Medication of a Church, &c.
162 We love the place, O GOD,
Wherein Thine Honour dwells;
The joy of Thine Abode
All earthly joy excels.
It is the House of Prayer,
Wherein Thy servants meet;
And Thou, O LORD, art there,
Thy chosen flock to greet.
We love the sacred Font;
For there the Holy Dove
is ever wont
His blessing from above.
We love Thine Altar, LORD;
O what on earth so dear?
For there, in faith ador'd,
We find Thy Presence near.
We love the Word of Life,
The Word that tells of peace,
Of comfort in the strife,
And joys that never cease.
We love to sing below
For mercies freely given;
But oh! we long to know
The triumph-song of Heaven. Amen.
Also, Hymns 116, 117, and 118.
163 From Greenland's icy mountains,
From India's coral strand,
Where Afric's sunny fountains
Roll down their golden sand,
From many an ancient river,
From many a palmy plain,
They call us to deliver
Their land from error's chain.
Can we whose souls are lighted
With wisdom from on high,-
Can we to men benighted
The lamp of life deny?
Salvation! oh, Salvation !-
The joyful sound proclaim,
Till each remotest nation
Has learnt the SAVIOUR'S Name.
Waft, waft, ye winds, His story,
And you, ye waters, roll,
Till, like a sea of glory,
It spreads from pole to pole;
Till, o'er our ransomed nature,
The LAMB for sinners slain,
REDEEMER, KING, CREATOR,
In bliss returns to reign. Amen.
164FATHER of mercies, GoD of Love,
Whose gifts all creatures share;
The rolling seasons, as they move,
Proclaim Thy constant care.
When, in the bosom of the earth,
The sower hid the grain,
Thy Goodness mark'd its secret birth,
And sent the early rain.
The Spring's sweet influence, LORD, was
The Summer own'd Thy call;
Thou bad'st the genial suns to shine,
And mad'st the dews to fall.
Thine Hand unseen, beneath, above,
Matur'd the swelling grain;
And now the Harvest crowns thy Love,
And plenty fills the plain.
O, never may our thoughtless hearts
Forget Thy loving care;
But what Thy bounteous Hand imparts,
Still own in praise and prayer.
Glory to Thee, Eternal LORD,
Thrice-Blessed THREE in ONE;
Thy Name at all times be ador'd,
Till time itself be done. Amen.
165PRAISE to GOD, immortal praise
For the Love that crowns our days;
Bounteous Source of every joy,
Let Thy praise our tongues employ.
For the blessings of the field,
For the stores the gardens yield,
For the joy which harvests bring,
Hymns of praise to Thee we sing.
Clouds that drop refreshing dews,
Suns that genial heat diffuse,
Flocks that whiten all the plain,
Yellow sheaves of ripen'd grain :-
All that Spring, with gen'rous hand,
Scatters o'er the smiling land,
All that fruitful Autumn pours
From its overflowing stores ;-
These, Great GOD, to Thee we owe,
Source Whence all our blessings flow;
And for these our souls shall raise
Grateful vows and solemn praise.
Glory be to GoD on high;-
FATHER, Thee we magnify;
Equal praise, O SON, to Thee,
With the SPIRIT, ever be. Amen.
166 LORD of the harvest, once again
We thank Thee for the ripen'd grain;
For crops safe carried, sent to cheer
Thy servants through another year;
For all the holy thoughts supplied
By seed-time, and by harvest-tide.
The bare dead grain, in autumn sown,
Its robe of living green puts on;
Glad from its wintry grave it springs,
Fresh garnish'd by the KING of Kings :
So, LORD, to those who sleep in Thee
Shall new and glorious bodies be.
Nor vainly of Thy Word we ask
A lesson from the reaper's task:
So shall Thine angels issue forth;
The tares be burnt; the just of earth,
To wind and storm expos'd no more,
Be gather'd to their FATHER's store.
Daily, O LORD, our prayers be said,
As Thou hast taught, for daily bread :
But not alone our bodies feed,
Supply our fainting spirits' need:
O Bread of Life, from day to day,
Be Thou their Comfort, Food, and Stay!
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