Lord, dismiss us with Thy blessing;
Fill our hearts with joy and peace ;
Let us each, Thy love possessing,
Triumph in redeeming grace:
Oh! refresh us,
Trav'lling through this wilderness.
Thanks we give, and adoration,
For the Gospel's joyful sound;
May the fruits of Thy salvation
In our hearts and lives abound.
May Thy presence
With us evermore be found.
So whene'er the signal 's given
Us from earth to call away,
Borne on angels' wings to heaven,
Glad the summons to obey,
May we ever
Reign with Christ in endless day.
When I tread this mortal vale
Where the shades of death prevail,
Saviour, guide my trembling feet
Through this last, this still retreat.
Let Thy glory chase its gloom,
Light the feeble traveller home;
Never leave me till I stand,
Safe in yonder heavenly land.
When I bow my sinking head,
Seeking rest among the dead;
When my pulses throbbing slow,
Tell the tide of life runs low;
Hear me, my Almighty Friend,
Watch, sustain me in the end;
Smiling through my dying tears
I will then dismiss my fears.
FUNERAL HYMN.
Where is thy victory, O grave?
Vanquish'd and spent art thou;
Since thou has held the Lord of Life,
No Christian fears thee now.
Where is thy victory, O grave?
With Him we enter thee;
But not the dark and yawning cave
By mournful Calvary.
The pure and bright baptismal flood
Entombs our nature's stain;
And, from the healing waters borne,
With Him we rise again.
Happy, if thro' the world of sin,
And lust, and selfish care,
Our resurrection mantle, white
And undefiled, we wear.
Thus, thro' the grave and gate of death,
Glorious at last, and free;
With all thy Holy Church, O Lord,
May we accepted be.
To Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
The God whom we adore;
In whose blest Name we are baptiz'd,
Be glory evermore.
Vital spark of heavenly flame,
Quit, oh quit, this mortal frame;
Trembling, hoping, lingering, flying,
Oh, the pain, the bliss, of dying!
Cease, fond nature, cease thy strife,
And let me languish into life.
Hark! they whisper, angels say,
Sister spirit, come away!
What is that absorbs me quite,
Steals my senses, shuts my sight,
Drowns my spirit, draws my breath—
Tell me, my soul, can this be death?
The world recedes, it disappears;
Heaven opens on my eyes, my ears
With sounds seraphic ring!
Lend, lend your wings, I mount, I fly!
Oh grave! where is thy victory?
Oh death! where is thy sting?
I will arise and go to my Father, and will say unto Him,
Father, I have sinned against Heaven and before Thee, and am no more worthy to be called Thy son.
|