365 O SAVIOUR, WHOSE MERCY. Let goodness and mercy, my bountiful God! Still follow my steps till I meet thee above: I seek, by the path which my forefathers trod Through the land of their sojourn, thy kingdom of love. JAMES MONTGOMERY. O Saviour! whose Mercy. SAVIOUR! whose mercy, severe in its kindness, Hath chastened my wanderings and guided my way, Adored be the power that illumined my blindness, And weaned me from phantoms that smiled to betray. Enchanted with all that was dazzling and fair, I followed the rainbow, I caught at the toy; And still in displeasure thy goodness was there, Disappointing the hope and defeating the joy. The blossom blushed bright, but a worm was below; So cured of my folly, yet cured but in part, And still did this eager and credulous heart Weave visions of promise that bloomed but to fade. I thought that the course of the pilgrim to heaven I dreamed of celestial rewards and renown, I grasped at the triumph that blesses the brave; Subdued and instructed, at length to thy will There are mansions exempted from sin and from woe, SIR ROBERT GRANT. Tempted like as we are." And days are dark, and friends are few, He sees my wants, allays my fears, If aught should tempt my soul to stray Still He who felt temptation's power If wounded love my bosom swell, "CAN FIND OUT GOD?" If vexing thoughts within me rise, When sorrowing o'er some stone I bend, Thou, Saviour, mark'st the tears I shed, And oh, when I have safely past SIR ROBERT GRANT. 367 I 66 Can find out God?" CANNOT find thee! Still on restless pinion My spirit beats the void where thou dost dwell: I wander lost through all thy vast dominion, I cannot find thee! Even when, most adoring, From furthest quest comes back: Thou art not there. Yet high above the limits of my seeing, And folded far within the inmost heart, I cannot lose thee! Still in thee abiding, The end is clear, how wide soe'er I roam; The Law that holds the worlds my steps is guiding, ELIZA SCUDDER. Faith. WE will not weep: for God is standing by us, And tears will blind us to the blessèd sight: We will not doubt, if darkness still doth try us, Our souls have promise of serenest light. We will not faint, if heavy burdens bind us, O not in doubt shall be our journey's ending; Help us, O Father! when the world is pressing W. H. HURLBURT. Through the silence, down the spaces, falling on the inward ear. Know we not our dead are looking All our strife of words rebuking With their mild and earnest eyes? Shall we grieve the holy angels, shall we cloud their blessed skies? Let us draw their mantles o'er us, Which have fallen in our way: Let us do the work before us Calmly, bravely, while we may, Ere the long night-silence cometh, and with us it is not day! "L' Dum vivimus, vivamus." IVE while you live!" the epicure would say, "And seize the pleasures of the present day!" "Live while you live!" the sacred Preacher cries, "And give to God each moment as it flies !" Lord, in my view let both united be, I live in pleasure while I live to thee. PHILIP DODDridge. |