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124

THE ROD.

Must I be smitten, Lord?
Are gentler measures vain?
Must I be smitten, Lord?

Can nothing save but pain?

Thou trustedst me a while;

Alas! I was deceived;

I revelled in the smile,

Yet to the dust I cleaved.

Then the fierce tempest broke,
I knew from whom it came,

I read in that sharp stroke

A father's hand and name.

And yet I did Thee wrong;

Dark thoughts of Thee came in,—

A froward, selfish throng—

And I allowed the sin!

I did Thee wrong, my God,

I wronged thy truth and love,
I fretted at the rod,

Against thy power I strove.

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126

THE ROD.

Riper and riper now,

Each hour let me become, Less fit for scenes below,

More fit for such a home.

More moulded to Thy will,
Lord, let Thy servant be,

Higher and higher still,
Liker and liker thee.

Leave nought that is unmeet;
Of all that is mine own
Strip me; and so complete
My training for the throne.

STRENGTH BY THE WAY.

JESUS, while this rough desert-soil

I tread, be Thou my guide and stay; Nerve me for conflict and for toil;

Uphold me on my stranger-way.

Jesus, in heaviness and fear,

'Mid cloud, and shade, and gloom I stray, For earth's last night is drawing near; O cheer me on my stranger-way.

Jesus, in solitude and grief,

When sun and stars withhold their ray, Make haste, make haste to my relief; O light me on my stranger-way.

Jesus, in weakness of this flesh,

When Satan grasps me for his prey;

O give me victory afresh ;

And speed me on my stranger-way.

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Jesus, my righteousness and strength,
My more than life, my more than day;
Bring, bring deliverance at length;
O come and end my stranger-way.

THE FEAST.

LOVE strong as death, nay stronger,
Love mightier than the grave;

Broad as the earth, and longer
Than ocean's widest wave.
This is the love that sought us,
This is the love that bought us,
This is the love that brought us

To gladdest day from saddest night,
From deepest shame to glory bright,
From depths of death to life's fair height,
From darkness to the joy of light:
This is the love that leadeth

Us to his table here,

This is the love that spreadeth

For us this royal cheer.

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