PRAYER FOR A BLESSING.
1 BESTOW, dear LORD, upon our youth
The gift of saving grace;
And let the seed of sacred truth Fall in a fruitful place.
2 Grace is a plant, whene'er it grows Of pure and heavenly root: But fairest in the youngest shews, And yields the sweetest fruit.
3 Ye careless ones, O hear betimes The voice of sov'reign love! Your youth is stain'd with many crimes, But mercy reigns above.
4 True, you are young, but there's a stone Within the youngest breast,
Or half the crimes which you have done. Would rob you of your rest.
5 For you the public pray'r is made, Oh! join the public pray'r!
you the secret tear is shed, O shed yourselves a tear!
pray that you may early prove The Spirit's pow'r to teach; You cannot be too young to love
That JESUS whom we preach.
PLEADING FOR AND WITH YOUTH.
I SIN has undone our wretched race, But JESUS has restor❜d,
And brought the sinner face to face With his forgiving LORD.
2 This we repeat from year to year, And press upon our youth: LORD, give them an attentive ear, LORD, save them by thy truth.
3 Blessings upon the rising race! Make this an happy hour,. According to thy richest grace, And thine almighty pow'r.
4 We feel for your unhappy state, (May you regard it too)
And would awhile ourselves forget, Το pour out pray'r for you.
5 We see, though you perceive it not, Th' approaching, awful doom; O tremble at the solemn thought, And flee the wrath to come!
6 Dear Saviour, let this new born year Spread an alarm abroad;
And cry in every careless ear, "Prepare to meet thy God!"
PRAYER FOR CHILDREN.
I GRACIOUS LORD, our children see, By thy mercy we are free; But shall these, alas! remain Subjects still of Satan's reign? Israel's young ones, when of old Pharoah threaten'd to withhold ;* Then thy messenger said, "No; Let the children also go."
2 When the angel of the LORD, Drawing forth his dreadful sword, Slew, with an avenging hand, All the first-born of the land it Then thy people's doors he pass'd, Where the bloody sign was plac'd: Hear us, now, upon our knees,
Plead the blood of CHRIST for these!
3 LORD, we tremble, for we know How the fierce, malicious foe, Wheeling round his watchful flight, Keeps them ever in his sight: Spread thy pinions, King of kings! Hide them safe beneath thy wings; Lest the rav'nous bird of prey
Stoop, and bear the brood away.
song shall bless the LORD of all, My praise shall climb to his abode ; Thee, Saviour, by that name I call The great Supreme, the mighty God.
2 Without beginning or decline, Object of faith, and not of sense, Eternal ages saw him shine, He shines eternal ages hence.
3 As much, when in the manger laid, Almighty Ruler of the sky,
As when the six days work he made Fill'd all the morning-stars with joy.
Of all the crowns Jehovah bears, Salvation is his dearest claim;
That gracious sound well pleas'd he hears, And owns EMMANUEL for his name.
5 A cheerful confidence I feel,
My well-plac'd hopes with joy I see : My bosom glows with heav'nly zeal To worship him who dy'd for me. 6 As man, he pities my complaint, His pow'r and truth are all divine; He will not fail, he cannot faint, Salvation's sure, and must be mine.
ON OPENING A PLACE FOR SOCIAL PRAYER,
1 JESUS, where'er thy people meet, There they behold thy mercy-seat ; Where'er they seek thee thou art found, And ev'ry place is hallow'd ground. 2 For thou, within no walls confin'd, Inhabitest the humble mind;
Such ever bring thee, where they come, And going, take thee to their home.
3 Dear Shepherd of thy chosen few! Thy former mercies here renew; Here, to our waiting hearts proclaim The sweetness of thy saving name.
Here may we prove the power of pray'r, To strengthen faith and sweeten care; To teach our faint desires to rise, And bring all heaven before our eyes.
5 Behold, at thy commanding word,
We stretch the curtain and the cord ;* Come thou, and fill this wider space, And bless us with a large increase.
6 LORD, we are few, but thou art near; Nor short thine arm nor deaf thine ear; Oh, rend the heav'ns, come quickly down, And make a thousand hearts thine own!
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