3. O think upon me for my good,

Though little good I do ;
My hope and my forgiving Friend

Thou hast been hitherto.

4. And I would live in such a course,

That men to me may say,
“O whence hast thou thy joy and force ?

What is thy secret stay?"
5. My joy, when truest joy I have,

It comes to me from heaven;
My strength, when I from weakness rise,

Is by Thy Spirit given.
6. And while He shines as He has shone,

Whom Thou hast made my stay,
Life can but gently float me on,
Not hurry me away.

T. T. Lynch.

C.M.

Trust, Submission, and Obedience.
495, An Unmurmuring Heart.
1. FATHER, whate'er of earthly bliss

Thy sovereign will denies,
Accepted at Thy throne of grace,

Let this petition rise :
2. Give me a calm, a thankful heart,

From every murmur free :
The blessings of Thy grace impart,

And let me live to Thee.
3. Let the sweet hope that Thou art mine

My path of life attend ;
Thy presence through my journey shine,
And crown my journey's end.

Ann Steele, 1760.

I.

496.
The Satisfied Heart.

L.M.
I
BLESS Thee, Lord, for sorrows sent

To break my dream of human power ;
For now my shallow cistern's spent,

I find Thy founts, and thirst no more.
2. I take Thy hand, and fears grow still ;

Behold Thy face, and doubts remove ;
Who would not yield his wavering will

To perfect Truth and boundless Love?
3. That Love this restless soul doth teach

The strength of Thine eternal calm ;
And tunes its sad and broken speech

To join, on earth, the angels' psalm.
4. O be it patient in Thy hands,

And drawn, through each mysterious hour,
To service of Thy pure commands,
The narrow way to Love and Power !

S. Johnson.

C.M.

497.

The Spirit of Faith.
1. SPIRIT of Faith! be thou my guide ;

O clasp my hand in thine !
And never let me quit thy side :-

Thy comforts are divine.
2. Pride scorns thee for thy lowly mien :

But who like thee can rise
So high above this sordid scene,

So near the holy skies?
3. Gentle thine eye, and soft thy voice,

But glorious is thy might,
To make the wretched soul rejoice,

To give the simple light.

4. And still to all who seek thy way

The wondrous power is given,
That while their footsteps press the clay,

Their souls ascend to heaven.
5. Through pain and death I can rejoice,

If but thy strength be mine ;
Earth hath no music like thy voice,

Life owns no joy like thine.
6. Spirit of Faith ! I'll go with thee,

Thou, if I hold thee fast,
Wilt guide, defend, and strengthen me,
And bear me home at last.

Anne Bronte.

I.

498.
The Peace of Faith.

LM.
O FATHER ! humbly we repose

Our souls on Thee, who dwell'st above,
And bless Thee for the peace which flows

From faith in Thy paternal love.
2. Though every earthly trust may break,

Unfailing might belongs to Thee ;
Though every earthly friend forsake,

Unchangeable Thou still wilt be.
3. Though griefs may gather darkly round,

They cannot hide us from Thy sight ;
Though vain all human aid be found,

Thou every cloud canst turn to light.
4. All things Thy wise designs fulfil,

In earth beneath and heaven above;
And good breaks out from every ill,
Through faith in Thy paternal love.

Wm. Gaskell.

499.

Mercy in All.

L.M.

I.

My God! I thank Thee : may no thought

E’er deem Thy chastisements severe ;
But may this heart, by sorrow taught,

Calm each wild wish, each idle fear. 2. Thy mercy bids all nature bloom ;

The sun shines bright, and man is gay ;
Thine equal mercy spreads the gloom

That darkens o'er his little day.
3. Full many a throb of grief and pain

Thy frail and erring child must know ;
But not one prayer is breathed in vain,

Nor does one tear unheeded flow.
4. Thy various messengers employ!

Thy purposes of love fulfil !
And 'mid the wreck of human joy,
May kneeling faith adore Thy will !

A. Norton.

II.IO.II.IO.

500.

Patient, O Heart. 1. FATHER, to Thee we look in all our sorrow,

Thou art the fountain whence our healing

flows ;

Dark though the night, joy cometh with the

morrow;

Safely they rest who on Thy love repose. 2. When fond hopes fail and skies are dark before us,

When the vain cares that vex our life increase,Comes with its calm the thought that Thou art

o'er us,

And we grow quiet, folded in Thy peace.

3. Naught shall affright us on Thy goodness leaning,

Low in the heart faith singeth still her song ; Chastened by pain we learn life's deeper meaning,

And in our weakness Thou dost make us strong. 4. Patient, О heart, though heavy be thy sorrows !

Be not cast down, disquieted in vain ;
Yet shalt thou praise Him when these darkened

furrows,
Where now He ploweth, wave with golden grain.

F. L. Hosmer.

I.

501.
All as God wills.

C.M.
AL LL as God wills ! who wisely heeds

To give or to withhold,
And knoweth more of all my needs

Than all my prayers have told.
2. Enough, that blessings undeserved

Have marked my erring track;
That wheresoe'er my feet have swerved,

Thy chastening turned me back.
3. That more and more a Providence

Of love is understood,
Making the springs of time and sense

Bright with eternal good ;
4. That death seems but a covered wày,

Which opens into light,
Wherein no blinded child can stray

Beyond the Father's sight;
5. No longer forward or behind

I look in hope or fear,
But, grateful, take the good I find-
God's blessing now and here.

J. G. Whittier.