592.

I.

COME

Thoughts of Heaven.

OME to me, thoughts of heaven,
My fainting spirit bear

On your bright wings, by morning given,
Up to celestial air.

2. Away, far, far away,

From thoughts by passion given,
Fold me in blue, still, cloudless day,
O blessed thoughts of heaven!

3. Come in my tempted hour,

Sweet thoughts, and yet again
O'er sinful wish and memory shower
Your soft, effacing rain;

4. Waft me where gales divine

With dark clouds ne'er have striven,
Where living founts for ever shine,—
O blessed thoughts of heaven!

S.M.

Felicia Hemans.

593.

I.

The Communion of the Faithful.

HEY whose course on earth is o'er,

THE

Think they of their brethren more?
They before the throne who bow,
Feel they for their brethren now?

2. Yea, the holy dead have still
Part in all our joy and ill;
One in heart, and one in love,
We below, and they above.

75.

594.

3. Yet in song, and sigh, and prayer,
Each with other hath a share;
With each other join they here,
In affection, doubt, and fear.

4. So with them our hearts we raise,
Share their work, and join their praise ;
Blessed pledge that we shall be

Joined, O Lord, in bliss with Thee.

1. M. Neale,

Light at Evening Time. L.M. 6 lines.

I. AT evening time-when day is done,

Life's little day is near its close,

And all the glare and heat are gone,
And gentle dews foretell repose;
To crown my faith before the night,—
At evening time let there be light!
2. At evening time-when labour's past ;-
Though storms and toils have marred my day,
Mercy has tempered every blast,

And love and hope have cheered the way;
Now let the parting hour be bright,

At evening time let there be light!
3. God doth send light at evening time,
And bid the fears, the doubtings flee;
I trust His promises sublime!
His glory now is risen on me!
His full salvation is in sight,—
At evening time, there now is light.

Nor at the old familiar board

They sit among us breaking bread.
2. Three days we wait before the tomb,
Nay, life-long years; and yet no more,
For all our passionate tears, we find
The stone rolled backward from the door.
3. Yet are they risen as He is risen ;
For no eternal loss we grieve.
Blessed are they who ask no sign,
And, never having seen, believe.

Lewis Morris.

I. CHILDREN of the heavenly King,

As ye journey, sweetly sing;

Sing your Saviour's worthy praise,
Glorious in His works and ways!

2. We are travelling home to God,
In the way the fathers trod ;
They are happy now; and we
Soon their happiness shall see.
3. Lift your eyes, ye sons of Light!
Zion's city is in sight:

There our endless home shall be,
There our Lord we soon shall see.

4. Fear not, brethren; joyful stand
On the borders of your land;
Jesus Christ, your Father's Son,
Bids you undismayed go on.

5. Lord! obediently we go,
Gladly leaving all below :
Only Thou our Leader be,
And we still will follow Thee !

7.7.7.7.

John Cennick, 1742.

I. COME, let us join our friends above,

Who have obtain’d the prize,

And on the eagle wings of love
To joy celestial rise.

Let all the saints terrestrial sing
With those to glory gone,

For all the servants of our King,
In earth and Heaven, are one.

2. One family, we dwell in Him,

One Church, above, beneath,
Though now divided by the stream,
The narrow stream of death.
One army of the living God,

To His command we bow;

Part of His host hath cross'd the flood,
And part is crossing now.

3. Ten thousand to their endless home
This solemn moment fly;

And we are to the margin come,
And we expect to die ;

His militant embodied host

With wishful looks we stand,

And long to see that happy coast,
And reach that heavenly land.
4. Our old companions in distress
We hope again to see,

And quietly wait for our release

And full felicity:

Even now by faith we join our hands
With those that went before,

And greet the pure triumphant bands
On the eternal shore.

C.M.D.

C. Wesley.

598.

The Cloud of Witnesses.

8.8.6.8.8.6

I. OFT,

as we run the weary way,

That leads through shadows unto day, With trial sore amazed,

We deem our sorrows are unknown,

Our battle joined and fought alone,
Our victory unpraised.

2. Faithless and blind, we cannot trace
The witnesses who watch our race,
Beyond the senses' ken;

The mighty cloud of all who died
With faithful rapture, humble pride,
For love of God and men ;

3. And One, the conqueror of death,
Captain and perfecter of faith,
Who, for the joy of love,

Endured the Cross, despised the shame,
Awakes in us the battle flame,

And waits for us above,

4. With patience, then, we run the race,
With joy and confidence and grace,
In quiet hope and power;

Cast off the sins that check our speed,
The weights that faith and love impede,
Withstand the evil hour.

5. For heaven is round us as we move,
Our days are compassed with its love,
Its light is on our road:

And when the knell of death is rung,
Loud hallelujahs shall be sung

To welcome us to God.

Stopford A. Brooke.