 | Verses for Christmas and the New Year |  |
SONGS OF PEACE.
[I lean upon no broken reed]
I lean upon no broken reed,
Nor trust an untried Guide;
I know Him, and He knoweth me;
He walketh by my side.
Nor trust an untried Guide;
I know Him, and He knoweth me;
He walketh by my side.
I hold His Hand as on we walk,
And He still holdeth mine;
It is a human Hand I hold;
It is a Hand divine.
And He still holdeth mine;
It is a human Hand I hold;
It is a Hand divine.
“Hold Thou me up,” is still my cry,
As o'er the rugged road
Of this my pilgrimage I move,
That leads me nearer God.
As o'er the rugged road
Of this my pilgrimage I move,
That leads me nearer God.
5
[Loving years of peace;—]
Loving years of peace;—
When far from me seemed gloom and death
When sorrow seemed an old man's dream,
May I not once more feel your breath?
When far from me seemed gloom and death
When sorrow seemed an old man's dream,
May I not once more feel your breath?
Loving years of peace;—
I see afar in front of me
A Heaven made up of years like yours,
A whole, a bright eternity.
I see afar in front of me
A Heaven made up of years like yours,
A whole, a bright eternity.
Loving years of peace;—
I think of you as yet to come,
And wonder when Time's last New Year
Shall gladly bid me welcome Home.
I think of you as yet to come,
And wonder when Time's last New Year
Shall gladly bid me welcome Home.
[For the coming of the Bridegroom]
For the coming of the Bridegroom
Waits the well-beloved Bride,
Parted only for a season
From her well-beloved's side.
Waits the well-beloved Bride,
Parted only for a season
From her well-beloved's side.
For the hour when morn ascendeth
And the shadows disappear,
For the signs of promised glory
We are waiting, waiting here.
And the shadows disappear,
For the signs of promised glory
We are waiting, waiting here.
For the news of that arrival
Which already seems so near;
For the long-deferred uprising
Of earth's brightest, best New Year.
Which already seems so near;
For the long-deferred uprising
Of earth's brightest, best New Year.
[Silence! the morn is coming calmly up]
Silence! the morn is coming calmly up;
The sky is taking on its fairer hue,
The distant peaks have caught the early ray;
The stars are disappearing in the blue.
The sky is taking on its fairer hue,
The distant peaks have caught the early ray;
The stars are disappearing in the blue.
Silence! the New Year rises thro' the mist;
And speaks to us of the eternal day
That lies behind, and bids the lingerer haste,
Lest all be lost thro' indolent delay.
And speaks to us of the eternal day
That lies behind, and bids the lingerer haste,
Lest all be lost thro' indolent delay.
Silence! the Cross still stands before our eye
Brighter, not dimmer, thro' the clouds of time;
Unfading with the glow of heavenly grace,
Fair in the love of its own early prime.
Brighter, not dimmer, thro' the clouds of time;
Unfading with the glow of heavenly grace,
Fair in the love of its own early prime.
[All the past,—its joy and sadness]
All the past,—its joy and sadness,
All the past uprise I see,—
Hoping, fearing, musing, longing,—
Thus I wonder what shall be.
All the past uprise I see,—
Hoping, fearing, musing, longing,—
Thus I wonder what shall be.
All the past,—its endless changes,
Shadow, sunshine, gloom and light,
Calm and tempest, sweet and bitter,
Disappointment and delight.
Shadow, sunshine, gloom and light,
Calm and tempest, sweet and bitter,
Disappointment and delight.
6
All the past,—it flits before me,
Saying, “This is not your home.”
See in front the heavenly portal,
Hear the welcome, “Pilgrim come!”
Saying, “This is not your home.”
See in front the heavenly portal,
Hear the welcome, “Pilgrim come!”
[Oh, who can reckon up]
Oh, who can reckon up
The drops of Life's strange cup,
The changes of our lot
Remembered or forgot.
The drops of Life's strange cup,
The changes of our lot
Remembered or forgot.
The noons and nights,
The shades and lights,
The ripples of the heart,
The comfort and the smart?
The shades and lights,
The ripples of the heart,
The comfort and the smart?
He only numbers them
Who counts each starry gem.
O God, in Thee we live and move;
Ah, leave us not without Thy love!
Who counts each starry gem.
O God, in Thee we live and move;
Ah, leave us not without Thy love!
| Verses for Christmas and the New Year | |