VALIANT FOR THE TRUTH. J. Montgomery. FIGHT the good fight;-lay hold Upon eternal life; Keep but thy shield, be bold, Stand through the hottest strife; Invincible while in the field, Thou canst not fail,-unless thou yield. No force of earth or hell, Though fiends with men unite, Truth's champion can compel, However press'd, to flight; Invincible upon the field, He must prevail,-unless he yield. Apollyon's arm may shower Darts thick as hail, and hide Heaven's face, as in the hour When Christ on Calvary died; No powers of darkness, in the field, Can tread thee down,-unless thou yield. Trust in thy Saviour's might, Yea, till thy latest breath, Then rise to glory from the field, Great words are these, and strong; Valour and victory; If God be for me in the field, GOD, THE CHIEF GOOD. Cowper. THOU art the source and centre of all minds, Their only point of rest, Eternal Word! From thee departing, they are lost, and rove At random, without honour, hope, or peace: From thee is all that soothes the life of man, His high endeavour, and his glad success, His strength to suffer, and his will to serve. But O, thou bounteous Giver of all good, Thou art of all thy gifts thyself the crown! Give what thou canst, without thee we are poor: And with thee rich, take what thou wilt away. ON HIS BLINDNESS. Milton. WHEN I consider how my light is spent, Ere half my days, in this dark world and wide, NATURE. John Bedson. OH! what beauty and perfection Who but must, on calm reflection, Every object bears impression From the sun, that cheers creation, Is there one endow'd with reason, Air and water, light and darkness, Do continually bear witness To His wisdom, love, and power. Yet the volume of creation Speaks not to the troubled breast; Tells it not of a foundation, Where its hopes and fears may rest. Never have the works of nature Yet to mortal man revealed, How his much-offended Maker May to him be reconciled. Flower, nor tree, nor rock, nor mountain, Ever yet have show'd the way, Ever told him of a Fountain That could wash his guilt away. Man could never yet discover, From the sky, the earth, or sea, When his days on earth are over, Where or what his state should be. But the page of Inspiration Casts a light upon the whole, Bringing peace and consolation To the never-dying soul: Guiding every true believer To a land of pure delight, Purchased by a dying Saviour, Far above yon starry height. |