5 We join the hosts around Thy throne, Who once, like us, the desert trod; And thus we make their song our ownHosanna to the Son of God!

78.

947 There was darkness over all the

1

L

land.-Matt. 27, 45.

O, at noon tis sudden night! Darkness covers all the sky! Rocks are rending at the sight!Children, can you tell me why? What can all these wonders be?Jesus dies on Calvary!

2 Nailed upon the cross, behold
How His tender limbs are torn!
For a royal crown of gold

They have made Him one of thorn!
Cruel hands, that dare to bind
Thorns upon a brow so kind!

3 See, the blood is falling fast
From His forehead and His side!
Hark! He now has breathed His last!
With a mighty groan He died!

Children, shall I tell you why

Jesu's condescends to die?

4 You were wretched, weak, and vile,
You deserved His holy frown;
But He saw you with a smile,
And to save you hastened down:
Listen, children; this is why
Jesus condescends to die.

5 Come, then, children, come and see;
Lift your little hands to pray;
"Blessed Jesus, pardon me,

Help a guilty sinner," say;
"Since it was for such as

Thou didst condescend to die."

8.7.

948 And Jesus increased in favour with

1

JES

God and man.-Luke 2, 52.

ESUS Christ my Lord and Saviour,
Once became a child like me;

O that in my whole behaviour,
He my pattern still might be!

2 All my nature is unholy,

Pride and passion dwell within;
But the Lord was meek and lowly,
And was never known to sin.
3 While I'm often vainly trying
Some new pleasure to possess,
He was always self-denying,
Patient in His worst distress.
4 Let me never be forgetful

Of His precepts any more;
Idle, passionate, and fretful,
As I've often been before.
5 Help me by Thy word to measure
Every deed and every thought,
Thinking it my greatest pleasure,
There to learn what Thou hast taught.
S.M.

949 Bring forth therefore fruits meet

for repentance.-Matt. 3, 8.

1 F Jesus Christ was sent
To save us from our sin,
And kindly teach us to repent,
We should at once begin.

2 Tis not enough to say,

"We're sorry, and repent." Yet still go on from day to day, Just as we always went.

Repentance is, to leave

The sins we loved before,

And show that we in earnest grieve,
By doing so no more.

Lord, make us thus sincere,

To watch as well as pray;

However small, however dear,
Take all our sins away.

950

C.M.

Lord, teach us to pray.-Luke 11, 1.

1 LORD, teach a little child to pray,
Thy grace betimes impart;

And grant Thy Holy Spirit may
Renew my youthful heart.

2. A sinful creature I was born,
And from my birth have strayed
I must be wretched and forlorn
Without Thy mercy's aid.

3 But Christ can all my sins forgive,
And wash away their stain;
Can fit my soul with Him to live,
And in His kingdom reign.

4 To Him let little children come,
For He has said they may;
His bosom then shall be their home,
Their tears He'll wipe away.

5 For all who early seek His face
Shall surely taste His love;

Jesus shall guide them by His grace, To dwell with Him above.

LM.

951 I will be a Father unto you

2 Cor. 6, 18.

1 GREAT God, and wilt Thou con

descend

To be my Father and my Friend? I, a poor child, and Thou so high, The Lord of earth, and air, and sky? 2 Art Thou my Father? canst Thou bear To hear my poor imperfect prayer? Or wilt Thou listen to the praise, Which such a little one can raise ? 3 Art Thou my Father? let me be. A meek, obedient child to Thee: And try in word, and deed, and thought, To serve and please Thee as I ought. 4 Art Thou my Father? then at last When all my days on earth are past, Send down and take me in Thy love, To be Thy better child above.

C.M.

952 Trees of righteousness, the planting

1

BY

of the Lord.-Isa. 61, 3.

Y cool Siloam's shady rill,
How sweet the lily grows!

How sweet the breath beneath the hill,
Of Sharon's dewy rose!

And such the child whose early feet
The paths of peace have trod;

Whose secret heartwith influence sweet.
Is upward drawn to God.

2 By cool Siloam's shady rill, The lily must decay:

The rose that blooms beneath the hill
Must shortly fade away;

And soon, too soon, the wintry hour
Of man's maturer age,

May shake the soul with sorrow's power.
And stormy passion's rage.

3 O Thou, whose infancy was found With heavenly rays to shine,

Whose years, with changeless virtue crowned,

Were all alike divine:

Dependent on Thy bounteous breath,
We seek Thy grace alone;

In childhood, manhood, age, and death,
To keep us still Thine own.

7s.

953 My Father, Thou art the guide of

H

my youth.-Jer. 3, 4.

EAR we not a voice from heaven, To the listening spirit given? Children, come! it seems to say: Give your hearts to Me to-day. 2 Lord, we would remember Thee, While from pain and sorrow free; While our day is in its dew, And the clouds of life are few. 3 Then, when night and age appear, Thou wilt chase each doubt and fear; Thou our glorious Leader be,

When the stars shall fade and flee.

4 Now to Thee, O Lord, we come,
In our morning's early bloom;
Breathe on us Thy grace divine,
Touch our hearts and make them Thine!

S.M.

954 Wherewithal shall a young man

1

WI

cleanse his way ?-Ps. 119, 9.

ITH humble heart and tongue,
My God, to Thee I pray,

O make me learn, whilst I am young,
How I may cleanse my way.

2 Now in my early days,
Teach me Thy will to know:
O God, Thy sanctifying grace
Betimes on me bestow.

3

5

6

7

Make an unguarded youth
The object of Thy care;

Help me to choose the way of truth,
And fly from every snare.
My heart, to folly prone,
Renew by power divine;
Unite it to Thyself alone,
And make me wholly Thine.
O let Thy word of grace

My warmest thoughts employ;

Be this, through all my following days,
My treasure and my joy.

To what Thy laws impart

Be my whole soul inclined;

O let them dwell within my heart
And sanctify my mind.

May Thy young servant learn
By these to cleanse his way;
And may I here the path discern,
That leads to endless day.

C.M.

9550 satisfy us early with Thy mercy,

-Ps. 90, 14.

NOW that my journey's just begun,
My course so little trod,

I'll stay before I further run,
And give myself to God.

2 And lest I should be ever led,
Through sinful paths astray,
I would begin, at once, to tread
In wisdom's pleasant way.

3 What sorrows may my steps attend,
I cannot now foretel,

But if the Lord will be my friend
I know that all is well.

4 And Lord, whatever grief or ill
For me may be in store,

Make me submissive to Thy will,
And I would ask no more.