1 Beneath the shadow of the cross, As earthly hopes remove, His new commandment Jesus gives, His blessed word of love.
2 O bond of union, strong and deep!
O bond of perfect peace!
Not even the lifted cross can harm, If we but hold to this.
3 Then, Jesus, be thy spirit ours!
And swift our feet shall move To deeds of pure self-sacrifice, "And the sweet tasks of love."
565. L. M. Doddridge.
Close of the Year.
1 G.o.d of eternity! from Thee Did infant time his being draw; Moments and days, and months and years, Revolve by Thine unvaried law.
2 Silent and swift they glide away: Steady and strong the current flows, Lost in eternity"s wide sea, The boundless gulf from which it rose.
3 Great Source of wisdom! teach our hearts To know the price of every hour, That time may bear us on to joys Beyond its measure and its power.
566. 7s. M. Newton.
New Year.
1 Bless, O Lord, each opening year To the souls a.s.sembling here: Clothe Thy word with power divine, Make us willing to be Thine.
2 Where Thou hast Thy work begun, Give new strength the race to run; Scatter darkness, doubts, and fears, Wipe away the mourner"s tears.
3 Bless us all, both old and young; Call forth praise from every tongue: Let our whole a.s.sembly prove All Thy power and all Thy love!
567. L. M. Anonymous.
Thanksgiving Hymn.
1 Father of mercies! G.o.d of peace!
Being whose bounties never cease!
While to the heavens, in grateful tones, Ascend our mingled orisons, Listen to these, the notes of praise, Which we, a happy people, raise!
2 Our hamlets, sheltered by Thy care, Abodes of peace and plenty are; Our tillage by Thy blessing yields An hundred fold from ripened fields: And flowing grain, and burthened vine, Are tokens of Thy Love divine.
3 The cradled head of infancy Doth owe its tranquil rest to Thee; Youth"s doubting step, man"s firmer tread, In years mature, by Thee are led; Secure may trembling age, oh Lord!
Lean on its staff, Thy holy Word.
4 Teach us these blessings to improve, Teach us to serve Thee, teach to love; Exalt our hearts, that we may see The Giver of all good in Thee; And be Thy word our daily food, Thy service, Lord, our greatest good.
568. 7s. M. Mary W. Hale.
Christmas.
1 When in silence, o"er the deep, Darkness kept its deathlike sleep, Soon as G.o.d His mandate spoke, Light in wondrous beauty broke.
2 But a beam of holier light Gilded Bethlehem"s lonely night, When the glory of the Lord, Mercy"s sunlight, shone abroad.
3 "Peace on earth, good-will to men."
Burst the glorious anthem then; Angels, bending from above, Joined that strain of holy love.
4 Floating o"er the waves of time, Comes to us that song sublime, Bearing to the pilgrim"s ear Words to soothe, sustain, and cheer.
5 For creation"s blessed light, Praise to Thee, Thou G.o.d of might!
Seraph-strains Thy name should bless For the Sun of Righteousness!
569. P. M. Longfellow.
Ordination.
1 Christ to the young man said: "Yet one thing more, If thou wouldst perfect be; Sell all thou hast and give it to the poor, And come and follow me!"
2 Within this temple, Christ again, unseen, Those sacred words has said; And his invisible hands to-day have been Laid on a young man"s head.
3 And evermore beside him on his way, The unseen Christ shall move, That he may lean upon his arm and say, "Dost thou, dear Lord, approve?"
4 Beside him at the marriage feast shall be, To make the scene more fair; Beside him in the dark Gethsemane Of pain and midnight prayer.
5 O holy trust! O endless sense of rest!
Like the beloved John, To lay his head upon the Saviour"s breast, And thus to journey on!