 | Wood-notes and Church-bells |  |
29
THE MOTTO ON THE BELL.
“JESUS BE OUR SPEED,” 1623.
On the crown of an old bell,
High up in our church-tower grey,
Is a motto I love well,
I discovered it to-day;
Difficult but dear to read,
It is “Jesus be our speed.”
High up in our church-tower grey,
Is a motto I love well,
I discovered it to-day;
Difficult but dear to read,
It is “Jesus be our speed.”
Thus this faithful bell, thought I,
Has for centuries flung the fame,
Like sweet incense to the sky,
Of that precious “worthy Name,”
Never has the bell been stirred
But it woke the harmonious word.
Has for centuries flung the fame,
Like sweet incense to the sky,
Of that precious “worthy Name,”
Never has the bell been stirred
But it woke the harmonious word.
31
Softly on the country round,
Hamlet, meadow, river, hill,
Falls its soothing Sabbath sound,
For it speaks of Jesus still;
Into many a weary breast
Breathing thoughts of Heavenly rest.
Hamlet, meadow, river, hill,
Falls its soothing Sabbath sound,
For it speaks of Jesus still;
Into many a weary breast
Breathing thoughts of Heavenly rest.
On a happy, bridal day,
Listen to its voice again,
“Jesus speed them on their way,”
Is its sweet and joyous strain;
Brighter is the marriage-feast
Where He is a welcome guest.
Listen to its voice again,
“Jesus speed them on their way,”
Is its sweet and joyous strain;
Brighter is the marriage-feast
Where He is a welcome guest.
When upon a sadder morn,
Friends around a dying bed,
Sob a prayer from hearts forlorn,
It has caught the words they said,
Mercy to his soul be given,
“Jesus speed him on to Heaven.”
Friends around a dying bed,
Sob a prayer from hearts forlorn,
It has caught the words they said,
Mercy to his soul be given,
“Jesus speed him on to Heaven.”
32
When to gather souls for God
First He set me o'er this fold,
As within the church I stood,
And, alone, the bell I tolled,
It, as I for succour sighed,
“Jesus be thy speed” replied.
First He set me o'er this fold,
As within the church I stood,
And, alone, the bell I tolled,
It, as I for succour sighed,
“Jesus be thy speed” replied.
Lord, may I proclaim below,
What that bell proclaims above,
How for life and death we owe
All to Thy dear Name and love;
When I preach may men give heed,
Oh! may “Jesus be my speed!”
What that bell proclaims above,
How for life and death we owe
All to Thy dear Name and love;
When I preach may men give heed,
Oh! may “Jesus be my speed!”
| Wood-notes and Church-bells | |