486. L. M. Alford.

The Seed of the Word.

1 O Thou, at whose divine command Good seed is sown in every land, Thy holy spirit now impart, And for Thy word prepare each heart!

2 Not 'mid the thorns of worldly thought, Nor soon by pa.s.sing plunderers caught, Nor lacking depth the root to feed, May we receive Thy spirit's seed;

3 But may it, where Thy sowers toil, Fall in a good and honest soil; And springing up from firmest root, Through patience, bear abundant fruit.

487. L. M. E. H. Chapin.

The Gate of Heaven.

1 Our Father G.o.d! not face to face May mortal sense commune with Thee, Nor lift the curtains of that place Where dwells Thy secret Majesty.

Yet whereso'er our spirits bend In rev'rent faith and humble prayer, Thy promised blessing will descend, And we shall find Thy spirit there.

2 Lord! be the spot where now we meet An open gateway into heaven; Here may we sit at Jesus' feet, And feel our deepest sins forgiven.

Here may desponding care look up; And sorrow lay its burden down, Or learn, of him, to drink the cup, To bear the cross, and win the crown.

3 Here may the sick and wandering soul To truth still blind, to sin a slave, Find better than Bethesda's pool, Or than Siloam's healing wave.

And may we learn, while here apart From the world's pa.s.sion and its strife; That Thy true shrine's a loving heart, And Thy best praise a holy life!

488. P. M. Anonymous.

O Father! Hear.

1 Hear, Father, hear our prayer!

Thou who art pity where sorrow prevaileth, Thou who art safety when mortal help faileth, Strength to the feeble and hope to despair, Hear, Father, hear our prayer!

2 Hear, Father, hear our prayer!

Wandering alone in the land of the stranger, Be with all travellers in sickness or danger, Guard Thou their path, guide their feet from the snare: Hear, Father, hear our prayer!

3 Hear Thou the poor that cry!

Feed Thou the hungry and lighten their sorrow, Grant them the sunshine of hope for the morrow; They are Thy children, their trust is on high: Hear Thou the poor that cry!

4 Dry Thou the mourner's tear!

Heal Thou the wounds of time-hallowed affection; Grant to the widow and orphan protection; Be in their trouble a friend ever near; Dry Thou the mourner's tear!

6 Hear, Father, hear our prayer!

Long hath Thy goodness our footsteps attended; Be with the pilgrim whose journey is ended: When at Thy summons for death we prepare, Hear, Father, hear our prayer!

489. P. M. Bowring.

Prayer of a Lowly Spirit.

1 From the recesses of a lowly spirit, Our humble prayer ascends; O Father! hear it, Upsoaring on the wings of awe and meekness; Forgive its weakness!

2 We see Thy hand; it leads us, it supports us: We hear Thy voice; it counsels and it courts us: And then we turn away; and still Thy kindness Forgives our blindness.

3 O how long-suffering, Lord! but Thou delightest To win with love the wandering; Thou invitest, By smiles of mercy, not by frowns or terrors, Man from his errors.

4 Father and Saviour! plant within each bosom The seeds of holiness; and bid them blossom In fragrance and in beauty bright and vernal, And spring eternal.

5 Then place them in Thine everlasting gardens, Where angels walk, and seraphs are the wardens; Where every flower escaped through death's dark portal, Becomes immortal.

490. L. M. Anonymous.

The Lord's Prayer.

1 Father, adored in worlds above!

Thy glorious name be hallowed still; Thy kingdom come in truth and love; And earth, like heaven, obey Thy will.

2 Lord, make our daily wants Thy care; Forgive the sins which we forsake; In Thy compa.s.sion let us share, As fellow-men of ours partake.

3 Evils beset us every hour; Thy kind protection we implore, Thine is the kingdom, Thine the power, The glory Thine forever more.

491. C. M. Anonymous.

Hallowed Be Thy Name.

1 Holy and reverend is the name Of our eternal King; Thrice holy, Lord! the angels cry; Thrice holy, let us sing.

2 The deepest reverence of the mind Pay, O my soul, to G.o.d; Lift with thy hands a holy heart To His sublime abode.

3 With sacred awe p.r.o.nounce His name, Whom words nor thoughts can reach; A reverent heart shall please Him more Than the best forms of speech.