment borne,
And all his guilty life, which he thought fair
Enough, arise before his vision black
As is the inky cloud of winter's night,
When tempests sweep the moonless vault of heaven.
Trembling he hears the awful sentence fall,
Like peal of thunder, from the lips of Him,
From whose dread judgment there is no appeal;
And reeling from the presence of that throne
Of dazzling whiteness, stumbles on the cliffs
Which beetle o'er the sullen surging flood
Of everlasting and devouring fire,
And falling headlong, with a shriek awakes,
With the cold moisture beaded on his brow,
And over all his shuddering shrinking frame
Oozing from every pore; then nervously
Stretches his hand and grasps the flagon near,
Which holds a draught of crystal water cool,
And drains it to the dregs, as if to prove
To his half doubtful mind that he is not
In the domain of everlasting thirst.

The one who may to this sad soul declare
The meaning of those woes, which threaten so
To rend him mercilessly limb from limb,
And sweep his habitation from the earth.
One is required who can his soul's disease,
From which his body suffers, diagnose,
And who can at the same time minister
The medicine which without fail shall cure.
One only in a thousand may take up
This controversy between man and God.

Presuming by his wisdom to direct
The soul through those dark avenues, which lead
From nature's gloom into the light of God!
If those who blind are seek to lead the blind,
Both shall into the ditch most surely fall.
But where the soul has been divinely taught,
And knows the truth, and what becomes the man
From Adam sprung, and can his finger lay
Upon the root of evil which through all
His spiritual constitution sends
Its noxious fibers, spreading moral death
Throughout the system, such an one is fit
The part of the Interpreter to play.
He can the bruised and broken-hearted cause
To understand the meaning of the voice
Addressed to him in his calamities,
And what is needful that the mighty hand
Of the Omnipotent should be removed
From him for ever, and that he should rest
In right relations with the living God.

And ill becomes a creature of the dust;
And surely worse a sinner in his sins.
Let man then practice truth, if to do good
He is unable; truth, and truth alone,
Is all that's needed. Let the sinner stand
Confessed as this before the face of God.
The question then is not what good may be
Within the heart of man, found there for God;
But seeing man is fallen, ruined, lost,
With nothing good in him on which the eye
Of God could rest with satisfaction, is
There grace and love within His heart for man?
No longer is the question, What is man?
But, What is God? Upon the answer to
This all-important question hangs the woe
Or weal of all the sons of Adam's race.

The haughtiness of mortals in the dust.
By pride the devil fell, and fallen man,
Though under death and to his passions slave,
Is in his estimation far above
Ideas of deliverance by grace.
His sinful pride bears him away from God,
And hellward hurries him; if let alone
Lost must he be for ever. This to prevent
And bring the wanderer into heavenly light,
Are all the blest activities of God.

Is for the blessing of his creature man.
He might, had He been vengeful, have disowned
The erring mortal, and abandoned him
To the just consequences of his guilt.
And why He set His heart upon our race,
And sought us, when as vagabonds we fled
Afar from Him, imputing jealousy
And hardness and austerity to Him,
Is one of the innumerable things
Which He has done in His unfathomed grace,
Which we can never fully understand.

And we have thought He wanted to condemn.
He tells us He is for us, we have thought
He was against us and our death desired.
His prophets have been slain, His word refused,
His laws transgressed, His patient grace despised,
His Spirit vexed, His holy courts profaned,
His Son rejected, judged, and gibbeted,
His Gospel persecuted everywhere;
As Saviour and as Justifier we
Have all refused Him, yet so resolute
In love omnipotent, He will not be
Driven from His intendiment to save.

The discipline is ended, boundless grace
Binds up the broken heart, his woes are healed.
A new and blessed day of light, and peace,
And hope, and joy unspeakable, has dawned.
He knows himself, but God he also knows,
And God is love, and from that love of God
No power can separate. God is his friend.
For him in all the greatness of His love,
And in His power omnipotent; that power
Which came to light in raising up the One,
Who as the Witness of almighty love
Laid down His life to save us from the pit.

Has had its origin in Sovereign love;
And all is founded on the sacrifice,
The ransom which upon Golgotha's hill
Was offered to insulted Majesty.
Of His providing was the spotless Lamb,
His well-beloved Son, Jesus, the Christ.
He bore our sins, He suffered in our stead,
The blame of all He took upon Himself.
But all the wrath is past, the judgment gone,
And nothing now remains but that great love,
Which in the bearing of the judgment came
Into display. That love is all our boast,
The light in which we live, our very life,
Our everlasting blessing, and from which
No creature power in heaven, earth, or hell,
Can separate our souls. O love divine!
The Father's and the Son's, declared in death!
Our blest, eternal portion, infinite,
And changeless love, which far surpasses all
Our human understanding. Yet it is
Now to be known, and is now known by all
In whom the Spirit of the Father dwells.
Now blessed be that love in Christ made known,
And blessed be His ways with all His own.

HE was a man of legal fame,
The wide world need not know his name,
The thorn that rankled in his breast,
The gnawing worm that broke his rest,

"When but a boy of tender years,
At school I strove among my peers
Above them all to set myself;
While love of fame, and greed of

"Nor could my soul contented be,
By toil to climb the laurel tree,
Far too laborious was the task,
Too doubtful the result, to ask

"My visions were of yellow gold,
Grand stalls which rare blood horses hold —
When lo, from the abyss of hell
A maddening spark, red, burning, fell

"A knife I seized, and with the blade,
Right in my naked arm I made
A parchment next I quickly found,
A pen then from the welling wound

"Then on the page I rashly wrote,
While laughed the fell fiend in his throat,
The vow, that if he would engage,
Horses and gold to give as wage,

"My schooldays o'er, my college life
Was spent in an eternal strife
I tore the chaplet from the brow
Of honour, bore it off, and now

"Fortune blest everything I touched,
The judge and jury seemed bewitched,
My help, like help of God, was sought;
Justice and truth I set at nought,

"All I had lusted after came,
The wealth, the horses, and the fame,
Light as a sunbeam was my heart;
A mind that mocked at sorrow's smart

"And now as if to make secure
My dreadful doom, and doubly sure
The fiend of scepticism drew
My thoughts aside, and deftly blew

"The curse that holds beneath its spell
The dreaming, drivelling infidel
A peace soon settled on my mind,
The peace of one, who, lost and blind,

"Still did I prosper in the world,
Still in its giddy dance I whirled,
A footstep thro' my chamber went,
A voice the solemn silence rent: —

"Eternity, that word alone,
Hot as a breath from torrid zone,
Entwined its serpent tongue around
My brain by burning temples bound

"The hair upon my flesh straight stood;
Froze in my veins the crimson blood;
An instant stood my heart with fear,
Then bounded like a frightened deer

"Eternity! Whence came that word,
Which drowsy night's deep stillness stirred,
Was it a voice from heaven's throne,
Borne by the breath of night upon

"Or was it from the depths of hell
A sigh sent up by spirit fell,
Looks backward on a godless track,
And forward on a future black

"Eternity! And am I doomed
In vaults of fire to be entombed,
Him I abandoned, must it be
My measure He shall meet to me

"Eternity! Shall dungeons deep
Shroud my lost spirit, while I steep
Where justice with her strong right arm,
And heart of stone no tears can charm,

"Alas, thy dreary vastness awes
My soul! One fixed unbroken pause,
And that one pause a pause of wrath,
Which on my heart one hard hoof hath,

"I cry to God, or strive at least,
But more like groan of suffering beast,
I feel as if encased in rock,
Whose echoes mercilessly mock

"Oft since that dreadful night I've sat
Alone, and sought to fathom that
And I of this vast globe have thought,
And all those orbs with glory fraught,

"And then I've fancied one small piece
In every hundred years release
And piece by piece, while time rolls on,
How long before one world is gone?

"And in my mind — nor could I cease —
I've watched them dropping piece by piece,
Till every planet, moon, and sun,
Had dropped to pieces, one by one,

"And then like boiling spring upwelled
Within my throbbing brain, and swelled
The fearful truth that even when
All worlds are brought to nothing, then

"Call this a nightmare, should you find
Hallucination of the mind
I care not what unhappy name
The sceptic mind of man may frame,

"Sure as o'er earth night's shadows creep,
And my worn body sinks to sleep,
Enters my chamber, filling me
With dread of that eternity

Thou askest, Is there hope for such?
Or has he sunk beyond the stretch
Has Jesu's precious, priceless blood
No cleansing power to bring to God

Yes, let the truth with ringing cheer
Go forth till hosts infernal hear,
In this wide world there does not dwell
One soul alive and out of hell,

The chief of sinners has been saved,
And others, wretched, and depraved —
And so may this poor soul, and thou
Who readest of his woes, if thou

UNSPEAKABLE happiness! Bliss supreme!
Shall bask where the glories of Jesus beam.

Encumbered no more by this weight of dust,
And join the spirits of all the just.

With the ear of a bondman glad I hear
The shout of victory greets mine ear.

Impatient I wait the final blow
My spirit no more again shall know.

Earth has no charm for a soul that stands
Through the portal over the face and hands.
——
Bathed in the light of my God I pass
From sorrows of every kind and class,

To the love and light of the Father's house,
And before whom every knee low bows;

To contemplate hands, and feet, and side,
And by man reproached, reviled, denied.

To raise my voice with the saints who cry —
Sung by the blood-redeemed on high.
——
Glory surround me, cloudless, bright
And life in the sphere of living light.

Ye may cast where you will this house of clay
And I have passed from the world away.

Ye may bury it under the mountain's base,
The secret of its resting place.

It shall rise again at the trump of God,
In the heavens with Him, whose precious blood

Has made us clean from the stain of guilt,
Deep through Thy soul, Lord, to the hilt.
——
This is heaven begun! Celestial bliss!
From glory stainless such as this.

Would you weep for the wand'rer come again
From a land of poverty and pain?

Would ye weep for the prisoner stepping forth
Is Paradise of so little worth?
——
Victory! Death's dark river contains
Swelled with the torrents of driving rains.

But the Ark of the Covenant passed before,
And I cross as the people crossed of yore.

A land of honey, and corn, and wine;
The soul with rapture: this is mine.

I've sometime lived on the farther shore
And help of faith I shall need no more.
——
Saviour Divine! Godhead in Man!
What creature tongue, Lord Jesus, can?
——
I wait like the bride on the marriage morn,
Is he not steadfast, true and sworn?

She hears the zephyrs breathe his name;
Seem to whisper his spotless fame.

Hyperion's brightness cannot vie
To her are lazily crawling by.

The songs of the birds are songs of love;
Round him the wheels of nature move.

Thus am I waiting, and through the haze
The fringe of the clouds which screen the blaze.
——
Speed, Lord, the moment when I shall see
Seeking poor worthless things like me.

Then shall I fully extol Thy grace,
As a son to a son's eternal place;

From the far-off land, the famine, the swine,
Unbounded, infinite, divine!
——
Praised be His mercy, sovereign, free!
And from destruction rescued me.

For I had gone on my wilful road,
And tottering underneath the load.

Alas, I knew not, nor cared to know
Which around me sparks of hell did throw.

And my helpless forward glance was cast
The judgment of heaven's hottest blast.

But Thy hand, that hand that safely kept,
Close to my shuddering body crept.

I see the wisdom of love in all,
When my ear was deaf to mercy's call.

Thou wouldst kill to cure; Thou wouldst bring me near
And before Thy fiery judgment fear.

And Thou didst reveal Thy love to me,
Drawn by Thy goodness unto Thee.

And thus to the heart of God brought nigh,
The life of the ransomed host on high;

And find in the home of love my place —
Gift of unfathomable grace!
——
Love, sovereign, boundless, measureless!
I shall have crossed the wilderness.

In death, the worldings dreaded foe,
That fetters my spirit here below.

Then present with Him, whose radiant light
Dispelling the clouds of an evil night.
——
Come, Son of God! From this fragile frame,
Where deathless the sons of glory flame;

And with voice which rends the ethereal blue,
And the sphere wherein all things are new.
——
Courts blazing with glory! Pure crystal sea!
But 'tis with Thyself I long to be.

Thou wilt come in the grey of the morning, Lord;
As Thou dost loose the silver cord.

Then dust to dust; and the house of clay,
The glorious resurrection day.
——
Glory supreme! Blest portion mine!
In that home of light and love divine,

Ye would long for the wheels of laggard time
To a griefless, cloudless, deathless clime.

Goodbye, for I feel that pierced hand,
Where my spirit shall join the heavenly band.

You will know I am there when the light is fled,
For the body without the spirit is dead.

COME, Saviour, Son of God, and let the light
Illume our hearts, and with its heavenly might
Till nothing else is visible, until
Its glory great doth our whole vision fill.

O teach us, Lord, Thy searchless love to know,
Before our feeble faith, Lord Jesus, shew
That our glad hearts, responsive unto Thine,
May wake with all the power of love divine.

Thy death has brought to light the Father's heart,
And now we contemplate Thee as Thou art,
And know that we are loved with that great love,
That rests on Thee in those bright courts above.

Thy flesh is meat, Thy blood, blest Saviour, shed,
On Thee, the true, the heavenly, living Bread,
And live with Thee in life's eternal home,
Where neither want, nor woe, nor death can come.

Hear, Lord, O hear the weary watchers' cry,
With expectation, till the azure sky

And Thou, long hidden, shalt in royal state
Who during Thy long absence toil and wait,

O rend the heavens! Bid Thy blood-washed throng
That their glad hearts may fill with sacred song

Thou true and faithful! Thine so dearly bought,
But in Thine absence everything is naught

Thy promise lives as deathless in Thy breast
Thy love immortal is, and here we rest,

The wheels of time have turned, and years have sped,
The centuries of hope deferred are dead,

We know one day is as a thousand years
But long delay and disappointment wears

Our hearts have followed Thee where Thou art gone,
Love's dwelling place, the love of God made known

That holy love, of life the wellspring clear,
The bread of God — Thyself in weakness here —

So that tho' pilgrims in a barren land,
We pass where manna falls upon the sand

Yet, as the weary wanderer's lonely heart
So long we to behold Thee where Thou art,

Within those radiant courts with Thee to stand,
With Thee, the Firstborn of the saintly band

To see Thee crowned, to hear the universe
To see the sin, the darkness, and the curse,

To see Thee welcomed, worshipped, glorified;
Where Thou wast humbled, scorned, despised, denied,

Come, Son of God! O come, creation bless!
Shine forth in glory, Sun of righteousness,

Come, Morning Star! Bid stubborn night begone!
Command the everlasting day to dawn,

O come! Creation groans in deep distress.
Then the wild waste and barren wilderness

O hearken to the Spirit and the bride
Nor shall their invocation be denied,

FEAR'ST thou not death? That hour when to a close
Shall come thy crooked, frivolous career,
And thou perforce shall have to bid adieu
To earth, to country, home and bosom friend,
As things with which thou hast no more to do;
And from wet faces, dear to thee as is
Thy very soul, certain that nevermore,
On those long-loved and grief-beclouded brows,
Thy vision shall be fixed, nor theirs on thine.

Day of despair, in which the blinding fogs
Of everlasting night shall darkly close
Upon thy poor distressed, distracted mind;
When that dread life-long struggle with the grim
Destroyer shall be drawing to a close;
When the relentless and untiring foe
His lance shall shorten for the final thrust,
And with increasing energy hard press
His harassed and exhausted victim, and
The battle force; when in thy veins the pulse
Shall feebly flutter, and the cold, damp dews
Shall gather thick upon thy suffering brow;
When friend and lover by thee mute shall stand,
Spectators of the disproportioned strife,
Until thy merciless, victorious foe,
Shall drive the spirit, vitiated, and
Stung with the torment of a conscience wake
To what a life of self-indulgence means,
Forth from the breathless tenement of clay
Into a famine-stricken land, where none
A drop of water can command, with which
To slake the thirst, which like a flame consumes
Its victim through a never ending night.

Weakness, and wretchedness, and sighs, and sobs,
And griefs, and groans, and woes, and faces pale,
And tears, and breaking hearts, and anxious thoughts,
And dire forebodings, and oppressive gloom,
And blackness, and uncertainty, and fear,
And ruthless snapping of each vital cord
Within thy writhing, racked, and struggling frame;
And horror, as thro' mantling vapours looms
Masked and mysterious the eternal world!

That thou canst see in heaven or in earth!
When by a friendless gale thy storm-tossed bark,
Awhile the plaything of relentless seas,
Dismantled, shivered, shattered, shall be driven
Helpless before the fury of the storms,
Which break upon the ocean of man's life,
Towards the towering mountains of despair
Which pile their frowning masses up to heaven,
Veiling thou knowest not what; but where on reef
Or sunken rock, or rugged coast, or bar,
Of an unknown, inhospitable land
It shall be cast, bruised, broken, battered, left
A miserable wreck,

Within that region, dim, mysterious,
And fenced with nameless fears and horrors huge!
And to whose frowning frontier mariners
Instinctively give ample berth, and sail
As far as possible beyond the sight
Of every beetling cliff, which dimly gleams
Cruel and threatening thro' the veil of cloud,
Draping the margin of the dread unknown.

That ministered to pride and happiness;
And poor and naked on that friendless shore
Thou shalt be found. Whatever may have been
Thy earthly circumstances; tho' they were
As wretched as were those of Lazarus,
Within that barren land thy poverty
Shall be so fearfully appalling that
Thy earthly lot shall be accounted wealth.

And all that meeting him might bring to thee,
There is a refuge near at hand and sure;
A refuge open to the world at large,
To which the fallen sons of men may flee
And shelter find from every form of ill.
That refuge is the Christ of God, and faith
In Him annuls the dreaded sting of death.

WE'LL praise Thee, glorious Victor,
And laid in his own stronghold

Thou Man of war triumphant,
With truth, and faith, and virtue,

Thou wentest forth to battle,
The powers of darkness trembled

For our redemption, Saviour,
And glorious armour radiant

Thou hast our captor smitten;
Invincible, almighty,

And depths unfathomed parting
And in their sore confusion

But at Thy word, most Mighty,
And on the host behind us

Nor man, nor horse, nor chariot
The weltering waters toss them

And Thou hast brought Thy people
From base and bitter bondage

To God, whose great compassions
Our hearts, which thus have tasted

WOULD you wish to be one to work for Me
To serve Me truly, wholeheartedly,

The works I have done would you wish to do,
That men might be brought from darkness to

If so, have courage to stand amid
Take up thy cross, and a farewell bid

And where I am shall My servant be,
And My Father Himself shall honour thee

No dread of vengeance now
Our condemnation, Thou
And at Thy footstool bow.

The arm which once had driven
Our hearts Thy heart has riven,
Thy soul for our souls given.

Wrath's thunderstorm awoke
Deep called to deep, and broke
The angry lightnings spoke.

And we have seen Thee laid
Shut up, and sealed, and made
Thy prison should invade.

But with more might than he,
Burst, and like hinds that flee,
Swam in a bloody sea;

Thou from Thy rocky bed
The cords of death, and led
Thee, Saviour, who wast dead.

The ground beneath my feet
The heavens are bright, and sweet
Odours of the Increate.

Who shall lift up a voice
The objects of Thy choice,
For beatific joys?

Silence supreme doth reign
None can a charge sustain,
Who did the victory gain.

THE vicious tendency of men to pry
Especially such mysteries as lie
Is great, as is the fact that few decry
But no: they let it seethe, and boil, and bubble,
Until it overflows in seas of trouble.

Right from the outset of our sinful state,
This fallen world, with lust inordinate,
With spirits mortals would associate,
'Twere not to his advantage were it granted
That he should have just everything he wanted.

But the desire to force a passage thro'
Lay not alone with man: the ghostly crew
The bolted door to force or to undo,
Have sought by their conspiracies infernal
To make man's miserable plight eternal.

The various families throughout the vast
In dim and distant ages that are past,
Marked by their Maker. They no trumpet blast
Of their respective limits, should give heed to,
Nor follow where the tempter fell might lead to.

Their blessing lay in being well content
And as His servants true to be intent
Knowing that never to one element,
If it were good for them abroad to travel,
With license every mystery to unravel.

Thousands there are who have their first estate
But there are thousands who have risen irate
Seems never granted, but upon their pate,
Must one day fall: till then, their course pursuing,
They work assiduously for man's undoing.

'Tis such who in defiance of divine
Men count their baneful influence benign,
Tho' they be but a brood of viperine,
Are all their diabolic machinations!
And how pernicious their communications!

The silly folk incited to consult
Who hope by means of mysteries occult
But few escape the terrible result
And how they cleave to this is past believing;
Deceived themselves, and many more deceiving.

No human spirit may to earth return,
With lifeless clay or ashes in an urn
The lost to warn their fellow men may yearn,
To tell a human being what they found there:
The blest would not; the profligate are bound there.

Therefore no living soul of man can get
Neither by table-rapping nor planchette,
Unless the evil quest of man were met
But not another instance is narrated
Where dead with living have confabulated.

The dead, by demons who delight in ill,
Not with the spirits of departed will
The souls of the inquisitive to kill,
Leave meddlers muddled, hoping, doubting, fearing;
But ever panting for a fresh appearing.

A certain person I myself have met
As necromancer, into touch to get,
In worldly status just a little set
'Tis strange that they to some will answer readily,
To others they keep silence ever steadily.

This man was famous, and in great demand.
In intimacy with the spirit-band
No spirit could his beck or call withstand;
And give himself so altogether over
To it, I leave the reader to discover.

You may be sure it was not heavenly grace
Celestial dew does not the soul debase
Where grace is present there the truth has place,
For tho' such novelties may be decoying;
To all who touch them they are soul-destroying,

But every mortal has his day down here,
Death puts an end to wilful man's career,
From human haunts all men must disappear,
Lay sick in bed, the malady defying
Man's skill; at last the doctor said, You're dying!

Dying! he shrieked; he shuddered, shook with dread!
Dying! and railed at God, upon his bed
Mad for the moment, mad in heart and head,
Thus with his Maker war unholy waging!
Trembled the house with his infernal raging.

The doctor left him in this desperate state,
Who from his presence fled in terror great,
Two men were sent, but left precipitate
His sun was set, his life on earth was ended.
Gone God to meet! God mocked, blasphemed, offended!

Some time elapsed: his old companions sought
To tell them something of his present thought,
Besides a rumour had to them been brought,
And all the many battles he had fought on
Behalf of spiritism would be forgotten.

Two women specially took up the task
Now, what they heard or witnessed you may ask,
Satan o'er that event has cast a mask
Stark-mad the other to the madhouse hurried,
And both within a fortnight dead and buried.

What being fell was seen they never said,
They dared invade the precincts of the dead,
One would have thought they might have feared to tread
And torn and mangled were, whose was the error? —
In such things, Lord, keep me from being sharer.

FATHER, I thank Thee, 'tis Thy deep desire
And that no gift from me Thou dost require,

In Jesu's blood Thou hast found what doth more
And Thy dear Son, my Saviour, I adore,

Although my days on earth as yet are few,
And were it not Thy grace can this subdue,

I am a little child, and understand
Much less indeed; but as my thoughts expand,

I do not fear to face the dreadful truth
But teach, Oh, teach me, Father, in my youth,

Let Thy blest Spirit lead me, bear me up,
Thou art my Saviour-God, in Thee I hope:

Let Jesus fill my thought: Thy Word declares
His kingdom in my heart, ere earthly cares,

And let me grow in grace, and learn each day
Thus pleasing Thee, and leaving Him to say

THEN they that feared the Lord — when every heart,
Except one solitary, here and there,
Was lifeless, hard, insensible, and cold,
As those huge hills of ice which float within
The tumbling waters of the Northern seas —
Nearer to one another drew, as when
The frosts of winter, merciless, and keen,
Bite to the bone through garments worn and thin,
The trembling limbs of the defenceless poor,
Who cling together thro' the bitter night
To feel the comfort and the warmth of life.

And thought upon His name, dishonoured now
By such as should have held it as a trust,
Inviolate and sacred, dearer far
Than wealth, or ease, or comfort, or the sweets
Of the vain, fickle, friendship of the world;
Yea, to be held most sacred, hallowed more
Than life itself.

Removed in heart and spirit from the proud,
Thought oft upon that holy name, and spoke
To one another of His endless love;
Till in the sweetness of that fellowship,
Each saddened heart afresh found life and joy,
And beat responsive to the grace of God.
And He, from whose omniscient holy eye
Is nothing hid, beheld with great delight
The feeble faithful few, where all around,
Black with rebellion, flung back every charge
Of faithlessness, or falsehood in His face,
Who had in patience great, yea, infinite,
And far beyond our power to understand,
But all in vain, endeavoured to recall
Their haughty hearts to righteousness and peace.

Were doubly dear to Him; and in the book
Of His remembrance He commanded them
To be inscribed, that they might still appear
Before Him unforgotten. On that page
His holy eye with infinite delight
Shall rest, until that day in which He shall
Show, to the wonder of assembled worlds,
The riches of His grace: And these shall be
Mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that glad day
When I make up My jewels.

Shining like gems of purest ray upon
The page of Holy Writ, and pointing out
A path for all who would be true to Christ,
When at the close of dispensations grown
Weak, and decaying, they must sad at heart
Walk in retirement from the multitude
Who do the evil that the Lord condemns,
And cannot see they have done ought amiss.

To walk alone! to be despised, reproached,
Accounted nothing by the proud and great
Who anything prefer before the One
Who came from heaven and from the form of God,
To dark Golgotha with its shame and woe,
That from the gloom of death's domain, and from
The consequences of our ruined state,
A highway of deliverance might be made,
And that our souls might be securely set
Forever in the light of His great love.

In all its blackness seems to settle down
On that which Christian still subscribes itself,
But yet denies what makes Him what He is
To heavy-laden and to weary souls,
Let those who love Him speak together oft;
And though they may not, in the world's account,
Be of the least importance, if His name
We think upon together, and if He
Is everything to us, we may be sure
The Father's heart is gratified, and He
Numbers such up among His jewels rare.