The Joy of Social Devotion.
1 O, IT is joy in one to meet
Whom one communion blends, Council to hold in converse sweet,
And talk as Christian friends.
2 'Tis joy to think the angel train, Who 'mid heaven's temple shine, To seek our earthly temples deign, And in our anthems join.
3 But chief, 't is joy to think that He, To whom his church is dear, Delights her gathered flock to see, Her joint devotions hear.
4 Then who would choose to walk abroad, While here such joys are given? "This is indeed the house of God, And this the gate of heaven!"
1 FATHER, hear us when we pray, Look in mercy from above; Turn not, Lord, thy face away, Hear, and grant thy pardoning love.
2 In the name of Christ we come, Asking grace and seeking peace, Raise our hearts to heaven, our home, And from worldly cares release.
3 Pure and holy may we be, Far removed all vain desire ; From all hate and envy free, Let our souls to thee aspire.
4 While we love the Saviour's name, And his words with zeal obey,
His sweet promise we may claim; He will meet us when we pray."
1 LET us join, as God commands, Let us join our hearts and hands, Help to gain our calling's hope; Help to build each other up; Carry on the Christian's strife; Walk in holiness of life; Faithfully our gifts improve For the sake of him we love;—
2 Still forget the things behind; Follow Christ in heart and mind; Toward the mark unwearied press; Seize the crown of righteousness, While we walk with God in light, God our hearts will still unite; Dearest fellowship we prove— Fellowship in Jesus, love.
3 Still, O Lord, our faith increase; Cleanse from all unrighteousness: Thee th' unholy cannot see: Make, O make us meet for thee: Every vile affection kill;
Root out every seed of ill;
Utterly abolish sin;
Write thy law of love within.
Call to Social Worship.
1 O, COME, and let th' assembly all To serve our God unite, And, mindful of the social call, Partake the social rite.
2 In token of the common vow, Be ours, with one consent, The worship of the lowly brow, And knees devoutly bent!
3 But chief, inflamed with heavenly fire, Devotion's better part,
Be ours instinct with one desire, The worship of the heart!
4 Let each, let all, their prayers above, In one oblation bend,
And God, the God of peace and love, On all, on each descend!
1 FATHER, united by thy grace, And each to each endeared With confidence we seek thy face, And know our prayer is heard.
2 Still let us own our common Lord, And bear his easy yoke,
A band of love, a three-fold cord Which never can be broke.
3 Make us into one spirit drink ; Baptize into one name;
And let us always kindly think, And sweetly speak the same.
4 Touched by the loadstone of thy love, Let all our hearts agree; And ever towards each other move, And ever move towards thee.
For Brotherly Love.
1 GOD of love, we look to thee; Let us in thy Son agree;
Show to us the Prince of Peace; Bid our jars forever cease. By thy reconciling love,
Every stumbling-block remove; Each to each unite, endear; Come, and spread thy banner here.
2 Make us of one heart and mind, Courteous, pitiful, and kind; Lowly, meek, in thought and word, Altogether like our Lord.
'Let us for each other care; Each the other's burden bear; To thy church the pattern give; Show how true believers live.
3 Free from anger and from pride, Let us thus in God abide; All the depths of love express, All the heights of holiness. Let us, then, with joy remove To the family above;
On the wings of angels fly; Show how true believers die.
Meeting of Christian Friends.
1 KINDRED in Christ, for his dear sake, A hearty welcome here receive; May we together now partake
The joys which only he can give.
2 May he by whose kind care we meet, Send his good Spirit from above, Make our communications sweet,
And cause our hearts to burn with love.
3 Forgotten be each worldly theme, When Christians meet together thus; We only wish to speak of him
Who lived, and died, and reigns, for us.
4 We'll talk of all he did, and said, And suffered, for us here below, The path he marked for us to tread, And what he's doing for us now.
1 OUR God, where'er thy people meet, There they behold thy mercy-seat; Where'er they seek thee, thou art found, And every place is hallowed ground.
2 For thou, within no walls confined, Inhabitest the humble mind;
Such ever bring thee where they come, And, going, take thee to their home.
3 Here may we prove the power of prayer, To strengthen faith, and sweeten care; To teach our faint desires to rise, And bring all heaven before our eyes.
« ПредыдущаяПродолжить » |