Sorrow and pain the Saviour knew; A dark and th.o.r.n.y path he trod; But heaven was ever in his view,-- That toilsome path led up to G.o.d.
Let every heart rejoice and sing; Let every sin and sorrow cease; Let children come this day and bring Their offering of love and peace.
THE MINISTRY OF PAIN.
Cease, my complaining spirit, cease; Know "tis a Father"s hand you feel; It leads you to the realms of peace; It kindly only wounds to heal.
My Father! what a holy joy Bursts on the sad, desponding mind, To say, when fiercest ills annoy,-- "I know my Father still is kind!"
This bids each trembling fear be still, Checks every murmur, every sigh; Patience then waits his sovereign will, Rejoiced to live,--resigned to die.
O blessed ministry of pain!
To teach the soul its real worth; To lead it to that source again, From whence it first derived its birth.
"BY FAITH YE ARE SAVED."
Christian! when, overwhelmed with grief and care, Thou prayest for the help that thou dost need, As shipwrecked mariner for life will plead, O, then for faith pour forth the fervent prayer!
"Tis faith alone life"s heavy ills can bear.
O, mark her calm, far-seeing, quickening eye, Full of the light of immortality!
It tells of worlds unseen, and calls us there; That look of hers can save thee from despair.
When sorrow, like thick darkness, gathers round, And all life"s flowers are fading in the dust, Faith lifts our drooping vision from the ground,-- Says, that the hand that smites us yet is just; That human agony hath ever found The mighty G.o.d a never-failing trust.
EVENING PRAYER.
Great Source of being, Father all-seeing!
We bow before thee; Our souls adore thee; Help us obey thee; Guide us aright; Keep us, we pray thee, Through the long night.
Thou kind, forgiving G.o.d of all living, Thy power defend us, Thy peace attend us, While we are closing This day in prayer, Ever reposing Under thy care.
EVENING HYMN.
Before I close my eyes to-night, Let me myself these questions ask:-- Have I endeavoured to do right, Nor thought my duty was a task?
Have I been gentle, lowly, meek, And the small voice of conscience heard?
When pa.s.sion tempted me to speak, Have I repressed the angry word?
Have I with cheerful zeal obeyed What my kind parents bid me do, And not by word or action said The thing that was not strictly true?
In hard temptation"s troubled hour, Then have I stopped to think and pray, That G.o.d would give my soul the power To chase the sinful thought away?
O Thou who seest all my heart, Wilt thou forgive and love me still!
Wilt thou to me new strength impart, And make me love to do thy will!
LINES WRITTEN AT MIDNIGHT.
TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN OF A.G. EBERHARD.
The sun in smiles doth dress his face, As evening comes to take his place; So looks the parting loved-one, when He means to quickly come again.
With moon and stars all sparkling bright, Advances now the silent night; And with the calm and gentle moon, Sweet peace doth quietly come on.
Who at the moon and stars can gaze Without a gush of love and praise?
And now it is the midnight hour, And sleep a.s.serts her soothing power.
But see, the flickering light is gone, That from my neighbour"s window shone; His simple household prayer is said, He rests from toil, on his hard bed.
Yet still the watchman wakes, and still Faithful till morning watch he will; But vain, O watchman! is thy care, If G.o.d, the Guardian, be not there.
By my dull lamp, whose light"s near gone, In my small room I sit alone, And, thinking o"er past joys and pain, A sweet contentment doth remain.
He"s still my trust; he, the true Shepherd, never Will forsake his sheep,--he watcheth ever; The mother may forget her child, but yet Thus saith the Lord,--"Thee I will not forget."
I rest in peace, I trust in Thee; Thy faithful eye still watcheth me; For He who ever wakes and lives To loving hearts no night e"er gives.
"HOPE IN G.o.d."
TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN OF S.A. MAHLMAN.
Hope, my heart, in patience hope,-- Thou at last thy flowers shalt gather; G.o.d is full of tender love,-- Childlike speak thou to thy Father.
From believing, trusting hearts, The G.o.d of mercy ne"er departs.
Clouds may come, and clouds may go, Rest upon his goodness always; To those joyful, sunny heights Lead these rough and gloomy pathways; Wakes for aye his Eye of Light,-- Tremble not in storm and night.
Anch.o.r.ed on the Eternal Rock, To the heart of G.o.d fast clinging, Tell him all thy deepest woes, Before him all thy sorrows bringing; He is kind, and comfort gives To every sorrowing heart that lives.
Let true faith strong courage give; Strength the Helper now is sending; Soon thou"lt understand His ways, Soon thou"lt find thy sorrows ending.
G.o.d! who life and goodness art!
In patience hope in Him, my heart.
FAILURE AND SUCCESS.
It is in failure, in distress, When, reft of all, it stands alone, And not in what men call success, The n.o.ble, valiant soul is known.
He who perfection makes his aim Shoots at a mark he may not reach; The world may laugh, the world may blame.
And what it calls _discretion_ preach.
And he will fail to win the goal Which low ambition makes its own; But, far beyond, his earnest soul Stands in the light, though all alone.
It was through insult, pain, and loss That Jesus won immortal power; Thus the great failure of the cross Was his triumphant, glorious hour.
Think not of failure or success; He fails who has a low desire.