THE VISITATION OF THE SICK. But when I meet him in the realms above But' tis enough that Christ knows all, And I shall be with him.( c) I hope to love him better, praise him more,
And feel, and tell, amid the choir divine, How fully I am his, and he is mine.
and sore;
472 I'm kneeling at the threshold, I'm waiting for the dawning, for the opening of the door; I'm waiting till the Master shall bid me
rise and come
To the glory of his presence, the glad
ness of his home.
A weary path I've travell'd' mid darkness, storm, and strife, Bearing many a burden, contending for my life;
But now the morn is breaking, my toil
will soon be o'er,
I'm kneeling at the threshold, my hand is at the door.
Methinks I hear the voices of the blessèd, as they stand,
Sweet singing in the sunshine of the unclouded land;
Oh! would that I were with them, amid the shining throng,
Uniting in their worship, rejoicing in their song!
The friends that started with me have enter'd long ago;
Ah! one by one they left me to struggle with the foe;
474 THERE is a stream which
issues forth
Their pilgrimage was shorter, their triumph sooner won;
How lovingly they'll hail me, when my work too is done.
From God's eternal throne
And from the Lamb, a living stream Clear as the crystal stone. This stream doth water Paradise; It makes the angels sing;
One precious drop revives my heart; Hence all my joys do spring. Such joys as are unspeakable,
And full of glory too; Such hidden manna, hidden pearls, As worldlings do not know.
With them the blessèd angels that know no grief or sin,
I see them at the portals, prepared to
let me in;
O Lord, I wait thy pleasure, thy time and way are best,
But I'm wasted, worn, and weary; my Father bid me rest.()
473 LORD, it belongs not to my care,
or
meet
Thy blessèd face to see: ¹
For if thy work on earth be sweet, What will thy glory be!
Then I shall end my sad complaints, And weary sinful days, And join with the triumphant saints That sing Jehovah's praise.
To love and serve thee is my share, And this thy grace must give. Christ leads me through no darker rooms Than he went through before,
And he that to God's kingdom comes Must enter by this door.
Come, Lord, when grace hath made me
My knowledge of that life is small; The eye of faith is dim;
Eye hath not seen, nor ear hath heard, From fancy' tis conceal'd, What thou, Lord, hast laid up for thine,
And hast to me reveal'd.
I see thy face, I hear thy voice, I taste thy sweetest love; But oh, for eagle wings to rise, And dwell with thee above!
Then would I flee, like Noah's dove, Leaving this world of sin; Then should my Lord put forth his hand, And kindly take me in.( c)
475
PARADISE, O Paradise,
Who doth not crave for rest? Who would not seek the happy land, Where they that loved are blest; Where loyal hearts, and true, Stand ever in the light, All rapture, through and through, In God's most holy sight?
O Paradise, O Paradise,
The world is growing old; Who would not be at rest and free Where love is never cold? Where loyal hearts,& c.
O Paradise, O Paradise, ' Tis weary waiting here; I long to be where Jesus is, To feel, to see him near; Where loyal hearts,& c.
O Paradise, O Paradise,
I want to sin no more, I want to be as pure on earth As on thy spotless shore; Where loyal hearts,& c.
O Paradise, O Paradise,
I shall not wait for long; E'en now the loving ear may catch Faint fragments of thy song; Where loyal hearts,& c.
Lord Jesu, King of Paradise, O, keep me in thy love,
And guide me to that happy land] Of perfect rest above; Where loyal hearts, and true, Stand ever in the light,
All rapture, through and through, In God's most holy sight.