5

On Thee our hopes depend;
We gather round our Rock:

Send whom Thou wilt; but condescend
Thyself to feed Thy flock.

C.M.

DODDRIDGE.

965 Lo, I am with you alway.—Matt. xxviii. 20.

THAT though the arm of conquering death.
Does God's own house invade;

W

What though the prophet and the priest
Be numbered with the dead;

2 Though earthly shepherds dwell in dust,
The aged and the young,

The watchful eye in darkness closed,
And mute the instructive tongue;
3 The eternal Shepherd still survives,
New comfort to impart;

His eye still guides us, and His voice
Still animates our heart.

4 Lo, I am with you, saith the Lord,
My church shall safe abide;
For I will ne'er forsake My own,
Whose souls in Me confide.

5 Through every scene of life and death,
This promise is our trust;

And this shall be our children's song,
When we are cold in dust.

THE CHRISTIAN ORDINANCES:

BAPTISM OF CHILDREN.

78, 78, 88.

[SCHMOLK.]

966 Suffer the little children to come unto Me.

I

Mark x. 14.

LESSED Lord, thy servants see

BOffering here obedience willing ;

Lo we bring this child to Thee-
Thus Thine own command fulfilling.
"Tis Thine own assurance given;
Such are of Thy holy heaven.

2 Prince of Peace, Thy peace bestow;
Shepherd, to Thy sheepfold take it;
Way of Life, its pathway show;

Head, Thy living member make it;
Vine abundant, life providing,
Keep this branch in Thee abiding.
3 Now upon Thy heart it lies;

Lo! we give Thee our heart's treasure.
Heavenward lead our prayers and sighs;
Pour Thy blessing without measure.
Write the name we now have given-
Write it in the Book of Heaven.

6, 10, 10, 10.

H. BONAR.

967 His children are blessed after him.-Prov. xx. 7.

I

ATHER, our children keep!

FAT

We know not what is coming on the earth;

Beneath the shadow of Thy heavenly wing,

O keep them, keep them, Thou who gav'st them

birth.

2

3

4

Father draw nearer us!

Draw firmer round us Thy protecting arm;
Oh clasp our children closer to Tay side,
Uninjured in the day of earth's alarm.

Them in Thy chambers hide!

Oh hide them and preserve them calm and safe, When sin abounds, and error flows abroad, And Satan tempts, and human passions chafe.

Oh keep them undefiled!

Unspotted from a tempting world of sin;

That, clothed in white, through the bright citygates,

They may with us in triumph enter in.

875. Double.

W. A. MUHLENBERG,

968 He shall gather the lambs...and carry them

in His bosom.—Isaiah xl. 11.

AVIOUR, who Thy flock art feeding
With the Shepherd's kindest care,

SAV

All the feeble gently leading,

While the lambs Thy bosom share;
Now, these little ones receiving,
Fold them in Thy gracious arm;
There, we know, Thy word believing,
Only there, secure from harm!

2 Never, from Thy pasture roving,
Let them be the lion's prey;
Let Thy tenderness so loving,
Keep them all life's dangerous way;

Then, within Thy fold eternal,
Let them find a resting-place;

Feed in pastures ever vernal,

Drink the rivers of Thy grace!

C.M.

[C. WESLEY.]

969 The angel...bless the lads.—Gen. xlvii. 16.

I

THE

HE great redeeming Angel, Thee,
Jesus, we confess;

Do Thou our great Deliverer be,.
And all our offspring bless.

2 Early discipled to the Lord,

May they be taught of Thee;
And, made to know and trust Thy word,
Wise to salvation be.

3 Thou who hast borne our sins away,
Our children's sins remove;
And bring them through their evil day,
To sing Thy praise above.

4 Partakers of our nature, make
Partakers of Thy grace;

And then the heirs of glory take
To dwell before Thy face.

C.M.

[T. BECK.]

970 Baptized into His death.—Rom. vi. 3.

I

J

ESUS, we lift our souls to Thee,
Thy Holy Spirit breathe;

And let these little infants be

Baptized into Thy death.

2 O let Thine unction on them rest,
Thy grace their souls renew ;
And write within their tender breast,
Thy name and nature too.

3 Thy faithful servants let them prove,
Begirt with truth divine;

Be sharers in Thy dying love,

And followers of Thine.

4 Lord, plant us all into Thy death,
That we Thy life may prove,
Partakers of Thy cross beneath,
And of Thy crown above.

C.M. Double.

JOSIAH CONDER.

971 I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed.

I

0

Isa. xliv. 3.

THOU whose covenant is sure
To all who fear Thy name;
Whose mercies age on age endure,
Eternally the same ;

Thou art our fathers' God; we plead
That title; we are Thine;

Pour down Thy Spirit on our seed,
And sanctify our line.

2 In Thee our fathers put their trust;
Thy ways they humbly trod;
Honoured and sacred is their dust,
And still they live to God.

Heirs to their faith, their hopes, their prayers,

We the same path pursue;

Entail the blessing to our heirs,

Lord, show Thy promise true.

C.M.

DODDRIDGE.*

972 Suffer the little children to come.--Mark x. 14.

I

EE, Israel's gentle Shepherd stand,
With all-engaging charms;

Hark! how He calls the tender lambs,
And folds them in His arms.

2 Permit them to approach-He cries—
Nor scorn their humble name;

For 'twas to bless such souls as these,
The Lord of angels came.