6 Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes, Shine through the gloom, and point me to the skies; [shadows flee; Heaven's morning breaks, and earth's vain In life, in death, O Lord! abide with me.

307.

1

The Man of Sorrows.

MAN of sorrows and acquainted

P.M.

With our griefs, what shall we say?
Never language yet hath painted
All the woes that on Thee lay:
Had I seen Thee cloth'd in weakness,
Bearing our reproach with meekness,
To attend Thee day and night
Would have been my heart's delight.
2 O that to this heavenly stranger
I had here my homage paid,
From His first sigh in the manger,
Till he cried, "Tis finished:
That first sigh had consecrated
Me His own, and I had waited
On Him from His infancy,
In a constant liturgy.

3 Tell me, little flock beloved,

Ye, on whom shone Jesus' face,
What within your souls then moved,
When ye felt His kind embrace ?
O disciple, once most blessed,
As a bosom friend caressed,
Say, could e'er into thy mind
Other objects entrance find?

4 Oft to prayer by night retreated,
See Him from all search withdrawn ;
Tearful eyes and sighs repeated
Witness'd till the morning dawn;
There, where He made intercession,
I had pour'd forth my confession,
And where for my sins He wept,
Praying, I the watch had kept.
5 Should I thus to Thee have cleaved
'Midst Thy poverty and woes,
On Thee, as my Lord, believed,
Or perhaps have join'd Thy foes?
Ah, Thy mercy I had spurned;
But Thyself my heart has turned;
Now Thou know'st, beneath, above,
Nought compar'd with Thee I love.

308.

66
"Lead Thou me on."

P.M.

1 LEAD, kindly Light, amid the encircling

Lead Thou me on!

[gloom,

The night is dark, and I am far from home

Lead Thou me on!

Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to see The distant scene-one step enough for me. 2 I was not ever thus, nor prayed that Thou Shouldst lead me on.

I loved to choose and see my path; but now,— Lead Thou me on!

I loved the garish day, and, spite of fears, Pride ruled my will:-remember not past

years.

3 So long Thy power hath blest me, sure it still Will lead me on,

O'er moor and fen, o'er crag and torrent, till The night is gone;

And with the morn those angel faces smile, Which I have loved long since, and lost awhile.

309.

1

The Mediator.

L.M.

HOW high Thou art! our songs can own
No music Thou couldst stoop to hear!
But still the Son's expiring groan

Is vocal in the Father's ear.

2 How pure Thou art! our hands are dyed With curses, red with murder's hueBut He hath stretch'd His hands to hide

The sins that pierc'd them from Thy view. 3 How strong Thou art! we tremble lest The thunders of Thine arm be mov'dBut He is lying on Thy breast,

And Thou must clasp Thy best belov'd.

4 How kind Thou art! Thou didst not choose To joy in Him for ever so;

But that embrace Thou wilt not lose
For vengeance, didst for love forego.

5 High God, and pure, and strong, and kind!
The low, the foul, the feeble, spare!
Thy brightness in His face we find-
Behold our darkness only there.

310.

The Meek inherit the Earth.

C.M.

1 A QUIET heart, submissive, meek,
Father, do Thou bestow;

Which more than granted will not seek
To have or give or know.

2 Each green hill then will hold its gift
Forth to my joying eyes;

The mountains blue will then uplift
My spirit to the skies.

3 The falling water then will sound
As if for me alone;

Nay, will not blessing more abound
That many hear its tone?

4 The trees their murmuring forth will send;
The birds send forth their song;
The waving grass its tribute lend
Sweet music to prolong.

5 The water-lily's shining cup,
The trumpet of the bee,
The hundred odours floating up,
The many shaded sea,

6 The rising sun's imprinted tread
Upon the crested waves,

The gold and blue clouds overhead,
The weed from far sea-caves;

7 All lovely things from south to north,
All harmonies that be,

Each will its soul of joy send forth
To enter into me.

8 And thus the wide earth I shall hold,
A perfect gift of Thine;
Richer by these a thousand fold,
Than if broad lands were mine.

311.

Sleeping in Jesus.

ASLEEP in Jesus! blessed sleep!

L.M.

From which none ever wakes to weep:

A calm and undisturbed repose,

Unbroken by the last of foes.

2 Asleep in Jesus! oh, how sweet
To be for such a slumber meet:
With holy confidence to sing
That death has lost his venomed sting.
3 Asleep in Jesus! peaceful rest,
Whose waking is supremely blest :
No fear, no woe, shall dim that hour
That manifests the Saviour's power.
4 Asleep in Jesus! oh, for me
May such a blissful refuge be:
Securely shall my ashes lie,

Waiting the summons from on high!
5 Asleep in Jesus! time nor space,
Destroys this precious "hiding place.
On Indian plains or Lapland snows,
Believers find the same repose.