We may not climb the heavenly steeps To bring the Lord Christ down; In vain we search the lowest deeps, For him no depths can drown.
2 But warm, sweet, tender, even yet A present help is he; And faith has yet its Olivet, And love its Galilee.
3 The healing of the seamless dress Is by our beds of pain; We touch him in life"s throng and press, And we are whole again.
4 Through him the first fond prayers are said Our lips of childhood frame; The last low whispers of our dead Are burdened with his name.
5 O Lord and Master of us all, Whate"er our name or sign, We own thy sway, we hear thy call, We test our lives by thine!
J. G. Whittier.
106 Invitation. C.M.
_Childhood of Jesus._ (228)
In stature grows the heavenly Child, With death before his eyes; A Lamb unblemished, meek and mild, Prepared for sacrifice.
2 The Son of G.o.d his glory hides With parents mean and poor; And he who made the heavens abides In dwelling-place obscure.
3 Those mighty hands that stay the sky No earthly toil refuse; And he who set the stars on high A humble trade pursues.
4 He before whom the angels stand.
At whose behest they fly, Now yields himself to man"s command, And lays his glory by.
5 The Father"s name we loudly raise, The Son we all adore, The Holy Ghost, One G.o.d, we praise, Both now and evermore.
Anon.
107 Invitation. C.M.
_A Man of Sorrow._ (229)
A pilgrim through this lonely world, The blessed Savior pa.s.sed; A mourner all his life was he, A dying Lamb at last
2 That tender heart which felt for all, For us its life-blood gave; It found on earth no resting-place.
Save only in the grave.
3 Such was our Lord; and shall we fear The cross with all its scorn?
Or love a faithless, evil world That wreathed his brow with thorn?
4 No, facing all its frowns or smiles, Like him obedient still, We homeward press, through storm or calm, To Zion"s blessed hill.
H. Bonar.
108 Olivet. L.M.
_The Meekness of Jesus._ (242)
How beauteous were the marks divine, That in thy meekness used to shine; That lit thy lonely pathway, trod In wondrous love, O Son of G.o.d!
2 Oh, who, like thee, so calm, so bright, Thou G.o.d of G.o.d, thou Light of Light!
Oh, who, like thee, did ever go So patient through a world of woe?
3 Oh, who, like thee, so humbly bore The scorn, the scoffs of men before?
So meek, forgiving, G.o.dlike, high, So glorious in humility?
4 E"en death, which sets the prisoner free, Was pang, and scoff, and scorn to thee; Yet love, through all thy torture glowed, And mercy with thy life-blood flowed.
5 Oh, in thy light, be mine to go, Illuming all my way of woe!
And give me ever on the road To trace thy footsteps, Son of G.o.d!
Arthur Cleveland c.o.xe, 1838.
109 Olivet. L.M.
_The Teaching of Jesus._ (243)
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.
John Bowring, 1823.
110 Olivet. L.M.
_Christ"s Example._ (239)
My dear Redeemer and my Lord, I read my duty in thy Word; But in thy life the law appears, Drawn out in living characters.
2 Such was thy truth, and such thy zeal, Such deference to thy Father"s will, Such love and meekness so divine, I would transcribe and make them mine.
3 Cold mountains and the midnight air Witnessed the fervor of thy prayer; The desert thy temptations knew; Thy conflict and thy victory too.
4 Be thou my pattern, make me bear More of thy gracious image here; Then G.o.d, the Judge, shall own my name Among the followers of the Lamb.
Isaac Watts, 1709.
111 Overberg. L.M.