And when the Saviour fasted In loneliness and need, (He who five thousand persons Could with five fishes feed: Who by his simple fiat, Could change to bread each stone)— When He, on the high mountain-top Was weary and alone, Took place the fearful duel 'Twixt Satan and his LordThe contest for the souls of men, On whom God's wrath was pour'd; Lest mercy and forgiveness Upon their lot should beam, Through Jesus bearing all their guilt, Their lost souls to redeem. And Satan fought his fiercest With most unerring aim; Drove the foul fiend away. And when had foiled the Victor The Angels to Him minister'd In that momentous hour; And Jesus from that solemn day And that stupendous strife, Went forth to save our sin-dyed souls And win eternal life. Then, strike your harps, Archangels! And Angels, wake your song! Your sacred notes prolong! And ocean, roll thy mightiest ! Blow, winds, your trumpet-blast! And beasts and light-winged warblers, Joy o'er the Victory past: And ransom'd souls in chorus Praise Him, extol, adore, And crown the Warrior Son of God, Most blest for evermore! CHIEFEST AMONG TER THOUSAND, "My Beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand."-SONG of Sol. v. 10. HIEFEST among Ten Thousand! The haughty kings of earth But unto Thee alone, O Christ! the matchless name is given, Chiefest among Ten Thousand! The wealthy oft unfold Their title-deeds and jewelry, their silver and their gold; Chiefest among Ten Thousand! 'Neath many a crushing blow, Chiefest among Ten Thousand! Thy servants in old days Chiefest among Ten Thousand! Thine honoured martyr-band Chiefest among Ten Thousand! By Aaron and his train In ancient days full many a lamb was sacrificed and slain; Chiefest among Chiefest among Ten Thousand! Be Thou our Guide and stay: Chiefest among Ten Thousand! We look to Thee alone; Chiefest among Ten Thousand in every hour of need Chiefest among Ten Thousand, do Thou Thy children feed; And when Thy love has led us on a few more days or years Along the chequered scenes of life, 'midst earthly smiles and tears, We dwell with Thee in realms of bliss, to love Thee and adore. THE CHERLASTING ARMS. "The eternal God is thy Refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.”—DEUT. xxxiii. 27. F thou indeed would'st love thy Lord and My disciple be, Take up thy cross, the world forsake, and straightway follow Me; Thy new-made wife, thine own loved life, thy merchandize, thy farms: Bereft of all, but underneath the Everlasting Arms. Be grave and scorn to trifle; thy life is not for play: Talents and time are not thine own: work while 'tis called to-day; And if I bid thee quit the world and its engrossing charms, Remember underneath thee still the Everlasting Arms! Thou canst not draw Me close to thee to lovingly enfold, Whilst on thy heart thou bearest those weighty bags of gold; Though sorrow for awhile may bend thee abject in the dust, The sun shall smite thee not by day, nor the pale moon by night, If world or flesh or devil should try to lure astray, * And seek to make thee wander from the straight and narrow way; The peace the worldling knoweth not shall dwell within thine heart, For have I not My promise given, "My peace shall not depart "? Above the boisterous storms of earth are Heaven's eternal calms, And underneath the tempest-toss'd the Everlasting Arms. I'll make thy bed in sickness if rack'd with ceaseless pain, Upon thy smarting wounds I'll place famed Gilead's soothing balms, Why should'st thou then despondent be, why anxious or distress'd, The EVER LASTING ARMS! Oh, blessed, blessed thought! To rest in them in Heaven above, all earthly battles fought; * Isaiah, xlix. 16. THE GOODRESS & BEAUTY OF THE LORD JESUS. "For how great is His goodness, and how great is His beauty! Corn shall make the young men cheerful and new wine the maids." ZECH. ix. 17. I. OW great is His goodness, how great is His beauty, II. For His beauty and worth are from ages eternal, All goodness and beauty save His are but fleeting, III. And so great is His goodness, so great is His beauty, IV. Grand is the monarch of the day at his meridian height, He comes with glorious rays of light and with intensest heat, But how great is His goodness, how great is His beauty, More fair than yon moon though so fair and so lovely, V. Bright is the princely sapphire reflecting heaven's own blue, Bright is the varied topaz and emerald grassy green, They come to shine on courtly crowns or beauty's beaming face, The amethyst and carbuncle, the pearl and every gem. But how great is His goodness, how great is His beauty! THIS PEARL OF GREAT PRICE, THIS SUPERB KOH-I-NOOR !* VI. Rich is the luscious produce that crowns the fertile year, *Koh-i-noor, i.e. Mountain of Light. THE GOODNESS AND BEAUTY OF THE LORD JESUS. Rich are the rosy apples that in the orchards shine, To fill man's heart with gladness the lands their bounty pour, But how great is His goodness, how great is His beauty: VII. Choice are the damask roses our gardens that adorn, Choice are the drooping lilies without one spot or thorn; Choice are the spice and frankincense, the spikenard and the myrrh, They come in all their pride of life with foliage and with bloom, But how great is His goodness, how great is His beauty, In life He breath'd tenderness, love and compassion, VIII. Sweet is the fragile snowdrop above the frozen ground, Sweet through the leafless branches the warbler's earliest sound, Sweet is the yellow primrose, so tender and so fair: They come when hearts are sad and chill'd by winter's icy hand, When last year's sweets have perished from the cold and cheerless land; They come as blessed harbingers of a resurrection morn, And point to summer as to noonday points the early dawn; But how great is His goodness, how great is His beauty, THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD FROM THE SEPULCHRE'S GLOOM! IX. And how great is His goodness, how great is His beauty! X. How great then thy goodness, how great then thy beauty, If, thy face towards thy Lord, on thy heart is reflected, |