255

"Watch !"

S. M.

1 YE servants of the Lord,

Each in his office wait;

With joy obey his heavenly word,
And watch before his gate.

2 Let all your lamps be bright,
And trim the golden flame;
Gird up your loins, as in his sight,
For awful is his name.

3 Watch!-'tis your Lord's command;
And while we speak, he's near;
Mark every signal of his hand,
And ready all appear.

4 O, happy servant he,

In such a posture found!

He shall his Lord with rapture see,
And be with honour crowned.

256

"Watch and Pray!"

S. M Double.

1 Ан, when shall I awake

From sin's soft soothing power;

The slumber from my spirit shake,

And rise to fall no more?

Awake, no more to sleep,

But stand with constant care, Look up to God my soul to keep,

And ever watch in prayer.

2 0, could I always pray,

And never, never faintFreely to God might I convey

Each woe and each complaint; Before him might I lie,

And tell him all my care; And Father, Abba Father, cry, And pour a ceaseless prayer!

3 My Saviour, I would wait,

Till thou shalt make me whole; Till thou shalt all things new create In my believing soul;

Till thou my sins subdue,

Till thou my sins destroy,

My spirit after God renew,
And fill with peace and joy.

257

"The Bridegroom Cometh !"

1 REJOICE, rejoice believers! And let your lights appear,

The evening is advancing,

The darker night is near.

The Bridegroom is arising;

And soon will he draw nigh:
Up, pray, and watch, and wrestle,

At midnight comes the cry.

7s & 6s.

2 See that your lamps are burning,
Replenish them with oil;
Look now for your salvation,
The end of sin and toil.
The watchers on the mountain

Proclaim the Bridegroom near,
Go, meet him as he cometh,
With hallelujahs clear.

3 0, wise and holy virgins,
Now raise your voices higher,
Till in your jubilations,

Ye meet the angel-choir.
The marriage feast is waiting,
The gates wide open stand;
Up, up, ye heirs of glory,
The Bridegroom is at hand.

4 Our hope and expectation,
O Jesus, now appear;
Arise, thou Sun so looked for,
O'er this benighted sphere!
With hearts and hands uplifted,
We plead, O Lord, to see
The day of our redemption,
And ever be with thee.

258

THE CHURCH.

On laying the Corner-Stone of a Church.

C. M.

1 THE ground on which this day we stand,
Holy henceforth shall be,

For thus, Lord God of sea and land,
Thine own we render thee.

2 Maker and Builder thou, of all
Around us and above,

On thine Almighty name we call
To crown our work of love.

3 An earthly temple to thy praise,
Our labouring hands would pile;
Do thou a sacred temple raise,
Within its walls, the while.

4 Of living stones that temple frame,
Founded on Christ alone,
Inscribed with his exalted name,

By all men read and known.

5 From thence, as time and tide roll by,
May ransomed souls ascend,

Safe in their Father's home on high,
Eternity to spend.

259

DEDICATION.

Dedication of a Church. L. M. 6 lines.

1 FROM highest heaven, the Father's Son,
Descending like that mystic stone
Cut from a mountain without hands,
Came down below, and filled all lands;
Uniting, midway in the sky,

His house on earth, and house on high.

2 That house on high- it ever rings
With praises of the King of kings;
For ever there, on harps divine,
They hymn the eternal One and Trine;
We, here below, the strain prolong,
And faintly echo Zion's song.

3 O Lord of lords invisible;

With thy pure light this temple fill:
Hither, oft as invoked, descend;
Here to thy people's prayer attend:
Here, through all hearts for evermore,
The Spirit's quickening graces pour.

4 Here may the faithful, day by day,
In kneeling adoration pray;
And here receive from thy dear love
The blessings of that home above;