Page images
PDF
EPUB

55

HOLINESS.

8.6.8.8.6.

ETERNAL Light! Eternal Light!

How pure the soul must be,

When, placed within Thy searching sight,
It shrinks not, but with calm delight
Can live, and look on Thee!

2 The spirits that surround Thy throne,
May bear the burning bliss;
But that is surely theirs alone,
Since they have never, never known
A fallen world like this.

3 O! how shall I, whose native sphere
Is dark, whose mind is dim,
Before the Ineffable appear,
And on my naked spirit bear
That uncreated beam?

4 There is a way for man to rise
To that sublime abode :-
An offering and a sacrifice,
A Holy Spirit's energies,
An Advocate with God.

5 These, these prepare us for the sight
Of holiness above;

The sons of ignorance and night
May dwell in the Eternal Light,
Through the Eternal Love!

T. BINNEY.

56

C.M.

GOD, enshrined in dazzling light
Above the highest sphere,

My soul is filled with awe to feel
That Thou art present here.
2 Thine Eye is as a lamp of fire,
And in its searching flame
I see myself, all stained with sin,
And bow my head with shame.

3 But, O my God, Thy Son hath died!
And from the dust I rise,
And from myself and all my sin
To Thee I lift mine eyes.

4 My sins are dark, but over all
Thy burning love I see;
And all my soul is full of praise,
And worships only Thee.

57

W. W. HOW.

UNCHANGEABLENESS AND
FAITHFULNESS.

C.M.

BEGIN, my tongue, some heavenly

And speak some boundless thing;
The mighty works, or mightier Name,
Of our eternal King.

2 Tell of His wondrous faithfulness,
And sound His power abroad;
Sing the sweet promise of His grace,
And the performing God.

3 Proclaim salvation from the Lord,
For wretched, dying men;

His hand has writ the sacred word
With an immortal pen.

4 Engraved as in eternal brass,
The mighty promise shines;

Nor can the powers of darkness rase
Those everlasting lines.

5 His

very word of grace is strong

As that which built the skies; The voice that rolls the stars along Speaks all the promises.

58

FAIT

WATTS.

C.M.

AITHFUL, O Lord, Thy mercies are,
A rock that cannot move;

A thousand promises declare

Thy constancy of love.

2 Throughout the universe it reigns
Unalterably sure,

And while the truth of God remains,
The goodness must endure.

3 Thy ceaseless, unexhausted love,
Unmerited and free,

Delights our evil to remove,

And help our misery.

4 Thy goodness and Thy truth, to me, To every soul abound,

A vast unfathomable sea,

Where all our thoughts are drowned.

5 Its streams the whole creation reach,
So plenteous is the store;
Enough for all, enough for each,
Enough for evermore.

59

WESLEY.

JEHOVAH, evermore the same,

D.L.M.

Unchanging and unchanged art Thou; And while Thy creatures wax and wane, In Thee there is no ebb or flow. Systems may rise and fade away, And nature weaken in her frame, Within Thyself there's no decay,

66

For evermore Thou art the same." 2 Nor would we have Thee change, O Lord, For kinder never could'st Thou be, Thy love is one great golden cord Binding the universe to Thee. Ere earth was made or time began, Or Christ of human flesh became, Thy love went forth on guilty man, For evermore 66 Thou art the same."

3 There's nought on earth that does not change:

All things are shifting on the stream, Whatever comes within our range Seems just as fleeting as a dream. There is no rest but in Thy Word, No settled hope but in Thy Name; Root Thou our souls in Thee, O Lord, For "Thou art" evermore

[ocr errors]

the same.'

D. THOMAS.

60

886.886.

L

ORD God, by whom all change is

wrought,

By whom new things to birth are brought,
In whom no change is known!
Whate'er Thou dost, whate'er Thou art,
Thy people still in Thee have part !
Still, still Thou art our own.

2 Ancient of Days! we dwell in Thee;
Out of Thine own eternity

Our peace and joy are wrought;
We rest in our eternal God,
And make secure and sweet abode
With Thee, who changest not.

3 Each steadfast promise we possess ;
Thine everlasting truth we bless,
Thine everlasting love;

The unfailing Helper close we clasp,
The everlasting Arms we grasp,
Nor from the Refuge move.

4 Spirit, who makest all things new, Thou leadest onward; we pursue The heavenly march sublime. 'Neath Thy renewing fire we glow, And still from strength to strength we go, From height to height we climb.

T. H. GILL.

« PreviousContinue »