2 Thou'rt safe indeed! most faithful
He ever o'er thee keeps,
-And He that keepeth Israel,

Nor slumbereth nor sleeps.

[watch

3 God is thy Keeper, God thy Shade,
Throughout thy pilgrim-way;
Fear neither blighting moon by night,
Nor scorching sun by day.

4 Thy going out and coming in
As days and years shall roll,
The Lord preserve from evil safe!
The Lord preserve thy soul!

L.M.

688 Let them use the office of a deacon,

1

being found blameless.-1 Tim. 3,10.

GREAT King of saints! enthroned on

high,

Under Thy care Thy churches live:
Thou dost their various wants supply,
And well-appointed elders give.

2 For pastors may Thy name be blest,
Who teach the doctrines of the Lord:
On deacons may Thy favour rest,
Chosen according to Thy word.

3 While they their works assigned fulfil,
O may their souls with grace be
crowned!

And patience, sympathy, and zeal,
With meekness, in their lives abound.
4 Sound in the faith, in conscience clear,
Ever may they in conduct prove
Sober and just, devout, sincere,
Guided by wisdom from above.

5 And when their service here is done,
Their labours and their conflicts o'er,
Then may they wait before Thy throne,
In heaven to praise Thee evermore.

L.M.

689 We trust that He will yet deliver

1

us.-2 Cor. 1,210.

THOU, before whose gracious throne We bow our suppliant spirits down, Thou know'st the anxious cares we feel, And all our trembling lips would tell.

2 With power benign, Thy servant spare, Nor turn aside Thy people's prayer; Avert Thy swift descending stroke, Nor smite the shepherd of the flock. 3 Restore him sinking to the grave, Stretch out Thine arm, make haste to save;

Back to our hopes and wishes give, And bid our friend and father live 4 Yet, if our supplications fail,

And prayers and tears can nought
prevail,

Be Thou his strength, be Thou his stay,
And guide him safe to endless day.

C.M.

690 Lo, I am with you alway.—Matt.

23, 20.

1 Nond all our tears be dry; OW let our mourning hearts revive,

Why should those eyes be drowned in grief,

Which view a Saviour nigh?

2 What though the arm of conquering death

Does God's own house invade?

What though the prophet and the priest
Be numbered with the dead?

3 Though earthly shepherds dwell in dust,

The aged, and the young,

The watchful eye in darkness closed, And mute the instructive tongue :4 The eternal Shepherd still survives, New comfort to impart;

His eye still guides us, and His voice
Still animates our heart.

5 Lo, I am with you, saith the Lord,
My church shall safe abide;
For I will ne'er forsake My own,
Whose souls in Me confide.

6 Through every scene of life and death, This promise is our trust;

And this shall be our children's song,
When we are cold in dust.

C.M.

691 Wherefore comfort one another.

1 Thess. 4, 18.

1 WHY should our tears in sorrow

When God recals His own; [flow

And bids them leave a world of woe
For an immortal crown?

2 Is not e'en death a gain to those
Whose life to God was given?

Gladly to earth their eyes they close,
To open them in heaven.

3 Their toils are past; their work is done; And they are fully blest:

[won, They've fought the fight, the victory And entered into rest.

4 The flock must feel the shepherd's loss, And miss his tender care;

But they who bear with joy the cross,
The crown shall soonest wear.

5 And is not He who called them home,
Still to His church most nigh;
To bid yet other labourers come,
And all her need supply?

6 Then let our sorrows cease to flow,
God has recalled His own;
But let our hearts, in every woe,
Still say, "Thy will be done!"

S.M.

692 They were not suffered to continue

1

by reason of death.-Heb. 7, 23.
EST from thy labour, rest,
Soul of the just, set free!
Blest be thy memory, and blest
Thy bright example be.

2 Faith, perseverance, zeal,

Language of light and power,
Love, prompt to act and quick to feel,
Marked thee till life's last hour.

Now, toil and conflict o'er,
Go, take with saints thy place:
But go as each has gone before,
A sinner saved by grace.

4

Saviour! into Thy hands
Our pastor we resign,

And now we wait Thy own commands,
We were not his, but Thine.

5 Thou art Thy church's Head;
And when the members die,
Thou raisest others in their stead;
To Thee we lift our eye;-

6

On Thee our hopes depend,

We gather round our Rock;

Send whom Thou wilt, but condescend 'Thyself to feed Thy flock.

S.M.

693 Well done, good and faithful ser

1

vant.-Matt. 25, 23.

SERVANT of God, well done!
Rest from thy loved employ ;
The battle fought, the victory won,
Enter thy Master's joy.

The voice at midnight came;
He started up to hear:

A mortal arrow pierced his frame;
He fell, but felt no fear.

2 At midnight came the cry,
"To meet thy God prepare!

3

He woke, and caught his Captain's eye
Then, strong in faith and prayer,
His spirit with a bound

Left its encumbering clay:

His tent at sunrise on the ground,
A darkened ruin lay.

The pains of death are past;
Labour and sorrow cease;

And life's long warfare closed at last,
His soul is found in peace.
Soldier of Christ, well done!
Praise be thy new employ;
And while eternal ages run,
Rest in thy Saviour's joy.

ITS ORDINANCES-BAPTISM.

(See also CHRISTIAN LIFE: COMMENCEMENT.)

C.M.

694 Baptized in the name of the Lord.

-Acts 10. 48.j

1 HOW great, how solemn, is the work Which we attend to-day!

Now for a holy, solemn frame,
O God, to Thee we pray.

2 Lord, may we feel as once we felt,
When, pained and grieved at heart,
Thy kind, forgiving, melting look
Relieved our keenest smart.

3 Let graces then in exercise
Be exercised again;

And, nurtured by celestial power,
In exercise remain.

4 Awake, our fear, our love, our hope,
Wake, fortitude and joy;

Vain world begone! let things above
Our happy thoughts employ.

5 Whilst Thee, our Saviour, and our God To all around we own;

Drive each rebellious rival lust,
Each traitor, from Thy throne.

6 Instruct our minds, our wills subdue, To heaven our spirits raise;

That hence our lives, our all, may be
Devoted to Thy praise.

C.M.

695 Baptized into His death.-Rom.

1

1A

6, 8.

MIGHTY mystery we set forth,
A wondrous sign and seal;

Lord, give our hearts to know its worth,
And all its truth to feel.

2 Death to the world, we thus avow,
Death to each sinful lust;

The risen Life is our Life now,
The risen Christ, our trust.