3 Their hearts together seek the place
Where God reveals his smiling face;
How high, how strong their raptures swell,
There's none but kindred souls can tell.
4 Nor shall the glowing flame expire
When nature droops her sickening fire;
Then shall they meet in realms above,
A heaven of joy, because of love.
HYMN 351. C. M. [b]
Compassion.
1 DAUGHTERS of pity, tune the lay;
To mourners joy belongs;
While he that wipes all tears away
Accepts our thankful songs.
2 No altars smoke, no offerings bleed,
No guiltless lives expire;
To help a brother in his need
Is all our rites require.
3 Our offering is a willing mind
To comfort the distressed;
In others' good our own to find,
In others' blessings blest.
4 Go to the pillow of disease,
Where night gives no repose,
And on the cheek where sickness preys,
Bid health to plant a rose.
5 Go where the friendless stranger lies,
To perish in his doom,
Snatch from the grave his closing eyes,
And bring his blessing home.
6 Thus what our heavenly Father gave
Shall we as freely give;
Thus copy him who lived to save,
And died that we might live.
HYMN 352. L. M. [#]
Love to God and Man.
1 THUS saith the first and great command,-
Let all thy inward powers unite
To love thy Maker and thy God
With utmost vigour and delight.
2 Then shall thy neighbour, next in place, Thy heart's sincere affection prove; And let thy wishes for thyself
Measure to him the debt of love.
3 But while these sacred truths we own,
How cold remain our bosoms still!
Wake our best passions, God of love,
And mould our spirits to thy will.
HYMN 353. L. M. [#]
Religion vain without Love.
1 HAD I the tongues of Greeks and Jews,
And nobler speech than angels use,
If love be absent, I am found,
Like tinkling brass, an empty sound.
2 Were I inspired, O God, to know
All that is done above, below,
Or could my faith the world remove,
Still I am nothing without love.
3 Should I distribute all my store,
To feed the bowels of the poor;
Or give my body to the flame,
To gain a martyr's glorious name ;-
4 If love to God, and love to men,
Be absent, all my hopes are vain :
Nor tongues, nor gifts, nor fiery zeal,
The works of love can e'er fulfil.
1 ALL nature feels attractive power,
A strong, embracing force;
The drops that sparkle in the flower,
The planets in their course.
2 Thus, in the universe of mind,
Is felt the law of love;
The charity, both strong and kind,
For all that live and move.
3 In this fine sympathetic chain
All creatures bear a part;
Their every pleasure, every pain,
Linked to the feeling heart.
4 More perfect bond, the Christian plan Attaches soul to soul;
Our neighbour is the suffering man,
Though at the farthest pole.
5 To earth below, from heaven above,
The faith in Christ professed,
More clearly shows that God is love,
And whom he loves is blessed.
HYMN 355. C. M. [#]
Christ's Love to Enemies our Example. 1 God of our mercy and our praise, Thy glory is our song;
We'll speak the honours of thy grace
With a rejoicing tongue.
2 When Christ, among the sons of men,
In humble form was found,
With cruel slanders, false and vain,
They compassed him around.
3 Their miseries his compassion moved,
Their peace he still pursued:
They rendered hatred for his love,
And evil for his good.
4 Their malice raged without a cause; Yet, with his dying breath,
He prayed for murderers on his cross,
And blessed his foes in death.
5 O may his conduct, all divine,
To us a model prove :
Like his, O God, our hearts incline,
Our enemies to love.
1 RELIGION is the chief concern
Of mortals here below;
May I its great importance learn,
Its sovereign virtue know.
2 More needful this than glittering wealth,
Or aught the world bestows;
Nor reputation, food, or health,
Can give such sweet repose.
3 Religion should our thoughts engage,
Amidst our youthful bloom;
"Twill fit us for declining age,
"Twill fit us for the tomb.
4 O may my heart, by grace renewed,
Be my Redeemer's throne;
And be my stubborn will subdued,
His government to own.
5 Let lively hope my soul inspire;
Let warm affections rise;
And may I wait with strong desire
To mount above the skies.
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