452. CHOICE. A WISE man likes that best, that is itself; Not that which only seems, though it look fairer. Middleton. So much to win, so much to lose, No marvel that I fear to choose.-Miss Landon. Think not too meanly of thy low estate; 453- CHRIST. Alone with ALONE with Thee! alone with Thee! O Friend Divine ! Thou Friend of friends, to me most dear, Alone with Thee! alone with Thee! Now through my breast There steals a breath like breath of balm That healing brings and holy calm, That soothes like chanted song or psalm, And makes me blest. Alone with Thee! alone with thee! Thy grace more sweet Than music in the twilight still, More fresh than dews on Hermon's hill, My soul doth greet. Alone with Thee! alone with Thee! In Thy pure light The splendid pomps and shows of time, Pale on my sight. Alone with Thee! alone with Thee! My soften'd heart Floats on the flood of love Divine, Alone with Thee! alone with Thee! To make my earthly bliss complete, Alone with Thee! alone with Thee! But with all saints, the mighty throng, My soul unfetter'd, pure, and strong, Her high communings shall prolong Before Thy throne.-Ray Palmer. 454 CHRIST. Clinging to O HOLY Saviour, Friend unseen, Blest with this fellowship Divine, My soul would cling to Thee. Without a murmur I dismiss Each hour to cling to Thee. What though the world unfaithful prove, And earthly friends and joys remove; With sure and certain hope of love, Still would I cling to Thee. Oft when I seem to tread alone Some barren waste, with thorns o'ergrown, Though faith and hope may oft be tried, I ask not, need not aught beside : How safe, how calm, how satisfied, They fear not Satan, nor the grave,— They feel Thee near and strong to save; Nor dread to cross e'en Jordan's wave, Because they cling to Thee. Bless'd is my lot, whate'er befall; What can disturb me, who appal, While as my Strength, my Rock, my All, Saviour, I cling to Thee.-Elliott. 455. CHRIST. Confessing To tell the Saviour all my wants, How pleasing is the task! Nor less to praise Him when He grants Beyond what I can ask. My labouring spirit vainly seeks To tell but half the joy; Nor were it wise, nor should I choose, Such secrets to declare : Like precious wines, their tastes they lose, But this with boldness I proclaim, And can you frown, my former friends, And blame the song that thus commends Trust me, I draw the likeness true, And not as fancy paints; Such honour may He give to you! For such have all His saints.-Cowper. 456. CHRIST: for whom He suffered. Unconvinced and hard of heart; With the smallest spot or stain: His pale brow and bleeding hand? Rail'd at, pierced, and crucified, Whilst we think not of inquiring, Wherefore, and for whom He died? If no sin could be discover'd In the pure and spotless Lord, If the cruel death He suffer'd Is sin's just and meet reward: Then it must have been for others That the Lord on Calvary bled, And the guilt have been a brother's, Which was laid upon His head. And for whom hath He contended And we have great cause for weeping, Spitta, tr. by Massie. 457. CHRIST: for whom He suffered. O back, by scourges ploughed ! Upon the accursed tree! Eye, that in darkness sinketh? Hands, bound to misery! 'Twas suffer'd all for me! And now He speaks: oh hearken, 'Lama Sabacthani !' His head is bent, and droopeth, To such a death He stoopeth! 'Twas suffer'd all för me !-Stammers. 458. CHRIST: His death. O'ERWHELM'D in depths of woe, See! how the nails those hands And feet so tender rend! See! down His face, and neck, and breast, His sacred blood descend. Hark! with what awful cry That cry, -it pierced His Mother's heart, Earth hears, and to its base Rocks wildly to and fro; Tombs burst; seas, rivers, mountains quake: The veil is rent in two. The sun withdraws his light; The midday heavens grow pale; The moon, the stars, the universe, Their Maker's death bewail. Shall man alone be mute? Come, youth and hoary hairs! Come, rich and poor! come, all mankind! And bathe those feet in tears. Come fall before His Cross, Who shed for us His blood; Who died the victim of pure love, To make us sons of God. Jesu, all praise to Thee, Our joy and endless rest! Be Thou our guide while pilgrims here, Tr. from the Latin by E. Caswall. 459. CHRIST: His death. O WORLD! behold upon the tree Thy Saviour yields His dying breath; Alas! my Saviour, who could dare What evil heart entreat Thee thus? Thou hast not sinn'd, dear Lord, like us. I and my sins, that number more And those sad hearts that watch by Thee. Yet Thou dost even for my sake That weigh'd my spirit to the ground. From henceforth there is nought of mine Since all myself to Thee I owe. Gerhardt, tr. by Miss Winkworth. 460. CHRIST: His faithfulness. Deceitfully goes forth the morn; They can be treacherous too. The umbrageous oak, in pomp outspread, But Thou art true, incarnate Lord, Who didst vouchsafe for man to die : Thy smile is sure, Thy plighted word No change can falsify. I bent before Thy gracious throne, And ask'd for peace with suppliant knee; And peace was given, nor peace alone, But faith, and hope, and ecstasy !— Wordsworth. 461. CHRIST: His incarnation. ALL praise to Thee, eternal Lord! A little child, Thou art our guest, Thou comest in the darksome night To make us, in the realms divine, Like Thine own angels round Thee shine. All this for us Thy love hath done; By this to Thee our love is won : Schaff 462. CHRIST: His knowledge of our necessities. THOU knowest, Lord, the weariness and sorrow Of the sad heart that comes to Thee for rest; Cares of to-day, and burdens for to-morrow, Blessings implored, and sins to be confess'd; I come before Thee at Thy gracious word, And lay them at Thy feet; Thou knowest, Lord. Thou knowest all the past; how long and blindly On the dark mountains the lost sheep had stray'd; How the Good Shepherd follow'd, and how kindly He bore it home upon His shoulders laid, And heal'd the bleeding wounds, and soothed the pain, And brought back life, and hope, and strength again. Thou knowest all the present; each temptation, All to myself assign'd of tribulation, Or to beloved ones, than self more dear; Thou knowest all the future gleams of gladness, As man, our mortal weakness Thou hast proved; On earth with purest sympathies o'erflowing, O Saviour, Thou hast wept, and Thou hast loved! Therefore I come, Thy gentle call obeying, Clothed in Thy robe of righteousness complete ; 463. CHRIST: His knowledge of the heart. 464. CHRIST: His love for children. THERE is no sweeter story told Than how the Lord within His arms We love Him for the tender touch But closer to His loving self Our human hearts are brought, When for the little children's sake Love's sweetest spell is wrought. For their young eyes His sorrowing face A smile that for His little ones The voice that silenced priest and scribe, 'Forbid them not!' O blessed Christ! We bring them unto Thee, And pray that on their heads may rest Thy benedicite!—E. D. 'Mong the people who hung on His teaching, Or waited His touch and His word, Through the row of proud Pharisees hastening, She press'd to the feet of the Lord. "Now, why shouldst thou hinder the Master,' And He took in His arms little Esther, And Rachel He set on His knee.-Julia Gill. 466. CHRIST: His love our solace. SWEET is the solace of Thy love, Though from the shadow of Thy peace Oft in a dark and lonely place, Oh, there is nothing in the world To weigh against Thy will; E'en the dark times I dread the most Thy covenant fulfil; And when the glorious morning dawns I find Thee with me still. No other comforter I need, If Thou, dear Lord, be mine ;Thy rod will bring my spirit low, Thy fire my heart refine, And cause me pain that none can heal By other love than Thine. Then in the secret of my soul, Though hosts my peace invade, Though through a waste and weary land My lonely way be made, Thou, even Thou, wilt comfort meI need not be afraid. Still in the solitary place I would awhile abide, My heart is satisfied, Stay calmly at Thy side.-A. L. Waring. 467. CHRIST: His plea with the sinner. I BORE with thee long weary days and nights, Who else had dared for thee what I have dared? Give thou me love for love. For thee I thirsted in the daily drouth, For thee I trembled in the nightly frost : I bore thee on my shoulders, and rejoiced : Thee did nails grave upon my hands; thy name A thief upon my right hand and my left; At length, in death, one smote my heart, and cleft Nail'd to the racking cross, than bed of down Christina Rossetti. 468. CHRIST: His presence longed for. My Saviour, whom absent I love, Whom, not having seen, I adore, Whose name is exalted above All glory, dominion, and power,Dissolve Thou those bands that detain My soul from her portion in Thee; Ah! strike off this adamant chain, And make me eternally free When that happy era begins, When array'd in Thy glories I shine, |