372 "Suffer little children to come unto Me.”

1 THE gentle Saviour calls

2

Our children to His breast;

He folds them in His gracious arms;
Himself declares them blest.

"Forbid them not," He cries,

"Nor scorn their humble claim; "The heirs of heaven are such as these, "For such as these I came.

3 Gladly we bring them, Lord,
Devoting them to Thee:

Imploring that, as we are Thine,

Thine may our offspring be. Amen.

373 "By one Spirit are we all baptized
into one Body."

1 JESUS, we lift our souls to Thee;
Thy Holy Spirit breathe,
And let this little infant be
Baptized into Thy death.

2 O let Thine unction on him rest,
Thy grace his soul renew;
And write within his tender breast
Thy Name and nature too.

3 Lord, if Thou lengthen out his race,
Continue still Thy care;

Or should'st Thou quickly end his days,
His place with Thee prepare.

4 Lord, plant us all into Thy death,
That we Thy life may prove;
Partakers of Thy Cross beneath,
And of Thy crown above.

Amen.

1 SAVIOUR, Who Thy flock art feeding
With the shepherd's kindest care,
All the feeble gently leading,

While the lambs Thy bosom share;

2 Now, these little ones receiving,
Fold them in Thy gracious arm:
There, we know, Thy word believing,
Only there secure from harm!

3 Never, from Thy pasture roving,
Let them be the lion's prey;
Let Thy tenderness, so loving,
Keep them all life's dangerous way;

4 Then, within Thy fold eternal,
Let them find a resting-place,

Feed in pastures ever vernal,

Drink the rivers of Thy grace. Amen.

Confirmation.

375 "The God of all grace... make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.”

1 LORD, shall Thy children come to Thee?
A boon of love divine we seek―
Brought to Thine arms in infancy,

Ere heart could feel or tongue could speak
Thy children pray for grace that they
May come themselves to Thee to-day.

2 Lord, shall we come? and come again,
Oft as we see yon table spread,
And-tokens of Thy dying pain-

The wine poured out, the broken bread?
Bless, bless, O Lord, Thy children s prayer,
That they may come and find Thee there.

3 Lord, shall we come? not thus alone
At holy time or solemn rite,
But every hour, till life be flown,

In weal or woe, in gloom or light,
Come to Thy throne of grace, that we
In faith, hope, love, confirmed may be?

4 Lord, shall we come? come yet again?
Thy children ask one blessing more;
To come, not now alone, but then,

When life and death and time are o'er ; Then, then to come, O Lord, and be Confirmed in heaven, confirmed by Thee.

1 THINE for ever;-God of love,
Hear us from Thy throne above;
Thine for ever may we be,
Here and in eternity.

2 Thine for ever;-Lord of life,

Amen.

Shield us through our earthly strife;
Thou the Life, the Truth, the Way,
Guide us to the realms of day.

3 Thine for ever;-O how blest
They who find in Thee their rest!
Saviour, Guardian, Heavenly Friend,
O defend us to the end.

4 Thine for ever;-Saviour, keep
These Thy frail and trembling sheep;
Safe alone beneath Thy care,
Let us all Thy goodness share.

5 Thine for ever;-Thou our Guide,
All our wants by Thee supplied,
All our sins by Thee forgiven,

Lead us, Lord, from earth to heaven.

Amen.

377 "Thou, therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus." SOLDIERS of Christ! arise,

1

2

3

4

And put your armour on,

Strong in the strength which God supplies
Through His eternal Son;

Strong in the Lord of Hosts,

And in His mighty power:

Who in the strength of Jesus trusts
Is more than conqueror.

Stand, then, in His great might,
With all His strength endued;
And take, to arm you for the fight,
The panoply of God:

From strength to strength go on,
Wrestle, and fight, and pray;

Tread all the powers of darkness down,
And win the well-fought day.

5

That having all things done,

And all your conflicts past,

Ye may o'ercome through Christ alone,

And stand complete at last.

Amen.

T

378 "Fight the good fight of faith."

1 OFT in danger, oft in woe,
Onward, Christians, onward go:
Fight the fight, maintain the strife,
Strengthen'd with the bread of life.

2 Onward, Christians, onward go,
Join the war, and face the foe:
Will ye flee in danger's hour?
Know your Captain's power

ye not

3 Let your drooping hearts be glad;
March in heavenly armour clad:
Fight, nor think the battle long,
Victory soon shall tune your song.

4 Let not sorrow dim your eye,
Soon shall every tear be dry;
Let not fears your course impede,
Great your strength, if great your need.

5 Onward, then, to battle move,
More than conquerors ye shall prove:
Though opposed by many a foe,
Christian soldiers, onward go! Amen.

379 "Speak unto the children of Israel that they go forward."

1 ONWARD, Christian soldiers'
Marching as to war,
Looking unto Jesus,
Who is gone before.