143
O

SON of God, our Captain of salvation,
Thyself by suffering schooled to human

grief,
We bless Thee for Thy sons of consolation,

Who follow in the steps of Thee their Chief; Those whom Thy Spirit's dread vocation severs

To lead the vanguard of Thy conquering host; Whose toilsome

years are spent in brave endeavours To bear Thy saving Name from coast to coast; Those whose bright faith makes feeble hearts grow

stronger, And sends fresh warriors to the great campaign, Bids the lone convert feel estranged no longer,

And wins the sundered to be one again;
And all true helpers, patient, kind, and skilful,

Who shed Thy light across our darkened earth, Counsel the doubting, and restrain the wilful, Soothe the sick bed, and share the children's

mirth. Thus, Lord, Thy Barnabas in memory keeping, Still be Thy Church's watchword, “Comfort

ye;' Till in our Father's house shall end our weeping,

And all our wants be satisfied in Thee.

144

O! from the desert homes,

so

The new Elias comes,
In sternest wisdom strong ;
The voice that cries

Of Christ from high,

And judgement nigh

From opening skies.
Your God e'en now doth stand

At heaven's opening door ;
His fan is in His hand,
And He will purge His floor :
The wheat He claims,

And with Him stows;

The chaff He throws

To quenchless flames.
Ye haughty mountains, bow

Your sky-aspiring heads ;
Ye valleys, hiding low,
Lift up your gentle meads :
Make His way plain

Your king before,

For evermore

He comes to reign.
May Thy dread voice around,

Thou harbinger of light,
On our dull ears still sound,
Lest here we sleep in night,
Till judgment come,

And on our path

Shall burst the wrath, And deathless doom !

145
O ROCK of ages, one Foundation,

On which the living Church doth rest, The Church, whose walls are strong salvation,

Whose gates are praise, Thy Name be blest. Son of the living God, O call us

Once and again to follow Thee;
And give us strength, whate'er befall us,

Thy true disciples still to be.
When fears appal and faith is failing,

Make Thy voice heard o'er wind and wave : And, in Thy perfect love prevailing,

Put forth Thine hand to heal and save. And if our coward hearts deny Thee

In inmost thought, in deed, or word,
Let not our hardness still defy Thee,

But with a look subdue us, Lord.
O strengthen Thou our weak endeavour,

Thee in Thy sheep to serve and tend,
To give ourselves to Thee for ever,

And find Thee with us to the end.

146 LO OVEST thou Me?' the risen Saviour cried.

Lovest thou Me Mine other friends above!' 'I love Thee, Lord ; ' the humbled saint replied,

• Thou knowest all, Thou knowest that I love.' Can this be he who thrice his Lord disowned? Shall he, thrice pardoned, feed his Master's

sheep? O

generous trust! O frailty well atoned

By years of love and toils that never sleep! Thou, Who the bruised reed didst never break,

Thou, Who the contrite heart wilt not despise, Who from the sheepfold dost Thy monarchs take

And show'st to babes lore hidden from the wise, We bless Thee, Lord, that, having marked each fall, Each trip, each stumble, when our path was

steep, Thou scorn'st us not, but gently, knowing all,

The sin, the sorrow, biddest, 'Feed My sheep.' Lord of my life, King, Master, Brother, Friend,

Forgotten oft, and oft, though seen, denied, Yet patient still, and trustful to the end,

And watching at Thy wayward servant's side, Grant, when at length Thou makest all things new,

And truant fancy may no longer rove, This heart shall cry, and Thou shalt own it true,

'Thou knowest all, Thou knowest that I love.'

SAINT JAMES AND SAINT JOHN

147

LORD, who shall sit beside Thee,

Enthroned on either hand,
When clouds no longer hide Thee,

'Mid all Thy faithful band?
Who drinks the cup of sorrow

Thy Father gave to Thee
'Neath shadows of the morrow

In dark Gethsemane :
Who on Thy Passion thinking

Can find in loss a gain,
And dare to meet unshrinking

Thy baptism of pain.
O Jesu, form within us

Thy likeness clear and true
By Thine example win us

To suffer or to do.

This law itself fulfilleth,

Christlike to Christ is nigh,
And, where the Father willeth,

Shall sit with Christ on high.