Where'er my raptured eyes are turned, Thy heavens, with radiant gems adorned, O God of strength! who taught the sun His lofty pathway far? Who put his robes of glory on? Who summons every star? Who gives the wind its course or birth? Who opens wide the lap of earth, O God of might and majesty! O God, Thy boundless love, Thy name the sunshine and the storm, 66 Thy name the sea-sands raise; Give," cries aloud the meanest worm, "Give my Creator praise!" "God made me," cries the stately tree That with the tempest plays; 66 'God," cries the little seed, "made me; Give my Creator praise!" Man, on whose frame Thy fearful hand Such skill could so bestow; Man, whose high reasoning soul can stand, And ask his God to know; LIFELONG PRAISE Man, made a king on earth to move, In his own mould can daily prove O, praise Him still, thou soul of mine, O God our Father, praise be Thine! Let all things say "Amen!" 267 CHRISTIAN F. GELLERT Translation from the German by Rev. George Burgess 119 LIFELONG PRAISE In God, the holy, wise, and just, From every page that time has turned, The prize ambition keenly sought The web of gold, by av'rice wrought, Oh, should my term of life exceed Until the last my prayer would plead 120 PENINA MOÏSE GOD IS LOVE God is love; His mercy brightens Chance and change are busy ever; E'en the hour that darkest seemeth Will His changeless goodness prove; From the gloom His brightness streameth; God is wisdom, God is love. He with earthly cares entwineth SIR JOHN BOWRING THE UNIVERSAL PRAYER 269 121 THE UNIVERSAL PRAYER Father of all, in every age, In every clime adored By saint, by savage, or by sage, Jehovah, Jove, or Lord; Thou great First Cause, least understood, To know but this, that Thou art good, If I am right, Thy grace impart Save me alike from foolish pride, At aught Thy wisdom has denied, Teach me to feel another's woe, This day be bread and peace my lot: All else beneath the sun Thou know'st if best bestowed or not; To Thee-whose temple is all space; All Nature's incense rise. ALEXANDER POPE 122 THE LORD IS NIGH When the storm-shattered vessel is tossed by the gale, And each billow speeds on, bearing havoc and death, Till the courage grows weak and the strength waxes frail, With the wild sky above and the wild waves be neath; When the young heart is crush'd 'mid its early delights, And the soul is bowed down with a weight of despair, And we turn from a treacherous world, that re quites Our warmest heart-treasures with anguish and care; When the one whom we cherished turns coldly away, And we weep o'er the dream that has cheated our youth, And mourn that no longer one love-beaming ray Will return to illumine our pathway with truth; |