1 Nay, tell us not of dangers dire That lie in duty"s path; A warrior of the cross can feel No fear of human wrath.
2 Where"er the Prince of Darkness holds His earthly reign abhorred, Sword of the spirit, thee we draw, And battle for the Lord.
3 We go! we go, to break the chains That bind the erring mind, And give the freedom that we feel To all of human kind.
4 But, O, we wear no burnished steel, And seek no gory field; Our weapon is the word of G.o.d, His promise is our shield.
5 And still serene and fixed in faith, We fear no earthly harm; We know it is our Father"s work, We rest upon His arm.
310. 8 & 7s. M. Longfellow.
Psalm of Life.
1 Tell me not, in mournful numbers, Life is but an empty dream; For the soul is dead that slumbers, And things are not what they seem.
2 Life is real! life is earnest!
And the grave is not its goal; Dust thou art, to dust returnest, Was not spoken of the soul.
3 Not enjoyment, and not sorrow, Is our destined end and way; But to act, that each to-morrow Find us further than to-day.
4 Lives of true men all remind us We can make our lives sublime, And, departing, leave behind us Footprints on the sands of time;
5 Footprints which perhaps another, Sailing o"er life"s solemn main, A forlorn and shipwrecked brother, Seeing, shall take heart again.
6 Let us, then, be up and doing, With a heart for any fate; Still achieving, still pursuing, Learn to labor and to wait.
311. C. M. *Watts.
The Soldier of the Cross.
1 Am I a soldier of the cross, And pledged to bear its shame?
And shall I fear to own Christ"s cause, Or blush to speak his name?
2 Must I be carried to the skies On flowery beds of ease, While others fought to win the prize, And sailed through b.l.o.o.d.y seas?
3 Are there no foes for me to face?
Must I not stem the flood?
Shall sloth and faintness win Thy peace, O Thou, the martyr"s G.o.d?
4 The fearless heart Thou wilt sustain; Increase my courage, Lord!
I"ll bear the toil, endure the pain, Supported by Thy word.
5 The saints in all this glorious war Shall conquer, though they die; They see the triumph from afar, And seize it with their eye.
6 When Thy ill.u.s.trious day shall rise, And all Thy armies shine In robes of victory through the skies, The glory shall be Thine.
312. L. M. Gaskell.
Press On!
1 Press on, press on! ye sons of light, Untiring in your holy fight, Still treading each temptation down, And battling for a brighter crown.
2 Press on, press on! through toil and woe, With calm resolve, to triumph go, And make each dark and threatening ill Yield but a higher glory still.
3 Press on, press on! still look in faith To him who vanquished sin and death; Then shall ye hear G.o.d"s word, "Well done!"
True to the last, press on, press on!
313. 8 & 7s. M. *
The Conflict of Life.
1 Onward, Christian, though the region Where thou art be drear and lone; G.o.d hath set a guardian legion Very near thee,--press thou on!
2 Listen, Christian, their Hosanna Rolleth o"er thee,--"G.o.d is Love."
Write upon thy red-cross banner, "Upward ever,--heaven"s above."
3 By the thorn-road, and none other, Is the mount of vision won; Tread it without shrinking, brother!
Jesus trod it,--press thou on!
4 By thy trustful, calm endeavor, Guiding, cheering, like the sun, Earth-bound hearts thou shall deliver; O, for their sake, press thou on!
5 Be this world the wiser, stronger, For thy life of pain and peace; While it needs thee, O, no longer Pray thou for thy quick release;
6 Pray thou, Christian, daily, rather, That thou be a faithful son; By the prayer of Jesus,--"Father, Not my will, but Thine, be done!"
314. 7s. M. Gaskell.
Sleep Not As Do Others.