439

ITS CLOSE.

77.77.

"We spend our years as a tale that is told."-Ps. xc. 9.

1 AS the winged arrow flies

Speedily the mark to find;
As the lightning from the skies
Darts and leaves no trace behind;
2 Swiftly thus our fleeting days

Bear us down life's rapid stream;
Upwards, Lord, our spirits raise,
All below is but a dream.

3 Thanks for mercies past received;
Pardon of our sins renew;

Teach us henceforth how to live
With eternity in view.

4 Give Thy grace to young and old;
Fill us with a Saviour's love;
And when life's short tale is told,
May we dwell with Thee above.

87.87.

JOHN NEWTON.

440 "The Lord shall guide thee con

tinually."-Isa. lviii. 11.

1 CHILDHOOD'S years are passing

o'er us,

Youthful days will soon be gone; Cares and sorrows lie before us,

Hidden dangers, snares unknown. 2 O may He who, meek and lowly, Trod Himself this vale of woe, Make us His, and make us holy, Guard and guide us while we go. 3 Hark, it is the Saviour calling,

"Little children, follow Me;" Jesus, keep our feet from falling; Teach us all to follow Thee. 4 Soon we part; it may be never, Never here to meet again; Oh to meet in heaven for ever, Oh the crown of life to gain!

WILLIAM DICKSON.

2

3

4

5

A few more suns shall set
O'er these dark hills of time,
And we shall be where God Himself,
Lights all the glorious clime:
Then, O my Lord, prepare

My soul for that bright day; Oh! wash me in Thy precious blood, And take my sins away.

A few more storms shall beat
On this stern rocky shore,

And we shall be where tempests cease,
And surges swell no more:
Then, O my Lord, prepare

My soul for that calm day;
Oh! wash me in Thy precious blood,
And take my sins away.

A few more struggles here,

A few more partings o'er,

A few more toils, a few more tears,
And we shall weep no more:
Then, O my Lord, prepare

My soul for that blest day;

Oh! wash me in Thy precious blood, And take my sins away.

"Tis but a little while

And He shall come again,

Who died that we might live, who lives
That we with Him may reign:
Then, O my Lord, prepare
My soul for that glad day;

Oh! wash me in Thy precious blood,
And take my sins away.

With channel broad and free,

Its waters rippling ever,
And hastening to the sea;
So life is onward flowing,
And days of offered peace;
And man is swiftly going

Where calls of mercy cease.
2 As moons are ever waning;
As hastes the sun away;
As stormy winds, complaining,
Bring on the wintry day;
So fast the night comes o'er us,-
The darkness of the grave;
And death is just before us-
God takes the life He gave.

3 Say, hath thy heart its treasure Laid up in worlds above? And is it all thy pleasure

Thy God to praise and love? Beware, lest death's dark river Its billows o'er thee roll,

And thou lament for ever

443

The ruin of thy soul.

SAMUEL F. SMITH.

77.77.

"So teach us to number our days." -Ps. xc. 12.

1 SWIFT the moments fly away,

First the hour and then the day, Next the week, the month, the year, Steal away and disappear.

2 Time is ever on the wing,

While I speak, or think, or sing;
Whether working, or at play,
Time is rolling fast away.
3 Think, my soul, awake and see
What will soon become of thee;
Whither tending canst thou tell,
Up to heaven, or down to hell?
4 Jesus, I would humbly pray,
Guide and keep me in Thy way
Every gift and grace bestow,
Wean my heart from things below.

445..

1

76.76.7776

I'm a pilgrim, &c.

MARY S. DANA.

76.76.76.76.

TIME is winging us away

To our eternal home;

Life is but a winter's day,

A journey to the tomb.

Youth and vigour soon will cease,
Blooming beauty lose its charms:
All that's mortal soon will be
Inclosed in Death's cold arms.

2 Time is winging us away
To our eternal home;
Life is but a winter's day,
A journey to the tomb.
But the Christian shall enjoy
Health and beauty from above,
Far above the world's alloy,
Secure in Jesus' love.

JOHN BURTON.

His beauty: they shall behold the land that is very far off."—

Isa. xxxiii. 17.

sands of time are sinking, The dawn of heaven breaks, The summer morn I've sighed for, The fair sweet morn awakes: Dark, dark, hath been the midnight, But dayspring is at hand, And glory, glory dwelleth In Immanuel's land.

2 The King there, in His beauty,
Without a vail is seen,

It were a well-spent journey,
Though seven deaths lay between :
The Lamb, with His fair army,
Doth on Mount Zion stand,

And glory, glory dwelleth
In Immanuel's land.

3 O Christ, He is the fountain,

The deep, sweet well of love; The streams on earth I've tasted, More deep I'll drink above: There, to an ocean fulness, His mercy doth expand, And glory, glory dwellǝtli In Immanuel's land.

4 With mercy and with judgment, My web of time He wove,

And aye the dews of sorrow

Were lustred with His love:
I'll bless the hand that guided,
I'll bless the heart that planned,

-1 Thess. iv. 17.

"FOR ever with the Lord:

Amen; so let it be:

Life from the dead is in that word, 'Tis immortality.

Here in the body pent,
Absent from Him I roam,

Yet nightly pitch my moving tent
A day's march nearer home.

My Father's house on high,
Home of my soul, how near,
At times, to faith's foreseeing eye
Thy golden gates appear!
Ah! then my spirit faints
To reach the land I love,

The bright inheritance of saints;
Jerusalem above.

"For ever with the Lord!"
Father, if 'tis Thy will,

The promise of that faithful word,
Even here to me fulfil.

Be Thou at my right hand,

Then can I never fail;

Uphold Thou me, and I shall stand, Fight, and I must prevail.

One by one.

cold,

449 "Some are fallen asleep."

1

2

1 Cor. xv. 6.

SLEEP thy last sleep,

Free from care and sorrow;

Rest where none weep
Till th' eternal morrow;
Though dark waves roll
O'er the silent river,
Thy fainting soul

Jesus can deliver.

Life's dream is past,
All its sin and sadness,
Brightly at last

Dawns a day of gladness;
Under the sod,"

Earth, receive our treasure
To rest in God,
Waiting all His pleasure.
8 Though we may mourn
Those in life the dearest,

1

2

is cut down."-Job xiv. 2.

WHEN blooming youth is snatched

away

By death's resistless hand,

Our hearts the mournful tribute pay,
Which pity must demand.

While pity prompts the rising sigh,
O may this truth, impressed
With awful power, "I, too, must die!'
Sink deep in every breast.

3 Let this vain world delude no more: Behold the gaping tomb,

It bids us seize the present hour,
To-morrow death may come.

4 The voice of this alarming scene
May every heart obey;

Nor be the heavenly warning vain
Which calls to watch and pray.

5 O let us fly-to Jesus fly,

Whose powerful arm can save; Then shall our hopes ascend on high, And triumph o'er the grave.

5 Yet these, new rising from the tomb, With lustre brighter far shall shine; Revive with ever-during bloom, Safe from diseases and decline. 6 Let sickness blast, let death devour, If heaven must recompense our pains; Perish the grass, and fade the flower, If firm the word of God remains. SAMUEL WESLEY, SEN. 65.65.

452

1

"Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”—
Acts vii. 59.

SAVIOUR, now receive him
To Thy bosom mild;

For with Thee we leave him,
Blessed, blessed child.

2 Though his eye hath brightened
Oft our weary way;
And his clear laugh lightened
Half our heart's dismay;

3 Now let faith behold him
In his heavenly rest,

Where those arms enfold him
To the Saviour's breast.

4 Yield we what was given
At Thy holy call;
The beautiful to heaven,
Thou who givest all!

5 Still, 'mid heavy mourning,
Look we now to God;
There our spirit turning
Kneel beside the sod.

Which is far better."-Phil. i. 23. APPY the children who are gone

1 HAP

To live with Jesus Christ in peace, Who stand around His glorious throne Clad in His spotless righteousness. 2 The Saviour, whom they loved below, Hath kindly wiped their tears away; No sin, no sorrow there they know, But dwell in one eternal day.

3 There, to their golden harps they sing, While tens of thousands join their songs,

Hosannas to the immortal King,

To whom eternal praise belongs.

4 O gracious Saviour, there may we
Be brought with them in bliss to join,
The fulness of Thy love to see,
And sing Thy mercies all divine.
JOHN CENNICK (alt.).

454

1

C.M.

"I would comfort myself against sorrow."-Jer. viii. 18.

WHY should our tears in sorrow flow

When God recalls His own; And bids them leave a world of woe, For an immortal crown?

2 Is not e'en death a gain to those Whose life to God was given ? Gladly to earth their eyes they close, To open them in heaven.

8 Their toils are past, their work is done And they are fully blest;

They fought the fight, the victory won,
And entered into rest.

4 Then let our sorrows cease to flow,
God has recalled His own;
But let our hearts in every woe
Still say, "Thy will be done!"

DEATH has been here, and borne A scholar from our side; [away Just in the morning of her [his] day, As young as we, she [he] died.

2 Perhaps our time may be as short, Our days may fly as fast;

O Lord, impress the solemn thought
That this may be our last.

3 We cannot tell who next may fall
Beneath Thy chastening rod;
One must be first; but let us all
Prepare to meet our God.

4 May each attend with willing feet
The means of knowledge here,
And wait around Thy mercy-seat
With hope as well as fear.

5 All needful strength is Thine to give; To Thee our souls apply

For grace to teach us how to live,
Or make us fit to die.

6 Lord, to Thy wisdom and Thy care
May we resign our days,
Content to live and serve Thee here,
Or die, and sing Thy praise.