Spring Blossoms and Father, I know that all my life

Father, I know that all my life
Is portion’d out for me;
The changes that will surely come,
I do not fear to see;
I ask thee for a present mind,
Intent on pleasing thee.

I ask thee for a watchful love,
Through constant watching wise,
To meet the glad with joyful smiles,
And wipe the weeping eyes;
A heart at leisure from itself,
To soothe and sympathize.

I would not have the restless will
That hurries to and fro,
Seeking for some great thing to do,
Or secret thing to know:
I would be treated as a child,
And guided where I go.

I ask thee for the daily strength
To none that ask denied,
A mind to blend with outward life,
While keeping at thy side;
Content to fill a little space,
If thou be glorified.

In service which thy will appoints,
There are no bonds for me;
My inmost heart is taught “the truth”
That makes thy children “free:”
A life of self-renouncing love
Is one of liberty.

Miss A. L. Waring, alt., 1850

Fall Items and Thro’ good report and evil, Lord

Thro’ good report and evil, Lord,
Still guided by thy faithful word,
Our staff, our buckler, and our sword,
We follow thee.

In silence of the lonely night,
In the full glow of day’s clear light,
Through life’s strange windings, dark or bright,
We follow thee.

Strengthened by thee we forward go,
‘Mid smile or scoff of friend or foe,
Thro’ pain or ease, thro’ joy or woe,
We follow thee.

O Master, point thou out the way,
Nor suffer thou our steps to stray;
Then in the path that leads to day
We follow thee.

Thou hast passed on before our face;
Thy footsteps on the way we trace;
O keep us, aid us by thy grace;
We follow thee.

Horatius Bonar

Three Roses and No human eyes thy face may see

No human eyes thy face may see,
No human thought thy form may know;
But all creation dwells in thee,
And thy great life thro’ all doth flow.

And yet, Oh, strange and wondrous tho’t!
Thou art a God who hearest prayer:
And every heart with sorrow fraught,
To seek thy present aid may dare.

And thou wilt turn them not aside
Who cannot solve thy life divine,
But would give up all reason’s pride,
To know their hearts approved by thine.

And thine unceasing love gave birth
To our dear Lord, thy holy Son,
Who left a perfect proof on earth
That duty, love, and trust are one.

So, though we faint on life’s dark hill,
And thought grow weak, and knowledge flee,
Yet faith shall teach us courage still,
And love shall guide us on to thee.

T. W. Higginson

Assorted Blossoms and All praise and thanks to God most High

All praise and thanks to God most High,
The God of pow’r, the God of love,
The God who doeth wondrously;
The God who from his throne above
The soul with richest solace fills;
The God who ev’ry sorrow stills:
All praise and thanks to him, our God.

The host of heaven thy praises tell;
All powers and thrones bow down to thee;
And all who in thy shadow dwell,
Alike in earth and air and sea,
Declare and laud their Maker’s might,
Whose wisdom orders all things right:
All praise and thanks to him, our God.

And for the creatures he has made
Our God will ceaselessly provide;
His grace will be their constant aid,
And guard them round on every side;
His kingdom we can surely trust;
There all is right, and all is just:
All praise and thanks to him, our God.

We sought him in our hour of need;
We cried, Lord God, now hear our prayer;
For death he gave us life indeed,
And hope and comfort for despair:
For this our thanks shall endless be;
With heart and voice we sing to thee;
All praise and thanks to thee, our God.

C. Winkworth

Single Blossom and Soldiers who to Christ belong

Soldiers who to Christ belong,
Trust ye in his word, be strong;
For his promises are sure,
His rewards for aye endure.

His no crowns that pass away;
His no palm that sees decay;
His the joy that shall not fade:
His the light that knows no shade:

His the home for spirits blest,
Where he gives them peaceful rest,
Far above the starry skies,
In the bliss of Paradise.

Here on earth ye can but clasp
Things that perish in the grasp;
Lift your hearts then to the skies:
God himself shall be your prize.

Praise we now with saints at rest
Father, Son, and Spirit Blest;
For his promises are sure,
His rewards shall aye endure.

Tr. I. Williams

Crabapple Blossoms and The Lord our God is King

The Lord our God is King;
His rule, his name is love:
Let earth with hallelujahs ring,
And heav’n respond above!

His counsels he may keep
Hidden from mortal sight;
His ends may be a soundless deep;
But all he wills is right.

Never shall wrong prevail,
Whate’er his foes may do:
His word is given, and shall not fail;
For all he saith is true.

Dread storms may mark his path;
Darkness may o’er it brood;
The round world shake as with his wrath;
But all he doth is good.

Then sing, the Lord is King;
Sing, for his name is Love;
Let earth with hallelujahs ring,
And heaven respond above!

C. F. Root

Blue Blossoms and Fight the good fight with all thy might

Fight the good fight with all thy might,
Christ is thy strength, and Christ thy right;
Lay hold on life, and it shall be
Thy joy and crown eternally.

Run the straight race through God’s good grace,
Lift up thine eyes, and seek His face;
Life with its way before us lies,
Christ is the path, and Christ the prize.

Cast care aside, lean on thy Guide;
His boundless mercy will provide;
Trust, and thy trusting soul shall prove
Christ is its life, and Christ its love.

Faint not nor fear, His arms are near;
He changeth not, and thou art dear;
Only believe, and thou shalt see
That Christ is all in all to thee.

John S. B. Monsell, 1863, alt.