And still outflows Thy silent sea,
Immutable and grand.

5 O little heart of mine! shall pain
Or sorrow make thee moan,

When all this God is all for thee,
A Father all thine own?

F. W. FABER.

51

GREATNESS AND CONDESCENSION.

LORD of all being, throned afar,

Thy glory flames from sun and star;
Centre and soul of every sphere,
Yet to each loving heart how near!

2 Sun of our life, Thy quickening ray
Sheds on our path the glow of day;

Star of our hope, Thy softened light
Cheers the long watches of the night.

3 Our midnight is Thy smile withdrawn ;
Our noontide is Thy gracious dawn;

Our rainbow arch Thy mercy's sign:
All, save the clouds of sin, are Thine!

4 Lord of all life, below, above,

5

L.M.

Whose light is truth, whose warmth is love,
Before Thy ever-blazing throne

We ask no lustre of our own.

Grant us Thy truth to make us free,
And kindling hearts that burn for Thee,
Till all Thy loving altars claim

One holy light, one heavenly flame!

O. W. HOLMES.

52

53

MOST

OST ancient of all mysteries,
Before Thy throne we lie;
Eternal Wisdom, Light, and Love!
Most holy Trinity!

2 How wonderful creation is,

Thy work, which Thou didst bless;
"Tis but the hiding of Thy power,
Divine Almightiness!

3 How beautiful Thine angels are !
Thy saints, in radiant dress ;

They're but the shadow of Thy light,
Eternal loveliness!

4 Infinite Goodness! Thou art dear
To Thy poor creature's heart;
It blesses Thee that Thou art God,
That Thou art what Thou art.

5 We look

up in our littleness

To Thy majestic state;

Our comfort is Thou art so good,
And that Thou art so great.

6 O Glorious in Thy Holiness,
Our souls to Thee would fly;
Inspire us now with fear and love,
Our God to sanctify.

C.M.

F. W. FABER.*

MY God, how wonderful Thou art!
Thy Majesty how bright!

How beautiful Thy mercy-seat,
In depths of burning light!

C.M.

2 How dread are Thine eternal years,
O everlasting Lord,

By prostrate spirits day and night
Incessantly adored!

3 How wonderful, how beautiful,
The sight of Thee must be,

Thine endless wisdom, boundless power,
And awful purity!

4 Yet I may love Thee too, O Lord,
Almighty as Thou art,

For Thou hast stooped to ask of me
The love of my poor heart.

5 No earthly father loves like Thee,
No mother, e'er so mild,

Bears and forbears as Thou hast done
With me Thy sinful child.

6 Father of Jesus, love's Reward,
What rapture will it be

54

Prostrate before Thy throne to lie,
And gaze and gaze on Thee!

F. W. FABER.

[P to the Lord that reigns on high,
And views the nations from afar,

Let everlasting praises fly,

And tell how large His bounties are.

2 God, that must stoop to view the skies,
And bow to see what angels do,
Down to our earth He casts His eyes,
And bends His footsteps downward too.

3 He overrules all mortal things,

And manages our mean affairs;

L.M.

On humble souls the King of kings
Bestows His counsels and His cares.
4 Our sorrows and our tears we pour
Into the bosom of our God;
He hears us in the mournful hour,
And helps us bear the heavy load.
5 O could our thankful hearts devise
A tribute equal to Thy grace,

To the third heaven our songs should rise,
And teach the golden harps Thy praise!

WATTS.

55

HOLINESS.

ETERNAL Light! Eternal Light!
How pure the soul must be,

8.6.8.8.6.

When, placed within Thy searching sight,
It shrinks not, but with calm delight
Can live, and look on Thee!

2 The spirits that surround Thy throne,
May bear the burning bliss;
But that is surely theirs alone,
Since they have never, never known
A fallen world like this.

3 O how shall I, whose native sphere
Is dark, whose mind is dim,
Before the Ineffable appear,
And on my naked spirit bear
That uncreated beam?

4 There is a way for man to rise
To that sublime abode :-
An offering and a sacrifice,
A Holy Spirit's energies,
An Advocate with God.

56

5 These, these prepare us for the sight
Of holiness above;

The sons of ignorance and night
May dwell in the Eternal Light,
Through the Eternal Love!

0

T. BINNEY.

GOD, enshrined in dazzling light
Above the highest sphere,

My soul is filled with awe to feel
That Thou art present here.

2 Thine Eye is as a lamp of fire,
And in its searching flame
I see myself, all stained with sin,
And bow my head with shame.

3 But, O my God, Thy Son hath died!
And from the dust I rise,
And from myself and all my sin
To Thee I lift mine eyes.

4 My sins are dark, but over all
Thy burning love I see;

And all my soul is full of praise,
And worships only Thee.

C.M.

W. W. HOW.

UNCHANGEABLENESS AND FAITHFULNESS.

57

C.M.

BEGIN, my tongue, some heavenly theme,

And speak some boundless thing;

The mighty works, or mightier Name,
Of our eternal King.