799 7s, peculiar. They shall never perish. John 10:28.
Now as long as here I roam, On this earth have house and home, Shall the light of love from thee Shine through all my memory, To my God I yet will cling, All my life the praises sing That from thankful hearts outspring.
2 Every sorrow, every smart, That the Father’s loving heart Hath appointed me of yore, Or hath yet for me in store, As my life flows on I’ll take Calmly, gladly for his sake, No more faithless murmurs make.
3 I will meet distress and pain, I will greet e’en death’s dark reign, I will lay me in the grave, With a heart still glad and brave, Whom the strongest doth defend, Whom the highest counts his friend, Can not perish in the end.
800 P. M. The shining shore.
My days are gliding swiftly by, And I a pilgrim stranger, Would not detain them as they fly— Those hours of toil and danger. CHORUS. For O! we stand on Jordan’s strand, Our friends are passing over; And just before, the shining shore We may almost discover.
2 We’ll gird our loins, my brethren dear, Our distant home discerning; Our absent Lord has left us word, Let every lamp be burning.
3 Should coming days be cold and dark, We need not cease our singing; That perfect rest nought can molest, Where golden harps are ringing.
4 Let sorrow’s rudest tempest blow, Each cord on earth to sever; Our King says, “Come,” and there’s our home, For ever, O! for ever.
801 P. M. Still will we trust.
Still will we trust, tho’ earth seem dark and dreary, And the heart faint beneath his chastening rod; Though rough and steep our pathway, worn and weary, Still will we trust in God!
2 Our eyes see dimly till by faith anointed, And our blind choosing brings us grief and pain; Through him alone who hath our way appointed, We find our peace again.
3 Choose for us, God! nor let our weak preferring Cheat our poor souls of good thou hast designed; Choose for us, God! thy wisdom is unerring, And we are fools and blind.
4 So from our sky, the night shall furl her shadows, And day pour gladness through his golden gates; Our rough path leads to flower-enameled meadows Where joy our coming waits.
5 Let us press on in patient self-denial, Accept the hardship, shrinking not from loss— Our guerdon lies beyond the hour of trial; Our crown, beyond the Cross.
802 P. M. God doth not leave his own.
God doth not leave his own! The night of weeping for a time may last; Then, tears all past, His going forth shall as the morning shine; The sunrise of his favors shall be thine— God doth not leave his own.
2 God doth not leave his own! Though “few and evil” all their days appear, Though grief and fear Come in the train of earth and hell’s dark crowd, The trusting heart says, even in the cloud, God doth not leave his own.
3 God doth not leave his own! This sorrow in their life he doth permit, Yea, useth it To speed his children on their heavenward way. He guides the winds—Faith, Hope and Love all say God doth not leave his own.
803 8s & 4s. Trust.
I know not if or dark or bright Shall be my lot; If that wherein my hopes delight Be best, or not.
2 It may be mine to drag for years Toil’s heavy chain; Or day and night my meat be tears On bed of pain.
3 Dear faces may surround my hearth With smiles and glee; Or I may dwell alone, and mirth Be strange to me.
4 My bark is wafted to the strand By breath divine; And on the helm there rests a hand Other than mine.
5 One who has known in storms to sail I have on board; Above the raving of the gale I hear my Lord.
804 P. M. Nearer.
We are too far from thee, our Saviour, Too far from thee, Before our eyes Dark mists arise, And vail the glories from the skies: We are too far from thee.
2 We are too far from thee, our Saviour, Too far from thee. Fierce pains oppress, Dark cares distress, Made darker by our loneliness: We are too far from thee.
3 We are too far from thee, our Saviour, Too far from thee, Dark waters roll Above the soul; Striving to reach the heavenly goal, We are too far from thee.
4 We are too far from thee, our Saviour, Too far from thee, Alone, afraid, Our path is laid In darkness; send thy heavenly aid; We are too far from thee.
5 We are too far from thee, our Saviour, Too far from thee, E’en if thy rod Bring us to God, In meekness be the pathway trod, If it but lead to God.
6 Draw us more close to thee, our Saviour, More close to thee, Let come what will Of good or ill, ’Tis one to us, well knowing still Thou drawest us to thee.
805 P. M. I have given him for a leader. Isaiah 55:4.