I cannot tell if soon may cease
My toil, how hard, for home;
But to her Father's house in peace
Oh! let the pilgrim come;
It shall not matter if the road
Be brief or long; it leads to God.
It leads me to my Father's hill,
And I am homeward bound;
I drink of free salvation's rill,
Through all Immanuel's ground;
Oh! Abraham's God, and Jacob's friend,
Wilt Thou uphold me to the end?
THE PILGRIM'S INVITATION.
We are a heav'n-appointed band,
And journeying through a desert land,
O'er many a mountain rough and steep,
Through many a valley lone and deep;
Yet cloud by day, and fire by night
Shines on our way, and guides us right:
Oh! turn not back; by many a gracious token
Our God, the God of love, to us hath spoken.
Yet know thou that the way we tread
Is dark with many a sight of dread;
And many a day of gloom and woe
Perchance thy weary soul may know;
But come! the burning sun may beat
On thy faint brow with torrid heat,
E'en then the pillar'd cloud shall spread
Its dewy shadow o'er thy head,
And when the fearful night shall reign,
The guiding fire blaze forth again;
Then come with us, and we will lead thee well,
The Lord hath spoken good concerning Israel !
Come, still to cheer thee in thy thirst
From the dry rock bright streams shall burst,
And many a fairy flower shall cheer
The barren path from year to year;
And, when thy weary heart shall fail,
Comfort shall breathe upon the gale,
Because for ever at thy side
Our Israel's God thy steps shall guide;
He is not man, to lie or to repent,
He shall thy rear-guard be, and He thy steps prevent.
Come, of that land in days of old
His promise to our fathers told;
It is a large land and a fair,
And His own presence resteth there;
Than Canaan's palaces more bright
Its jasper and its chrysolite;
And oh! its amaranthine flowers
Lovelier than those in Canaan's bowers;
Rivers are there, and streams and rills, From valleys springing forth, and hills, Which, where no mortal foot hath trod, Make glad the city of our God; Then turn not back, we'll surely guide thee well, The Lord hath spoken good concerning Israel.
THE MISSIONARY'S BLESSING.
'THE peace of God,' he said, and all around
A voice of blessing echoed back the sound,
'Keep ev'ry heart, and rest on ev'ry brow,
That humbly bends before His footstool now.'
The peace of God; we thought of storm and strife,
For we were parting for a troubled life;
The peace that passeth understanding keep
Us on the shore, and him upon the deep;
The calm of God's own blessing pour its ray
On us in England, on him far away,
Still round that preacher; for he ne'er must come
Again to his own island's guarded home.
On that pale brow the seal of love is set,
That heart has vow'd all home thoughts to forget;
He came in haste to bid to them farewell
Who round the hearth of childhood yet may dwell;
In haste he gave his message, and with speed
Back must return to them his help who need.
In haste-in haste their need brooks no delay,
Spread your white sails, fair bark, and speed away!
In haste-in haste-the gospel tidings bear;
Before they perish, answer thou their prayer.
Yes, man of God! thou with calm stedfast eye,
On wings of mercy forth to save them fly;
Look to thy heavenly home; a band shall grace
That light and tearless, and not sickly place;'
A band-who shall that wondrous tale declare ?
The lamb is sleeping by the tiger's lair;
Where clings the briar, where the dark thorn grows,
Behold the valley's lily and the rose!
Thy Lord has prosper'd thee, thou shalt not stay,
His blessing still shall give a large increase;
Thy Master guide thee all the weary way,
And lead us to that land where all is peace.
'Therefore with angels, and archangels, and all the company of heaven, we laud and magnify thy glorious name.'
For that Thy love hath led,
For that Thine hand hath fed,
For that through every ill
Thou hast been with me still,
Ever in joy and woe,
Shewing the path to go,
E'er since my days begun,
Thou holiest, holiest One!
Therefore we bend in deepest adoration,
And give Thee praise, Thou Rock of our salvation!
For that, when man had turn'd,
And wrath against him burn'd;
Thou, Lord, didst undertake
Peace with our God to make;
That Thou Thy rays didst veil
With human shadow pale,
And, man of woman born,
Didst bear reproof and scorn;
Therefore-O leap glad hearts with exultation-
Therefore we praise the Rock of our salvation!
For that a glorious band,
Redeem'd by Thy right hand,
Now all around Thee stand,
In Thine own holy land;
For that the seers of yore
See darkly now no more,
But, ev'ry mystery shewn,
Know now as they are known;
For that Thy martyrs' faith
Prov'd stedfast unto death;
Therefore their children, we, with exultation,
Join thus to praise the Rock of our salvation.
For that, all undescried,
Are mighty ones beside,
Too bright for eye to see,
Heav'n's winged hierarchy;
Swelling the mighty hymn,
Cherub and seraphim;
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