University of Virginia Library

THE WORD OF GOD GLORIFIED.

O blessed word of God, thy living ray
Turns shade to sunshine, light to heavenly day;
Dispels earth's sorrow, calms the troubled breast,
And guides the pilgrim to the endless rest;
Explains life's mystery, and shines through woe,
As threatening clouds with sunset radiance glow;
Breaks with its joy earth's wintry gloom and night,
And turns its sable robes to bridal white.
Go forth, great word of God, thy force display;
Convert the world,—a nation in a day.
Teach China's millions, saved, on God to call,
And crown the living Saviour, Lord of all.
Light from God's truth gilds all thy isles, Japan,
Light, born in heaven, for universal man;
And flashing oars on all the crystal flood
Gleam with the radiance of the word of God.
Rise with thy light, and pour thy healing beam
On all the hills, by every winding stream,
Where the proud Burmans to their idols bow,
Hearing, with hardened neck, and lofty brow,
When men of holy heart and loving speech,
Man's only hope, in earnest accents, preach;
In India's myriad tongues let God's blest words
Proclaim the glory of the Lord of lords;
And all its tribes, in heaven's new song, proclaim
The love and power of Christ's own saving name.
In Afric's central heart new triumphs win;
And bid the Congo, found at last, begin
To seek new hope; to learn, on bended knee,
New lore of truth, and Heaven's blest mystery.
While haughty Moslem sees the crescent pale
Before the cross, whose empire ne'er shall fail,
But make its broad domains through love extend,
One reign o'er all the earth, one kingdom without end.