I How are Thy servants blest, O Lord!
How sure is their defence!
Eternal wisdom is their guide,
Their help Omnipotence.
2 When by the dreadful tempest borne
High on the broken wave,
They know Thou art not slow to hear,
Nor impotent to save.
3 The storm is laid, the winds retire,
Obedient to Thy will!
The sea that roars at Thy command,
At Thy command is still.
4 In midst of dangers, fears, and deaths,
Thy goodness we'll adore:
We'll praise Thee for Thy mercies past,
And humbly hope for more.
5 Our life, while Thou preservest life,
A sacrifice shall be;
And death, when death shall be our lot,
Shall join our souls to Thee.
I JESUS, Saviour, pilot me
Over life's tempestuous sea;
Unknown waves before me roll,
Hiding rock and treacherous shoal;
Chart and compass came from Thee :
Jesus, Saviour, pilot me.
2 As a mother stills her child,
Thou canst hush the ocean wild;
Boisterous waves obey Thy will
When Thou say'st to them, "Be still!"
Wondrous Sovereign of the sea,
Jesus, Saviour, pilot me.
3 When at last I near the shore,
And the fearful breakers roar
"Twixt me and the peaceful rest,
Then, while leaning on Thy breast,
May I hear Thee say to me,
"Fear not, I will pilot thee!"
I JESUS, while life's seas we sail,
Toss'd about by many a gale,
Still the raging of our sea
As Thou did'st on Galilee.
2 Rocks and shoals on every hand,
Tides to draw us on the strand;
Tempests frightful round us sweep;
Thou alone canst safely keep.
3 When the skies are dark and drear,
And no guiding stars appear,
Let Thy light our spirits cheer;
Show us then the way to steer.
4 If becalmed our vessel lies,
Slumbering winds refuse to rise,
Spirit, gently o'er us move;
Waft us towards the port above.
I THE billows swell; the winds are high;
Clouds overcast my wintry sky:
Out of the depths to Thee I call;
My fears are great, my strength is small.
2 O Lord, the pilot's part perform,
And guide and guard me through the storm ;
Defend me from each threatening ill;
Control the waves; say, "Peace! be still."
3 Amidst the roaring of the sea,
My soul still hangs her hope on Thee;
Thy constant love, Thy faithful care,
Is all that saves me from despair.
4 Dangers of every shape and name
Attend the followers of the Lamb,
Who leave the world's deceitful shore,
And leave it to return no more.
5 Though tempest-tossed, and half a wreck,
My Saviour through the floods I seek;
Let neither winds nor stormy rain
Force back my shattered bark again.
I WE come, O Lord, before Thy throne,
And, with united plea,
We meet and pray for those who roam
Far off upon the sea.
2 O may the Holy Spirit bow
The sailor's heart to Thee,
Till tears of deep repentance flow,
Like rain-drops in the sea!
Then may a Saviour's dying love
Pour peace into his breast,
And waft him to the port above
Of everlasting rest.
I WHEN, marshalled on the nightly plain,
The glittering host bestud the sky,
One star alone, of all the train,
Can fix the sinner's wandering eye.
2 Hark! hark! to God the chorus breaks,
From every host, from every gem;
But one alone the Saviour speaks,—
It is the Star of Bethlehem!
3 Once on the raging seas I rode ;
The storm was loud, the night was dark;
The ocean yawned, and rudely blowed
The wind that tossed my foundering bark.
4 Deep horror then my vitals froze;
Death-struck, I ceased the tide to stem;
When suddenly a star arose,-
It was the Star of Bethlehem !
5 It was my guide, my light, my all;
It bade my dark forebodings cease;
And, through the storm and danger's thrall,
It led me to the port of peace.
6 Now, safely moored, my perils o'er,
I'll sing, first in night's diadem,
For ever, and for evermore,—
The Star-the Star of Bethlehem !
I FROM distant places of our land,
Behold us, Lord, before Thee stand;
Our hearts engaged to Thee, we raise
United prayer, united praise.
2 Blest be the hand whose guardian power
Has kept us to this present hour;
Blest be the grace that bids us meet
Before Thy throne, in union sweet.
3 Through toils and trials we have come,
And grief has veiled the lot of some;
But now, exulting in Thy care,
We meet each other's joy to share.
We meet, O God, that through our land,
The churches planted by Thy hand,
From error, weakness, discord, free,
May bloom, like gardens blest by Thee.
5 We meet abroad the news to send
Of Christ the Lord, the sinner's friend,
Till, to the earth's remotest bound,
Has pealed the soul-reviving sound.
6 Smile on us, Lord, and in this place
Display the glory of Thy face;
Here to our gathered tribes be given,
A gladdening antepast of heaven.
I GLADSOME we hail this day's return;
In God's great name again we meet;
Our hearts once more within us burn,
And our communion shall be sweet,
2 We bless Thee, Lord, for all the good
Thy liberal hand has freely given;
For grace by which our feet have stood
In ways that lead the soul to heaven.
3 For all the mercies of the past
We join in songs of filial praise ;
Around us now Thy favour cast,
Thou Guide and Guardian of our days.
4 'Twas by Thy Spirit's kindling flame
Thy servants felt their bosoms glow,
And in Thy all-sustaining name,
They still with hallowed ardour go.
5. More strength we crave, more love, more zeal,
That we may follow Christ, and live
To labour for our brethren's weal,
And unto Thee the glory give!
I POUR out Thy Spirit from on high;
Lord! Thine assembled servants bless;
Graces and gifts to each supply,
And clothe us all with righteousness.
2 Wisdom and zeal and faith impart,
Firmness with meekness, from above,
To bear Thy people on our heart,
And love the souls whom Thou dost love;
3 To watch and pray, and never faint;
By day and night strict guard to keep;
To warn the sinner, cheer the saint,
Nourish Thy lambs, and feed Thy sheep.
4 Then, when our work is finished here,
In humble hope our charge resign;
When the Chief Shepherd shall appear,
O God! may they and we be Thine!
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I THE Fathers, where are they?
The sainted men of God
Who once, their hearts aglow with love,
These hills and valleys trod.
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