519.

L. M.

Meeting of Ministers.

1 POUR out thy Spirit from on high; Lord! thine assembled servants bless; Graces and gifts to each supply,

And clothe thy priests with righteousness. 2 Within thy temple where we stand, To teach the truth as taught by thee, Saviour! like stars, in thy right hand, The angels of the churches be!

3 Wisdom and zeal, and faith impart,

Firmness with meekness from above,
To bear thy people on our hearts,

And love the souls whom thou dost love :4 To watch and pray, and never faint;

By day and night strict guard to keep;
To warn the sinner, cheer the saint,

Nourish thy lambs, and feed thy sheep.
5 Then, when our work is finished here,
In humble hope, our charge resign:
When the chief Shepherd shall appear,
O God! may they and we be thine.

520.

C. M.

The Death of a Minister.

1 NOW let our drooping hearts revive,
And all our tears be dry:

Why should those eyes be drowned in grief
That view a Saviour nigh?

2 Though earthly shepherds dwell in dust,— The aged and the young;

The watchful eye, in darkness closed,
And mute th' instructive tongue;—

3 Th' eternal shepherd still survives,
New comfort to impart;

His eye still guides us-and his voice
Still animates our heart.

66

4 "Lo! I am with you," saith the Lord,
My church shall safe abide;"
The Lord will ne'er forsake his own
Who in his love confide.

5 Through every scene of life and death,
His promise is our trust;

And this shall be our children's song,
When we are cold in dust.

521.

S. M.

The Pastor's Death.

1 REST from thy labor, rest ;-
Soul of the just, set free!
Blest be thy memory, and blest
Thy bright example be!

2 Faith, perseverance, zeal,
Language of light and

power,

Love, prompt to act, and quick to feel,-
Marked thee, till life's last hour.

3 Now, toil and conflict o'er,—

Go, take with saints thy place:
But go-as each hath gone before,-
A sinner saved by grace.

4 Lord Jesus! to thy hands
Our pastor we resign;

And now we wait thine own commands;-
We were not his, but thine.

5 Thou art thy church's head;

And when the members die,
Thou raisest others in their stead:-
To thee we lift our eye.

6 On thee our hopes depend;
We gather round our Rock;

Send whom thou wilt; but condescend
Thyself to feed thy flock.

522.

S. M.

The Death of an aged Minister.

1 SERVANT of God! well done!

Rest from thy loved employ :

The battle fought,-the vict'ry won,—
Enter thy Master's joy."

2 The voice at midnight came,

He started up to hear;

A mortal arrow pierced his frame,
He fell-but felt no fear.

3 Tranquil amid alarms,

It found him on the field,

A veteran slumbering on his arms,
Beneath his red-cross shield.

4 The pains of death are past,—
Labor and sorrow cease;

And, life's long warfare closed at last,
His soul is found in peace.

5 Soldier of Christ! well-done!
Praise be thy new employ;
And while eternal ages run,
Rest in thy Saviour's joy!

CHRISTIAN MISSIONS.

523.

7s.

Inquiring of a Watchman.

1 WATCHMAN ! tell us of the night,
What its signs of promise are?
Traveler! o'er yon mountain's height!
See that glory-beaming star:
Watchman! does its beauteous ray
Aught of hope or joy foretell?
Traveler yes;-it brings the day,—
Promised day of Israel.

2 Watchman! tell us of the night;—
Higher yet that star ascends;
Traveler! blessedness and light,
Peace and truth, its course portends;
Watchman! will its beams alone

Gild the spot that gave them birth?
Traveler! ages are its own,

See! it bursts o'er all the earth.

3 Watchman! tell us of the night,
For the morning seems to dawn;
Traveler! darkness takes its flight,
Doubt and terror are withdrawn:
Watchman! let thy wanderings cease;
Hie thee to thy quiet home;
Traveler! lo! the Prince of peace,—
Lo! the Son of God is come!

Christian Effort.

1 RISE, gracious God! and shine In all thy saving might:

And prosper each design,

To spread thy glorious light:
Let healing streams of mercy flow,
That all the earth thy truth may know.
2 Put forth thy glorious power!

The nations then will see,
And earth present her store,
In converts born of thee:

God, our own God, his church will bless,
And earth shall yield her full increase.

525.

Es and 7s.

The Heathen crying for Help.

1 HARK! what mean those lamentations, Rolling sadly through the sky? "T is the cry of heathen nations,"Come and help us or we die !" 2 Hear the heathen's sad complaining, Christians! hear their dying cry; And, the love of Christ constraining, Haste to help them, ere they die.

526.

7s and 63.

The Gospel-Banner.

1 NOW be the gospel-banner,
In every land, unfurled ;
And be the shout.-"Hosanna!'
Re-echoed through the world;
Till every isle and nation,
Till every tribe and tongue
Receive the great salvation,
And join the happy throng.

2 What, though th' embattled legions
Of earth and hell combine?
His arm, throughout their regions,
Shall soon resplendent shine:
Ride on, O Lord! victorious,
Immanuel, Prince of peace!
Thy triumph shall be glorious,—
Thy empire still increase.

3 Yes, thou shalt reign for ever,
O Jesus, King of kings!
Thy light, thy love, thy favor,
Each ransomed captive sings:
The isles for thee are waiting,
The deserts learn thy praise,
The hills and vallies greeting,
The song responsive raise.

527.

L. M.

Missionary Meeting.

1 ASSEMBLED at thy great command, Before thy face, dread King! we stand: The voice, that marshalled every star, Has called thy people from afar.

2 We meet, through distant lands, to spread The truth for which the martyrs bled; Along the line, to either pole,

The thunder of thy praise to roll.

8 Our prayers assist, accept our praise,
Our hopes revive, our courage raise,
Our counsels aid, to each impart
The single eye, the faithful heart.
4 Forth with thy chosen heralds come,
Recall the wandering spirits home;
From Zion's mount send forth the sound
To spread the spacious earth around.

528.

L. M.

The Heralds pointing out the Way.

1 NOW let our faith with joy survey
The glories of the latter day:
Its dawn already seems begun,—
Sure earnest of the rising sun.

2 The friends of truth assembled stand,— A chosen consecrated band,

The emblem of the cross display,
And cry aloud,-" Behold the way!"
3 Behold the way to Zion's hill,
Where Israel's God delights to dwell:
He fixes there his lofty throne,
And calls the sacred place his own.
4 "Behold the way!" ye heralds! cry;
Spare not, but lift your voices high: