940 The conquest of the gospel.
1 O'ER the gloomy hills of darkness,
Cheered by no celestial ray,
Sun of righteousness, arising,
Bring the bright, the glorious day!
Send the gospel

To the earth's remotest bound.

2 Kingdoms wide that sit in darkness,—
Grant them, Lord, the glorious light:
And, from eastern coast to western,
May the morning chase the night;
And redemption,

Freely purchased, win the day.
3 Fly abroad, thou mighty Gospel!
Win and conquer, never cease;
May thy lasting, wide dominion
Multiply and still increase;
Sway thy scepter,

Saviour, all the world around!

941

William Williams.

The Macedonian cry.

3 Haste, O haste, and spread the tidings
Wide to earth's remotest strand;
Let no brother's bitter chidings
Rise against us when we stand
In the judgment,

From some far, forgotten land,

4 Lo! the hills for harvest whiten,
All along each distant shore;
Seaward far the islands brighten;
Light of nations, lead us o'er!
When we seek them,
Let thy Spirit go before.

Mrs. Cecil F. Alexander.

942 Fields white to the harvest.
1 WHO but thou, almighty Spirit,
Can the heathen world reclaim?
Men may preach, but till thou favor,
Heathens will be still the same:
Mighty Spirit!

Witness to the Saviour's name.

2 Thou hast promised by thy prophets
Glorious light in latter days:
Come, and bless bewildered nations,
Change our prayers and tears to praise;
Promised Spirit!

Round the world diffuse thy rays.

3 All our hopes, and prayers, and labors
Must be vain without thine aid:
But thou wilt not disappoint us,
All is true that thou hast said:
Faithful Spirit!

O'er the world thine influence shed.

Unknown.

FABEN.

8, 7. D.

JOHN HENRY WILCOX.

In our

deep - est darkness rise;

our eyes.

943

The Light of the world.

1 LIGHT of those whose dreary dwelling
Borders on the shades of death,
Come, and, by thyself revealing,
Dissipate the clouds beneath.
Thou, new heaven and earth's Creator,
In our deepest darkness rise;
Scattering all the night of nature,
Pouring day upon our eyes.

2 Still we wait for thine appearing;
Life and joy thy beams impart,
Chasing all our fears, and cheering
Every poor, benighted heart.
Come, and manifest thy favor

To our ruined, guilty race;
Come, thou universal Saviour;

Come, and bring the gospel grace.

3 Save us in thy great compassion,
O thou mild, pacific Prince;
Give the knowledge of salvation,
Give the pardon of our sins:
By thine all-atoning merit,

Every burdened soul release;
Every weary, wandering spirit,

Guide into thy perfect peace.

Charles Wesley.

1 SAVIOUR, sprinkle many nations,
Fruitful let thy sorrows be;
By thy pains and consolations,

Draw the Gentiles unto thee:
Of thy cross the wondrous story,
Be it to the nations told;
Let them see thee in thy glory,
And thy mercy manifold.

2 Far and wide, though all unknowing,
Pants for thee each mortal breast;
Human tears for thee are flowing,
Human hearts in thee would rest;
Thirsting, as for dews of even,

As the new-mown grass for rain, Thee they seek, as God of heaven, Thee, as Man for sinners slain.

3 Saviour, lo! the isles are waiting, Stretched the hand, and strained the sight, For thy Spirit, new creating

Love's pure flame and wisdom's light; Give the word, and of the preacher Speed the foot, and touch the tongue, Till on earth by every creature

Glory to the Lamb be sung.

A. Cleveland Coxe,

power,

His name to glorify;

And promise, in this sacred hour,
For God to live and die.

3 The covenant we this moment make Be ever kept in mind;

We will no more our God forsake,
Or cast his words behind.

4 We never will throw off his fear
Who hears our solemn vow;
And if thou art well pleased to hear,
Come down, and meet us now.

5 Thee, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
Let all our hearts receive;
Present with the celestial host,
The peaceful answer give.

6 To each the covenant blood apply,
Which takes our sins away;
And register our names on high,
And keep us to that day.

946

Charles Wesley.

Praise and thanksgiving.

1 SING to the great Jehovah's praise;
All praise to him belongs;

Who kindly lengthens out our days,
Demands our choicest songs:

2 His providence hath brought us through Another various year;

We all, with vows and anthems new,
Before our God appear.

3 Father, thy mercies past we own, Thy still continued care;

To thee presenting, through thy Son, Whate'er we have or are.

4 Our lips and lives shall gladly show The wonders of thy love, While on in Jesus' steps we go

To seek thy face above.

5 Our residue of days or hours
Thine, wholly thine, shall be;
And all our consecrated powers
A sacrifice to thee:

6 Till Jesus in the clouds appear
To saints on earth forgiven,
And bring the grand Sabbatic year,
The jubilee of heaven.

Charles Wesley.

948

Close of the year.

1 AWAKE, ye saints, and raise your eyes, And raise your voices high: Awake, and praise that sovereign love,

That shows salvation nigh.

2 On all the wings of time it flies,
Each moment brings it near;
Then welcome each declining day,
Welcome each closing year.

3 Not many years their rounds shall run, Nor many mornings rise,

Ere all its glories stand revealed

To our admiring eyes.

4 Ye wheels of nature, speed your course! Ye mortal powers, decay!

Fast as ye bring the night of death,
Ye bring eternal day.

949

Philip Doddridge.

The opening year.

1 THE year is gone, beyond recall, With all its hopes and fears,

With all its bright and gladdening smiles,
With all its mourners' tears;

2 Thy thankful people praise thee, Lord,
For countless gifts received;
Ard pray for grace to keep the faith
Which saints of old believed.

3 To thee we come, O gracious Lord,
The newborn year to bless;
Defend our land from pestilence;
Give peace and plenteousness;

many

sins;

4 Forgive this nation's
The growth of vice restrain;
And help us all with sin to strive,

And crowns of life to gain.

5 From evil deeds that stain the past
We now desire to flee;
And pray that future years may all
Be spent, good Lord, for thee.

6 O Father, let thy watchful eye
Still look on us in love,

That we may praise thee, year by year, With angel-hosts above.

From the Latin. Tr. by F. Pott.

[S. M. Tune, State Street. Page 115.]

950 Beginning a new year.
1 OUR few revolving years,

How swift they glide away!
How short the term of life appears
When past-but as a day!—
2 A dark and cloudy day,
Clouded by grief and sin;
A host of enemies without,
Distressing fears within.

3 Lord, through another year
If thou permit our stay,
With diligence may we pursue
The true and living way.
Benjamin Beddome.

Doxology.

To Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
The God whom we adore,
Be glory, as it was, is now,
And shall be evermore.

Tate and Brady.

1 WISDOM ascribe, and might, and praise,
To God, who lengthens out our days;
Who spares us yet another year,
And makes us see his goodness here:
O may we all the time redeem,
And henceforth live and die to him!

2 How often, when his arm was bared,
Hath he our sinful Israel spared!

Let me alone!" his mercy cried,
And turned the vengeful bolt aside;
Indulged another kind reprieve,
And strangely suffered us to live.

3 Merciful God, how shall we raise
Our hearts to pay thee all thy praise?
Our hearts shall beat for thee alone;
Our lives shall make thy goodness known;
Our souls and bodies shall be thine,
A living sacrifice divine.

Charles Wesley.

1 How many pass the guilty night In reveling and frantic mirth! The creature is their sole delight,

Their happiness the things of earth: For us suffice the season past; We choose the better part at last. 2 We will not close our wakeful eyes, We will not let our eyelids sleep,

But humbly lift them to the skies,
And all a solemn vigil keep;
So many years on sin bestowed,
Can we not watch one night for God?

3 We can, O Jesus, for thy sake,
Devote our every hour to thee;
Speak but the word, our souls shall wake,
And sing with cheerful melody:
Thy praise shall our glad tongues employ,
And every heart shall dance for joy.

4 Blest object of our faith and love, We listen for thy welcome voice; Our persons and our works approve,

And bid us in thy strength rejoice;
Now let us hear the mighty cry,
And shout to find the Bridegroom nigh.

5 Shout in the midst of us, O King
Of saints, and let our joys abound;
Let us rejoice, give thanks, and sing,
And triumph in redemption found:
We ask in faith for every soul;
O let our glorious joy be full!

6 O may we all triumphant rise;

With joy upon our heads return; And, far above these nether skies,

By thee on eagle wings upborne, Through all yon radiant circles move, And gain the highest heaven of love!

Charles Wesley.