The Sanctuary A Companion in Verse for the English Prayer Book. By Robert Montgomery |
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Prefatory Words.
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 | The Sanctuary |  |
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Prefatory Words.
“Mine House shall be called an House of Prayer.”
I love my Prayer-book, it breathes
Of heaven and holiness to me,
And round awaken'd conscience wreathes
The echoes of eternity.
Of heaven and holiness to me,
And round awaken'd conscience wreathes
The echoes of eternity.
'Tis ancient, catholic, and true,
And gifted with a power sublime
That brings the spirit-world to view
By drawing back the veils of time.
And gifted with a power sublime
That brings the spirit-world to view
By drawing back the veils of time.
Three bulwarks round the church are thrown
By Word, or Sacrament, or Grace,
And in our Liturgy we own
That each retains a glorious place.
By Word, or Sacrament, or Grace,
And in our Liturgy we own
That each retains a glorious place.
Its hoary archives, too, unfold
How providence, by secret plan,
Hath counterwork'd the bad and bold
Who hate The Christ which humbles man.
How providence, by secret plan,
Hath counterwork'd the bad and bold
Who hate The Christ which humbles man.
From birth to death it peals a voice
Of warning truth or wisest love,
And consecrates that better choice
Whose treasures are enshrined above.
Of warning truth or wisest love,
And consecrates that better choice
Whose treasures are enshrined above.
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Dejection's sigh, devotion's tear,
The laud, the rapture, and the groan
Attending angels pause to hear
When guilt enclasps the mercy-throne,—
The laud, the rapture, and the groan
Attending angels pause to hear
When guilt enclasps the mercy-throne,—
In this pure book of prayer may find
Some answ'ring note of guidance true,
Till Faith illumes the darken'd mind
By teaching more than prophets knew.
Some answ'ring note of guidance true,
Till Faith illumes the darken'd mind
By teaching more than prophets knew.
God of our Fathers! thus we lift
Hosannahs unto Thee and Thine,
And rally round that peerless gift
We dare not, unto death, resign.
Hosannahs unto Thee and Thine,
And rally round that peerless gift
We dare not, unto death, resign.
Rather than sink religion down
In homage to some human creed,
Be this the churchman's hallow'd crown,
To follow where its doctrines lead,—
In homage to some human creed,
Be this the churchman's hallow'd crown,
To follow where its doctrines lead,—
Which are the voices true and deep
Of God Himself in scripture heard
When o'er some echoing bosom sweep
The life-tones of that saving Word:
Of God Himself in scripture heard
When o'er some echoing bosom sweep
The life-tones of that saving Word:
And, next to this, a Book we love
Whose living page of light unfolds
Truths which confess the Lord above,
Whom earth believes, and heaven beholds.
Whose living page of light unfolds
Truths which confess the Lord above,
Whom earth believes, and heaven beholds.
| The Sanctuary | |