228

S. M.

be

German, 1720

With in

the Father's house The Son hath found His home;

And to His tem-ple sud-den- ly The Lord of life hath come.

2 The doctors of the law

Gaze on the wondrous child,

And marvel at His gracious words
Of wisdom undefiled.

3 Yet not to them is given

The mighty truth to know,

To lift the earthly veil which hides
Incarnate God below.

4 The secret of the Lord

Escapes each human eye,

And faithful pondering hearts await
The full Epiphany.

5 Lord, visit Thou our souls

And teach us by Thy grace,
Each dim revealing of Thyself
With loving awe to trace;

6 Till from our darkened sight
The cloud shall pass away,

And on the cleanséd soul shall burst
The everlasting day;

7 Till we behold Thy face,

And know, as we are known,

Thee, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
Co-equal Three in One.

J. R. Woodford, 1863

If thou but suf-fer God to guide thee, And hope in Him through all thy ways,

vil days;

He'll give thee strength, whate'er be-tide thee, And bear thee through the e

Who trusts in God's unchanging love Builds on the rock that naught can move.

2 What can these anxious cares avail thee,
These never-ceasing moans and sighs?
What can it help if thou bewail thee

O'er each dark moment as it flies?
Our cross and trials do but press
The heavier for our bitterness.

3 Only be still, and wait His leisure

In cheerful hope, with heart content
To take whate'er thy Father's pleasure
And all-discerning love have sent;
Nor doubt our inmost wants are known
To Him who chose us for His own.

4 He knows the time for joy, and truly
Will send it when He sees it meet:
When He has tried and purged thee duly,
And finds thee free from all deceit,

He comes to thee all unaware

And makes thee own His loving care.

5 Nor think amid the heat of trial

That God hath cast thee off unheard,
That he whose hopes meet no denial
Must surely be of God preferred;
Time passes and much change doth bring,
And sets a bound to everything.

6 All are alike before the Highest;
'Tis easy for our God, we know,
To raise thee up though low thou liest,
To make the rich man poor and low;
True wonders still by Him are wrought
Who setteth up and brings to naught.

7 Sing, pray, and keep His ways unswerving;
So do thine own part faithfully,

And trust His word,-though undeserving;
Thou yet shalt find it true for thee:
God never yet forsook at need
The soul that trusted Him indeed.

If thou but suf-fer God to guide thee, And hope in Him through all thy ways,

d.

He'll give thee strength, whate'er betide thee, And bear thee through the e

The blood of Christ most precious, The sin-ner's per-fect plea.