2

But Thou hast needy brethren here,
Partakers of Thy grace,

Whose humble names Thou wilt confess
Before Thy Father's face.

3 In their sad accents of distress
Thy pleading voice is heard,

In them Thou mayst be clothed and fed,
And visited and cheered.

4 Thy face, with reverence and with love,
We in Thy poor would see,

For while we minister to them,
We do it, Lord, to Thee.

I

2

School Festivals.

329.

O HOLY Lord, content to live
In a poor home, a lowly child,
And in subjection meek to give

Obedience to Thy mother mild !

Lead every child that bears Thy Name
To walk in Thy pure upright way,
To dread the touch of sin and shame,
And humbly, like Thyself, obey.

3 O let not this world's scorching glow Thy Spirit's quickening dew efface, Nor blast of sin too rudely blow,

And quench the trembling flame of grace.

4 Gather Thy lambs within Thine arm,
And gently in Thy bosom bear;

Keep them, O Lord, from hurt and harm,
And bid them rest for ever there!

5 So shall they, waiting here below,
Like Thee, their Lord, a little span,
In wisdom and in stature grow,
And favour both with God and man.

I

2

330.

Amen.

W. W. How.

SHEPHERD of Israel, from above

Thy feeble flock behold;

And let us never lose Thy love,

Nor wander from Thy fold.

Thou wilt not cast Thy lambs away;
Thy hand is ever near,

To guide them lest they go astray,
And keep them safe from fear.

3 Thy tender care supports the weak,
And will not let them fall;

Then teach us, Lord, Thy praise to speak,
And on Thy Name to call.

4 We want Thy help, for we are frail;
Thy light, for we are blind;

Let grace o'er all our doubts prevail,
To prove that Thou art kind.

5 Teach us the things we ought to know;
And may we find them true;

And still, in stature as we grow,
Increase in wisdom too.

6 Guide us through life; and when at last We enter into rest,

Thy tender arms around us cast,

And fold us to Thy breast. Amen.

W. H. Bathurst.

I

In time of Trouble.

331.

ALMIGHTY Lord, before Thy throne
Thy mourning people bend,

For on Thy pardoning grace alone
Our prostrate hopes depend.

2 Dire judgments from Thy heavy hand
Thy dreadful power display ;
Yet mercy spares our guilty land,
And still we live to pray.

3 O turn us, turn us, mighty Lord,
By thy subduing grace;

So shall our hearts obey Thy word,
And we shall see Thy face.

4 If famine, plague, or foes invade,
We shall not sink in fear,
Secure of all-sufficient aid,
When God, our God, is near.

332.

I GOD of our life, to Thee we call,
Afflicted at Thy feet we fall;

When the great water-floods prevail,
Leave not our trembling hearts to fail.

2 Friend of the friendless and the faint,
Where shall we pour our deep complaint?
Where but with Thee, Whose open door
Invites the helpless and the poor ?

3 Did ever sinner plead with Thee,
And Thou reject his lowly plea?
Does not Thy word still fixed remain,
That none shall seek Thy face in vain?

4

I

2

Then hear, O Lord, our humble cry,
And bend on us Thy pitying eye:

To Thee their prayer Thy people make,
Hear us, for our Redeemer's sake. Amen.

In time of War.

333

W. Cowper.*

O GOD of love, O King of peace!

Make wars throughout the world to cease:
The wrath of sinful man restrain ;
Give peace, O God, give peace again!

Remember, Lord, Thy works of old,
The wonders that our fathers told;
Remember not our sins' dark stain ;
Give peace, O God, give peace again!

I

2

3 Whom shall we trust but Thee, O Lord? Where rest but on Thy faithful word? None ever called on Thee in vain ;

Give peace, O God, give peace again !

4 Where saints and angels dwell above, All hearts are knit in holy love;

O bind us in that heavenly chain;

Give peace, O God, give peace again! Amen.

Day of Thanksgiving.

334.

Psalm CIV.

WORSHIP the King, all glorious above :
O gratefully sing His power and His love;
Our Shield and Defender, the Ancient of days,
Pavilioned in splendour, and girded with praise.

O tell of His might, O sing of His grace,
Whose robe is the light, Whose canopy space;
His chariots of wrath, deep thunder-clouds
form,

And dark is His path on the wings of the

storm.

3 (Thy bountiful care what tongue can recite ? It breathes in the air, it shines in the light; It streams from the hills, it descends to the plain,

And sweetly distils in the dew and the rain.) 4 Frail children of dust, and feeble as frail,

In Thee do we trust, nor find Thee to fail :
Thy mercies how tender! how firm to the end!
Our Maker, Defender, Redeemer, and Friend!