2. From the world of sin and noise,

And hurry, I withdraw ;
For the small and inward voice

I wait with humble awe;
Silent am I now and still ;

Dare not in Thy presence move:
To my waiting soul reveal
All the secret of Thy love.

Charles Wesley.

466.

The Silent Hour.

6.5.6.5.

I.

As the storm retreating

Leaves the vales in peace,
Let the world's vain noises

O’er our spirits cease.
2. Sounds of wrath and striving,

Man with man at war,
Hearts with heaven contending,

Hear we now no more.

3. Now the hours of stillness

Wondrous visions show;
Heaven unfolds before us,

Angels come and go.
4. Holy human faces,

From earth's shadows free,
Look with love upon us,

Bid us patient be.
5. Almost we discern them,

Almost read their smile,
Almost hear them saying,

“Wait a little while.”

6. Thus, in hours of stillness,

Faith to heaven shall rise,
Till death's last deep silence
Quite unseals our eyes.

Theodore C. Williams.

467.
Conference with God.

C.M. 1. SPEAK, Lord, unto Thy people speak,

As Thou did'st speak of old !
On us let Thine own presence break,

To us Thy will be told !
2. Speak, Lord, unto our inmost heart

With Thine own voice divine !
To us Thy very mind impart,

Our every task assign !
3. They spoke with Thee, Thy saints of yore,

Thus, thus would we confer:
They gathered thence their life and lore;

Our souls thus guide and stir !
4. Not less our longing hearts inspire,

Our onward steps uphold !
Not less would we Thy will inquire ;

Not less Thy will unfold !
5. Not only our own soul's affairs

We bring before our God:
We come with larger hopes and prayers ;

We send our souls abroad.
6. About Thy kingdom we confer,

Thou King of kings, with Thee ;
Oh send us forth aglow, astir,

From this high colloquy !

7. Let holier living witness bear

To life thereby bestowed ;
And words and deeds of might declare
Our conference with God.

T. H. Gill.

468.
Saving Grace.

75. 1. VIEW me, Lord, a work of Thine !

Shall I then lie drowned in night?
Might Thy grace in me but shine,

I should seem made all of light.
2. But my soul still surfeits so

On the poisoned baits of sin,
That I strange and plainer grow ;

All is dark and foul within.
3. Cleanse me, Lord, that I may kneel

At Thine altar pure and white ;
They that once Thy mercies feel,

Dwell no more on earth's delight.
4. Worldly joys like shadows fade

When the heavenly light appears ;
But the covenants Thou hast made,

Endless, know not days nor years.
5. In Thy word, Lord, is my trust,

To Thy mercies fast I fly;
Though I am but clay and dust,
Yet Thy grace can lift me high.

Thomas Campion (1613).

I.

469.
We Come to Thee.

L.M.
LI
IKE tired children, Lord, we come,

We turn our wandering footsteps home;
We scarce the narrow path can see ;
Our strength is spent-we come to Thee.

2. In busy life, with cares oppressed,

Longing and faint we seek for rest,
And find it when, on bended knee,
For one brief hour we come to Thee.

3. Slowly with pain we onward move :

Forsake us not, O Lord of love !
The dawn is nigh, the shadows flee ;
Father of Lights, we come to Thee.

A. R. Ireland.

470.

I.

Let us not Fall.

8.8.8.4. LORD ! amid paths diverging wide,

Our untaught footsteps need a guide,
Keep us, oh keep us, near Thy side :

Let us not fall.

2. Lord ! we are blind and deaf and lame,

Our only strength is in Thy Name,
Great is our fear to bring it shame :

Let us not fall.

3. Lord ! evermore Thy face we seek:

Tempted we are, ill-trained and weak,
Keep us with lowly hearts and meek:

Let us not fall.

4. All Thy good work in us complete, .

And place us daily at Thy feet:
Thy law, Thy charge, Thy peace are sweet :

Let us not fall.
5. Often does grateful memory cast

A backward look, and view the past,
Till hope grows bright that Faith will last,
And never fall.

Philip Doddridge.

471.

Turning to God.

75.

I.

KING of mercy, King of love, ,

Whose I am, in whom I move,
Perfect what Thou hast begun,

Let no night put out this sun !
2. Grant I may, my chief desire,

Long for Thee, to Thee aspire ;
Let my youth, my bloom of days,

Be my comfort, and Thy praise :
3. That hereafter, when I look

O'er the sullied, sinful book,
I may find Thy hand therein

Wiping out my shame and sin.
4. Only Thine, O Lord, the art

To reduce a stubborn heart;
And, since Thine is victory,
Strongholds should belong to Thee.

5. Lord, then take it : leave it not

Unto my dispose or lot ;
Since I would not have it mine,
O my God, let it be Thine !

Henry Vaughan (1614-1695).

472

Remember Me.

C.M.

I.

O THOU from whom all goodness flows,

I lift my heart to Thee;
In all my sorrows, conflicts, woes,

Good Lord, remember me !