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 ^\\E•UNIV[R% ^lOSANCFlfj;^
 
 
 2^^3, 
 
 ELY WALKER SHAW, ESQUIRE, CHAIRMAN, 
 THE VICE-CHAIKMEN, 
 
 AND THE GTBiR 
 
 MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF GUARDIANS 
 FOR THE HALIFAX UNION, 
 
 THIS LITTLE BOOK, 
 
 THE PKODHCTION OF 
 
 ONE WHO WAS PLACED TINDER THEIR PROTECTION, 
 
 AND WHO APPRECIATED THEIE KINDNESS, 
 
 IS MOST RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED, 
 
 ur 
 
 THE EDITOR. 
 
 867105
 
 PREFACE 
 
 A COLLECTION of verscs by a poor, bed-ridden 
 woman in a Union Workhouse, may be fairly 
 presumed to be too low for the aim of the shafts 
 of a severe criticism. And the Editor is free to 
 confess that in his decision to offer them to the 
 public, he was influenced by the circumstances 
 under which they were composed. 
 
 He was led to this decision by the following 
 considerations, which he trusts will be accepted 
 as a sufBcient plea for the step he is taking : — 
 
 1. They are the bondjide expression of the 
 views and feelings of the individual who com- 
 posed them. 
 
 2. They present a striking illustration of 
 the value of true religion in sustaining the 
 mind in trial and affliction.
 
 VI PREFACE. 
 
 3 Though all that they contain may have 
 been said many times before, yet, emanating 
 as they do from one who was in a condition of 
 poverty and sickness, they seem especially 
 calculated to awaken the interest of those who 
 are in like circumstances. 
 
 4. Though taking them on their intrinsic 
 merits, they may not present sufficient claims 
 for publication, the Editor hopes they are not 
 so deficient in worth, but that, with the above 
 considerations in the scale, their appearance 
 before the world may be justified. 
 
 That He who chooses " the weak things of 
 the world to confound the things which are 
 mighty," may grant His abundant blessing 
 upon everything in this unpretending little 
 book that is in accordance with His revealed 
 truth, is the sincere prayer of 
 
 THE EDITOR. 
 
 Halifax, April 8tli, IHb'S.
 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 1 
 
 
 Page. 
 Account of the Author 9 
 
 I. 
 II. 
 
 Praise axd Thanksgiving 
 
 19 
 26 
 
 Incarnation, Sufferings, &c., of Christ. . 
 
 m. 
 
 Confession of Sin, and Supplication for 
 
 
 IV. 
 
 Mercy 
 
 31 
 38 
 
 Blessedness of the Religion of Christ.. 
 
 V. 
 
 VI. 
 
 Prayer 
 
 52 
 55 
 
 Affliction 
 
 VII. 
 VIII. 
 
 Personal Recollections ... 
 
 59 
 Q5 
 
 EXPRESSITE of the AuTHOR's OWN FeELINGS 
 
 IX. 
 
 To THE Chairman of the Board of 
 
 
 
 Guardians 
 
 76 
 
 X. 
 
 On the Deaths of Inmates of the 
 
 
 
 Workhouse 
 
 78 
 
 XI. 
 
 For the Young 
 
 81 
 
 XII. 
 
 Miscellaneous . 
 
 83 

 
 ACCOUNT OF THE AUTHOR. 
 
 BRIEF ACCOUxNT OF THE AUTHOR. 
 
 BY THE EDITOR. 
 
 Grace Dickinson became an inmate of the Halifax Union 
 Workliouse on the 1st of February, 1861. She had at that 
 time a very juvenile appearance for her years, and seemed 
 in an advanced stage of consumption. I regarded her as a 
 person whose days on earth were fast hastening to a close, 
 and addressed her from time to time on the simple ele- 
 mentary truths of the Gospel of Christ. She was always 
 glad to see me, and received my remarks with interest, but 
 she spoke very little, and her weakness appeared to be such 
 as to render it undesirable for her to speak more than was 
 needed. Hence it was some time before I had any adequate 
 idea of her intelligence or piety. In one of her pieces 
 addressed to me, not adopted in this collection, she thus 
 describes her feelings on the occasion of those first visits : — 
 
 " I did welcome you at first 
 A did list with eagerness. 
 When you spoke of Jesus Christ, 
 And His willingness to bless. 
 
 When at first j'ou spoke to me, 
 
 I did long to talk with you. 
 But my timid heart did beat. 
 
 And my weakness came anew." 
 
 It was not until the May following that I received any 
 intimation of the capabilities of G. Dickinson in the Hne 
 which has gained for her a humble distinction. In that 
 month an aged woman occupying the next bed to hers, who 
 had been about five years in the house, and had spent the 
 greater part of that time in this one room, was taken away 
 by death. She had gained the respect of the other inmates 
 by the maintenance of a consistently pious course of con- 
 duct, and her departure from the lowly circle was felt as a 
 bereavement. On the Saturday of that week, G. D. said to
 
 ACCOUNT OF THE AUTHOR. 
 
 me, " I have been trying, Sir, to improve Rachel Dawson's 
 death, by composing some verses, and I shall feel obliged if 
 you will be kind enough to take them down some time." I 
 was agreeably surprised by the statement, and at once pre- 
 pared to comply with her request. She gave the first of 
 the four verses which appear on page 78 : — 
 
 " Poor Rachel is gone,— what a happy release, &c." 
 
 At the close of the first verse her strength and memory 
 seemed to fail, and the remaining verses were dictated on 
 my next call. The piece was inserted in each of the Hali- 
 fax papers for the following Saturday, May 18th, and 
 among the little articles of property found under her pillow 
 after her death was the newspaper containing these verses. 
 The Monday following she dictated the verses, " On Afflic- 
 tion," at page 55 : — 
 
 u jrpjg Thee, great God, 'tis Thee we love, &c." 
 
 She had composed these previously to the verses on Rachel 
 Dawson, but does not seem to have had the courage to 
 introduce them, until emboldened by the favourable recep- 
 tion of the others. She assured me, in reply to my inquiry, 
 that the language here employed was the real expression of 
 her own heartfelt experience. 
 
 The ice being now fairly broken, and the approach of 
 summer bringing with it a shght accession of strength to 
 her debilitated frame, a week scarcely ever passed, but she 
 had one or more pieces ready for me whenever T found it 
 convenient to take them down. After a while she herself 
 wrote her verses on a slate, and I copied them. Her hand- 
 writing was fair, and her orthography tolerable. 
 
 But in the last months of her life, her verses were supplied 
 to me in a manner which was at once novel and interesting. 
 Sarah Thomas, a deaf and dumb girl of about sixteen, who 
 had learnt to read and write at the Doncaster School for 
 the Deaf and Dumb, became an inmate of the Workhouse 
 in consequence of fits. G. Dickinson learnt the Deaf and 
 Dumb Alphabet, and was soon able to engage in conversa- 
 tion by the fingers with her mute companion. And as the 
 little strength that she had became more and more impaired, 
 and she was incapacitated for the exercise of writing, she 
 dictated her verses letter by letter to the deaf and dumb 
 girl, who wrote them on the slate at intervals, as the com- 
 poser's feebleness permitted. When I saw the two persons
 
 ACCOUNT OF THE AUTHOR. 
 
 thus employed, I thought the scene one of the most interest- 
 ing I had ever looked upon ; and I would take occasion to 
 suggest that if the book which is now presented to the 
 world contains nothing new in its subject matter, there is 
 certainly something new in the manner of its production. 
 
 It may be inferred from the language used in many parts 
 of this collection, that the author had experienced her full 
 share of trial and affliction in this world. It was even so. 
 Her husband for several years manifested an aberration of 
 mind, which proved to her a source of inexpressible trouble, 
 and the cup of her sorrow was at length filled to overflow- 
 ing by the melancholy fact of his laying violent hands upon 
 himself. After his death she went in an enfeebled state of 
 health to work at a factory, and her exertions for the 
 support of herself and her children resulted in the entire 
 breaking up of her constitution. After eighteen months 
 of widowhood, spent in deep poverty and affliction, she 
 was brought to the Workhouse at the age of thirty-five, 
 in a state of utter prostration. 
 
 It has been stated that she rallied a little as the season 
 advanced. She was able to sit up during a part of each 
 day and to attend Divine Service on the Sabbath. When 
 the cold weather came she was again confined to her bed, 
 and it appeared exceedingly improbable that she would 
 survive through the winter of 1861-2. But her daj's were 
 prolonged, and with the return of spring, signs of improve- 
 ment were again visible. She took her seat in the summer 
 with the less enfeebled occupants of the sick room, though 
 not so frequently as in the corresponding season of the 
 previous year. At the close of July she had a severe attack 
 which it was thought would prove the messenger of death, 
 and although she survived it, the remaining six months of 
 her life were passed in a state of extreme debilit}'. 
 
 Such was the condition of our author— such were her 
 circumstances at the time when she composed her verses. 
 Nevertheless, it always appeared to me that the mental 
 exercise involved in their production did not impose a 
 burden, but afforded a relief, as she herself frequently inti- 
 mates in her lines. Had I thought otherwise, I should not 
 have encouraged her in the task by taking them down. 
 Many of them are literally " songs in the night," having 
 been composed in the silent hours of darkness, or when that 
 silence was disturbed by the moans of the suffering,' the
 
 ACCOUNT OP THE AUTHOR. 
 
 restlessness of the aged and superannuated, or the hard 
 and audible breathing of the dying ; and all of them have 
 been produced in the night of affliction. Hence I could 
 not think of a more appropriate title. 
 
 That the expressions of adoration, trust in God, resigna- 
 tion to His will, dehght in His mercy, and devotedness to 
 His glory, are the bona fide language of the heart of her 
 who employed them, no one who had any acquaintance 
 with her would for a moment doubt. She exemphfied in 
 her life the principles which furnished the subjects of her 
 lines. Though frequently called to "walk through the 
 valley of the shadow of death," it was ever manifest that 
 she "feared no evil, for the rod and the staflF" of the 
 Almighty " comforted her ;" and I am persuaded that her 
 habitual peace and serenity of mind was one principal 
 means of the lengthening out of her days to a later period 
 than her extreme feebleness would have led any one to 
 anticipate. And I believe that all the inmates of the sick 
 rooms were impressed, more or less deeply, with a sense of 
 the value of true religion, as exemphfied in the spirit and 
 conduct of Grace Dickinson. During the whole of her 
 long affliction, I never heard of her mourning or repining, 
 and although with respect to general intelligence she was 
 greatly in advance of those about her, she never assumed 
 any importance on such grounds. Her general influence, 
 in the " long sick room " where she was lodged, had a 
 visibly beneficial tendency, and a more kindly tone of 
 feeling was the result of her presence. She was of great 
 service to the more thoughtful and serious of the sick in- 
 mates, and she embraced every opportunity of christian 
 usefulness that lay within her reach. When there were a 
 number in the room able to read and willing to engage in 
 the exercise, and she was sufl[iciently well to join them, 
 she induced them to assemble in the evenings at a con- 
 venient hour to read the scriptures together. And I have 
 reason to beheve that her object in learning to talk by the 
 fingers with the deaf and dumb girl, was to interest, in- 
 struct, and benefit her, and that the employment of her as 
 amanuensis was an afterthought. 
 
 One test of the sincerity of our professions of thankful- 
 ness to the bounteous Giver of all good, is the grateful 
 acknowledgment of our obligations to those who are the 
 means by which that good is communicated. By this test 
 the professions of Grace Dickinson would well bear to be
 
 ACCOUNT OF THE AUTHOR, 
 
 tried. She was uniformly respectful in her demeanour 
 towards all the officers, and grateful for whatever was done 
 for her. The saying that " paupers are unthankful " has 
 passed into a proverb, but in this case we can point to a 
 most signal exception. 
 
 In the winter of 1862-3, the symptoms of approaching 
 dissolution appeared unmistakeable. But the prospect of 
 her departure was contemplated with perfect serenity. She 
 felt that she was in the hands of her gracious Saviour and 
 Redeemer, and she exercised an unwavering trust in His 
 wisdom and love. She was invariably " patient in tribula- 
 tion," and although sometimes depressed in her extreme 
 feebleness, and "in heaviness through manifold tempta- 
 tions," she was never led into any distressing doubts as to 
 her eternal safety. Until the last week of her life she did 
 not seem to think that her departure was so near as the 
 medical attendant and those about her apprehended it 
 would be, her long continued sickness and frequent rallying 
 after prostration doubtless causing her to regard this attack 
 as resembling her former ones. She certainly was not in- 
 fluenced either by the fear of death or any undue " love of 
 hfe," for her recognition of God's hand in all things that 
 concerned her, and her resignation to His will, were 
 habitual. 
 
 On the morning of Thursday, January 22, I was sent for 
 to see her,, the messenger stating that she was thought to 
 be dying. She revived a little during the day, and ex- 
 pressed, in the last extremity, the same "good hope through 
 grace" which had sustained her in so much trial and afflic- 
 tion, and had so often inspired her humble lines. Next 
 morning she was less exhausted than on the preceding day, 
 but was still exceedingly feeble, and she requested me to 
 pray that she might be released. During the day I repeated 
 to her the Terses " On Affliction " which appear at page 
 55. This seemed to afford her pleasure, and although it 
 was evident that she could not long survive, the apparent 
 improvement in her condition was such as to avert all ap- 
 prehension on my part that this was the last time I should 
 speak to her. During that night she was so far revived as 
 to be able to raise herself on each attack of coughing, and 
 she conversed cheerfully with the persons who sat up with 
 her. This proved the brief respite from exhaustion, which 
 after lingering sickness is so often the immediate precursor 
 of the final change. At about six o'clock on Saturday
 
 ACCOUNT OF THE AUTHOR. 
 
 morning she was engaged in offering up what the attendant 
 called a " very beautiful prayer," and while in this exercise 
 the stroke of death came upon her. She continued about 
 four hours in a state of unconsciousness, when her spirit 
 passed away to the presence of her Redeemer, so quietly 
 that the precise moment could not be ascertained. I 
 entered the room just in time to witness the closing scene, 
 and the occasion was one that I shall not soon forget. 
 There is perhaps no one room in the entire parish of Hali- 
 fax, (except the corresponding one on the men's side of the 
 house,) where the occurrence of death is so frequent as the 
 room in which she died. Tt is very large, and filled ^yith 
 beds occupied by the sick alone, many of whom are brought 
 to the Union in the last stages of disease. But common as 
 death is to the inmates of that room, the death of Grace 
 Dickinson was felt by every one of them to be an event of 
 no common character. All seemed impressed with the 
 thought that they were losing one whose Christian life and 
 deportment had addressed itself to their consciences. 
 Every sound was hushed, and many were in tears. And 
 when all was over, and the vrriter prayed that the event 
 might be sanctified to all who were present, and exhorted 
 them to prepare for the time when their own summons 
 should come, and to follow her who had departed as she 
 had followed Christ, he felt in addition to the lessons he 
 had learnt from her in her lifetime, this truth impressed 
 upon his mind with unwonted power, that the distinctions 
 in human society, needful as they are in themselves, and 
 right and scriptural in their place, are after all, of com- 
 paratively trivial character. Whether in the palace or the 
 cottage, or even within the walls of the Union U'orkhouse, 
 " Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His 
 saints." And while fully assured that this poor and deeply 
 afilicted woman has passed away to that blessed land where 
 sorrow and sighing are fled away, where pain is never felt, 
 and where poverty never enters, where every face is radiant 
 with joy, where every head wears a croTni,*and every hand 
 carries a palm, my hope and prayer for myself and the 
 readers of this brief and imperfect sketch is/ that our last 
 end may be like hers. 
 
 Poor Grace Dickinson was ever ready to acknowledge 
 that the heavy trials with which she was visited arose in a 
 great degree from a want of prudence and a departare from 
 Christian consistency, with respect to the most important 
 step in life wliich a young person can take. The very night
 
 ACCOUNT OF THE AUTHOR. 
 
 before she died, she said, in allusion to this, that she hoped 
 her case would prove a warning to other young women. 
 And thankful should I be if any such, on reading this brief 
 sketch and reflecting that the subject of it might, but for 
 one untoward step, have filled and adorned a comparatively 
 respectable position in society,and have lived to a good old 
 age, instead of passing her best days ia privation and 
 untold sorrow, and being cut off with pining sickness when 
 the noon of hfe was scarcely reached, and ending her days 
 in the Union Workhouse — thankful, I say, should T be if 
 any, on thus reflecting, be induced to " ask counsel of the 
 Lord" before they enter upon one of the most momentous 
 of all engagements, and to cease from following their in- 
 clinations when those inclinations do not accord with the 
 path of duty. 
 
 The question will naturally be asked to what extent the 
 following collection in its present form has been indebted to 
 the editorial pen. This question I would anticipate by a 
 full and candid statement. T am responsible for the selec- 
 tion, the arrangement, the orthography, and the greater 
 number of the headings. The emendations in the text are 
 by no means numerous and are of verbal character. What 
 may be looked upon as the best passages owe nothing to 
 my pen. I have not attempted to beautify or adorn even 
 by a touch, but have confined myself to the correction of 
 the most obvious inaccuracies. I have endeavoured to 
 repair any broken joints and have given my best assistance 
 to a limping line, but this is all that I have done. In two 
 instances where the required correction involved an altera- 
 tion in the structure of the language, the fact is signified 
 by a note . 
 
 Had the whole of the verses been printed which she 
 composed during the two years of her Workhouse life, the 
 book would have numbered more than one hundred and 
 forty pages. But as her critical acumen was not equal to 
 her capability of verse making, her compositions greatly 
 varied in merit, some of them being inferior to those which 
 are selected. The same piece also would sometimes pre- 
 sent considerable variation in different parts. When this 
 was the case I threw out the more faulty, and adopted the 
 better portion, and this will account for the fragmentary 
 character of some of the pieces. It may be thought by the 
 more literary readers, that the collection would well have 
 borne a closer pruning ; but I would repeat the plea which
 
 ACCOUNT OF THE AUTHOR. 
 
 T have urged in the Preface, and would further add that if 
 any publication ever possessed a fair claim upon the in- 
 dulgence of the critical reader, such claim is surely pre- 
 sented by the present one. Some pieces of rather common- 
 place character have been admitted, on the ground that they 
 afforded light on the past history of the author, and others, 
 because they seemed to present a photographic representa- 
 tion, as it were, of her mental idiosyncracy. 
 
 She herself accomplished a little in the way of revision. 
 I was accustomed to mention to her any marked inaccuracy 
 and leave her to correct it. In some instances she happily 
 succeeded, but at other times she could not correct the 
 sense without sacrificing the rhyme or metre. The chief 
 errors consisted in the misapplication of such words as do 
 not commonly occur in the conversation of uneducated 
 persons. Less frequently, there were faults in the logical 
 construction of her sentences, though the meaning intended 
 was always evident. The common rules of syntax were 
 rarely broken, and still more rarely was any alteration re- 
 quired in the rhyme or rhythm. Some of the few deviations 
 from the strict rhyme which occur in the collection, are 
 occasioned by my having had to change a word in order to 
 express correctly the meaning of the author. 
 
 The educational advantages possessed by Grace Dickin- 
 son were perhaps not greater than those which ordinarily 
 fall to the lot of the factory operatives of this district, 
 except that when in her teens she learnt the elements of 
 grammar. She was from a child verj' much given to read- 
 ing. But her opportunities of acquiring literary and general 
 information must have been very limited, and she never 
 mixed with cultivated society. Her verses seem (uncon- 
 sciously perhaps) framed on* the model of the devotional 
 hymn books to which she has had access, but I do not 
 believe that she has knowingly borrowed a line from any 
 quarter. It will be seen from the collection that her sub- 
 jects embrace but a narrow range. I occasionally suggested 
 a variation of topics, (as for instance, scripture characters 
 and narratives,) which she would have been glad to pursue 
 had her strength been a little recruited. It was not a task 
 but a relief to her to give expression in verse to the thoughts 
 which flowed in their accustomed channel ; but to strike 
 out a new path, even within the limits of her comparatively 
 small range of information, would have implied an effort
 
 ACCOUNT OF THE AUTHOR. 
 
 for which her mind, sympathizing with an exhausted frame, 
 was altogether unfitted. 
 
 Whether Grace Dickinson really possessed the gift of 
 poetry is a question which I would rather leave to the 
 decision of impartial and considerate judges. I have no- 
 where ventured to dignify her verses by the name of poetry ; 
 but, unless I mistake, I have seen that word applied to 
 compositions possessing as little claim to the epithet as 
 those which are now submitted to public notice ; and my 
 own opinion is, that without some endowment in that direc- 
 tion, she could never, with the disadvantages under which 
 she laboured, have produced lines of so passable a character. 
 
 But whatever may be said as to the spirit of poetry^ I 
 have no hesitancy in speaking to the spirit of piety which 
 breathes through these humble efiusions. I can say that 
 they are truly scriptural and spiritual, and I would hope 
 that their simple and unpretending character will prove a 
 recommendation to the class for which I deem them best 
 calculated to be useful. 
 
 Grace Dickinson lost three children in infancy, and 
 three have survived her. The eldest, a boy, resides with 
 her friends, and is employed at a factory. The two 
 youngest accompanied her to the Workhouse, where they 
 still remain. Before her departure she obtained a promise 
 from me that I would take a friendly interest in their wel- 
 fare. The boy is ten, and the girl five years of age. 
 
 It is intended to place in the Savings' Bank whatever 
 amount may be realized by the sale of this little book, to 
 allow the interest to accumulate, and to expend the 
 amount for their benefit when they leave the Workhouse, 
 or place it at their disposal in after life. The Guardians 
 have generously contributed a portion of the expense of 
 printing, and it is hoped that other kind friends will assist 
 in defraying the remainder, so that not simply the profits 
 but the entire proceeds may be devoted to the object con- 
 templated. Ajid all who purchase and promote the sale of 
 the book, will have the satisfaction of knowing that in so 
 doing they are contributing to the assistance of the orphan 
 children of one who was of the " household of faith," and 
 whose only legacy was a mother's prayers.* 
 
 THOMAS SNOW. 
 
 Rhodes Street, Halifax. 
 
 See p. 74.
 
 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 
 
 |raise mi ©Iianltssicing. 
 
 I 
 
 Great Builder of this universal frame! 
 From Thee all Nature's beauteous order came. 
 All wisdom and perfection spring from Thee, 
 And fill the earth and the great teeming sea. 
 Surpassing wonders, wonderful art Thou, 
 Maker of summer's sun and winter's snow. 
 Great in Thy power, and in Thy nature pure, 
 Unchangeably the same Thou shalt endure. 
 How holy, wise, and righteous are Thy laws. 
 Which man hath dar'd to break and to oppose 
 But 0, Thou just One, Thou wilt punish sm ! 
 And we may fear, for guilty we have been. 
 But, Lord, there is a volume Thou hast sent, 
 That calls upon all sinners to repent. 
 It tells us Jesus suffered all our due, 
 No matter what our nation, or our hue. 
 Giver of all the good that we possess, 
 Permit Thy creature man Thy name to bless 
 For all Thy goodness,— but the most of all 
 For Jesus, our Redeemer from the Fall.
 
 20 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 
 
 II. 
 
 Blest Providence,* — my glory, and my stay, 
 My firm support, my comfort here on earth ; 
 What though my path be dark, the thought 
 
 " Thou art" 
 Is precious to my trembling, hoping soul. 
 But for the thoughts of Thee T could not live ; 
 I could not bear the sorrows that I meet, 
 The daily, hourly sorrows that start up, 
 And haunt my spirit like a frightful dream, 
 And crowd my path, perplexing human skill. 
 All praise, all adoration be to Thee, 
 That in the midst of this terrestrial scene. 
 Sweet hope doth rise, and hover round my soul, 
 And whispers peace to my tumultuous breast ; 
 She points to Thee, good Providence,=^- to Thee, 
 Giver of immortality to man. 
 0, stamp Thine image on this fallen soul, 
 And seal divine impressions on this breast ! 
 Yea, such as cares will not make me forget, 
 Nor time will e'er efface, nor death destroy. 
 
 III. 
 
 Great Father of the human race, 
 Thy bounty feeds the poor; 
 
 'Tis from the treasures of thy grace 
 We draw our daily store. 
 
 * A slight misapprehension of the meaning of the word 
 " Providence" is betrayed here, but the Editor has not 
 thought it necessary to interfere with the flow of the lines, 
 as the meaning intended is sufficiently plain.
 
 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 2] 
 
 The earthly comforts that we prize 
 From Thy kind hand proceed, 
 
 And daily as fresh blessings rise 
 The pleasing fact we read. 
 
 But 0, for greater things than these, 
 Things that more nobly shine, 
 
 Thy name we would adore and bless, 
 And utter praise divine ! 
 
 IV. 
 
 The last of God's promises cannot be had, 
 To-day and for ever with freshness they're clad. 
 They shine forth in darkness, their lustre is bnght, 
 They beam on the spirit 'midst sin and its blight. 
 
 The last of God's mercies can never be known. 
 So great is their number, so widely they're strown. 
 His bounty provideth for man and for beast : 
 He careth for all, the greatest and least. 
 
 Thy ways become Thyself, God, 
 
 In wisdom so immense; 
 But they are little understood. 
 
 By reason, or by sense. 
 
 Thy ways, to our short sighted views, 
 
 Are all past finding out ; 
 They puzzle the profoundest views, 
 
 They puzzle human thought.
 
 2'4 SONGS TN THE NIGHT. 
 
 But the announcements of Thy love 
 Are pleasant and are good ; 
 
 Refreshing to our souls thej prove, 
 Through Jesu's precious blood. 
 
 Thy justice all our fears doth move, 
 
 Thy wisdom we admire, 
 But the sweet tokens of thy love 
 
 Our confidence inspire. 
 
 Only through Jesus can we hope 
 For comfort and for peace ; 
 
 To Him alone can faith look up, 
 And triumph in His grace. 
 
 Fountain of goodness, Source of grace. 
 Author of order, light and love, 
 Accept our poor but humble praise, 
 For all Thy goodness which we prove. 
 
 We bless Thee for the Saviour dear. 
 Through Him alone our comforts rise. 
 All the enjoyments we have here, 
 Or hope to share beyond the skies. 
 
 VVe bless Thee for Thy holy Book, 
 Blest revelation to our race I 
 When we within its pages look. 
 Grant us the teachings of Thy grace
 
 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 23 
 
 We bless Thee for the Sabbath Day, 
 That holy, that appointed rest ; 
 It gladdens us while here we stay ; 
 Of all the days, this is the best. 
 
 We bless Thee for thy Spirit's light, 
 Afforded through a Saviour's blood. 
 Lord, ever teach us what is right, 
 And lead us to eternal good ! 
 
 VII. 
 
 What mercies are our daily lot. 
 Mercies that we do not deserve ! 
 What mercies that we have forgot ! 
 What mercies still are in reserve ! 
 
 Life is a mercy truly great, 
 'The avenue of all that's dear ; 
 None justly can appreciate 
 Its worth, or its enjoyments here. 
 
 Our life might be one wretched scene 
 Despair might each enjoyment kill; 
 But smiling hope steps in between. 
 And makes all good feel better still. 
 
 Mercy attends us all our way. 
 And fences us around with care ; 
 Mercy provides the light of day; 
 There's mercy in the very air.
 
 24 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 
 
 Lord, Thou art merciful indeed, 
 Thy works declare this cheering fact ; 
 But in Thy holy word we read 
 Mercy is Thy delightful act. 
 
 VIII. 
 
 Blest be the Lord for kindness shown. 
 Here comforts in my path are strown, 
 
 And cluster in my way ; 
 Whichever way I turn mine eyes, 
 Comforts and mercies round me rise, 
 
 Cheering my workhouse stay. 
 
 Blest be the Lord for every good, 
 For life, for raiment, and for food, 
 
 For comfort, and for peace. 
 For shelter from the wintry blast. 
 For safety till its storms be past, 
 
 And all its roughness cease. 
 
 Blest be the Lord who brought me here. 
 Mercies in this event appear, 
 
 Unlook'd for, and unsought ; 
 Nor the less sweet and welcome they, 
 Sui'prising me each passing day ; 
 
 In season they are brought. 
 
 Blest be the Lord, yea, blessed still. 
 In ease or pain, in good or ill, 
 
 In life or death the same ; 
 It is the Lord who does me good, 
 Gives me all things through Jesu's blood, 
 
 Through Him accepts my claim.
 
 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 25 
 
 Blest be the Lord for gifts divine. 
 In holy intercourse they shine, 
 
 And thus augment our love ; 
 In fellowship with Him and His, 
 What foretastes of the promis'd bliss, 
 
 Foretastes of heaven above ! 
 
 IX. 
 
 Yes, I bless Thee, heavenly Father, 
 Though the cross on earth is given, 
 
 Tribulations here may gather, 
 Fondest ties on earth be riven, 
 
 Yet I bless Thee 
 That there is a promis'd heaven. 
 
 This consoles and this uplifts me ; 
 
 How transporting is the thought ! 
 Though the tempter here may sift me. 
 
 There his siftings are forgot : 
 Jesus, lead me 
 
 Where temptation dwelleth not. 
 
 Lord, I love Thee, and Thou knowest 
 How^ I long to see Thy face ; 
 
 Though I am the very lowest, 
 All unworthy of Thy grace. 
 
 Yet, give me 
 In that heavenly land a place !
 
 26 SONGS IN THE NIGHT 
 
 II. 
 
 I. 
 
 Christmas. 
 
 Let music break on this blest mom, 
 And sweetly echo back to heaven, 
 For lo ! the promised Son is bom. 
 The long expected One is given. 
 
 Of old the prophets wrote of Him, 
 Predicting this most glad event, 
 And we, in one united hymn. 
 Now celebrate the Saviour sent. 
 
 In heaven the angels sing of Him, 
 And wonder at His mighty love ;' 
 On earth we gladly chant the theme. 
 Thus joining in the song above. 
 
 Thus angels, prophets, sinners sing, 
 With all the numbers sav'd in heaven. 
 And hail Thy advent, Saviour, King : 
 One glorious strain to all is given. 
 
 Nor can we sing a worthier name, 
 Or sing of love so great as Thine ; 
 No ! endless honours Thou dost claim ; 
 Thy name and love are both divine.
 
 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 27 
 
 Jesus spake as never man did speak before ; 
 
 Jesus preach 'd the hlessed gospel to the poor ; 
 
 Jesus brought a better, sweeter land to view ; 
 
 Jesus did our everlasting good pursue; 
 
 Jesus came in poverty for us to live ; 
 
 Jesus has enduring riches now to give ; 
 
 Jesus had a crown of thorns put on His head ; 
 
 Jesus now wears a crown of glory in its stead; 
 
 Jesus bore our heavy load of sin and guilt ; 
 
 Jesus sweat blood when our sad punishment He felt 
 
 Jesus was a man of sorrow and of grief; 
 
 Jesus can succour us, and send relief; 
 
 Jesus lov'd, but not as selfish mortals love ; 
 
 His love's great depths 'twill take eternity to prove. 
 
 III. 
 
 Sing, every land, of Jesu's love. 
 Who left his shining throne above, 
 And pitied man who trod the path 
 That leads to everlasting death. 
 
 He came to seek that which was lost, 
 By every wind of doctrine tost ; 
 He came to teach His doctrine pure. 
 And seal the Father's mercies sure. 
 
 He came to die for guilty man. 
 And finish all salvation's plan. 
 To die that we might dwell above. 
 And ever sinsj redeeming; love.
 
 28 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 
 
 IV. 
 
 Jesus, we bless Thee for Thy love, 
 
 Unmerited and free, 
 'Tis higher than the heaven above, 
 
 And deeper than the sea ! 
 
 Jesus, we bless Thee for thy truth, 
 So plain and yet so grand, 
 
 'Tis all sufficient in our youth, 
 And when with age we bend. 
 
 Jesus, we bless Thee for Thy grace. 
 So cheering and so sweet, 
 
 Still give our trembling souls a place 
 Near Thy lov'd mercy seat. 
 
 Jesus, we bless Thee for Thy care, 
 A tender Shepherd Thou, 
 
 Who kindly listens to each prayer, 
 Who kindly helps us through. 
 
 Jesus, we bless Thee for the way 
 That leads to heaven on high ; 
 
 We bless Thee that we cannot stay 
 Where tears bedim the eye. 
 
 Jesus, we bless Thee for the hope 
 
 Of better days to come ; 
 may Thy grace still bear us up. 
 
 Till we arrive at home ! 
 
 Jesus, we bless Thee for Thy life, 
 So holy and so good ;
 
 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 29 
 
 help us evermore to strive 
 To imitate our God ! 
 
 Jesus, we bless Thee for Thy death 
 
 Upon the accursed tree ; 
 grant to us a stronger faith, 
 
 May we more trustful be. 
 
 Christ's Resurrection and Intercession. 
 
 Why do we fear death's icy touch '? 
 Or tremble at the grave so much ? 
 Jesus hath sanctified the tomb, 
 And left therein a sweet perfume. 
 
 Long in the grave He did not lay,* 
 But rose again on the third day, 
 To livje for ever, evermore : 
 Let all on earth His name adore. 
 
 How highly favour'd those He met, 
 While forty days He tarried yet ! 
 His salutations, how full ! 
 Peace, peace lo each believing soul. 
 
 Hence is our hope (because he rose, 
 And conquered all -that could oppose ) 
 That He will bring us conquerors through. 
 And give us palms of victory too. 
 
 Lie.
 
 30 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 
 
 He hath ascended up on high, 
 To plead our cause above the sky ; 
 He Hstens to, presents each prayer, 
 And adds His intercession there. 
 
 How full of tenderness He pleads, 
 He tells the Father all our needs, 
 Gently reminds Him of the grief 
 That He endured for our relief. 
 
 'Tis through His merits and His blood. 
 That we approach unto our God : 
 No other name our souls can save, 
 Nor quell the terrors of the grave.
 
 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 31 
 
 III. 
 
 fflonfession af ^in, S: ^uplicatton for P^nig* 
 
 Forgive our carelessness, Lord, 
 
 And all our wicked ways ; 
 We think too little of Thy word, 
 
 So full of promise! grace. 
 
 Our understandings, how dark ! 
 
 How blinded through our sin ! 
 By nature not the smallest spark 
 
 Of light can break within. 
 
 By nature, Lord, we love not Thee, 
 
 Nor any of Thy ways, 
 But through Thy Spirit, grant that we 
 
 May holiness embrace. 
 
 Ourhearts are hard, we need Thy love. 
 
 To soften and to draw ; 
 Nought but Thy grace sin's ice can move, 
 
 And make a lasting thaw. 
 
 By nature we are dead in sin : 
 
 Our dying souls awake ! 
 Implant new principles within, 
 
 For our Redeemer's sake. 
 
 0, may Thy Spirit's piercing rays 
 
 Our darken'd souls illume ! 
 O, may the sunshine of Thy grace 
 
 Disperse our nature's gloom I
 
 82 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 
 
 0, I could weep ten thousand tears, 
 When I look back on my past years ! 
 Beeause IVe sinn'd against the Lord, 
 And did not heed His sacred word. 
 
 Lord, turn this heart so wicked, vile, 
 From all iniquity and guile, 
 And give me grace to follow Thee, 
 Till here my days shall number'd be. 
 
 HI. 
 
 A GUILTY sinner T have been, 
 
 A rebel to the Lord ; 
 Oppress'd with fears, and guilt, and sin, 
 
 I cling unto His word. 
 
 With throbbing heart, and earnest thought, 
 
 Its statements I have read ; 
 Jesus a full salvation brought. 
 
 When on the cross He bled. 
 
 O may my life be hid with Thee, 
 
 Faithful, unchanging Friend, 
 Grant persevering grace to me, 
 
 And help me to the end. 
 
 Then will I bless Thy name in death. 
 
 And triumph in Thy love, 
 Jesus, sweet Finisher of faith, 
 
 In the full sight above !
 
 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 33 ] 
 
 1 
 
 IV. 
 
 Jesus, how long shall I remain 
 So lukewarm and so cold, 
 
 At ease in sin's enchanting plain, 
 And yielding to its hold ? 
 
 I own my heart is full of sin, 
 
 To evil it is bent ; 
 I own its wickedness within. 
 
 I own it and lament. 
 
 I mourn my distance from Thy love, 
 My distance from all good, 
 
 Give me Thy Spirit from above, 
 And lead me unto God ! 
 
 v. 
 
 Spirit of all consolation, 
 
 Come and chase away my fears ; 
 0, how sad my situation, 
 
 Till Thy grace to me appears ! 
 
 I profess to be believing, 
 
 Yet my faithlessness is great ; 
 
 But, the'^Holy Ghost receiving, 
 Soon my faith will animate.^- 
 
 I profess that I am loving, 
 Yet how full of coldness still ! 
 
 But the Spirit in me moving. 
 With His grace can quickly fill. 
 
 * Used as a neuter verb.
 
 34 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 
 
 I profess to be repenting, 
 Yet how careless every day, 
 
 Till the Spirit, truth presenting, 
 Shows the error of my way. 
 
 I profess that I am living 
 To the Lord, — and yet I fail. 
 
 Till to me the Spirit giving, 
 In His strength I then prevail. 
 
 I profess that I am seeking 
 A bright kingdom in the skies ; 
 
 But on earth my soul is fixing. 
 Till the Spirit bids me rise. 
 
 I profess to be a stranger, 
 
 And my foes surround this place 
 Yet I oft forget my danger, 
 
 Till again arous'd by grace. 
 
 What availeth my profession. 
 If my heart belies the same ? 
 
 Lord, give me a true possession, 
 Grace to glorify Thy name ! 
 
 VI. 
 
 I FEEL unworthy, Lord, indeed. 
 
 Unworthy of thy care ; 
 Yet on Thy bounties I do feed, 
 
 And everj comfort share. 
 
 I feel unworthy, Lord, of all 
 The blessings Thou dost give;
 
 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 35 
 
 Unworthy on Thy name to call, 
 Or 'neath Thy smile to live. 
 
 Unworthy of Thy children's bread, 
 Their prospects, or their rest; 
 
 Yet with their manna I am fed, 
 And of their good possess'd. 
 
 Unworthy of their thought or care, 
 
 Less than the least I fall ; 
 Yet still their kindness I do share, 
 
 Lord, reward them all ! 
 
 VII. 
 
 Jesus, a poor sinner save ! 
 Pardon for my sins I crave : 
 Perishing, and weak, and lost ; 
 With temptation rudely tost. 
 
 • 
 Jesus, to Thy cross I flee : 
 
 1 must perish without Thee. 
 O, assure me of Thy love ! 
 Register my name above. 
 
 Give to me a contrite heart ; 
 Bid all pride from me depart: 
 Let no idol dwell within. 
 Save me from the love of sin. 
 
 Be my strength, and be my light ; 
 0, be with me day and night ; 
 Be my everlasting Friend ; 
 With Thy truth and love defend,
 
 36 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 
 
 Thou dost my condition see, 
 I have nought to bring to Thee, 
 Nought but this bad heart of mine ; 
 And no arm can save but Thine. 
 
 Thou didst die for the unjust ; 
 Thou art therefore all my trust. 
 I would Thy disciple be ; 
 Jesus, accept of me ! 
 
 Give me riches not of earth, 
 Riches of eternal worth, 
 An inheritance divine, 
 Where Thy holy ones do shine. 
 
 VIII. 
 
 Can I, a sinner living, 
 
 A living one complain ? 
 Forgetting sin is giving 
 
 Life's bitterness and pain ? 
 
 Can I be found indulging 
 
 A sinful state of mind, 
 Without the tmth divulging, 
 
 That sin leaves woe behind ? 
 
 Can I be found complaining 
 
 Of all and every thing? 
 Such discontent prevailing, 
 
 Its punishment will bring. 
 
 Can I be found abusing 
 
 The life already given. 
 Without all good refusing 
 
 That comes direct from heaven?
 
 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 37 
 
 Can I be found insulting 
 The Giver of all grace, 
 
 In wickedness exulting? 
 Such conduct, how base ! 
 
 Can I be found denying 
 My blessed Saviour here ? 
 
 His holy cross defying? 
 Perdition then is near. 
 
 Can I be undecided 
 
 In my Redeemer's cause? 
 And have my heart divided ? 
 
 Then I His work oppose. 
 
 Can I go on in sinning, 
 Without a sigh or tear ? 
 
 Then Satan ground is winning, 
 And I have cause to fear. 
 
 Can I be onward pressing 
 To yonder mansions fair. 
 
 My Master's mind possessing. 
 And wish not all to share ? 
 
 Can I feel sin's sad deluge, 
 
 And yet delay to flee 
 To Christ the only Refuge ? 
 
 Woe then is unto me. 
 
 Can I, blessed Saviour, 
 Share daily in Thy grace, 
 
 Unworthy such a favour, 
 
 And yet withhold Thy praise ?
 
 38 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 
 
 IV. 
 
 ©{10 ^I^ss^dness of tftij ll^Iijion nf CfJhrtisi 
 
 I. 
 
 Child of God, tell sinners round 
 Whence most comforts you have found. 
 In religion there is bliss, 
 Ev'n in such a place as this.* 
 
 It is pleasant, it is sweet, 
 'Tis with happiness complete, 
 It affords unshaken peace, 
 And its comforts still increase. 
 
 Tell it in the Sabbath School: 
 0, explain Redemption's rule ! 
 Without faith, condemned we lie : 
 With it, condemnations fly. 
 
 Pastors, faithful still abide, 
 Preach our Jesus crucified : 
 Preach the wonders of the cross, 
 Ours the gain, but His the loss ! 
 
 Strive to win the rising race. 
 Through the Spirit of His grace : 
 Strive to win them to His love. 
 0, may all its sweetness prove ! 
 
 Tell the great, the worthy deed. 
 How the Son of God did bleed, 
 
 * The Workliouse.
 
 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 39 
 
 That we might be all forgiv'n, 
 
 That we might have peace with heav'n. 
 
 Tell it in the stately halls, 
 And within the prison walls, 
 Tell it in the humble cot, 
 Never let it be forgot. 
 
 Tell it in the workhouse too ; 
 'Tis as swuet refreshing dew ; 
 'Twill bring comfort to the heart, 
 When all comforts else depart. 
 
 It is worthy to be told, 
 Worthy to be writ in gold, 
 Worthy to be hail'd by all, 
 Who are ruin'd by the Fall. 
 
 Send it o'er the ocean wide, 
 To each chme where men reside ; 
 To 'each colour, tongue, and age. 
 Send the ever blessed page ! 
 
 Tell them of the Son of man, 
 How His course on earth He ran ; 
 How He died His love to prove, 
 How He loves beyond all love ! 
 
 Christians, 0, in heart be one, 
 
 Seeking glory not your own : 
 
 For immortal spirits care ; 
 
 Spread His word in praise and prayer.
 
 40 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 
 
 II. 
 
 'Tis Jesus we seek, the Pearl of great price ! 
 Though helpless and weak, He pities our cries. 
 In Him there are hid rich treasures of grace, 
 Though others forbid, well seek His blest face. 
 
 The wicked may laugh, the worldly may sneer, 
 But pleasures are ours when Jesus is near ; 
 In Him we confide, through Him come to God, 
 No other beside can do our souls good. 
 
 'Tis Jesus we seek, for Jesus we need ; 
 Though sinful and weak, for us He doth plead. 
 His love, it is great, and sovereign, and free, 
 His name ever must our refuge still be. 
 
 Our troubles through sin are many and great ; 
 Without and within, it saddens our state; 
 But He bids us come, His word is most true ; 
 Poor sinners, there's room for me and for you 
 
 III. 
 
 Jesus liv'd and died to save me. 
 
 Prompted by eternal love ; 
 His eternal self he gave me ; 
 
 What could more His kindness prove ? 
 
 Now to save me He is able. 
 
 For this very end He died ; 
 This is not a cunning fable, 
 
 'Tis a truth that must abide.
 
 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 41 
 
 'Tis in Tain that Satan rushes, 
 Like an armed man, on me ; 
 
 Tenderness and pity gushes, 
 Blessed Jesus, still from Thee. 
 
 'Tis in vain that he accuses, 
 
 Brings ten thousand sins to view ; 
 
 Jesus never one refuses. 
 
 Who doth His forgiveness sue. 
 
 Yes, I know my sins are many, 
 Deeply I bewail the same ; 
 
 But salvation is for any 
 
 Who believe in Jesu's name. 
 
 'Tis as free as can be given, 
 'Tis as free as free can be, 
 
 As the very air of heaven, 
 As the water in the sea ! 
 
 'Tis as great as can be needed, 
 As complete as can be made : 
 
 Sinners, pass it not unheeded, 
 Seek therein to be array 'd. 
 
 IV. 
 
 Seek we good unmix'd with ill, 
 Good each aching void to fill, 
 Good substantial ? — 'tis not here, 
 Earth is not its native sphere.
 
 42 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 
 
 Seek we happiness to share, 
 Undisturb'd with woe and care ? 
 Vain we seek on every hand, 
 Earth is not its native land. 
 
 Seek we pleasure free from pain, 
 Unpolluted with a stain ? 
 Seek it here ? — then we are wrong : 
 It does not to earth belong. 
 
 Seek ye friends and friendships true, 
 That will bring no pain to you ? 
 Seek them here ? Ah, sad mistake ! 
 Sin made them the earth forsake. 
 
 Why seek fruit on barren trees ? 
 Why seek health amidst disease? 
 Or for peace 'midst seats of war ? 
 Or for rest where tumults are ? 
 
 Mortals tossed up and down, 
 See your schemes like bubbles blown : 
 Thus 'twill be, if earth you tmst. 
 Moth will eat, and damp will rust. 
 
 How infatuated they 
 Who are bent on their own way ! 
 Disappointment must be theirs, 
 Sorrow, trouble, vexing cares. 
 
 Do you wish for good secure ? 
 Good that ever must endure ? 
 Seek it in its proper place, 
 Seek it in redeeming grace.
 
 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 43 
 
 Sinner, turn thy thoughts on high, 
 Far above this changing sky ; 
 Seek for good in God alone, 
 Who doth hear when call'd upon. 
 
 He hath sent His word to tell, 
 That He loves poor sinners well ; 
 So you need not be afraid. 
 But, through Jesus, seek His aid. 
 
 He can make the wretched blest : 
 Of all friends He is the best : 
 He will make you rich indeed, 
 Granting help in time of need. 
 
 Good through Jesus now secure, 
 For no other good is sure. 
 Seek, through Jesus' dying love. 
 Seek a home in heaven above. 
 
 Sweet is the spring time of the year, 
 When the bright cuckoo sings her lay. 
 How pleasant 'tis her voice to hear, 
 As still we travel on our way ! 
 
 Sweet is the summer's evening breeze, 
 When all around is still and calm. 
 And gently wave the aged trees 
 Around the cottage and the farm. 
 
 Sweet is the time of merry youth, 
 
 When hearts are light, and cares unknown,
 
 44 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 
 
 Before we feel the mournful truth, 
 That life with bitter seeds is sown. 
 
 Sweet is the time of precious health, 
 When we are active, well, and strong. 
 Sweeter than many stores of wealth : 
 How sweet these moments pass along ! 
 
 Sweet is the intercourse of friends, 
 When heart to heart in union meet, 
 When fellowship with friendship blends ; 
 0, then how pleasant, and how sweet ! 
 
 Sweet is the memory of the dead ; 
 How oft to us their names are dear. 
 Although their spirits hence are fled. 
 No more to mingle with us here ! 
 
 Sweet is the holy book of truth, 
 
 'Tis worth perusing with great care ; 
 
 If we but heeded it in 3'outh, 
 
 We should be sav'd from many a snare. 
 
 Sweet is the Sabbath of the Lord, 
 When we can meet his people dear. 
 And listen to His holy word. 
 And learn His name to love and fear. 
 
 Sweet are the moments spent in prayer. 
 And pleading with our gracious God ; 
 This soothes our mind when fill'd with care, 
 When we approach through Jesus' blood.
 
 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 45 
 
 Talk we of sweetness here below 
 'Midst imperfection, change, and sin. 
 In heaven its fulness we shall know, 
 When Jesus bids us enter in. 
 
 VI. 
 
 Wearied with scenes of earth, 
 
 Jesus, to Thee I cry ; 
 Wearied with sin's debasing mirth. 
 
 I raise my thoughts on high : 
 
 Far better sights to see, 
 Far sweeter sounds to hear, 
 
 that the power were given to me 
 To leave this guilty sphere ! 
 
 Jesus, I bless Thy name, 
 
 I bless Thy sovereign love. 
 Which stands unchangeably the same, 
 - As every day T prove. 
 
 My comforts spring from Thee, 
 Whether of earth or heaven ; 
 
 And every good that comes to me, 
 By Thy kind hand is given. 
 
 VII. 
 
 Christian, time is passing by. 
 Thy redemption draweth nigh, 
 Time momentous, fraught with grace, 
 Earnest of a better place.
 
 46 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 
 
 Grace, through Christ our Lord, is sent, 
 Leading sinners to repent ; 
 Without money, without price, 
 To prepare us for the skies. 
 
 Grace, it is the peeping bud 
 Of the future wreath of God, 
 Promis'd in His holy word 
 To the sei-vants of the Lord. 
 
 'Tis the penitent's first want, 
 But 'twill grow into a plant ; 
 'Tis a longing to possess, 
 But that longing God will bless. 
 
 Grace, 'tis but the twilight ray 
 Of the Christian's glorious day, 
 But the foretaste of that store, 
 That will last for evermore. 
 
 VIII. 
 
 There is a sweet and welcome rest, 
 A day that God Himself hath blest, 
 An emblem of the land above, 
 Where all the saints do meet in love. 
 
 To-day our blessed Saviour rose, 
 And conquer'd all His mighty foes ; 
 Come, let us sing His mighty deeds, 
 Who now for us poor sinners pleads. 
 
 There is a book I greatly prize ; 
 No book so precious in mine eyes ;
 
 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 47 
 
 'Tis full of rich, eternal truth, 
 
 To cheer our age, and guide our youth. 
 
 Its promises are all divine ; 
 O, may those promises be mine ! 
 This, gracious Lord, is all my prayer, 
 The blessings of Thy saints to share. 
 
 There is a people that I love, 
 Who seek a country far above ; 
 They are the exc'llent of the earth, 
 Superior to unholy mirth. 
 
 May I with them my cross still bear, 
 In all their sorrows take a share ! 
 With them hereafter may I be, 
 Their blessed Lord and mine to see I 
 
 IX. 
 
 On Reading the " Memoir of the Author of 
 ' The Sinner's Friend.' " 
 
 Is God thy Friend? — rejoice, man, 
 That ever blessed truth to find ! 
 Rejoice that ever love began 
 Within the great eternal Mind ! 
 
 Is God thy Friend ? infinite grace 
 That rear'd the structure of all good, 
 Extended to our fallen race ! 
 Becoming our Redeemer, God.
 
 48 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 
 
 Is God thy Friend, and cares for thee, 
 sinful and rebellious man ? 
 Let heaven and earth astonish 'd be, 
 And wonder at God's saving plan ! 
 
 Is Christ thy Friend ? was He divest 
 Awhile of glory for thy sake, 
 And in our human nature dress'd. 
 That thou His glory might'st partake ? 
 
 Is Christ thy Friend, made poor for thee, 
 And had not where to lay His head, 
 That thou might'st rich hereafter be, 
 Rich — with eternal manna fed ? 
 
 Is Christ thy Friend ? did he become 
 
 A sufferer in the vale of tears. 
 
 That thou, in heaven, might'st have a home. 
 
 And near Him spend eternal years ? 
 
 Is Christ thy Friend ? did He endure 
 The punishment of all thy guilt, 
 To make thy hope of heaven secure ? 
 0, may His love thy spirit melt ! 
 
 Is Christ thy Friend, and did He die 
 A cruel, agonizing death. 
 To make thy peace with God on high, 
 To save thee from eternal wrath ? 
 
 Is Christ thy Friend, and does he plead 
 Thy cause before His Father's throne, 
 And there, to ratify the deed 
 Doth send the Holy Spirit down ?
 
 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 49 
 
 And is the Holy Ghost thy friend, 
 Still urging thee to seek the Lord ? 
 To this blest Monitor attend ! 
 His teachings comfort will afford. 
 
 And is the triune God thy friend, 
 Still calling, pressing thee to pray? 
 Do Father, Son, and Spirit blend 
 In One, — teaching the living way? 
 
 Then, sinner, canst thou still resist 
 Such great and such stupendous love ? 
 From thy impenitence desist, 
 And seek those heights and depths to prove. 
 
 When waking, or when sleeping, 
 O Lord, my Guardian be, 
 
 My spirit ever keeping 
 In fellowship with Thee ! 
 
 0, when I feel quite weary, 
 And scarce can onward press, 
 
 Reveal Thy kindness clearly ; — 
 For Jesus' sake then bless. 
 
 Thou seest, each passing minute. 
 The workings of my mind ; 
 
 Thy goodness is infinite, 
 Its depths I cannot find. 
 
 Struck with the deepest wonder 
 At all Thy works and ways,
 
 50 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 
 
 I tremble at Thy thunder, 
 And yet, adoring, praise ! 
 
 I feel a solid pleasure 
 In contemplating Thee, 
 
 My Father, Saviour, Treasure, 
 0, still be near to me ! 
 
 XI. 
 
 Justification and Sanctification. 
 
 When we believe in Christ, then we are justified : 
 When we believe that Jesus for our sins hath died. 
 That moment from all condemnation we are free, 
 And Jesus' righteousness imputed ours to be. 
 
 But still we have an evil heart of unbelief, 
 And oft we have to mourn, to sorrow, and to grieve 
 O'er our rebellious will, which we cannot subdue : 
 But God the Spirit comes, our spirits to renew. 
 
 When He begins His work. He comes so gently nigh. 
 Like as the morning hght first breaking o'er the sky. 
 From grace and truth and light, to grace and truth 
 
 and light, 
 He leads us onward still still, conquering in the fight. 
 
 At once through faith in Christ, we're freed from 
 
 guilt of sin. 
 But a progressive change, the Spirit works within : 
 A holy, happy life, the blest result will be, 
 When, Spirit of the Lord, our souls are cleans'd by 
 
 Thee.
 
 SO^'GS IN THE NIGHT. 51 
 
 XII. 
 
 " To BE WITH Cheist IS Far Better." 
 
 Blest thought, to be where Jesus is, 
 To drink that pure and solid bliss 
 
 That flows from His redeeming love ; 
 To be delivered from all sin, 
 From all impurities within, 
 
 And dwell with holj saints above ! 
 
 It is refreshing, and 'tis sweet. 
 Our blessed Jesus here to meet. 
 
 In this imperfect, changing land ; 
 But greater far our bliss will be, 
 When our beloved Lord we see, 
 
 And in His sacred presence stand ! 
 
 When shall I join that happy throng. 
 And sing with them the new made song 
 
 Of Jesus, and His matchless love ? 
 When shall I walk with Him in white, 
 Where faith and hope are lost in sight ? 
 
 And His eternal goodness prove ?
 
 52 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 
 
 Wm- 
 
 Christian, why your eye bedimm'd? 
 Why your heart with sorrow brimm'd ? 
 Why escapes the frequent sigh ? 
 Is not God your Helper nigh ? 
 
 Do you mourn because of sin ? 
 Mourn corruptions yet within ? 
 Mourn your littleness of love ? 
 Fear to grieve your God above ? 
 
 Do you mourn a weakly faith 
 In His Providence who saith 
 " I will never thee forsake ?" — 
 Mourning Christian comfort take. 
 
 If you have not, you may ask ; 
 'Tis an easy, pleasant task. 
 Open to the Lord your heart, 
 And your troubles will depart. 
 
 Hasten to the throne of grace ; 
 'Tis erected for our race, 
 Tell the Lord of every care ; 
 0, be often pleading there ! 
 
 Ours the duty 'tis to knock ; 
 Thus God's treasures we unlock: 
 Ours the guilt if we neglect ; 
 Thus God's treasures we reject.
 
 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 
 
 53 
 
 II. 
 
 In earnest supplication, 
 
 In week or sabbath day, 
 In every age and station, 
 
 LordI teach us how to pray ! 
 
 When sin and fear perplex us. 
 
 And fill us with dismay, 
 When trials do distress us, 
 
 Lord, teach us then to pray ! 
 
 To ask still without ceasing. 
 
 Though difficult the way, 
 Though comforts be decreasing, 
 
 Lord, give us grace to pray ! 
 
 To seek, heavenly Father, 
 
 Thy blessing on our way, 
 Though darkest clouds should gather, 
 
 Lord, help us still to pray ! 
 
 To knock with faith unfaihng, 
 While here on earth we stay ; 
 
 In Jesus' name prevailing. 
 Lord, ever let us pray ! 
 
 III. 
 James v. 13. 
 Pray when all things seem bad. 
 Pray when you feel most sad : 
 0, Hsten to this exhortation ! 
 Fulfil it to the letter,
 
 54 80NGS IN THE NIGHT. 
 
 And you will feel much better 
 Than spending time in lamentation. 
 
 Thank God if you are glad, 
 Lest you again be sad : 
 
 Giye Him your hearty admiration : 
 In all your gladsome feelings, 
 Confess His gracious dealings, 
 
 'Tis He deserves your adoration.
 
 SONGS TN THE NIGHT. 55 
 
 VI. 
 
 I. 
 
 'Tis Thee, great God, 'tis Thee we love ; 
 
 How kind are all Thy ways ! 
 Thy chastisements, how sweet they prove, 
 
 When sanctified by grace I 
 
 How soft, how gently Thou dost smite 
 Thy wandering children here ! 
 
 Our earthly comforts Thou dost Wight, 
 To bring religion near. 
 
 When sad, perplex'd with many a care, 
 
 And trouble clouds our brow, 
 Thou dost, Lord, our hearts prepare, 
 
 Far nobler joys to know. 
 
 When earth recedes, and comforts droop, 
 
 And one by one depart, 
 Thou art an all sustaining Prop, 
 
 To every trusting heart. 
 
 'Tis Thee, great God, 'tis Thee we trust, 
 
 With calmness and repose, 
 Till light and glory on us burst, 
 
 x\nd all these evils close ! 
 
 II. 
 
 Affliction makes all things so dear, 
 Belonging to the Lord,
 
 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 
 
 The means of grace that we have here, 
 His people, and His word. 
 
 Thus, far more precious unto me, 
 The things of heaven than earth, 
 
 More precious far they prove to be 
 In value and in worth. 
 
 Blest be the Lord, though on a couch 
 Of weakness, and of pain, 
 
 This blessed truth I sure can vouch. 
 Affliction is my gain. 
 
 Though from the busy world confin'd, 
 From its engagements free, 
 
 I have engagements more refin'd, 
 And suited unto me. 
 
 III. 
 
 Though in deep affliction's gloom. 
 Though of health and strength bereft, 
 Yet within, sweet joy hath room. 
 For, my Saviour, Thou art left. 
 
 Though all earthly good decay, 
 Which is short-liv'd good, at best, 
 Yet, my Saviour, if Thou stay, 
 I shall be content and blest. 
 
 Though I feel dejected, sad, 
 And with earthly things cast down. 
 Yet in Thee I will be glad, 
 When all comforts else are gone.
 
 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 57 
 
 Though I have no settled place, 
 No abiding city here, 
 I will triumph in Thy grace, 
 For, my Saviour, Thou art near. 
 
 Though my earthly frame decay, 
 Though my days are number'd here, 
 Though on earth I cannot stay, 
 I am free from care and fear. 
 
 Welcome death, disease, and all 
 Harbingers of coming rest : 
 Though I prematurely fall. 
 Yet my Saviour knows what's best. 
 
 Him I love, and Him I trust, 
 Ever blessed be His name ! 
 I shall soon be with the just, 
 Fir'd with an immortal flame. 
 
 Then, how loud, how long I'll sing 
 WJien before my Saviour's face, 
 While the heav'nly cities ring 
 With the echoes of His grace ! 
 
 IV. 
 
 Child of sickness and of grief, 
 Go to Jesus for relief. 
 He can comfort in distress, 
 In affliction he can bless. 
 Let but patience still abide. 
 Trust in Jesus crucified ; 
 This will all thy evils cure — 
 This will happiness ensure.
 
 58 
 
 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 
 
 . 
 
 Child of sorrow and of woe, 
 Cease to trust in things below, 
 Cease to stiiiggle with the wind :- 
 Look not back on things behind, 
 Look within with honest care, 
 See what wickedness is there ; 
 Then acknowledge the full truth, 
 To the God of age and youth. 
 
 Child of niiser\' within, 
 Strive not to conceal thy sin ; 
 Haste to Jesus, —tell Him all, — 
 Of thy sius, and of thy fall. 
 Jesus knows thy state of need, 
 Jesus is a friend indeed ; 
 He will pity ia distress : 
 Learn in pain His name to bless. 
 
 Jesus, from thy blessed fulness, 
 
 Let a sinner freely take ; 
 O, sustain me in each illness, 
 
 Never, never me forsake ! 
 
 While I tread this vale of mortals. 
 Guide me with Thy gracious hand 
 
 Ere I come to death's dark portals, 
 Fit me for that happier land. 
 
 Visit me with Thy salvation. 
 Give to me a hope divine. 
 
 Make me one of that blest nation. 
 Who as stars for ever shine :
 
 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 59 
 
 VII. 
 
 God of my life, I bless thy name ! 
 From Thee my early comforts came ; 
 
 Thy wisdom chose my place ; 
 And gave me life in this blest land, 
 Where I can read and understand 
 
 The message of Thy grace. 
 
 Thy Providence did fix my lot, 
 In yonder rural humble cot, 
 
 Where first my life began. 
 To yonder Sabbath-school I went, 
 When hour on hour I happy spent, 
 
 And time with pleasure ran. 
 
 Can I forget my native place ? 
 Can I forget those happy days ? 
 
 Its scenes are fresh and clear. 
 Can I forget the friends I lov'd, 
 Whose Christian kindness there I prov'd ? 
 
 To memory they are dear. 
 
 Author of talents, Thee I bless 
 For every good that I possess ; 
 
 Great are Thy gifts to me. 
 Thou didst instruct me in my youth. 
 To seek the ever blessed truth 
 
 Which is reveal'd by Thee.
 
 60 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 
 
 And when I wander'd from Thy side, 
 And did not in Thy truth abide, 
 
 Still Thou didst o'er me watch. 
 When I rebell'd against Thy grace, 
 Forbearing mercy kept its place, 
 
 And did from ruin snatch. 
 
 How deep my guilt, how hard my heart. 
 When I did from the Lord depart. 
 
 And wander'd on in sin. 
 He might have left me to my ways, 
 But ever blessed be His grace, 
 
 That melted me within. 
 
 Strange were Tliy ways to bring me back, 
 Of sufferings, Lord, I did not lack. 
 
 Deep misery I drank. 
 Full to the brim, and well nigh spent, 
 My passage rough, my comforts sent, 
 
 I found the world a blank. 
 
 When stripp'd of all, 'twas then I fled, 
 To seek a refuge in the shed 
 
 That God had plac'd for me. 
 With earnest prayer I onward ran, 
 Resolv'd no more to trust in man, 
 
 Nor aught on earth that be. 
 
 For ever blessed be the Hand 
 
 That shook the place where I did stand. 
 
 But sav'd my soul alive. 
 For what is earth, compar'd to souls? 
 Tis as a speck on distant poles : 
 
 Far higher we must strive. 
 
 I
 
 SO^GS IN THE NIGHT. 61 
 
 Hard were the sufferings I endur'd, 
 Before I could be well assured 
 
 That sin was their first cause. 
 Hard were the struggles in my breast, 
 Before I found the solid rest 
 
 Which now from Jesus flows. 
 
 Blest be the Eye that pitied me, 
 
 The Voice which caird me back to see 
 
 God's mercy and His love. 
 Blest be the Hand outstretch "d to save, 
 That kept me from an early grave, 
 
 And fix'd my thoughts above. 
 
 Blessing, and praise, and glory be 
 
 To Him whose love hath conquered me, 
 
 And saved me from hell. 
 Lord, increase my faith and love ! 
 Let me for ever, ever prove. 
 
 That Thou dost all thinc;(s well. 
 
 0, may my heart and life be Thine ! 
 Thy blessed will, Lord, make it mine ! 
 
 I would submit to Thee. 
 Stretch out Thy kind, protecting wings 
 Save me from sin, King of Kings, 
 
 Till I Thy beauty see. 
 
 II. 
 
 When standing on the verge of death, 
 And fnends were whispering round my bed, 
 And watching each succeedmg breath. 
 And thinking soon I should be dead.
 
 62 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 
 
 What blessed, happy moments those, 
 When I had bid farewell to all. 
 Waiting for death the scene to close, 
 Waiting my dear Redeemer's call. 
 
 For more than once or twice I've stood, 
 To all appearance on death "s brink, 
 But power divine has stemm'd the flood, 
 And kept me that I did not sink. 
 
 And Jesus who did comfort me, 
 In view of my immediate death, 
 Will surely my Sustainer be, 
 Long as I draw this fleeting breath. 
 
 In view of Hfe I tremble, Lord, 
 Lest I should sin against Thy love, 
 Do Thou sufficient grace afi'ord. 
 And all perplexing fears remove. 
 
 Still jieep me humble at Thy feet, ^ 
 Give me a greater love to prayer : 
 And when my journey is complete 
 Receive me to Thy mansions fair. 
 
 III. 
 
 On the Anniversary of her entrance into 
 
 THE Workhouse. 
 
 With death full in view, I entered this place ; 
 But God has been pleas'd to lengthen my days. 
 My path has been rugged, and thorny, and sad. 
 But the Lord, He has blest me, and made me feel glad.
 
 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 63 
 
 I wish not to mention my trouble and grief ; 
 I'll speak of my Saviour who oft sends relief. 
 I wish not to tell of my tossings and pain, 
 But of the great good which from Him I obtain. 
 
 His grace far exceeds my needs or my wants, 
 Provision for soul and for body He grants ; 
 Accept of my heart, Lord, I yield it to Thee, 
 My Helper, and Friend, and Shepherd still be. 
 
 IV. 
 
 When Jesus met me with His love, 
 In what a wretched state was I ! 
 How sad and cheerless all did prove, 
 Before I found my Saviour nigh ! 
 
 I dreamt I saw the judgment day ! 
 Dread soon awoke me from my sleep ; 
 It -made me think upon my way. 
 And left impressions strong and deep 
 
 Appall'd, and struck with deep amaze, 
 My heavy guilt I could not bear : 
 Then I began to sue for grace, 
 With earnest, persevering prayer. 
 
 And Jesus on my path did shine, 
 And thus he met me with His love, 
 And gave me happiness divine, 
 And precious unto me did prove.
 
 64 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 
 
 V. 
 
 Sabbath School Reminiscences. 
 
 The Sabbath School forgetting ! 
 0, this can never be ! 
 In days of nervous fretting, 
 I ponder still o'er thee. 
 
 I lov'd my Sabbath teachers, 
 Yes, every one of them ; 
 And still to memory reaches 
 Each visage and each name. 
 
 But some have cross'd the river, 
 And enter'd on their rest, 
 To praise the Lord for ever, 
 AVho made their labour blest. 
 
 And some are yet remaining, 
 Still toiling here below ; 
 But time is on them gaining. 
 And wrinkling fast their brow. 
 
 0, may the Lord of heaven, 
 Grant us to meet above, 
 Where joys are ever given, 
 And all are fill'd with love !
 
 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 65 
 
 vrii. 
 
 (Sx^^^mve of th Jluthoifs om ^eelinp. 
 
 I. 
 
 Lord, I -svill trust Thee every day, 
 May faith from Thee be given ! 
 
 Take not my little faith away. 
 But send me more from heaven. 
 
 What shall I do while troubles last. 
 
 If not on thee depend ? 
 What shall I do when life is past, 
 
 If Thou art not my friend ? 
 
 Wliat shall I do, — a guilty wretch, 
 
 Without forgiving love ? 
 Thine arm of mercy, Lord, outstretch ; 
 
 May I Thy goodness prove ! 
 
 What shall I do when rocks shall rend. 
 
 And graves shall open'd be, 
 When all the righteous shall ascend. 
 
 If Thou shalt frown on me ? 
 
 0, what a thing to contemplate,. 
 
 To prove a cast-away ! 
 Lord Jesus, ere it be too late,. 
 
 Prepare me for that day ! 
 
 IT. 
 
 JEsrjs, Thy name is ever dear, 
 And ever welcome unto me : 
 c
 
 C6 SOlsGS IN THE NIGHT. 
 
 Happy I feel when thou art near, 
 Though in the Workhouse still I be. 
 
 My lot on earth is poor and mean, 
 My circumstances sad indeed ; 
 But Jesas cheers the dreary scene : 
 He meets me in my greatest need. 
 
 He smiles on me, though some may frown, 
 He pities failings none can see ; 
 He welcomes me, whoe'er may spurn : 
 How kind my Jesus is to me ! 
 
 He comforts and he succours me ; 
 He teaches me to look above. 
 Beyond this life and its rough sea, 
 To yonder land of rest and love. 
 
 He hushes all my passions still. 
 He makes the storm become a calm, 
 BriufTs sweet submission to his will, 
 And holds me with His mighty arm. 
 
 He makes the curse a blessing prove, 
 He turns my sorrow ioto joy, 
 He teaches this hard heart lo love, 
 And make His praises my employ. 
 
 He turns my darkness into light, 
 He makes this earth become a heaven, 
 Gives inward i>eace 'midst outward fright : 
 All glory to his name be given !
 
 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 67 
 
 III. 
 
 Beloved Saviour, without Thee, 
 Where could my trembUng spirit rest ? 
 What could I do, or whither flee ? 
 Of Thy salvation unpossess'd ? 
 But, ever blessed be Thy name, 
 Thy love exceeds my guilt and shame. 
 
 I dare not look upon my guilt, 
 
 Only through Thy forgiving love : 
 
 I know Thy precious blood was spilt, 
 
 My condemnation to remove ; 
 
 This calms my fears, this soothes my mind, 
 
 And joy and peace in thee I find. 
 
 I dare not look Death in the face, 
 Nor ponder on the gloomy grave. 
 But through the medium of Thy grace, 
 And the assurance Thou canst save : 
 Thy promises are firm and sure, 
 And hence my hope is made secure. 
 
 IV. 
 
 Jesus, I own Thy gracious sway, 
 
 As coming from above ; 
 Through grace I tread the narrow way, 
 I fear, I trust, I love. 
 
 I fear Thee with a filial fear. 
 
 Apart from slavish dread ; 
 I wish to glorify Thee here, 
 
 My Saviour, Husband, Head.
 
 68 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 
 
 I trust Thee for all things to come ; 
 
 I seek no will but Thine ; 
 Give me, amidst all earthly gloom, 
 Submission, deep, divine. 
 
 I love Thee for Thy dying love, 
 For Thou didst die for me ; 
 
 Give me a mansion far above, 
 That I may dwell with Thee. 
 
 Jesus, Thy love I fam would sing. 
 
 In soft and touching lays ; 
 And round Thy name I fain would fling 
 
 Attraction's lovely rays. 
 
 Jesus, Thy tmths I fain would spread. 
 
 With an untiring zeal, 
 That many others may be led 
 
 Those blessed truths to feel. 
 
 Jesus, in earnest prayer I write 
 
 My plain unletter'd lines ; 
 0, may Thy Spirit words indite 
 
 From wisdom's sacred mines ! 
 
 Jesus, my Spirit truly burns, 
 
 While I pursue my task ; 
 Mine eye of faith to Thee still turns, 
 
 And doth Thy guidance ask. 
 
 Jesus, it does me good to speak 
 Of Thee, and of Thy name ;
 
 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 
 
 69 
 
 And pleasant labour 'tis to seek 
 That all may feel the same. 
 
 VJ. 
 
 If I can nearer come to Thee, 
 And drink still deeper of Thy love, 
 And more and more devoted be, 
 
 And faithful prove ; — 
 
 If, through Thy Holy Spirit, I 
 Can lead one sinner unto Thee, 
 To seek for better joys on high. 
 And holy be ; — 
 
 If through the influence of Thy grace, 
 I can do but the smallest good, 
 Then lengthen out my mortal days, 
 blessed God ! 
 
 If I can glorify Thy name. 
 And honour Thee, my dearest Lord, 
 I'll covet neither wealth nor fame, 
 But trust Thy word. 
 
 But, Lord, I covet stronger faith. 
 And brighter hopes, and deeper love : 
 0, sanctify me until death ! 
 
 My Keeper prove. 
 
 And if it be Thy blessed will, 
 
 Renew my health, restore my strength ; 
 
 To my diseases say, " Be still. 
 
 You've reach'd your length.
 
 70 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 
 
 If not, — I know Thy ways are just, 
 And holy, wise, and righteous still, 
 In either case, Lord, I will trust 
 Thy blessed will. 
 
 VII. 
 
 O, BOUND, my heart, for joy ! 
 
 Jesus did come to save. 
 
 Praise be my sweet employ ; 
 
 Himself for me He gave. 
 Can I ask more, can I need less 
 Than Jesus' death and righteousness ? 
 
 No name to me so dear, 
 
 No subject half so sweet ; 
 
 I feel Thy presence near, 
 
 I worship at Thy feet. 
 Still give me grace to trust in Thee, 
 Whate'er my situation be. 
 
 I feel my weakness, Lord, 
 
 I tremble, yet rejoice ; 
 
 I listen to Thy word, 
 
 I hear the still, small voice. 
 Thou wilt not leave me to myself. 
 Nor sin, nor to its yawning gulph. 
 
 I give my all to Thee, 
 
 Thou precious, bleeding Lamb ! 
 
 Thou wilt accept of me. 
 
 Unworthy though I am. 
 And had I more, it should be Thine ; 
 I'd spend it in Thy cause divine.
 
 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 71 
 
 VIII. 
 
 Comfort from the Muse. 
 
 Except for this employment, 
 
 The muse's pleasant care, 
 Small would be my enjoyment, 
 
 Throughout the passing year. 
 
 Confin'd within the Union, 
 
 Feeble and listless both, 
 Sweet muse, in thy communion. 
 
 My days are chiefly smooth. 
 
 I feel I've many failings. 
 
 Which 1 cannot explain ; 
 But I have had rough sailings,* 
 
 Which did my spirits drain. 
 
 I feel such great exhaustion. 
 
 Full many times a day, 
 And such a strange sensation, 
 
 x-^s if to pass away. 
 
 I do not feel surprised 
 
 At my condition now, 
 For I have realised 
 
 Much trouble, want, and woe. 
 
 Nought but God's care infinite 
 
 In dangers kept me safe. 
 Watch 'd over me each minute. 
 
 Preserving from the grave. 
 
 *A conventional expression.
 
 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 
 
 Then on His care relying, 
 
 May I be ever found : 
 To Him in trouble flying 
 
 Whose goodness knows no hound 
 
 IX. 
 
 Though distress doth still abound, 
 Though afresh on me it breaks, 
 I woukl be submissive found, 
 To the Lord who gives and takes. 
 
 Startling is the news I hear, 
 (How it harrows up my heart !) 
 Of an only brother dear, 
 Call'd with sight and health to part. 
 
 Never able more to earn, 
 For his chil Iren, daily bread : 
 From the prospect, 0, I turn ; 
 It bewilders my poor head. 
 
 Sight is a most precious thing. 
 Precious 'tis as ought we have : 
 When it waves a farewell wing. 
 Life is cheerless, sad, and grave. 
 
 Health, it is a boon indeed. 
 When It is enjoyed in full. 
 While we earn our daily bread, 
 And the sweets of labour cull. 
 
 If I have a wish to live, 
 'Tis that I may labour still. 
 And to my dear children give 
 Daily bread, and clothes at will.
 
 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 73 
 
 I have labourVi in past time, 
 But the scene is changed now : 
 When the clock for six does chime, 
 To my work I cannot go. 
 
 Strength is gone, and health is fled : 
 To this low condition brought. 
 Lord, sustain my drooping head, 
 And remove each murm'ring thought ! 
 
 X. 
 
 After a Season of Temptation. 
 
 I. 
 
 Dark the path I latel}' trod ; 
 Satan nearly did destroy 
 All my confidence in God : 
 Fearfully he did annoy. 
 
 Hard the conflict, and as strange, 
 The suggestions he did use ; 
 But the Lord the scene did change 
 And my harass'd spirit loose. 
 
 Though the Lord may seem to frown, 
 And sometimes to hide His face, 
 If we really are His own, 
 He will visit us with grace. 
 
 Naught can ever separate 
 His own people from His love. 
 Though the wicked world may hate, 
 All will for the better prove.
 
 74 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 
 
 XI. 
 
 After a Season of Temptation. 
 2. 
 
 The sigh is gone, the tear is spent, 
 
 The struggle all is o'er , 
 Now I can give my joy full vent, 
 
 And my blest Lord adore. 
 
 'Tis true, the struggle has been hard, 
 Painful to flesh and sense ; 
 
 But now, I more and more regard 
 God s gracious Providence. 
 
 My children. Lord, I now can leave 
 
 To Thy unerring care ; 
 And, by Thy help, I will not grieve, 
 
 Nor yield to sad despair. 
 
 When in the grave I low am laid, 
 
 Upon my children look ; 
 And 0, may their poor names be found 
 
 Writ in the Saviour's Book ! 
 
 XII. 
 
 Composed in Peospect of Death. 
 
 My stay on earth long will not be, 
 My strength is failing fast. 
 
 And soon it will be said of me. 
 Her mortal life is past.
 
 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 
 
 But God be prais'd, this truth I know, 
 
 That He is ever kind, 
 All who seek Him in their woe 
 
 Are sure His grace to find. 
 
 Affliction, sorrow, pain, and death, 
 
 Are messengers of love ; 
 He sends them here to try our faith, 
 
 And draw our hearts above. 
 
 XIII.* 
 
 I WOULD be humbl'd 'neath His hand, 
 Who has my whole at His command. 
 Though He has wounded, He will heal, 
 And I again shall comfort feel. 
 
 I would submit to all His will, 
 Who orders both my good and ill, 
 Trusting He knoweth what is best : 
 And unto Him I'd leave the rest. 
 
 I would love God with love intense, 
 For He loves me with love immense ; 
 Would trust His mighty, saving arm, 
 In times of fear or peaceful calm. 
 
 I would have Jesus ever near, 
 For His blest presence rids my fear. 
 O, may He guide me safely home, 
 To share the promis'd good to come ! 
 
 ^^^ 
 
 , . ^)mposed the latest in the collection.
 
 76 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 
 
 IX. 
 
 ^0 th^ (Ultairman of tlt^ ioard of 
 
 Excuse me for addressing 
 
 These humble lines to you, 
 My grateful thanks expressing, 
 
 To all the Guardians due. 
 
 In widow'd destitution, 
 
 I to this place did flee ; 
 But for such Institution, 
 
 What would become of me ? 
 
 What could I do in sickness ? 
 
 I could not earn my bread, 
 Nor in my present weakness, 
 
 Unto the factory tread. 
 
 Oft with myself communing, 
 I think what ills would come, 
 
 Unless within this Union, 
 My children had a home. 
 
 Here females are protected 
 From insult and from shame ; 
 
 The rules, so well directed. 
 Bring credit to your name.
 
 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 
 
 How honour'd your position, 
 In reference to this place, 
 
 Fulfilling your commission, 
 With all becoming grace. 
 
 Long may your health be glowing, 
 Long be your labours here, 
 
 In estimation growing 
 Higher each passing year. 
 
 In that esteem a sharer 
 Be every Guardian too, 
 
 And eveiy office-bearer, 
 As unto each is due.
 
 78 
 
 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 
 
 X. 
 
 @n th^ §{ixiH 0f tlt^ InmatiJS of the 
 
 Rachel Dawson, 
 
 An aged woman, of Christian character, who had lived in the 
 
 House about five years, and died in the adjoining bed 
 
 to that of Grace Dickinson. 
 
 Poor Rachel is gone — what a happy release 
 From sickness and sorrow, from pain, and from death ! 
 Poor Rachel is gone— her end, 0, 'twas peace ! 
 How sweetly she died, supported by faith ! 
 
 Poor Rachel is gone — how sweetly she went ! 
 Encircled with arms of infinite love. 
 Poor Rachel is gone — for Jesus hath sent. 
 And call'd her to dwell in mansions above. 
 
 Poor Rachel is gone — how welcome the rest ! 
 How glorious, and happy, and blessed the change ! 
 May such be our lot, to meet with the blest, 
 Unblemish'd with sin in glory to range ! 
 
 0, may we adore redemption s blest scheme, 
 On earth and in heaven for ever, Lord ! 
 And ever rejoice in the wonderful theme 
 Made known unto us in Thy written word. ■
 
 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 79 
 
 11. 
 
 Ellen Haigh, 
 
 A woman about 60 years of age, -who died a few weeks after 
 being brought to the House. 
 
 Another visit Death has paid, 
 Another sister low is laid ; 
 But she had hope, for she did pray, 
 And Jesus turns not one away. 
 
 Oft in the stillness of the night, 
 T heard her pray for strength and light ; 
 For strength to bear as well as do, 
 For light to guide her safely through. 
 
 What though her sufferings were severe ? 
 Her Saviour's love her heart did cheer ; 
 And she did, with a sweet delight, 
 All her concerns to Him commit. 
 
 Oft have I heard her bless His name : 
 And if on earth, — in heaven the same 
 Shall be the utterance of her soul — 
 *' Glory to God who's all m all. 
 
 Ye sick, prepare your God to meet, 
 By sitting at your Saviour's feet : 
 0, learn of Him who loves to save, 
 Whose blessings reach beyond the grave I
 
 80 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 
 
 III. 
 
 Elizabeth Barkee. 
 
 Jesus, we recognize Thy grace, 
 We recognize Thy gracious hand ; 
 Thy wisdom and Thy goodness trace, 
 Though Death has visited our band, 
 
 And taken hence 
 Boor Betty lo another land. 
 
 We sorrow, and we feel her loss, 
 Yet not without a Christian hope : 
 We feel her absence, miss her voice, 
 And yet the gospel bears us up ; 
 
 This light doth shine 
 When every other light doth droop. 
 
 We trust that she is now on high, 
 Exulting in that blessed land. 
 Where not a sorrow, nor a sigh. 
 Shall ever mar that happy band. 
 
 Lord grant that we 
 May meet and dwell at Thy right hand
 
 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 81 
 
 XI. 
 
 I. 
 
 Prater for a Chlld.^ 
 
 Blessed Lord, I come to Thee, 
 Though a little child I be : 
 Thou dost see me every day, 
 When I work and when I play. 
 
 Help me, Lord, to feel aright, 
 When I say my prayers to-night. 
 I would not a trifler be. 
 For I know Thou seest me. 
 
 'Tis in Jesus' name I come. 
 Lord, I. thank Thee for my home. 
 For my health, and for my bread. 
 For my raiment, and my bed, 
 
 For my father, mother dear. 
 For my brothers, sisters near; 
 To Thy care I these commend ; 
 Heavenly Father, be their Friend. 
 
 Bless them for their care of me : 
 Help me to obedient be ; 
 Help me, Lord, to speak the truth, 
 In my childhood, and my youth. 
 
 Help me not to steal nor cheat, 
 Nor bad language to repeat ; 
 
 Inserted in No. 442 of the " Sunday at Home."
 
 82 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 
 
 Help me in Thy fear to live, 
 And to all due honour give. 
 
 Help me, Lord, help me, I pray, 
 To love Jesus every day ; 
 May my sins be all forgiven : 
 Take me when I die to heaven. 
 
 II. 
 
 Lord, help us, when we worship Thee, 
 
 To worship Thee in truth : 
 May we sincere and earnest be. 
 
 Forgive our trifling youth. 
 
 Lord, help us, when we sing Thy praise. 
 To praise Thee with our heart ; 
 
 And not to mock Thee in our lays, 
 For that's a wicked part. 
 
 Lord, help us, when we hear Thy word. 
 
 To hear with solemn awe : 
 Thy Spirit unto us afford. 
 
 That we may profit draw. 
 
 Lord, help us, while on earth we stay, 
 
 To yield ourselves to Thee, 
 To travel in the narrow way, 
 
 And thus true Christians be. 
 
 Lord, help us, in our latest breath, 
 
 To put our trust in Thee ; 
 Sustain us in the hour of death, 
 
 And our Salvation be.
 
 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 83 
 
 XII. 
 
 I. 
 
 The New Year. 
 
 1. 
 
 A new year, — 'tis a pleasant time, 
 Becalling recollections dear, 
 Sweetly to memory it doth chime. 
 As if it brought past seasons near. 
 
 A new year, — 'tis a pleasant sound. 
 Telling of mercies and of joys ; 
 How fast the seasons do pass round, 
 Making creation to rejoice. 
 
 A new year, — then the old one's past, 
 With all its sorrows and its tears ; 
 But its remembrance long shall last. 
 Far, far beyond these rolling years. 
 
 A new year, — 'tis in mercy sent 
 A mercy added to the rest. 
 Lord, in Thy fear may it be spent. 
 And with Thy blessing be it blest ! 
 
 2. 
 
 Another fleeting year its course has run. 
 Another period has its course begun. 
 
 And, " onward, onward," is Time's motto still.
 
 84 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 
 
 How rapidly we travel to the tomb ! 
 Approaching near and nearer to death's gloom, 
 As on we tread each vale and rugged hill. 
 
 Many within the year just past have died, 
 And many others have their place supphed, 
 
 But we are spar'd, and still on earth we live. 
 And yet, we know not what a day may bring ! 
 Disease and death are ever on the wing, 
 
 And soon our last account we too must give. 
 
 Lord, we pray Thee, send Thy Spirit down ! 
 Our life, our time, and all our mercies crown, 
 
 With the sweet drawings of Thy grace and love. 
 For death and judgment, Lord, our souls prepare, 
 And grant that we may life eternal share, 
 
 When from this earth Thou call'st us to remove. 
 
 The Business of Life. 
 
 Our time is short, our work is great, 
 
 'Tis much we have to do ; 
 Eternal soon will be our state, 
 
 Eternity's in view. 
 
 To flee from sin, from sin to part, 
 
 Sin evermore disown ; 
 To worship God with all our heart, 
 
 To worship Him alone ; — 
 
 To value not the world, nor fall. 
 
 Nor linger, at its shrine ; 
 To bear our cross, and give up all 
 
 Oppos'd to grace divine ; —
 
 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 85 
 
 To wage a war with every lust, 
 
 With every wicked thought ; 
 To love what's holy, good, and just, 
 
 With sweet obedience taught ; — 
 
 To trust in Jesus Christ the Lord, 
 
 To trust Him to the last ; 
 To take Him ever at His word, 
 
 Our all on Him to cast ; — 
 
 To glorify our Father's name. 
 
 And ever seek His will ; 
 To love His saints with love's pure flame. 
 
 To pray for sinners still ; — 
 
 Thus to prepare for heaven above, 
 
 'Tis a great work indeed ! 
 But grace divine our souls can move, 
 
 And thus to heaven can lead. 
 
 Death. 
 
 1. 
 
 And is it thus appointed, 
 That we must surely die? 
 
 Is hfe to be accounted 
 A dream that passeth by ? 
 
 And are all things thus tending ? 
 
 Do all to tbis point draw ? 
 Yes, — all things seem befriending 
 
 Death's universal law. '
 
 S6 SONGS IN TflE NIGHT. 
 
 Diseases but precede him, 
 
 Preparing for his stroke ; 
 And war and famine speed him 
 
 To hasten with his joke. 
 
 Vain are the blooming roses, 
 
 Upon the youthful face ; 
 No age, nor state opposes 
 
 Death's universal race. 
 
 And they who live the longest, 
 
 But have a short respite ; 
 And they who feel the strongest, 
 
 With them 'twill soon be night. 
 
 Why is it thus ordained 
 
 That every one must die ? 
 In God's book is explained 
 
 The very reason why. 
 
 It shows that through transgression,* 
 Death to the world has come ; 
 
 And hence lis our possession, 
 Our heritage, our doom. 
 
 It points us to the Saviour 
 
 Who His own life laid down, 
 To bring us to God's favour 
 
 And save us from His frown ; — 
 
 Who shrunk not from death's portal 
 But jDass'd into the grave. 
 
 The last three verses have been altered by the Editor.
 
 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 87 
 
 That, with His life immortal, 
 He ruin'd man might save. 
 
 2. 
 
 Death truly is a solemn thing, 
 But to the Christian's heart, 
 
 Much consolation it doth bring ; 
 He longeth to depart. 
 
 It is his moment of release 
 From all that can annoy ; 
 
 His entrance to the land of peace, 
 His Saviour to enjoy. 
 
 May such a blessed lot be mine, 
 When my short life is o'er, 
 
 Redeemer, Advocate divine, 
 And I will ask no more ! 
 
 Causes foe Weeping. 
 
 Well may I weep, God of love, 
 W^hen I look back and see 
 
 That I in wickedness did rove, 
 That I've forsaken Thee ! 
 
 Well may I weep, when I behold 
 Thy cross my dying Lord ; 
 
 What depths of love it doth unfold, 
 What tears of joy afford ? 
 
 Well may T weep, when men depart 
 From Thee, the living way ;
 
 88 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 
 
 For Thy dear cause lies near my heart. 
 And for its good I pray. 
 
 Well may I weep when men do slight 
 
 The offers of Thy grace, 
 Preferring darkness unto light, 
 
 Preferring strife to peace. 
 
 Well may I weep that men still wound 
 
 Jesus the sinner's Friend ; 
 Rejecting love without a bound, 
 
 And bliss without an end ! 
 
 But 0, there is a land divine, 
 Where I shall weep no more ; 
 
 Where grief shall not with joy entwine, 
 For 'tis a sinless shore ! 
 
 Against Procrastination. 
 
 Why on the morrow's dawn presume ? 
 
 Ko promise that we see 
 Gives such presumption any room ; 
 
 Then foolish it must be. 
 
 Why yield to sin '? "tis not the way 
 To gain the long'd for good : 
 
 Why not begin this very day, 
 To live for heaven and God ? 
 
 Why clutch the world with eager hand, 
 
 Why grasp it firmer still ? 
 The world is not at our command. 
 
 To gratify our will.
 
 SON^S^IN THE NIGHT. 89 
 
 Ah ! why love sin, and tread its way ? 
 
 'Tis a tormenting thing : 
 Permit it but to liave its way, 
 
 And ruin it will bring. 
 
 Then linger not upon the brink 
 
 Of sin's most fatal stream, 
 But haste to Jesus, lest thou sink, 
 
 And perish far from Him ! 
 
 The Goodness of God, 
 
 There's not a living thing on earth, 
 
 Nor in the mighty sea, 
 Great Author of Creation's birth, 
 
 But it is fed by Thee. 
 
 There's not an insect in the air. 
 
 How tiny it may be, 
 But has Thy kind and gracious care : 
 
 AH, all are kept by Thee. 
 
 And man though wicked, haughty, proud, 
 
 Though he rebellious be, 
 Though in his language he is bold. 
 
 He lives sustained by Thee. 
 
 Lord, help us, lead us to repent. 
 Through Thy forbearance shown ; 
 
 Let not our earthly days be spent, 
 To grieve and grieve Thee on. 
 
 0, give us grace to live to Thee, 
 While life and time are given ; 
 
 Teach us to understand and see 
 The purposes of heaven !
 
 90 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 
 
 Against Repining. 
 
 The present mercies we enjoy, 
 
 How little tbey appear ! 
 While mercies past our thoughts employ, 
 
 And draw the trembling tear. 
 
 We think and talk upon past ills, 
 
 Thus spoiling present good : 
 Then in our breast what anger fills, 
 
 And heats our very blood. 
 
 Lord for the future give us grace, 
 
 This sinfulness to shun ; 
 And in our thoughts, and words, and ways, 
 
 Thy blessed will be done ! 
 
 The Times of Persecution. 
 
 Oft muse I on the martyr's doom, 
 Imprison 'd in a dungeon's gloom, 
 Fetter'd and bound with heavy chains, 
 None daring to assuage their pains. 
 
 Fines and imprisonments abound, 
 Where persecution rages round ; 
 The loss of all that they possess, 
 Who dare their Saviour to confess. 
 
 What trying circumstances theirs ! 
 
 What tempting bribes, what deep-laid snares ! 
 
 What wickedness the wicked find, 
 
 To teaze the true believer's mind !
 
 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 
 
 Led forth amidst the multitude, 
 Assail'd by scoffs and insults rude, 
 To suffer death, because they love 
 The truth reveaFd from God above. 
 
 0, could I die for Jesus' sake ? 
 Could I endure the martyr's stake? 
 0, could I bear this trying test ? 
 And, still unmov'd, on Jesus rest? 
 
 0, could I seal the truth with blood, 
 And thus bring glory to my God ? 
 Still praising Him in every breath, 
 Rejoicing in the pangs of death ? 
 
 These thoughts oft flash across my mind, 
 When in past history I find 
 The sad details of papal crimes, 
 And laws of persecuting times. 
 
 Blest be the Lord, that in this age, 
 These persecutions do not rage : 
 Blest bo the Lord, for ever blest. 
 Who gives His churches peace and rest. 
 
 To THE Twin Children of Mr. & Mrs. Tterman, 
 ON THEIR First Birthday. 
 
 Lovely babes, but just expanding 
 To the light of opening day. 
 
 Our deep sympathies commanding, 
 As you wend your infant way.
 
 92 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 
 
 You we love and yet we ponder 
 On the ills that you may meet ; 
 
 And we gaze on you the fonder, 
 As those ills we contemplate. 
 
 Born into a world of dangers, 
 Troubles, sorrows, fears, and sin; 
 
 Yet we hail you little strangers, 
 With a heart- felt joy within. 
 
 For 'twas God that you created, 
 
 And His work is never vain ; 
 Your existence he hath mated, 
 
 With the curious tie of twain. 
 
 May that God watch o'er your spirits, 
 
 As you tread the vale below ; 
 Through the blessed Saviour's merits 
 
 Bless, and guide, and help you through. 
 
 And ye parents, guardians, teachers, 
 
 Dedicate them to the Lord ; 
 In your hearts be living preachers. 
 
 Train them up to love His Word. 
 
 To A Bereaved Mother in America. 
 
 Excuse a far off stranger. 
 Who never saw your face. 
 
 Though I become a ranger. 
 In rhyme to reach your place.
 
 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 93 
 
 And when these Hnes shall meet you, 
 My boldness be forgiven : — 
 
 In Jesus' name I greet you ; 
 Peace from the God of heaven ! 
 
 To you I am addressing 
 
 These lines in christian love ; 
 
 And may the Saviour's blessing 
 Rest on them from above. 
 
 The trials of a Diother 
 
 The Lord alone doth know, 
 
 As one and then another 
 Of her lov'd ones lies low. 
 
 And frames like ours, so tender. 
 Such blows do greatly feel ; 
 
 But, God being our defender, 
 All surely must be well. 
 
 The Lord is full of pity, 
 
 And gently He doth lead 
 From sin's destructive city, 
 
 His lov'd and chosen seed. 
 
 Then, in the Lord confiding, 
 
 We cannot go astray ; 
 If in the truth abiding, 
 
 'Twill smooth our rugged way. 
 
 0, may we meet in glory. 
 
 And in immortal light. 
 To sing the joyful story, 
 
 Our God doth all things right !
 
 94 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 
 
 Blindness. 
 
 An elderly woman afflicted with blindness, whom the Chaplain 
 taught to read by the raised characters, requested G. D. to 
 compose some verses, furnishing her with a few thoughts 
 as an indication of what she wished. 
 
 Sometimes there is a sadness, 
 Which o'er mv frame doth steal; 
 
 My darkness chills ray gladness, 
 When I upon it dwell. 
 
 I muse on former seasons, 
 
 When I enjoy'd my sight; 
 And yet I've many reasons 
 
 To think my darkness right. 
 
 Why should I be repining. 
 With comforts near at hand ? 
 
 Let me, Ijord, be trying 
 Thy will to understand. 
 
 'Tis God my sight hath smitten, 
 
 And what He does is right : 
 His promises are written 
 
 To be my better light. 
 
 It is my heavenly Father, 
 
 Then 1 will meekly bend, 
 Choose here to suffer, rather 
 
 Than perish in the end. 
 
 I muse then on my blindness, 
 In solemn, serious thought ;
 
 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 95 
 
 It teaches me God's kindness 
 Which long I set at naught. 
 
 God's mercy brought me hither, 
 Beneath His servant's care, 
 
 Though earthly prospects wither, 
 My heavenly hopes are fair. 
 
 * * * * 
 * * * I 
 
 He taught my soul most clearly 
 To trust in Jesus' blood. 
 
 He taught me, with my fingers 
 To read Thy blessed word, 
 
 * * * * 
 t' '^^ ^ -j- 
 
 Great God, forgive my folly 
 _ In days for ever past : 
 Now make me pure and holy, 
 Ere Death his shadows cast. 
 
 Lord, illumine my spirit^ 
 With wisdom from above : 
 
 Let me Thy grace inherit. 
 Yea, Thine eternal love ! 
 
 + These lines are omitted as being of too personal a 
 character for publication. 
 
 J Altered by the Editor.
 
 96 SONGS IN THE NIGHT. 
 
 To A Christian Friend. 
 
 Welcome, although faint my smile, 
 Doubly welcome all the while ; 
 But when sickness seizeth me, 
 It doth make me gloomy be. 
 
 Thanks to God, for He is good, 
 Gives us all through Jesus' blood. 
 All we really need below, 
 Also grace to help us through. 
 
 Let us wait our Father's time, 
 Yield unto His will sublime, 
 Both in little things and great ; 
 Willing He should choose our state. 
 
 Thus, Lord, to Thee we look, 
 Through each promise in Thy book ; 
 Thus will we for ever trust 
 Thee, the Father of the just. 
 
 Good Night. 
 
 Good night, dear friends, in Jesus' name, 
 May His blest Spirit fill your breast, 
 May He protect each tender frame. 
 And give you sweet refreshing rest. 
 
 And if you see to-morrow's dawn, 
 may that dawn to Him be given ! 
 In grateful praise approach His throne, 
 Let grateful praise ascend to heaven. 
 
 ALFRED W. STANFIELD, PRINTER, WAREFIEID.
 
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