HYMNS FOR THE DAY
| LORD OF ALL BEING |
Lord of all being; throned afar, Thy glory flames from sun and star; Center and soul of every sphere, Yet to each loving heart how near! Sun of our life, Thy quickening ray Sheds on our path the glow of day; Star of our hope, Thy softened light Cheers the long watches of the night. Our midnight is Thy smile withdrawn; Our noontide is Thy gracious dawn; Our rainbow arch Thy mercy's sign; All, save the clouds of sin, are Thine. Lord of all life, below, above, Whose light is truth, whose warmth is love, Before Thy ever-blazing throne We ask no luster of our own. Grant us Thy truth to make us free, And kindling hearts that burn for Thee, Till all Thy living altars claim One holy light, one heavenly flame. |
| --Oliver Wendell Holmes. |
By permission of Houghton, Mifflin & Co.
| ON OUR WAY REJOICING |
On our way rejoicing, As we homeward move, Hearken to our praises, O Thou God of love. Is there grief or sadness? Thine it cannot be. Is our sky beclouded? Clouds are not from Thee. If with honest-hearted Love for God and man, Day by day Thou find us Doing what we can, Thou who giv'st the seedtime Wilt give large increase, Crown the head with blessings, Fill the heart with peace. On our way rejoicing Gladly let us go; Conquered hath our Leader; Vanquished is our foe. Christ without, our safety; Christ within, our joy; Who, if we be faithful, Can our hope destroy? |
| --John Samuel Bewley Monsell. |
JESUS BLESSING THE LITTLE CHILDREN
By Bernard Plockhorst (1825- )
| GOING TO JESUS |
"The Master has come over Jordan." Said Hannah the mother one day; He is healing the people who throng Him With a touch of His finger, they say. "And now I shall carry the children, Little Rachel and Samuel and John; I shall carry the baby Esther For the Lord to look upon." The father looked at her kindly, But he shook his head and smiled. "Now who but a doting mother Would think of a thing so wild? "If the children were tortured by demons, Or dying of fever, 't were well; Or had they the taint of the leper, Like many in Israel." "Nay, do not hinder me. Nathan, I feel such a burden of care; If I carry it to the Master, Perhaps I shall leave it there. "If He lay His hands on the children, My heart will be lighter, I know; For a blessing for ever and ever Will follow them as they go." So over the hills of Judah, Along the vine-rows green. With Esther asleep on her bosom, And Rachel her brothers between, 'Mong the people who hung on His teaching, Or waited His touch or His word, Through the row of proud Pharisees listening She passed to the feet of her Lord. "Now why shouldst thou hinder the Master," Said Peter, "with children like these? Seest not how from morning to evening He teacheth, and healeth disease?" Then Christ said, "Forbid not the children; Permit them to come unto Me:" And He took in His arms little Esther, And Rachel He set on His knee. And the heavy heart of the mother Was lifted all earth-care above, As He laid His hands on the brothers, And blest them with tenderest love; As He said of the babes in His bosom, "Of such is the kingdom of heaven:" And strength for all duty and trial That hour to her spirit was given. |
| --Julia Gill |
| OF SUCH IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN |
I think, when I read that sweet story of old, When Jesus was here among men, How He called little children as lambs to His fold, I should like to have been with them then. I wish that His hands had been placed on my head, That His arm had been thrown around me, And that I might have seen His kind look when He said, "Let the little ones come unto Me." Yet still to His footstool in prayer I may go, And ask for a share in His love; And if I thus earnestly seek Him below, I shall see Him and hear Him above, In that beautiful place He has gone to prepare For all who are washed and forgiven; And many dear children shall be with Him there, For "of such is the kingdom of heaven." But thousands and thousands who wander and fall Never heard of that heavenly home; I wish they could know there is room for them all, And that Jesus has bid them to come. I long for the joy of that glorious time, The sweetest, the brightest, the best, When the dear children of every clime Shall crowd to His arms and be blest. |
| --Jemima Thompson Luke. |
| SUN OF MY SOUL |
Sun of my soul, Thou Saviour dear, It is not night if Thou be near; Oh, may no earth-born cloud arise To hide Thee from Thy servant's eyes! When soft the dews of kindly sleep My weary eyelids gently steep, Be my last thought--how sweet to rest Forever on my Saviour's breast. Abide with me from morn till eve, For without Thee I cannot live; Abide with me when night is nigh, For without Thee I dare not die. Be near to bless me when I wake, Ere through the world my way I take; Abide with me till in Thy love I lose myself in heaven above. |
| --John Keble. |
| DAY BY DAY |
Every day has its dawn, Its soft and silent eve, Its noontide hours of bliss or bale,-- Why should we grieve? Why do we heap huge mounds of years Before us and behind, And scorn the little days that pass Like angels on the wind? Each turning round a small, sweet face, As beautiful as near; Because it has so small a face We will not see it clear: We will not clasp it as it flies, And kiss its lips and brow: We will not bathe our wearied souls In its delicious Now. And so it turns from us, and goes A way in sad disdain: Though we would give our lives for it, It never comes again. |
| WHAT CAN LITTLE HANDS DO? |
Oh, what can little hands do To please the King of heaven? The little hands some work may try To help the poor in misery: Such grace to mine be given. Oh, what can little lips do, To please the King of heaven? The little lips can praise and pray, And gentle words of kindness say: Such grace to mine be given. Oh, what can little eyes do, To please the King of heaven? The little eyes can upward look, And learn to read God's holy Book: Such grace to mine be given. Oh, what can little hearts do, To please the King of heaven? Our hearts, if God His Spirit send, Can love and trust their Saviour-Friend: Such grace to mine be given. When hearts, and hands, and lips unite To please the King of heaven, And serve the Saviour with delight, They are most precious in His sight: Such grace to mine be given. |
| --Fabin. |
| HOW GENTLE GOD'S COMMANDS |
How gentle God's commands, How kind His precepts are! Come cast your burdens on the Lord, And trust His constant care. While Providence supports, Let saints securely dwell; That hand which bears all nature up Shall guide His children well. Why should this anxious load Press down your weary mind? Haste to your heavenly Father's throne, And sweet refreshment find. His goodness stands approved, Down to the present day; I'll drop my burden at His feet, And bear a song away. |
| --Philip Doddridge. |
| ABOVE THE CLEAR BLUE SKY |
Above the clear blue sky, In heaven's bright abode, The angel host on high Sing praises to their God: Alleluia! They love to sing To God their King Alleluia! But God from children's tongues On earth receiveth praise; We then our cheerful songs In sweet accord will raise: Alleluia! We, too, will sing To God our King Alleluia! O blessed Lord, Thy truth To all Thy flock impart, And teach us in our youth To know Thee as Thou art. Alleluia! Then shall we sing To God our King Alleluia! |
| --John Chandler. |