1 BLESS O Lord the opening year,
To these souls assembled here;
Clothe Thy word with power divine,
Make us willing to be Thine.
2 Shepherd of Thy blood-bought sheep,
Teach the harden'd soul to weep;
Let the blind have eyes to see,
See their sins and look on Thee.
3 Where Thou hast Thy work begun,
Give new strength the race to run;
Scatter darkness, doubts, and fears,
Wipe away the mourner's tears.
4 Bless us all both old and young,
Call forth praise from every tongue;
Let our whole assembly prove
Jesu's grace, and power, and love.
1 BLESSED Jesus! praise to Thee;
Thine and only Thine are we;
Take our body, spirit, soul,
Oh! do Thou possess the whole.
2 Thou our one thing needful be;
Bid us ever cleave to Thee :-
Bid us choose the better part,
Make us give Thee all the heart.
3 Fairer than the sons of men,
Do not let us turn again;
Leave the fountain head of bliss,
Stoop to creature happiness.
4 Whom have we on earth below?
Only Thee we live to know;
Whom have we in heaven, but Thee?
Thou our whole delight shall be.
1 Be merciful O Lord my God,
Be merciful to me,
For though I sink beneath Thy rod,
Yet do I trust in Thee.
2 Thou art my refuge, and I know
My burden Thou dost bear,
And I would seek where'er I go,
To cast on Thee each care.
3 Thou knowest, Lord, my flesh how frail,
Strong tho' my spirit be;
Oh, then assist, when foes assail,
The soul that clings to Thee.
4 Oh! gracious Lord, whate'er befall,
A thankful heart be mine-
A heart that answers to Thy call,
One that is wholly Thine.
5 Rejoicing in the thought that Thou
Wilt soon return again;
That those who love Thy coming now,
Will shine in glory then.
1 BEHOLD what wondrous grace
The Father hath displayed,
T'wards sinners of a mortal race,
To call them sons of God!
2 Nor doth it yet appear
How holy we shall be;
But when we see our Saviour here,
Like Him we then shall be.
3 Oh let this hope divine,
So bright, so great and sure,
Cleanse our polluted souls from sin,
As Christ the Lord is pure.
4 If in my Father's love,
I share a filial part,
Come Holy Spirit from above,
And dwell within my heart.
BREAD of our life in mercy broken!
Wine of our soul, in mercy shed!
By whom the words of life were spoken,
And in whose death our sins are dead;
Look on our hearts by sorrow broken;
Look on thy tears by sinners shed;
And be Thy feast to us the token
That by Thy grace our souls are fed.
1 COME, Holy Spirit, "heavenly dove!" With all Thy quick'ning powers, Kindle a flame of sacred love
In these cold hearts of ours.
2 See how we grovel here below,
Fond of these earthly toys;
Our souls how heavily they go,
To reach eternal joys.
3 In vain we tune our lifeless songs,-
In vain we strive to rise;
Hosannas languish on our tongues,
And our devotion dies.
4 Come, Holy Spirit, heav'nly dove,
With all Thy quick'ning powers;
Come, shed abroad a Saviour's love,
And that will kindle ours.
1 CHRISTAINS! brethren! ere we part,
Every voice and every heart,
One glad hymn to God should raise,
One high song of grateful praise.
2 Here we all may meet no more,
But there is a happier shore;
There, releas'd from toil and pain,
Brethren we shall meet again.
3 Now to God, the Three in One,
Be eternal glory done;
Raise, ye saints, the sound again,
Gladly join the loud Amen.
1 COMMAND Thy blessing from above,
O God, on all assembled here;
Behold us with a Father's love,
While we look up with filial fear.
2 Command Thy blessing, Jesus, Lord,
May we Thy true disciples be;
Speak to each heart Thy mighty word,
Say to the weakest," Follow Me."
3 Command Thy blessing in this hour,
Spirit of truth, and fill the place
With humbling and with healing power,
With vital and with quick'ning grace.
4 O Thou, our Prophet, Saviour, Guide,
One true eternal God confess'd!
What Thou hast join'd may none divide,
None dare to curse whom Thou hast blest.
1 Come let us join our cheerful songs
With angels round the throne!
Ten thousand thousand are their tongues,
But all their joys are one.
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