Songs Old and New ... Collected Edition [by Elizabeth Charles] |
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THE PROMISE OF THE PRESENCE. |
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 | Songs Old and New |  |
209
THE PROMISE OF THE PRESENCE.
“Lo, I am with you alway, [all the days,] even unto the end of the world.”
The elder days, the morning days,
With thousand promises have rung:
They sparkled o'er the dewy ways
When Earth, and Time, and Man were young.
With thousand promises have rung:
They sparkled o'er the dewy ways
When Earth, and Time, and Man were young.
To us the promise is but one,
One light-point gathers all the rays:
To us He speaketh through the Son,
“Lo! I am with you all the days.”
One light-point gathers all the rays:
To us He speaketh through the Son,
“Lo! I am with you all the days.”
Health, peace, and ample heritage,
Homes full of life, and life of bliss,
Long life with silver crowns of age,—
To us is promised none of this.
Homes full of life, and life of bliss,
Long life with silver crowns of age,—
To us is promised none of this.
Yet we are richer far than they;
Their thousand were but stars at night,
But “I am with you every day,”
Is Day itself, is life and light.
Their thousand were but stars at night,
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Is Day itself, is life and light.
No promise what the days shall bring,—
Some must be dark with storm and haze,
To each its measured load will cling;
But “I am with you all the days.”
Some must be dark with storm and haze,
To each its measured load will cling;
But “I am with you all the days.”
No promise what the days shall be;
They led Thee through no easy ways,
And our true path is following Thee;
But “Thou art with us all the days.”
They led Thee through no easy ways,
And our true path is following Thee;
But “Thou art with us all the days.”
Not “As thy day thy strength shall be,”—
Still deeper hopes to us belong;
We may be blind, but Thou canst see;
We may be weak, but Thou art strong!
Still deeper hopes to us belong;
We may be blind, but Thou canst see;
We may be weak, but Thou art strong!
To-day, to-morrow, on and on;
No day shall come and not bring Thee;
No night shall come and find Thee gone,—
Thou Who hast taught in Galilee;—
No day shall come and not bring Thee;
No night shall come and find Thee gone,—
Thou Who hast taught in Galilee;—
Thou Who hast healed in Galilee,
And prayed upon the lone hillside:
Thou Who hast known Gethsemane,
And on the cross for us hast died;
And prayed upon the lone hillside:
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And on the cross for us hast died;
Not only the life's History;
Thou Who hast lived it, even Thou!
Not only the great Memory;
The living Presence, here and now!
Thou Who hast lived it, even Thou!
Not only the great Memory;
The living Presence, here and now!
Not only rules, though of Thy choice,
Or principles, though all Divine;
The Master Hand, the living Voice;
Thyself: not only what is Thine!
Or principles, though all Divine;
The Master Hand, the living Voice;
Thyself: not only what is Thine!
With us, our Light, from morn to night;
With us, our Strength, from youth to age;
Oh, Just and True! oh, Love and Might!
Our Sovereign and our Heritage!
With us, our Strength, from youth to age;
Oh, Just and True! oh, Love and Might!
Our Sovereign and our Heritage!
No cistern, emptied, late or soon;—
The fulness of the living Source!
No lighted lamp, no mirror moon;—
The Sun, the Fount of life and force!
The fulness of the living Source!
No lighted lamp, no mirror moon;—
The Sun, the Fount of life and force!
With us at morning to inspire
Fresh work, with ever-freshened zest;
At noon-tide, that we may not tire;
At evening, to restore and rest.
Fresh work, with ever-freshened zest;
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At evening, to restore and rest.
With us, our Master, to command,
Making it well worth while to live
With daily tasks fresh from Thy hand;—
With us our Saviour, to forgive!
Making it well worth while to live
With daily tasks fresh from Thy hand;—
With us our Saviour, to forgive!
Yes, all the days, and all the day,
To guide, restrain, correct, inspire;
Moulding our wills, Thy willing clay,
Kindling our hearts, Thy kindred fire.
To guide, restrain, correct, inspire;
Moulding our wills, Thy willing clay,
Kindling our hearts, Thy kindred fire.
Days of fulfilment; raising these
To types and seeds of higher things:
Dark days of loss; Thy touch but frees
The shattered seed to spread its wings.
To types and seeds of higher things:
Dark days of loss; Thy touch but frees
The shattered seed to spread its wings.
The day when Thou Who hast the key
Openest to our beloved Thy door;—
They enter to Thy joy with Thee;
And we are left, bereft and poor,
Openest to our beloved Thy door;—
They enter to Thy joy with Thee;
And we are left, bereft and poor,
Outside; yet still Thou hast the keys!
A living touch our spirit stays:
Thou sufferest not the heart to freeze;
For “Thou art with us all the days.”
A living touch our spirit stays:
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For “Thou art with us all the days.”
The day which like the rest begins,
With “Fear not; I am still with thee;”
And ends, beyond the clouds and sins,
With “Evermore His Face they see.”
With “Fear not; I am still with thee;”
And ends, beyond the clouds and sins,
With “Evermore His Face they see.”
With us through each bewildering maze,
Each step of the untrodden way;
With us all day, and all the days,
Till days and nights dawn to Thy Day!
Each step of the untrodden way;
With us all day, and all the days,
Till days and nights dawn to Thy Day!
| Songs Old and New | |