THE PRAYER IN AN ACROSTIC.
In the following curious composition the initial capitals spell, “My boast is in the glorious Cross of Christ.” The words in italics, when read from top to bottom and bottom to top, form the Lord’s Prayer complete:—
Make known the Gospel truths, Our Father King;
Yield up thy grace, dear Father from above;
Bless us with hearts which feelingly can sing,
“Our life thou art for ever, God of Love!”
Assuage our grief in love for Christ, we pray,
Since the bright prince of Heaven and glory died,
Took all our sins and hallowed the display,
Infinite be-ing—first man, and then the crucified.
Stupendous God! thy grace and power make known;
In Jesus’ name let all the world rejoice.
Now all the world thy heavenly kingdom own,
The blessed kingdom for thy saints the choice.
How vile to come to thee is all our cry,
Enemies to thy self and all that’s thine,
Graceless our will, we live for vanity,
Lending to sin our be-ing, evil in our design.
O God, thy will be done from earth to Heaven;
Reclining on the Gospel let us live,
In earth from sin deliver-ed and forgiven,
Oh! as thyself but teach us to forgive.
Unless it’s power temptation doth destroy,
Sure is our fall into the depths of woe,
Carnal in mind, we’ve not a glimpse of joy
Raised against Heaven; in us no hope can flow.
O give us grace and lead us on thy way;
Shine on us with thy love and give us peace;
Self and this sin that rise against us slay;
Oh! grant each day our trespass-es may cease.
Forgive our evil deeds that oft we do;
Convince us daily of them to our shame;
Help us with heavenly bread, forgive us, too,
Recurrent lusts, and we’ll adore thy name.
In thy forgive-ness we as saints can die,
Since for us and our trespasses so high,
Thy son, our Saviour, bled on Calvary.