6 Ever the richest, tenderest glow Sets round the Autumnal Sun- But there sight fails: no heart may know The bliss when life is done.
7 Such is Thy banquet, dearest Lord; Oh give us grace to cast
Our lot with Thine, to trust Thy word, And keep our best till last!
1 When in the vale of lengthened years My feeble feet shall tread, And I survey the various scenes Through which I have been led:
2 How many mercies will my life Before my view unfold!
What countless dangers will be past, What tales of sorrow told !
3 But O, my soul! if thou canst say, I've seen my God in all;
In every trouble owned His hand, In every gift His call:
4 If piety has marked my steps, And love my actions formed, And purity possessed my heart, And truth my lips adorned:
5 If I an aged servant am Of Jesus and of God,
I need not fear the closing scene, Nor dread the appointed road.
6 This scene will all my labours end, This road conduct on high: With comfort I'll review the past, And triumph, though I die.
1 Work, work to-day! the night comes fast, Soon will the fleeting hours be past; Work, work to-day! for never more Will Time its precious gifts restore.
2 Work, work! each moment as it flies Holds out a glory for the skies; Work, work! each moment slighted now Plucks a rich jewel from thy brow.
1 One by one the sands are flowing, One by one the moments fall; Some are coming, some are going; Do not strive to grasp them all.
2 One by one thy Duties wait thee, Let thy whole strength go to each; Let no future dreams elate thee,
Learn thou first what these can teach.
3 One by one, bright gifts from Heaven, Joys are sent thee here below; Take them readily when given, Ready, too, to let them go.
4 One by one thy griefs shall meet thee, Do not fear an armèd band;
One will fade as others greet thee, Shadows passing through the land. 5 Do not look at life's long sorrow;
See how small each moment's pain; God will help thee for to-morrow, So each day begin again.
6 Every hour that fleets so slowly Has its task to do or bear; Luminous the crown, and holy, If thou set each gem with care.
1 Whatsoever be the seed,
Thought or feeling, word or deed, Buried howsoever deep,
What we sow that shall we reap.
2 Every day and every hour,
'Mid the sunshine, 'mid the shower, We are planting what must grow, Yield it joy, or yield it woe.
3 In the past, full many a root Have we laid for bitter fruit, Sad regrets, and thoughts of gloom, Ripening for the day of doom.
4 In the future may we sow Only what to joy will grow, Seeds of Truth and Holiness, Evermore our souls to bless!
1 Though lowly here our lot may be, High work have we to do, In faith and trust to follow him Whose lot was lowly too.
2 Our days of darkness we may bear, Strong in a Father's love, Leaning on His almighty arm, And fixed our hopes above.
3 Our lives, enriched with gentle thoughts And loving deeds, may be
A stream that still the nobler grows The nearer to the sea.
4 To Jesus true, to Conscience true, However tried and prest,
In God's clear sight high work we do, If we but do our best.
5 Thus may we make the lowliest lot With rays of glory bright;
Thus may we turn a crown of thorns Into a crown of light.
1 Calmly, calmly lay him down! He hath fought a noble fight; He hath battled for the right; He hath won the fadeless crown!
2 Memories, all too bright for tears, Crowd around us from the past; He was faithful to the last, Faithful through long toilsome
3 All that makes for human good, Freedom, righteousness, and truth,- These, the objects of his youth, Unto age he still pursued.
4 Meek and gentle was his soul, Yet it had a glorious might; Clouded minds it filled with light, Wounded spirits it made whole.
5 Huts where poor men sat distressed, Homes where death had darkly passed, Beds where suffering breathed its last, These he sought, and soothed, and blessed.
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