With zeal pursue the heavenly road,
Nor doubt a happy end.

534

1

2

3

4

G

Dedication of a Place of Worship.
REAT King of Glory, come,
And with thy favor crown

This temple as thy dome,

This people as thy own:

Beneath this roof oh deign to show
How God can dwell with men below.

Here may thy ears attend

Our interceding cries,
And grateful praise ascend

All-fragrant to the skies:

Here may thy word melodious sound,
And spread celestial joys around.

Here may th' attentive throng
Imbibe thy truth and love,

And converts join the song

Of seraphim above;

And willing crowds surround thy board,
With sacred joy and sweet accord.

Here may our unborn sons

And daughters sound thy praise, And shine like polished stones, Through long succeeding days; Here, Lord, display thy saving power, While temples stand, and men adore.

535

The same.

1 AND will the great eternal God

earth establish his abode ? And will he, from his radiant throne, Avow our temple for his own? 2 These walls we to thy honor raise, Long may they echo to thy praise; And thou, descending, fill the place With choicest tokens of thy grace. 3 Here let the great Redeemer reign, With all the glories of his train: While power divine his word attends, To conquer foes, and cheer his friends. 4 And in the great decisive day, When God the nations shall survey,

H.X

Francis.

L.M.

May it before the world appear

That crowds were born to glory here. Doddridge.

536

1 EN

Zion. Ps. lxxxvii. 2. L. M. 6 lines.

NTHRONED in light, eternal God,
The highest heaven is thy abode;
Yet thou with us wilt deign to dwell;
Thou lov'st the gates of Zion well.
On Salem's peaceful hill we raise
A sacred temple to thy praise.
2 Here let the pilgrim find the road
That leads the wandering soul to God;
Here sorrow lift her tearful eye,
Allured to brighter scenes on high;
The weary spirit find repose,
And at the cross forget her woes.

3 Our God, our fathers' God, we raise
This sacred temple to thy praise;
Here, safe beneath thy sheltering wing,
Shall contrite souls their offerings bring,
Till called to soar and join the song
Which swells amid the heavenly throng.
C. M. A., (orig.)

537

1

2

3

GRE

The House of Prayer.

REAT Father of mankind,
We bless that wondrous grace
Which could for Gentiles find
Within thy courts a place :

How kind the care our God displays,
For us to raise a House of Prayer!
Though once estranged afar,
We now approach the throne;
For Jesus brings us near,

And makes our cause his own:
Strangers no more, to thee we come;
And find our home, and rest secure.
To thee our souls we join,

And love thy sacred name:
No more our own, but thine,
We triumph in thy claim:

Our Father, King, thy covenant grace
Our souls embrace, thy titles sing.

H. M.

4 May all the nations throng To worship in thy house; And thou attend the song,

And smile upon their vowsIndulgent still, till earth conspire To join the choir on Zion's hill.

Doddridge.

1 HEW, build this earthly house for thee; TERE, in thy name, eternal God,

Oh make it now thy fixed abode,

And guard it long from error free.

2 Here, when thy people seek thy face,
And dying sinners pray to live,
Hear thou in heaven, thy dwelling-place,
And when thou hearest, Lord, forgive.
3 Here, when thy messengers proclaim
The blessed gospel of thy Son,
Still by the power of his great name
Be mighty signs and wonders done.
4 When children's voices raise the song
Hosanna-to their heavenly King,
Let heaven with earth the strain prolong,
Hosanna let the angels sing.

5 But will, indeed, Jehovah deign

Here to abide, no transient guest ? Here will our great Redeemer reign, And here the Holy Spirit rest?

6 Thy glory never hence depart;

Yet choose not, Lord, this house alone;
Thy kingdom come in every heart,
In every bosom fix thy throne.

539

Bethesda.

1 COME to Bethesda's pool,
All ye who need it;

Let not its waters cool

Mantle unheeded:

L.M.

Montgomery.

Here bring each grief and pain;
Here bring each sinful stain;
Here wash the vilest clean-

Come all who need it.

6.5.

540

2 Is there one impotent
On its brink lying?

Is there one penitent,
Bitterly sighing ?—

Courage, thou helpless one;
Cheer up, thou sorrowing;
Here God's eternal Son
Raiseth the dying.

3 Now, holy Messenger,
Over us bending,
Come, every bosom stir,
Kindly descending;
While in this temple we
Offer our praise to thee,
Here let thy presence be
Aiding, defending.

The Pastor welcomed.

Mrs. Gray, (orig.)

1 WE bid thee welcome in the name

Of Jesus, our exalted Head;

Come as a servant; so he came, And we receive thee in his stead. 2 Come as a shepherd; guard and keep This fold from hell, and earth, and sin; Nourish the lambs, and feed the sheep, The wounded heal, the lost bring in. 3 Come as an angel, hence to guide A band of pilgrims on their way; That, safely walking at thy side, We fail not, faint not, turn nor stray. 4 Come as a teacher sent from God,

Charged his whole counsel to declare :
Lift o'er our ranks the prophet's rod,
While we uphold thy hands with prayer.
5 Come as a messenger of peace,

Filled with the Spirit, fired with love :
Live to behold our large increase,
And die to meet us all above.

541

Prayer for the Pastor.

L. M.

Montgomery.

L. M.

1 WITH heavenly power, O Lord, defend Him whom we now to thee commend ;

His person bless, his soul secure,
And make him to the end endure.
2 Gird him with all-sufficient grace;
Direct his feet in paths of peace;
Thy truth and faithfulness fulfill,
And help him to obey thy will.
3 Before him thy protection send;
Oh love him, save him to the end;
Nor let him, as thy pilgrim, rove
Without the convoy of thy love.
4 Enlarge, inflame, and fill his heart;
In him thy mighty power exert;
That thousands yet unborn may praise
The wonders of redeeming grace.

542

Watchfulness. Luke xii. 37.

1 YE servants of the Lord,

2

3

4

Each in his office wait,

Observant of his heavenly word,
And watchful at his gate.

Let all your lamps be bright,
And trim the golden flame:
Gird up your loins as in his sight,
For awful is his name.

Watch 'tis your Lord's command; And while we speak, he's near; Mark the first signal of his hand, And ready all appear.

Oh happy servant he

In such a posture found!

He shall his Lord with rapture see,
And be with honor crowned.

543

Zion's Watchmen. Heb. xiii. 17.

1 LET Zion's watchmen all awake,
And take th' alarm they give:
Now let them from the mouth of God
Their solemn charge receive.

2 'Tis not a cause of small import

The pastor's care demands;

But what might fill an angel's heart,
And filled a Saviour's hands.

S. M.

Doddridge.

C. M.