Part 3

No crafty words shall mar, Nor sophistry distract; No parrying counsel jar With the eternal fact;-- Keep watch, my soul, in fear, The Judge of men is near.

IV

O Christ, in mercy then, Forbid my soul should go With lost and ruined men Down to the place of woe;-- Keep watch, my soul, in fear, The Judge of men is near.

ASPIRATIONS

I

I sought the Lord at early morn, When earth awoke to see the light; And to my soul a light was borne That quelled the darkness of my night; He heard my prayer at early morn, And light into my heart was borne.

II

I sought the Lord when noontide shone, And head and hand earth's duties shared; "I am Thy servant, Lord, alone," I said, and told Him how I fared; He heard my prayer as I drew near, And kept me at my task, sincere.

III

I sought the Lord when evening fell, And night came gliding on apace; For I had sins my Lord to tell, And He is full of pardoning grace; He heard my prayer, and bade me rest, And in His love my soul was blest.

IV

At morn, at noon, at night I'll pray, And Thou, O Lord, my prayer wilt hear, For Thou art near my path alway, To aid, to comfort, or to cheer; No hour too early, none too late, To knock imploring at Thy gate.

V

O Jesus Christ, to Thee be praise, 'Tis Thou hast taught my soul to pray, For Thou didst speak with God always, At morn, at noon, at close of day; And Thou hast said He hears the prayer, The longing soul breathes everywhere.

I

O, touch my heart, and bring to mind The sin I should deplore; And give me grace, Thou God most kind, That I may sin no more.

II

O, touch my heart till tears run fast, In penitence sincere; And may the memories of the past Teach me to walk in fear.

III

For I have strayed, and Thou hast sought, And I have strayed again; O, may the wanderer Thou hast brought Within Thy fold remain.

IV

O, touch my heart, till love arise, And claim me for Thine own; Then shall I learn with glad surprise, That I am Thine alone.

V

For love knows no divided heart, Nor grudges service given; But gives the life in every part, And serves in earth and heaven.

I

The wealth of high estate, The silver and the gold, The glory of the great, The wisdom of the old,-- Death seizes all, they pass away, For all on earth is vanity.

II

Why seek the vain that dies? The life begirt by death? The fame, the power that flies With the expiring breath? The good that carries ill besides, And for a fleeting hour abides?

III

Are there no gains that last, To bless the soul for aye, When passing things are past, And things of earth decay? Are there no joys that linger long In sweetness, like a heavenly song?

IV

Arise, my soul, arise! The husks of time disdain, And wing thee to the skies, Where there is lasting gain; Where moth nor rust can mock thy toil, Nor subtle thief break through to spoil.

V

O Christ, for Thee we long, 'Tis Thee our spirits need; They only life prolong Who on Thy bounties feed; And they have wealth, and high estate, And endless bliss who on Thee wait.

I

I lift my hands, and with my heart, My prayer ascends to Thee; In mercy take a sinner's part, Lord, send Thy help to me.

II

Lo! in the mire of sin I lie, My raiment all defiled; O come and set me up on high, And save Thy fallen child.

III

I cannot cleanse the filthy stains,-- I can but mourn and sigh; Do what I may, the guilt remains, I fail oft' as I try.

IV

In mercy, Lord, Thy mercy send, For merciful art Thou; And prove Thyself the sinner's Friend,-- O come and help me now.

V

And let my life be ordered quite, As Thou wouldst have it be; When I am wrong, O set me right,-- Lord, come and succour me.

VI

And hold me up, lest to the mire Of sin my soul return; O let Thy love my spirit fire, And base affections burn.

VII

And glory to my God I'll give, And glory to the Son, And to the Spirit while I live, Great, Blessed, Three in One.

I

Arise, my soul, and gaily sing The praise of thine Immortal King; The heavens His matchless power adore,-- Awake, and sing for evermore.

II

The morning dawns at His command, And lights the world o'er sea and land; And upwards, see the sun arise, To shed its glories from the skies.

III

But falls the twilight o'er our heads, And night its sable curtain spreads; For all His kingly words obey,-- The dark of night, the light of day.

IV

O heavenly King, in every soul, The darkness of our night control; And 'mid the blackness of that night, Speak Thou the word, "Let there be light."

V

And as the morn from darkness springs, To speed to earth on silent wings, A dawn more glorious shall awake, And bright upon our spirits break.

VI

O Sun of Righteousness, arise, And fill our souls with glad surprise; Nor into dark of night decline, But aye at noontide brightly shine.

VII

All glory to the God of Might, And to the Son, the Light of light; And to the Spirit, Three in One, Eternal while the ages run.

I

The King shall come when morning dawns, And light triumphant breaks; When beauty gilds the eastern hills, And life to joy awakes.

II

Not as of old, a little child To bear, and fight, and die, But crowned with glory like the sun, That lights that morning sky.

III

O, brighter than the rising morn, When He, victorious rose, And left the lonesome place of death, Despite the rage of foes;--

IV

O, brighter than that glorious morn, Shall this fair morning be, When Christ, our King, in beauty comes, And we His face shall see.

V

The King shall come when morning dawns, And earth's dark night is past;-- O, haste the rising of that morn, That day that aye shall last.

VI

And let the endless bliss begin, By weary saints foretold, When right shall triumph over wrong, And truth shall be extolled.

VII

The King shall come when morning dawns, And light and beauty brings;-- Hail! Christ the Lord; Thy people pray Come quickly, King of kings.

I

Think on me, Lord, for Thou art kind, And I am needy, poor, and blind, And let the gifts Thou hast in store, Enrich me daily, more and more.

II

I have no food my soul to feed, Be Thou my Bread of Life indeed; My parched spirit sighs, O give The stream of Life that I may live.

III

My filthy raiment I disown, Clothe with Thy righteousness alone, And I shall walk approved by Thee, Clad in Thy robe of purity.

IV

I have no strength; in evil hour I fall beneath temptation's power; Be Thou my strength, and I shall stand Upheld by Thine outstretched hand.

V

I cannot see the path to tread, And blindly by my sins am led; Come to my blindness, give me sight That I may shape my course aright.

VI

I cannot live if Thou deny The prayer uplifted with my cry; I cannot die,--in mercy give Thy grace, that I may die or live.

VII

Think on me, Lord, for Thou art kind, And I am needy, poor, and blind; And let the gifts Thou hast in store, Enrich me daily, more and more.

I

Because Thy mercy is so great, Lord, think upon my needy state, And deign to give the help I need,-- The Bread of Life my soul to feed.

II

They cannot live whose souls are fed On what this foolish world calls bread; For lack of food the spirit sighs, And, weak and weary, faints and dies.

III

O may the hidden manna give The strength I need that I may live; And may that life be spent for Thee Who came and lived on earth for me.

IV

O Jesus Christ, the living Bread, Now at the table Thou hast spread, Think of me in my utmost need, And let me on Thy bounties feed.

I

I cannot lift mine eyes, For, O, my sin is great,-- High as the hills that rise Up, up to heaven's gate,-- I cannot lift mine eyes, So great my sin, so great.

II

But I would smite my breast, And bow me at the Cross, And well He knows the rest, My pain, my grief, my loss;-- Yea, I would smite my breast, And bow me at His Cross.

III

Mayhap when I have told The burden of my sin, He'll make my spirit bold, And speak, and soothe, and win;-- All this when I have told The burden of my sin.

IV

Then shall I lift mine eyes, And see the sin removed, And in the radiant skies Behold the Well Beloved;-- Then shall I lift mine eyes, And see my sin removed.

I

When at Thy feet, oppressed, The burdened sinner falls, And, woeful and distressed, Upon Thy mercy calls,-- O hear the penitential prayer, Forgive the burdened sinner there.

II

Did'st Thou not send the Son, To shew the Father's grace, To bid a world undone Arise and seek His face? And wilt Thou not in mercy say, "Thy many sins I take away"?

III

Yea, Thou wilt not despise The soul's uplifted prayer; Nor when our hopes arise, Plunge us in deep despair; But wilt forgive the evil done, Through Christ the Well Beloved Son.

IV

O Jesus Christ, by Thee The Father's grace is found, And pardon full, and we With every good abound,-- We see Thee nailed upon the tree, And know all blessing comes from Thee.

I

Because I was brought low, And sin had triumphed quite, Thou God, all good, didst bow, And seek me in the night.

II

And Thou didst lift me up, For Thou wert lifted high, When on the Cross Thou gav'st Thyself for man to die.

III

Thou Life, Immortal Life! O, full of sympathy! Clothed with my flesh Thou cam'st From Thy felicity.

IV

To burst our mortal bands, And vanquish in the strife, And dead, from death arise, Crowned with immortal life.

V

To Father and to Son, To Thee, blest Spirit, praise, Here on the earth, and there Where live the endless days.

I

O God of life, in whom we live, The bounties of Thy favour give, And teach our souls to soar; That, at the source of every good, Our life may find its needful food, And live for evermore.

II

O Lord of mercy, by whose grace The sinner seeks the Father's face, And finds a welcome there; When fears the trembling soul distress, And sins the aching heart oppress, O Lord of mercy, spare.

III

And say to Him who loves Thee best, And sent Thee to a world distressed, His blessing to impart,-- "Hear Thou the sinner's mournful cries, Accept his preferred sacrifice, A broken, contrite heart."

IV

Blest Spirit, who in holy flame, At Pentecost all powerful came,-- Our sin-stained souls renew; And by Thine all-consuming fire, Consume our sin and vile desire, And make us pure and true.

V

To God who dwells in highest heaven, Be endless praise and glory given,-- And praise to Christ the Son. And to the Holy Spirit blest, For comfort and for gifts the best,-- Immortal Three in One.

I

By Thine own hand the gift was given Of wealth, and hope of highest heaven; But, fool at heart, Thy grace was spurned, And from my Father's house I turned.

II

O, hear my plaint, I cry to Thee; Be pitiful, and pardon me, For I have sinned; O, give me grace To seek in penitence Thy face.

III

Yea, I repent in anguish low; Give me again Thy love to know; And if a servant's place remain, Take me in mercy back again.

I

Lord, Thou art good and kind, And full of tender grace; Now make Thy countenance to shine, And let me see Thy face.

II

For O, my heart is sad, Because my sin I know; And though I strive, I fail, And still ungodly grow.

III

And all my aims are lost, And all my striving vain,-- Wilt Thou refresh my soul, And visit me again?

IV

'Tis morning when the sun Upon the mountain glows; 'Tis evening when the shade Upon the valleys grows;

V

And when Thy face I see, 'Tis morning in my soul; But when Thou turn'st away, The evening shadows roll.

VI

And night comes on apace, And all forlorn I sigh;-- O, bid the morning dawn, Look on me lest I die.

VII

O, Thou art good and kind, And full of tender grace; Now make Thy countenance to shine, And let me see Thy face.

I

O Lord of Life, when mortals call, And freedom seek from earthly thrall, Hear Thou in heaven and save us all, In mercy, Lord.

II

O Full of Mercy, when we groan, Because of sin our spirits own, Hear, who for sinners didst atone, In mercy, Lord.

III

O Full of Pity, when we bear To Thy blest feet our cankering care, Take of our weary load a share, In mercy, Lord.

IV

O Full of Grace! when sufferers tell The grief Thou knowest, Lord, so well, Come, with the broken-hearted dwell, In mercy, Lord.

V

When, lured by hope, our spirits rise To where Thou beckonest from the skies; Then, be eternal life the prize, In mercy, Lord.

I

I wandered sore distressed, All weary and forlorn; I had no place to rest, Of all my pleasures shorn,-- My thirsting spirit sighed, And in the desert cried.

II

The Shepherd heard my cry, Who came His flock to find, And drew in mercy nigh, For He is wondrous kind; His winning voice awoke My spirit as He spoke.

III

He bade my wandering cease, And gave my heart a home, That, from the bliss of peace, I might no longer roam;-- He gave me hope for fears, And lasting joy for tears.

I

God sent me to the desert wild, Where all is parched with endless drought, For I had grown a wayward child, And now my sin had found me out;-- He sent me to the desert drear, And, ah! my soul was charged with fear.

II

I wandered where the brooks were dry, While memory wove a dismal song, And to my God I raised my cry, And sang my dirge the whole day long;-- For I was in the desert drear, And, ah! my soul was charged with fear.

III

The God of grace His comfort sent, And soon the desert blossomed fair, While round my path, where'er I went, Sweet flowers poured forth their odours rare;-- He sent me to a desert drear, Now flowers and luscious fruits appear.

IV

O God, when by the path of sin, We reach the land where famine reigns; And dread possesses all within, And all around are woes and pains;-- Then make the world a desert rare, Of joys upspringing everywhere.