138

May 17. L. M.

Duke Street.

THE PROVIDENCE AND GRACE OF GOD.

"How excellent is thy loving-kindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings."-Ps. xxxvi. 7.

1

HIGH in the heavens, eternal God!

Thy goodness in full glory shines:

Thy truth shall break through every cloud
That veils or darkens thy designs.

2 For ever firm thy justice stands,

As mountains their foundations keep:
Wise are the wonders of thy hands,
Thy judgments are a mighty deep.

3 How free the riches of thy grace,
Whence all our hopes and comforts spring!
And how, in dangers and distress,
We fly to thy protecting wing.

4 From the provisions of thy house,
We shall be fed with sweet repast:
There mercy like a river flows,

And brings salvation to our taste.

5 Life, like a fountain, rich and free,
Springs from the presence of my Lord;
And, in thy light, our souls shall see
The glories promised in thy word.

139

May 18. 8s, 7s, & 4s.

Greenville.

GOD OUR GUIDE AND STRENGTH.

"The Lord is my rock, and my fortress; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust.”—Ps. xviii. 2.

1 GUIDE me, O thou great Jehovah,

Pilgrim through this barren land:

I am weak, but thou art mighty;
Hold me with thy powerful hand:
Bread of heaven,

Feed me till I want no more.

102

2 Open now the crystal fountain,

Whence the healing streams do flow;
Let the fiery, cloudy pillar

Lead me all my journey through:
Strong Deliverer,

Be thou still my Strength and Shield.

3 When I tread the verge of Jordan,
Bid my anxious fears subside;
Bear me through the swelling current;
Land me safe on Canaan's side:
Songs of praises

I will ever give to thee.

140

May 19.

7s.

Benevento.

GOD THE "GIVER OF EVERY GOOD GIFT."

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights."-James i. 17.

1

FATHER, thy paternal care

Has my guardian been, my guide;

Every hallowed wish and prayer
Has thy hand of love supplied;
Thine is every thought of bliss,
Left by hours and days gone by;
Every hope thy offspring is,
Beaming from futurity.

2 Every sun of splendid ray;

Every moon that shines serene; Every morn that welcomes day; Every evening's twilight scene; Every hour which wisdom brings; Every incense at thy shrine; These and all life's holiest things, And its fairest-all are thine.

3 And for all, my hymns shall rise Daily to thy gracious throne; Thither let my asking eyes

Turn unwearied, righteous One! Through life's strange vicissitude, There reposing all my care,

Trusting still, through ill and good,

Fixed, and cheered, and counselled there.

141

May 20.

S. M.

Lisbon.

THE YOUNG SEEKING GOD'S GUIDANCE.

"For thou art my hope, O Lord God: thou art my trust from my youth."-Ps. lxxi. 5.

1

ITH humble heart and tongue,

My God! to thee I pray :

Oh! bring me now, while I am young,
To thee, the living way.

2

Make an unguarded youth

3

The object of thy care;

Help me to choose the way of truth,

And flee from every snare.

My heart, to folly prone,

Renew by power divine; Unite it to thyself alone,

And make me wholly thine.

4

Oh! let thy word of grace

5

My warmest thoughts employ;

Be this, through all my following days,

My treasure and my joy.

To what thy laws impart,

Be my whole soul inclined;

Come, Saviour! dwell within my heart,
And sanctify my mind.

142

May 21. L. M.

Ward.

"FOR ALL HAVE SINNED."

"If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."-1 John i. 8, 9.

1 WE sin, whenever we pursue

What God commands us not to do;

We sin too, if we ever shun

What he hath told us must be done.

2 Thus have we often sinned, and still
Offend against his holy will:

We know our duty, but the heart
Will from its sacred rules depart.

3 Oh! let us then confess our sin,
And all the faults we hide within;
And let the erring heart deplore
Its follies, and do wrong no more.

4 If we sincerely now repent,

And trust in him whom Heaven hath sent,
He will remove the threatening rod,

And bear us to the arms of God.

143

May 22.

C. M.

Medfield.

EARLY PIETY.

"Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace."—Prov. iii. 13, 17.

1 HOW happy is the child who hears

Instruction's warning voice;

And who celestial wisdom makes
His early, only choice.

2 Wisdom has treasures greater far
Than east or west unfold;

And her rewards more precious are
Than is the gain of gold.

3 She guides the young with innocence
In pleasure's paths to tread;
A crown of glory she bestows
Upon the hoary head.

4 According as her labors rise,

So her rewards increase;

Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
And all her paths are peace.

144 May 23.

L. M.

A GOOD CONSCIENCE.

Alfreton.

"And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God and toward men."-Acts xxiv. 16.

1 SW

WEET peace of conscience, heavenly guest! Come, fix thy mansion in my breast; Dispel my doubts, my fears control;

And heal the anguish of my soul.

2 Come, smiling hope, and joy sincere;
Come, make your constant dwelling here;
Still let your presence cheer my heart,
Nor sin compel you to depart.

3 Thou God of hope and peace divine,
Oh, make these sacred pleasures mine!
Forgive my sins, my fears remove,
And send the tokens of thy love.

145

May 24.

7s.

Benevento.

HEAVEN.

"They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes."-Rev. vii. 16, 17.

1

HIGH in yonder realms of light,

Dwell the raptured saints above,

Far beyond our feeble sight,
Happy in Immanuel's love!
Pilgrims in this vale of tears,
Once they knew, like us below,
Gloomy doubts, distressing fears,
Torturing pain and heavy wo.

2 But these days of sorrow o'er,

Past this scene of toil and pain, They shall feel distress no more, Never-never weep again! Happy spirits! ye are fled

Where no grief can entrance find; Lulled to rest the aching head, Soothed the anguish of the mind.

3 All is tranquil and serene,

Calm and undisturbed reposeThere no cloud can intervene― There no angry tempest blows:

Every tear is wiped away,

Sighs no more shall heave the breast;
Night is lost in endless day,
Sorrow, in eternal rest.