Though cisterns be broken,
And creatures all fail,
The word he has spoken
Will surely prevail.

3 His love in time past
Forbids me to think

He'll leave me at last
In trouble to sink;
Each sweet Eben-ezer
I have in review,
Confirms his good pleasure
To help me quite through.

4 Determined to save,

He watched o'er my path,
When, Satan's blind slave,
I sported with death;
And can he have taught me
To trust in his name,
And thus far have brought me
To put me to shame?

5 Why should I complain
Of want or distress,

Temptation or pain?
He told me no less:
The heirs of salvation,

I know from his word,
Through much tribulation
Must follow their Lord.

6 How bitter that cup,

No heart can conceive,
Which he drank quite up,

That sinners might live!
His way was much rougher
And darker than mine;
Did Jesus thus suffer,
And shall I repine?

7 Since all that I meet
Shall work for my good,

252.

The bitter is sweet,

The med'cine is food;
Though painful at present,

It will cease before long,
And then, oh! how pleasant,
The conqueror's song!

LOOKING UPWARDS IN TROUBLE. Communion-St. Chad-Bridgewater. 1 God of my life, to thee I call, Afflicted at thy feet I fall;

L. M.

When the great water-floods prevail, Leave not my trembling heart to fail! 2 Friend of the friendless and the faint, Where shall I lodge my deep complaint? Where but with thee, whose open door Invites the helpless and the poor?

3 Did ever mourner plead with thee,
And thou refuse the mourner's plea?
Does not the word still fixed remain,
That none shall seek thy face in vain?
4 Poor though I am, despised, forgot,

Yet God, my God, forgets me not,
And he is blest, and must succeed,
For whom the Lord vouchsafes to plead.

253.

PRAYER ANSWERED BY CROSSES.
Soldau-Hamburg-Stourbridge.

L. M.

1 I asked the Lord that I might grow
In faith, and love, and every grace;
Might more of his salvation know,
And seek more earnestly his face.
2 'Twas he who taught me thus to pray,
And he, I trust, has answered prayer;
But it has been in such a way
As almost drove me to despair.
3 I hoped that in some favoured hour,
At once he'd answer my request,
And by his love's constraining power,
Subdue my sins, and give me rest.
4 Instead of this, he made me feel
The hidden evils of my heart;
And let the angry powers of hell
Assault my soul in every part.

5 Lord, why is this? I trembling cried;
Wilt thou pursue thy worm to death?
"Tis in this way, the Lord replied,
I answer prayer for grace and faith.
6 These inward trials I employ,

From self and pride to set thee free;
And break thy schemes of earthly joy,
That thou may'st seek thine all in me.

254.

L. M.

PRAYER FOR PATIENCE. Babylon-St. Ambrose Munich. 1 Lord, who hast suffered all for me, My peace and pardon to procure, The lighter cross I bear for thee, Help me with patience to endure. 2 The storm of loud repining hush, I would in humble silence mourn; Why should the unburnt, though burning bush,

Be angry as the crackling thorn?

3 Ah! were I buffeted all day,

Mocked, crowned with thorns, and spit

upon,

I yet should have no right to say,
My great distress is mine alone.

4 Let me not angrily declare

No pain was ever sharp like mine;

Nor murmur at the cross I bear,
But rather weep, remembering thine.

255.

THE PILGRIM'S PRAYER.
Alma-Hibernia-Rousseau.

8.7.8.7. 4.7.

1 Guide me, O thou great Jehovah!
Pilgrim through this barren land;
I am weak, but thou are mighty,
Hold me with thy powerful hand:
Bread of heaven,

Feed me till I want no more.

2 Open thou the crystal fountain, Whence the streams of healing flow: Let the cloudy fiery pillar

Lead me all my journey through:
Strong Deliverer,

Be thou still my strength and shield.
3 When I tread the verge of Jordan,
Bid my anxious fears subside;
Death of death, and hell's destruction,

Land me safe on Canaan's side;

Songs of praises

I will ever give to thee.

256.

C. M.

THE BEST DESIRE.

New London-Solomon-Northampton.

1 O Lord, my best desire fulfil,

And help me to resign