19, 1808

HORATIUS BONAR (Edinburgh, Dec. July 31, 1889) ranks next to Watts and Wesley in the number of his living hymns and in their popularity. His life was passed as a Presbyterian minister at Kelso and at Edinburgh. In the latter city his work resembled that of Beecher in this country. It is a singular fact that, while he wrote most of his hymns for his Sunday-school, they were not permitted to be sung in his own church services. But the rest of the world readily took them up, and now it is hard to find a hymnal without twenty or thirty of his hymns. The tune "Vox Dilecti" was especially written for this hymn ; it carries out, in a striking manner, the contrast between the first and the second halves of each

stanza.

I

THE VOICE OF JESUS

HEARD the voice of Jesus say —
"Come unto me and rest;

Lay down, thou weary one, lay down
Thy head upon my breast!"
I came to Jesus as I was,
Weary and worn and sad;
I found in him a resting-place,
And he hath made me glad.

I heard the voice of Jesus say—
"Behold, I freely give
The living water; thirsty one,

Stoop down, and drink, and live!"
I came to Jesus, and I drank

Of that life-giving stream;

My thirst was quenched, my soul revived, And now I live in him.

I heard the voice of Jesus say -
"I am this dark world's light;
Look unto me, thy morn shall rise,
And all thy day be bright!"
I looked to Jesus, and I found
In him my Star, my Sun;

And in that light of life I'll walk,
Till travelling days are done.

JOHN FAWCETT (Lidget Green, Yorkshire, England, Jan. 6, 1739- Wainsgate, July 25, 1817), an English Baptist pastor, was the author of several beautiful hymns. It is said that, in 1772, after he had served the little congregation at Wainsgate for some years, living on a small salary, he decided to accept a call to an important church in London. He packed his goods and prepared to leave. his affection for his people led him to recall his acceptance and to remain with them. On that occasion he wrote this hymn. He little knew that he was writing a hymn that would be sung in many lands and at almost all times of parting and of reunion.

But

BLEST BE THE TIE THAT BINDS

BLEST be the tie that binds

Our hearts in Christian love; The fellowship of kindred minds Is like to that above.

Before our Father's throne

We pour our ardent prayers;
Our fears, our hopes, our aims are one,
Our comforts and our cares.

We share our mutual woes,
Our mutual burdens bear;

And often for each other flows
The sympathizing tear.

When we asunder part,

It gives us inward pain;
But we shall still be joined in heart,
And hope to meet again.

This glorious hope revives

Our courage by the way;

While each in expectation lives

And longs to see the day.

From sorrow, toil, and pain,

And sin, we shall be free,

And perfect love and friendship reign
Through all eternity.

JOHN FAWCETT, D.D.

D

RICHARD BAXTER (Rowton, Shropshire, England, Nov. 12, 1615 — London, Dec. 8, 1691), one of the first great Nonconformists, the author of "The Saint's Rest," had a checkered career in the days of Cromwell and Charles. He is represented in the worship of the churches to-day by this one hymn, which must be counted as one of the modern type of church hymn.

earliest of the

Perhaps it is not very popular to-day; but is well worth knowing both as a type of hymn and as a poetic setting of a faith that is good for any age.