MISSIONARY HYMN.
Words by Bishop Heber.
From Greenland's icy mountains;
From India's coral strand;
Where Afric's sunny fountains
Roll down their golden sand;
From many an ancient river';
From many a palmy plain;
They call us to deliver
Their land from error's chain.
Shall we, whose souls are lighted
With wisdom from on high;
Shall we, to men benighted,
The lamp of life deny?
Salvation! oh, Salvation!
The joyful sound proclaim,
Till each remotest nation
Has learnt Messiah's name.
Waft, waft, ye winds, his story,
And you, ye waters, roll;
Till, like a sea of glory,
It spreads from pole to pole;
Till o'er our ransom'd nature,
The Lamb for sinners slain,
Redeemer, King, Creator,
In bliss returns to reign.
Great God! what do I see and hear!
The end of things created:
The Judge of mankind doth appear
On clouds of glory seated :
The trumpet sounds, the graves restore The dead, which they contain'd before: Prepare, my soul, to meet Him.
Before Jehovah's awful throne,
Ye nations bow with sacred joy;
Know that the Lord is God alone;
He can create, and He destroy.
His sov'reign power, without our aid,
Made us of clay, and form'd us men;
And when like wand'ring sheep we stray'd,
He brought us to His fold again.
We'll crowd thy gates with thankful songs;
High as the heavens our voices raise;
And earth, with her ten thousand tongues,
Shall fill Thy courts with sounding praise.
Wide as the world is Thy command;
Vast as eternity Thy love;
Firm as a rock Thy truth shall stand,
When rolling years shall cease to move.
One there is above all others;
O, how He loves!
His is love beyond a brother's;
O, how He loves!
Earthly friends may fail or leave us;
One day soothe, the next day grieve us;
But this friend will ne'er deceive us;
O, how He loves!
"Tis eternal life to know Him; O, how He loves!
Think, O think, how much we owe Him;
O, how He loves!
With His precious blood He bought us;
In the wilderness He sought us;
To His fold He safely brought us;
O, how He loves!
We have found a friend in Jesus;
O, how He loves!
'Tis His great delight to bless us;
O, how He loves!
How our hearts delight to hear Him;
Bid us dwell in safety near Him;
Why should we distrust or fear Him;
O, how He loves!
Through His name we are forgiven;
O, how He loves!
Backward shall our foes be driven ;
O, how He loves!
Best of blessings He will give us ;
Nought but good shall e'er betide us;
Safe to glory He will guide us;
O, how He loves!
In Thy presence we appear;
Lord, we love to worship here;
Love to tread this holy place,
When thou shedd'st Thy heavenly grace.
While Thy glorious Name is sung,
Touch our lips, unloose our tongue;
That our joyful souls may bless
Thee, the Lord our righteousness.
When Thy word is read, with awe
May we tremble at Thy law;
Till Thy Gospel's wondrous love,
Every doubt and fear remove.
From Thy house, when we return;
May our hearts within us burn;
And at evening let us say
We have walked with God to-day.
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