201. FOR Thy mercy and Thy grace, Father and Redeemer, hear. In our weakness and distress, Rock of strength, be Thou our Stay : In the pathless wilderness Be our true and living Way. Who of us death's awful road In the coming year shall tread, With Thy rod and staff, O God, Comfort Thou his dying head. Keep us faithful, keep us pure, Fit us for the promised crown. So within Thy palace gate We shall praise, on golden strings, Thee, the only Potentate, Lord of lords, and King of kings. HENRY DOWNTON, 1841 Sunday nearest to June 12.* 202. FATHER, to Thee our life is owing; Yet purer joys and nobler meetings And bright each Sunday morn that shineth, Before the joys Thine angels know, With which Thy church in heaven is blest. E'en thus, full many a gracious blessing Who uses all in Thee aright, Who owns from Thee such boons divine, Yet doubly blest, by faith ascending them Thine. Who grasps, on Thy sure word depending, "Not seen as yet, not yet received; Hath trusted Thee, and "hath believed!" H. J. BUCKOLL, 1843. * Dr. Arnold died on Sunday, June 12, 1842; the next day would have been his 47th birthday. At the beginning of the short illness which caused his death, he repeated the words: "And Jesus said unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen thou hast believed; blessed are they who have not seen and yet have believed." (See Stanley's Life of Dr. Arnold.) Founder's Commemoration, November 1. 203. FATHER, hear Thy children's praises Thanks for all Thy mercies given, Lord, Thy servants' spirits turning, May we, these Thy bounties sharing, Still by earthly lore preparing, Till our faith be turned to sight; Till, undimmed by dark reflection, H. J. BUCKOLL, 1843. For any School Commemoration. 204. O JESU, strong and pure and true, The grace of earlier years renew, The joyous life that year by year The golden hope, the gladsome cheer, Our faith endow with keener powers, And draw these halting hearts of ours In paths our bravest ones have trod That we may give our lives to God Scorn we the selfish aim and choice, So hence shall flow fresh strength and grace, As from a full-fed spring, To make the world a better place, And life a worthier thing. BISHOP WALSHAM HOW, 1896. Thou ever living Word, Here have we felt Thy kindling flame, Here holy thought and hymn and prayer What visions rise above the years! Vanish the mists of time and sense; O not in vain their toil, who wrought Nor theirs, whose steadfast love and thought Burn, holy fire, and shine more wide: While systems rise and fall, Faith, hope, and charity abide, The heart and soul of all. F. L. HOSMER, 1890. |