P. M.

659.

Funeral Hymn.

MILMAN.

1 BROTHER, thou art gone before us,
And thy saintly soul is flown,
Where tears are wiped from every eye,
And sorrow is unknown,
From the burden of the flesh,

And from care and fear released, Where the wicked cease from troubling And the weary are at rest.

2 Brother, yes, thy course is finished;
Thou hast borne earth's heavy load,
But Christ has taught thy languid feet
To reach his blest abode :
Sweetly art thou sleeping now,

On thy Father's faithful breast, Where the wicked cease from troubling And the weary are at rest.

3 Sin no more can taint thy spirit,
Nor can doubt thy faith assail;
Thy soul its welcome has received,
Thy strength shall never fail :
And thou 'rt sure to meet the good,

Whom on earth thou lovedst best, Where the wicked cease from troubling And the weary are at rest.

4 To thy grave we sadly bear thee,
There in dust we place thy head,
We lay the turf above thee now,
And seal thy narrow bed;

But thy spirit soars away,

Free, among the faithful blest, Where the wicked cease from troubling And the weary are at rest.

1

S. M.

660.

MONTGOMERY.

On the Death of an Aged Minister.

SERVANT of God, well done! Rest from thy loved employ; The battle fought, the victory 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 amidst 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.

THE FUTURE LIFE.

C. M.

661.

WATTS.

A Prospect of Heaven.

1 By glimmering hopes and gloomy fears We trace the sacred road;

Through dismal deeps and dangerous snares We make our way to God.

2 Long nights and darkness dwell below,
With scarce a twinkling ray;

But the bright world to which we go
Is everlasting day.

3 See the kind angels at the gates,
Inviting us to come;

There Jesus, the Forerunner, waits,
To welcome travellers home.

4 There, on a green and flowery mount,
Our weary souls shall sit,

And with transporting joys recount
The labors of our feet.

C. M.

662.

WATTS.

A Prospect of the Resurrection.

1 LET faith arise, and climb the hills,
And from afar descry

How distant are his chariot-wheels,
And tell how fast they fly.

2 Lo, I behold the scattering shades;
The dawn of heaven appears;
The sweet, immortal morning spreads
Its blushes round the spheres.

3 I see the Lord of glory come,
And flaming guards around;
The skies divide to make him room,
The trumpet shakes the ground.

4 I hear the voice, "Ye dead, arise!"
And lo! the graves obey,

And waking saints, with joyful eyes, Salute the expected day.

C. M.

663.

WATTS.

Prospect of Heaven.

1 THERE is a land of pure delight,
Where saints immortal reign;
Infinite day excludes the night,
And pleasures banish pain.

2 There, everlasting spring abides,
And never-withering flowers;
Death, like a narrow sea, divides
This heavenly land from ours.