212.

C. M.

The Mission of Christ.

DODDRIDGE.

1 HARK, the glad sound! the Saviour comes!
The Saviour promised long!
Let every heart prepare a throne,
And every voice a song.

2 On him the Spirit largely poured,
Exerts its sacred fire;

Wisdom and might, and zeal and love,
His holy breast inspire.

3 He comes, from thickest films of vice
To clear the mental ray;
And on the eye-balls of the blind
To pour celestial day.

4 He comes, the broken heart to bind,
The bleeding soul to cure;
And with the treasure of his grace
Enrich the humble poor.

5 Our glad hosannas, Prince of Peace!
Thy welcome shall proclaim;
And heaven's eternal arches ring
With thy beloved name.

The Kingdom of Christ.

1 Joy to the world! the Lord is come!

Let earth receive her King;

Let every

heart prepare

him room,

And heaven and nature sing!

2 Joy to the earth! the Saviour reigns! Let men their songs employ;

WATTS.

While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy.

214.

3 No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;

He comes to make his blessings flow
As far as sin is found.

4 He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of his righteousness,
And wonders of his love.

C. M.

John the Herald of Christ.

1 JOHN was the prophet of the Lord

Το

go before his face;

WATTS

The herald which the Prince of Peace

Sent to prepare his ways.

2 "Behold the Lamb of God," he cries,
That takes our guilt away;

66

I saw the Spirit o'er his head,
On his baptizing day.

3"Be every vale exalted high,

Sink every mountain low;

The proud must stoop, and humble souls
Shall his salvation know.

4" Behold the Morning Star arise,
Ye that in darkness sit;

He marks the path that leads to peace,
And guides our doubtful feet."

C. M.

The Baptism of Jesus.

EXETER COLL

1 SEE, from on high, a light divine

On Jesus' head descend!

And hear the sacred voice from heaven
That bids us all attend.

215.

2 "This is my well-beloved Son,"
Proclaimed the voice divine;
"Hear him," his heavenly Father said,
"For all his words are mine."

3 His mission thus confirmed from heaven,
The great Messiah came,

And heavenly wisdom showed to man
In God his Father's name.

4 The path of heavenly peace he showed
That leads to bliss on high;

Where all his faithful followers here
Shall live, no more to die.

216.

S. M.

NEEDHAM.

Christ the Light of the World.

1 BEHOLD! the Prince of Peace,

The chosen of the Lord,
God's well-beloved Son, fulfils
The sure prophetic word.

2 No royal pomp adorns

This King of righteousness:
Meekness and patience, truth and love,
Compose his princely dress.

3 The spirit of the Lord,
In rich abundance shed,
On this great Prophet gently lights,
And rests upon his head.

4 Jesus, the light of men,

His doctrine life imparts;

O, may we feel its quickening power
To warm and glad our hearts.

5 Cheered by its beams, our souls

Shall run the heavenly way;

The path which Christ has marked and trod,
Will lead to endless day.

217.

L. M.

Jesus Preaching the Gospel.

BOWRING.

1 How sweetly flowed the gospel's sound From lips of gentleness and grace, When listening thousands gathered round, And joy and reverence filled the place!

2 From heaven he came-of heaven he spoke To heaven he led his followers' way; Dark clouds of gloomy night he broke, Unveiling an immortal day.

3 "Come, wanderers, to my Father's home,
Come, all ye weary ones, and rest!"
Yes! sacred teacher,we will come-
Obey thee, love thee, and be blest!

4 Decay, then, tenements of dust!
Pillars of earthly pride, decay!
A nobler mansion waits the just,
And Jesus has prepared the way.

218.

L. M.

Miracles of Christ.

1 ON eyes that never saw the day
Christ pours the bright celestial ray;
And deafened ears, by him unbound,
Catch all the harmony of sound.

goes

BUTCHER.

2 Lameness takes up its bed, and
Rejoicing in the strength that flows
Through every nerve; and, free from pain,
Pours forth to God the grateful strain.

3 The shattered mind his word restores,
And tunes afresh the mental powers;
The dead revive, to life return,
And bid affection cease to mourn.

4 Canst thou, my soul, these wonders trace,
And not admire Jehovah's grace ?
Canst thou behold thy Prophet's power,
And not the God he served adore?

219.

L. M.

RUSSELL.

"That ye through his poverty might be rich.”
1 O'ER the dark wave of Galilee

The gloom of twilight gathers fast,
And on the waters drearily

Descends the fitful evening blast.

2 The weary bird hath left the air,
And sunk into his sheltered nest;
The wandering beast has sought his lair,
And laid him down to welcome rest.

3 Still, near the lake, with weary tread,
Lingers a form of human kind;
And on his lone, unsheltered head,
Flows the chill night-damp of the wind.

4 Why seeks he not a home of rest?
Why seeks he not a pillowed bed?
Beasts have their dens, the bird its nest;
He hath not where to lay his head.

5 Such was the lot he freely chose,

220.

To bless, to save the human race;
And through his poverty there flows
A rich, full stream of heavenly grace.

1 FEAR was within the tossing bark,
When stormy winds grew loud,
And waves came rolling high and dark,
And the tall mast was bowed.