Chapter 2

Wistful upon the strand I gaze Toward heaven, my country's shore, Expecting hence ere long to sail, And sin and weep no more.

When I depart for other worlds, What friend will cleave to me? None, none, how well soe'er beloved-- Dear Jesus, none but Thee.

XXIX. A FATHER AT THE HELM.

Far, far on the ocean one cold starless night, A small bark was sailing in pitiful plight: The boom of the billows, as on rushed the storm, O'ercame the stout hearts of the men with alarm.

But one in that lone boat was fearless the while,-- The captain's bright boy:--looking round with a smile: "The storm threatens," he said, "but still do not fear, We safely shall land, for _my Father doth steer._"

O why, child of heaven, is thy faithless breast, In viewing the tempest with terror oppressed? The dark depths are roaring, but yield not to fear, Thy vessel is safe, for thy Father doth steer.

Soon, soon endless joy shall encompass thy brow, Thy friends on the shore are awaiting thee now: Unfurl every sail, see the bright morn appear, And Canaan is nigh, and thy Father doth steer.

Unfurl every sail, for the favouring breeze Is urging thee on to the haven of peace: Thine anchor is safe--thou to Jesus art dear: Thou hast entered the port--and thy Father doth steer.

XXX. EVENING HYMN.

Jesus, my Saviour and my God, Who gavest us thy precious blood To heal our guilty smart: O give me faith to make my nest, Where this my soul may hide and rest, Within thy wounded heart.

In thy safe bosom let me lie, Prepared in holy peace to die, If Thou ere morn shouldst call: Then may thine angel-guards attend, And me from Satan's power defend, Lest to his hands I fall.

XXXI. LONGING.

Direct unto my God, With speed, my cry ascend: Present to Him this urgent plea:-- "In mercy, Lord, attend! "Fulfil thy gracious word, "To bring me to thy rest; "In Salem soon my place prepare, "And make me ever blest!

"Down in a vale of tears "Where dwelt my Christ I mourn, "And in the conflict with my foes, "My tender heart is torn: "O heal each bleeding wound, "With thy life-giving tree; "In Salem, Lord, above the strife, "A place prepare for me!"

XXXII. A GLANCE.

A pilgrim I to Canaan flee, To dwell, my blessed Lord, with Thee In thine eternal rest:[4] Beyond the tempter's roar and dart, And every foe to cause me smart, Thy constant, filial guest.

Afar I sometimes see below A glimpse of Salem's mansions glow, All blessèd, all divine: O city high, nor sun nor moon, Arise o'er thee, God is thy noon! When shall thy bliss be mine?

At the great resurrection day, I shall shake off this heavy clay, And rise above the earth: Then mount on wings sublime to heaven, When Thou hast powers immortal given, O strange, and glorious birth!

And then, with life immortal crowned, My feeble song of glory drowned Among the sons of light, Our strains shall high and higher swell, In keeping feast without farewell, To Jesus day and night.

[4]Originally "nyth," nest.

XXXIII. DESIRE.

Thy bright, swift pinions, Dawn, had I, To distant realms my soul would fly; And view eternal mansions there, Where my lost friends and Saviour are.

O were to me that chariot given, Which bore the man of God to heaven: I would this earthly tent resign, And every mortal joy of mine.

By day or night I should not tire, Had I pillared cloud and fire: I'd sing the dreary desert through, And joyful enter Jordan too.

Or could I Jacob's ladder climb, I'd leave afar the clouds of time; Nor rest until my favoured ears Caught angel-strains above the spheres.

My soul, it is thy Peniel here, Repeat good Jacob's earnest prayer: Perchance, before the morning wake, The day divine may o'er thee break.

XXXIV. JUBILEE.

I am through the lone night waiting, For the dawning of the day, When my prison door is opened, When my fetters fall away. O come quickly, Happy day of Jubilee!

Let me still be meekly wakeful, Trusting that to all my woes, By thy mighty hand, Redeemer, Shall be given a speedy close: Keep me watching, For the joyful Jubilee.

XXXV. LOOKING BEYOND.

I look beyond the distant hills, My risen Lord to see: O come, Beloved, ere the dusk, My sun doth set on me!

Methinks that were my feet released From these afflicting chains, I would but sing of Calvary, Nor think of all my pains.

I long for thy divine abode, Where sinless myriads dwell, Who ceaseless sing thy boundless love, And all thy glories tell.

XXXVI. ONE WITH CHRIST.

(TO A CHRISTIAN FRIEND UNDER BEREAVEMENT.)

What though the dark cloud for a season doth hover, O'er pleasures and prospects so humble as thine; The joy of the past taken from thee for ever-- And thy faint heart tempted by grief to repine: Thy Loved and thy Lost shall on earth no more greet thee, Farewell hath thine eyes with its weeping made dim; But think, though Creation henceforth may seem empty, Thou canst not be severed a moment from HIM.

Oft, oft shall the prayer unto God be ascending, Though far in the wilderness from thee we dwell, That into thine heart He may daily be sending Joys, comforts, and blessings which tongue cannot tell: That long be thy life, and all-fragrant that life be, And if more affliction thy bliss should bedim. His voice of compassion may sweetly remind thee, Thy life, in thy trials, is hidden with HIM.

But short is our sojourn on earth at the longest, The day comes apace mid our pleasure and strife, When, though to the seeming we flourish the fairest, Shall our roots be plucked up from this nursery--life: And O, when the tomb life's scenes from us shall sever, When death's awful shadow this world shall bedim, May we rise to the kingdom of life and for ever Be planted in glory--true branches of HIM.

THE CHURCH.

XXXVII. LOVE.

Let brethren cease of party names to speak-- Of party strife--have vanished "Jew and Greek:" Sweet Peace appear, and Love thy seat maintain, That holy Love, which chief in heaven doth reign.

XXXVIII. "FORWARD."

Advance, advance, ye hosts of God, Unfurl the standard stained with blood: Soon shall ye wave the palm on high. Soon raise the shout of "victory," And chaplets wear that never die-- The world is yours!

XXXIX. THE MIGHTY NAME.

Emmanuel's name Shall win wider fame, Through vales and o'er hills it shall sound: Great Jericho's wall, Before it shall fall; The trumpets re-echo around.

XL. COMING TO ZION.

All tribes and tongues together come, The scattered Jews and Gentiles, home; Throughout the host a chorus runs, Of special praise for Ethiop sons.

Hark, hark! the tide of song, Rolls onward from the throng: Soon Zion shall obtain The purchase of Messiah's pain.

XLI. "ABIDE WITH US."

Fix a dwelling, Lord, in Goshen-- Shall thine Israel be denied? From thy shining exaltation, Deign to bow, and here abide: Dwell among thy pilgrim people, Where the tribes to praise Thee come, Nor depart, Redeemer, from us, Till the final day of doom.

XLII. THE HOUSE OF GOD.

In thine abode Sweet peace and gladness reign; While left below My soul would here remain: Among thy sons Whom sacred wisdom guides, Within whose breast The love of God presides.

Here milk and wine To cheer the fainting flow, And living streams That whiter make than snow. Unto all men The wisdom, Lord, be given, To seek thy house, And learn the work of heaven.

XLIII. COMMENCEMENT OF WORSHIP.

He who darts the wingèd lightning,-- Walks upon the foaming wave,-- Send forth arrows of conviction Here,--exert his power to save: Burst the bars of Satan's prison: Snatch the firebrand from the flame, Fill the doubting with assurance: Teach the dumb to sing His name!

XLIV. ZION ASLEEP.

O that now mine eyes were fountains, That I night and day might weep, To see Zion in the desert, On her journey gone asleep. In its sin the wide world lying, Zion halted--sleeping fast: With thy breath to wake the valley, Come, eternal Spirit, haste!

Zion, wake! O hear the groaning Of the earth beneath her wrong; Time it is that thou wert stirring, Why, O why hast slept so long? Slumbered hast thou many ages, And thy Lord account hath kept: Shall thy foes say, Zion, Zion! "None, as thou, so long hath slept!"

XLV. "SAVE, LORD."

Rescue Zion for thy praise, From affliction: Are not these the promised days Of salvation?

Lo, thy servants for her sake, Weep before Thee, And their hearts with longing break:-- Lord, have mercy!

XLVI. "THY KINGDOM COME."

To all the tribes of earth, Send, Lord, thy gospel forth, From sea to sea: Soon may the heathen come Unto thy sacred home; Nor ever, ever roam From thine, and Thee.

XLVII. DAWN.

It shall not long remain, This dark tempestuous night; Not long doth Christ ordain, To bear the cross, and fight: Behold the herald Dawn appear, Auspicious morn is drawing near.

DEATH.

XLVIII. DEATH UNAVOIDABLE.

To thy regions, World-eternal, Onward, onward, is my face; Resting spot in vain I wish for, Till in thee I find my place: Death's dark portal, Though so dark I must pass through.

When death's cold and turbid waters, To their bosom me receive, Who will dissipate the darkness, Who my terror will relieve? If my Saviour Smile, then fear will flee away.

XLIX. THE LAMP.

I.

(THE MEASURE OF THE SECOND PART HAS BEEN CHANGED.)

A weary pilgrim sat, Above a gloomy stream, A lamp he firmly held Shed round a cheerful gleam: It showed that river's farther banks, Crowded with wistful spirit ranks.

He cometh to the stream, Adown a rough ravine, The lamp still in his hand By friends above is seen; And friends beyond can see him come, His lamp reveals him through the gloom.

Now mid the rushing tide, The Faithful One he sees With arms spread open wide, To bear him into Peace: And in the world where he is gone, They need no lamp nor light of sun.

II.

Down to that gloomy stream, Creeps one in wild dismay; The light of earthly joy Fades gently, fades away: There echo through the dismal shade, Strange sounds by hideous monsters made.

The lamp he holds goes out-- O who can speak his pain! For never shall he see Its needed light again: Victorious Death there boastful bides, Twin Darkness his loud horror hides.

He lists with bated breath Some friendly foot to hear, With whispered word of hope, Or lighted lamp draw near: But foot of succour none doth sound, While taunting demons sport around.

At length with piteous groan He stumbles to the flood,-- A mortal made to know The frowning love of God: He sinks, he swims; now, all is o'er: Hope must forsake him ever more.

JUDGEMENT.

L. THE TESTING.

A day for solemn trial Of men is drawing near, Who has the hidden substance, Who dross, will then appear. O God, let me experience Upon my heart thy grace; That is the stamp and _image_ Alone that day can pass.

LI. THE JUDGEMENT COME.

Hark, hark! methinks I hear a voice, Swift piercing through the troubled sky: "He comes, He comes; ye saints rejoice; The end, the end of time, is nigh!

Ye saints from dust awake, awake, To joys immortal wing your flight: Of crowns, and harps, and thrones partake, They are your endless, blood-bought right."

LII. "COME, YE BLESSED!"

Lo! He comes on clouds of glory, Circled by an angel-throng Who proclaim His lofty titles With their trumpets, loud and long. Halleluiah, Welcome, welcome, Son of Man!

Thousand thousands, myriad myriads Bright attendants on the Lord, See I rising from corruption, At the mighty signal-word: Farewell, sadness, Full redemption now is come.

Now behold th' exalted Shepherd Calleth one by one his sheep; Lo! they rise with joy to meet Him, None in earth or ocean sleep. Love unbounded, Thou shalt henceforth ever reign.

There for sin is no upbraiding, Nought but pardon full and free: Nought but his deep love, and merit Shall now unforgotten be; Fear hath vanished, Joy and rapture overflow.

"Come, ye faithful servants, enter, Blessèd children of your God: Come, receive eternal mansions, Purchased for you with my blood! Come and welcome, Now my love is satisfied."

HEAVEN.

LIII. HEAVENWARD.

Toward heaven, my Father's home, I steer, Tossed on the billowy flood: A man that hath no purpose here Save seeking for his God.

Let me not swerve to right or left, Or of thy guidance tire; Kept in the course that heavenward leads, Through gulphs of flood and fire.

Opposing tempests beat me back, And I have strength no more; O take me, Jesus, in thine arms, And bear to yonder shore.

LIV. "FAR BETTER."

Many dear ones are departed To the grave's dark silent land: I shall soon receive the summons There to lie amid the band; Where they hear not Any more sad earth's complaints.

Blest are they who have expired In the Lord, supremely blest! In the port so oft desired They for ever safely rest. How much better, There to sing than sigh with us!

LV. EARTH AND HEAVEN.

My cup doth often while below, With Marah's waters overflow: But care and grief which here annoy, Above shall be absorbed in joy.

The fire of love within the breast Is here but fond desire at best: The faintest spark in heaven it knows With an immortal ardour glows.

The joy for which I here can hope Is but the small tormenting drop: A fathomless, eternal sea Of bliss shall there encompass me.

A distant clouded glimpse is all That Faith on earth may vision call: But unto Faith and Hope in heaven Are prospect and possession given.

Crumbs are on earth our richest fare: But banquets wait the pilgrim there. Here cold and faint the songs we raise: But deathless there will be our praise.

Here evening shades envelope me; All darkness shall from Zion flee; Without a veil it will be given God face to face to see in Heaven.

LVI. THE SAVED.

I see a myriad saved, Who once were faint as I; Now they have climbed the rocky steeps, And reign with Christ on high. They sing on yonder side, From doubt and sorrow free, The praises of the bleeding Lamb, The song of Calvary.

LVII. ENDLESS PRAISE.

But begun will be the singing Unto Jesus round His throne, By the saved when tardy ages With their songs and joys are flown: And for ever, Shall the golden harps resound.

There shall I rehearse the story, How a weakling faint and worn, Was o'er rocks and through deep waters, To eternal glory borne: Jesus wholly, Shall absorb the songs of heaven,

LVIII. APPROACHING LAND.

(Thought to have been suggested to the seraphic Bard, Williams, of Pantycelyn, by the approach of Columbus to the shores of the Western Continent.)

Here I am a passing stranger, Far away my native land; O'er the wide and stormy ocean, Where lies Canaan's happy strand. Raging storms of strong temptation Drove me from my home astray: Bear me, balmy southern breezes, To its verdant shores away!

Spite of waves and counter-currents Rolling o'er me from each side, Through the seas and storms opposing, I shall stem the swelling tide. Than the floods thy word is stronger-- Stronger than the 'whelming wave: All my hope I calmly venture On thy promise, Lord, to save.

Not much longer must I battle With the billows thus forlorn, Land is nigh, each faithful promise Shews how nigh Salvation's morn. Not the deep shall be my dwelling:-- Joyful shall my spirit come, When the seas have cleansed and proved me, To my loved eternal Home.

Yea, methinks I catch already Fragrant perfumes from the land, Wafted by celestial breezes; Surely it is near at hand. O could I its coast discover, Blessed country free from strife; There my dearest friends are dwelling, There is everlasting life!

CLOSE.

If there be holy contest Who ought to sing the loudest On plains of heaven; Who most to Christ indebted, Who loftiest exalted, Being most forgiven: A plea there will appear for me; For of the many, Whom sovereign Mercy, With arm almighty, May raise that state to see, No one more undeserving Of joy so great can be. One song shall echo through the throng: "To Him who loved us: To Him who washed us: To Him who saved us, From deep and miry clay!" The thrilling anthem doubling, Unending, night and day.

INDEX Of the Original Welsh First-lines, corresponding to the order of the Translations.

I. Canu wnaf am gariad Iesu 1 II. Coronwyd, do, Iachawdwr byd 1 III. Iesu ydyw fy Nghreawdwr 2 IV. Pwy wela'i o Edom yn dôd 5 V. Yn Eden, cofiaf hyny byth 5 VI. (English Original) 6 VII. (English Original) 7 VIII. Yn y dyfroedd mawr a'r tonau 7 IX. Am graig i adeiladu 8 X. Ar dymhorau o ofidiau 9 XI. Llefwch, genhadon Duw o hyd 9 XII, Dyma babell y cyfarfod 10 XIII. Angylion dont yn gysson 10 XIV. Cofia f' enaid cyn it' dreulio 11 XV. O'r fath wagedd, fath ffolineb 11 XVI. Fy enaid llwythog, euog i 12 XVII. Chwilio bum y greadigaeth 13 XVIII. Ffowch deganau gwael y ddaear 13 XIX. Anweledig rwy'n dy garu 14 XX. Rhyfedd na buaswn 'nawr 14 XXI. O clyw fy ngwaedd, a gwêl fy ngwedd 15 XXII. Os gwelir fi, bechadur 15 XXIII. Dysg fi dewi megys Aaron 16 XXIV. P'odd y galla'i ddweud sydd ynwyf 17 XXV. (English Original) 17 XXVI. A raid i gystudd garw'r groes 18 XXVII. Mae Crist a'i wradwyddiadau 18 XXVIII. Mi feddyliais yn y boreu 18 XXIX. Mi dreuliaf weddill dyddiau f' oes 19 XXX. Draw, draw ar y cefnfor 20 XXXI. O Iesu'm ffrynd a'm prynwr drud 20 XXXII. Fy ngweddi dôs i'r nêf 20 XXXIII. Pererin wyf i'r Ganaan fry 21 XXXIV. Pe cawn adenydd boreu wawr 21 XXXV. Dysgwyl 'rwyf ar hyd yr hir nos 22 XXXVI. 'Rwy'n edrych dros y bryniau pell 22 XXXVII (English Original) 23 XXXVIII. Darfydded sôn am bob ymryson mwy 24 XXXIX. Ymlaen, ymlaen, chwi filwyr Duw 24 XL. Efengyl yr Oen 24 XLI. Pob llwyth ac iaith ddaw yn gytun 24 XLII. Gosod babell yn ngwlad Gosen 25 XLIII. Yn nhy fy Nuw, lle tawel, llawn o hedd 25 XLIV, 'Rhwn sy'n peri'r mellt i hedeg 26 XLV. O na bai fy mhen yn ddyfroedd 26 XLVI. Achub Sion er dy glôd 26 XLVII. At holl dylwythau'r ddaear 27 XLVIII. Ni pheri ddim yn hir 27 XLIX. Ar bellderau tragwyddoldeb 27 L. (i.) Eisteddai teithiwr blin 28 (ii.) Ar lan yr Iorddonen 28 LI. Daw dydd o brysur bwyso 29 LII. Clywch, clywch tebygaf clywaf lais 30 LIII. Wele'n dyfod ar y cwmwl 30 LIV. Rwy'n morio tua chartre'm Nêr 31 LV. Torf o'mrodyr sydd yn gorwedd 31 LVI. Fy phiol yma sydd yn llawn 32 LVII. Mi wela fyrdd dan sêl 33 LVIII. Dechreu canu, dechreu canmol 33 LIX. Dyn dyeithr ydwyf yma 33 LX. Os oes rhyw ddadl hyfryd 35

ALPHABETICAL INDEX OF THE FIRST-LINES OF THE TRANSLATIONS.