Book of Hymns for Public and Private Devotion Part 7

1 Shine on our souls, Eternal G.o.d, With rays of beauty shine; O, let Thy favor crown our days, And all their round be Thine!

2 Did we not raise our hands to Thee, Our hands might toil in vain; Small joy success itself could give If Thou Thy love restrain.

3 With Thee let every week begin, With Thee each day be spent, For Thee each fleeting hour improved, Since each by Thee is lent.

4 Midst hourly cares may love present Its incense at Thy throne; And while the world our hands employs, Our hearts be Thine alone.

43. C. M. Montgomery.

Prayer for Wisdom.

1 Almighty G.o.d, in humble prayer To Thee our souls we lift; Do Thou our waiting minds prepare For Thy most needful gift.

2 We ask not golden streams of wealth Along our path to flow; We ask not undecaying health, Nor length of years below:

3 We ask not honors, which an hour May bring and take away; We ask not pleasure, pomp, or power, Lest we should go astray:

4 We ask for wisdom: Lord, impart The knowledge how to live: A wise and understanding heart To all before Thee give.

5 The young remember Thee in youth, Before the evil days!

The old be guided by Thy truth In wisdom's pleasant ways!

44. L. M. H. Moore.

Manliness and Freedom.

1 Supreme and universal Light!

Fountain of reason! Judge of right!

Parent of good! whose blessings flow On all above, and all below:

2 a.s.sist us, Lord, to act, to be, What nature and Thy laws decree; Worthy that intellectual flame, Which from Thy breathing spirit came.

3 Our moral freedom to maintain, Bid pa.s.sion serve, and reason reign, Self-poised and independent still On this world's varying good or ill.

4 No slave to profit, shame, or fear, O, may our steadfast bosoms bear The stamp of heaven,--an upright heart, Above the mean disguise of art!

5 May our expanded souls disclaim The narrow view, the selfish aim; But with a Christian zeal embrace Whate'er is friendly to our race.

6 O Father! grace and virtue grant; No more we wish, no more we want: To know, to serve Thee, and to love, Is peace below,--is bliss above.

45. C. M. Methodist.

Made Perfect in Love.

1 Father, united by Thy grace, And each to each endeared, With confidence we seek Thy face, And know our prayer is heard.

2 Touched by the loadstone of Thy love, Let all our hearts agree; And ever towards each other move, And ever move towards Thee.

3 Grant this, and then from all below Insensibly remove!

Our souls their change shall scarcely know, Made perfect first in love.

4 To us the ministry be given, Which angels have above; For love can make on earth a heaven, And heaven is only love.

46. 11 & 10s. M. *J. F. Clarke.

Prayer for Strength.

1 Father, to us Thy children, humbly kneeling, Conscious of weakness, ignorance, sin and shame, Give such a force of holy thought and feeling, That we may live to glorify Thy name:

2 That we may conquer base desire and pa.s.sion That we may rise from selfish thought and will, O'ercome the world's allurement, threat, and fashion, Walk humbly, gently, leaning on Thee still.

3 Let all Thy goodness by our minds be seen, Let all Thy mercy on our souls be sealed, Lord, if Thou wilt, Thy power can make us clean, O, speak the word! Thy servants shall be healed.

47. 8 & 7s. M. Ancient Hymns.

Thrice Holy.

1 "Lord, Thy glory fills the heaven; Earth is with its fulness stored; Unto Thee be glory given, Holy, holy, holy Lord!"

Heaven is still with anthems ringing; Earth takes up the angels' cry, "Holy, holy, holy," singing, "Lord of hosts, the Lord most High!"

2 Ever thus in G.o.d's high praises, Brethren, let our tongues unite, Whilst our thoughts His greatness raises, And our love His gifts excite.

With His seraph train before Him, With His holy church below, Thus unite we to adore Him, Bid we thus our anthem flow:--

3 "Lord, Thy glory fills the heaven; Earth is with its fulness stored; Unto Thee be glory given, Holy, holy, holy Lord!

Thus, Thy glorious name confessing, We adopt the angels' cry, 'Holy, holy, holy,'--blessing Thee, the Lord our G.o.d most High!"