Book of Hymns for Public and Private Devotion Part 28

1 For all Thy saints, O G.o.d, Who strove in Christ to live, Who followed him, obeyed, adored, Our grateful hymn receive.

2 For all Thy saints, O G.o.d, Accept our thankful cry, Who counted Christ their great reward, And yearned for him to die.

3 They all, in life and death, With him, their Lord, in view, Learned from Thy holy spirit's breath To suffer and to do.

4 For this Thy name we bless, And humbly pray that we May follow them in holiness, And live and die in Thee.

168. S. M. Anonymous.

The Word of G.o.d.

1 G.o.d of the prophets' power!

G.o.d of the gospel's sound!

Move glorious on,--send out Thy voice To all the nations round.

2 With hearts and lips unfeigned, We bless Thee for Thy word; We praise Thee for the joyful news Of our ascended Lord.

3 O, may we treasure well The counsels that we hear, Till righteousness and solemn joy In all our hearts appear.

4 Water the sacred seed, And give it large increase; May neither fowls, nor rocks, nor thorns, Prevent the fruits of peace.

5 And though we sow in tears, Our souls at last shall come, And gather in our sheaves with joy, At heaven's great harvest-home.

169. H. M. Doddridge.

The Gospel.

1 Mark the soft falling snow And the diffusive rain!

To heaven, from whence it fell, It turns not back again; Till, watering earth Through every pore, It calls forth all Her secret store.

2 Arrayed in beauteous green, The hills and valleys s.h.i.+ne, And man and beast are fed By providence divine: The harvest bows Its golden ears, The copious seed Of future years.

3 "So," saith the G.o.d of grace, "My gospel shall descend, Almighty to effect The purpose I intend; Millions of souls Shall feel its power, And bear it down To millions more."

170. S. M. Moore.

Christianity.

1 Behold the sun, how bright From yonder east he springs, As if the soul of life and light Were breathing from his wings.

2 So bright the gospel broke Upon the souls of men; So fresh the dreaming world awoke In truth's full radiance then.

3 Before yon sun arose, Stars cl.u.s.tered through the sky; But, O, how dim, how pale, were those, To his one burning eye!

4 So truth lent many a ray, To bless the Pagan's night; But, Lord, how faint, how cold, were they, To Thy one glorious light!

171. L. M. Emily Taylor.

Thy Kingdom Come!

1 "Thy kingdom come!" The heathen lands, In error sunk, Thy presence crave; And victims bound by tyrant hands Implore Thee, Father, come and save!

2 "Thy kingdom come!" Each troubled mind In doubt and darkness calls for Thee; For Thou hast eyes to give the blind, And strength to set the captive free.

3 Thy reign of peace and love begin!

Too oft the Christian's sacred name Is stained by wrath and shamed by sin; O, come, a.s.sert the gospel's claim!

4 O, never in that righteous cause Our hearts be slow, our voices dumb; Upon the glorious theme we pause, And fervent pray, "Thy kingdom come!"

172. C. M. Gaskell.

Thy Kingdom Come!

1 O G.o.d! the darkness roll away Which clouds the human soul, And let the bright, the perfect day, Speed onward to its goal.

2 Let every hateful pa.s.sion die, Which makes of brethren foes; And war no longer raise its cry, To mar the world's repose.

3 Let faith, and hope, and charity, Go forth through all the earth; And man, in heavenly bearing, be True to his heavenly birth.

4 Yea, let Thy glorious kingdom come Of holiness and love, And make this world a portal meet For Thy bright courts above.

173. S. M. *H. Martineau.

The Coming of Christ in Power.