I fear no foe, with thee at hand to bless;
Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness:
Where is death's sting? where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still if thou abide with me.

Hold thou thy cross before my closing eyes,

Shine through the gloom, and point me to the skies. Heaven's morning breaks, and earth's vain shadows flee:

In life and death, O Lord, abide with me!

THE PILLAR OF CLOUD

JOHN HENRY NEWMAN
[1801-1890]

LEAD, kindly Light, amid the encircling gloom,
Lead thou me on!

The night is dark, and I am far from home,—
Lead thou me on!

Keep thou my feet! I do not ask to see
The distant scene-one step enough for me.

I was not ever thus, nor prayed that thou
Shouldst lead me on;

I loved to choose and see my path; but now
Lead thou me on!

I loved the garish day, and, spite of fears,
Pride ruled my will: remember not past years!

So long thy power hath blest me, sure it still
Will lead me on,

O'er moor and fen, o'er crag and torrent, till
The night is gone,

And with the morn those angel faces smile

Which I have loved long since, and lost awhile.

NEARER, MY GOD, TO THEE

SARAH FLOWER ADAMS

[1805-1848]

NEARER, my God, to thee,
Nearer to thee!

E'en though it be a cross
That raiseth me,

Still all my song would be,
Nearer, my God, to thee,
Nearer to thee!

Though like the wanderer,
The sun gone down,
Darkness be over me,
My rest a stone,

Yet in my dreams I'd be

Nearer, my God, to thee,

Nearer to thee.

There let the way appear
Steps unto heaven;

All that thou send'st to me

In mercy given;

Angels to beckon me

Nearer, my God, to thee,

Nearer to thee.

Then, with my waking thoughts

Bright with thy praise,

Out of my stony griefs

Bethel I'll raise;
So by my woes to be
Nearer, my God, to thee,
Nearer to thee.

Or if on joyful wing
Cleaving the sky,

Sun, moon, and stars forgot,
Upwards I fly,

Still all my song shall be,
Nearer, my God, to thee,
Nearer to thee!

MY FAITH LOOKS UP TO THEE

RAY PALMER

[1808-1887]

My faith looks up to thee,
Thou Lamb of Calvary,

Saviour divine!

Now hear me while I pray,
Take all my guilt away,

O let me from this day
Be wholly thine!

May thy rich grace impart
Strength to my fainting heart
My zeal inspire!

As thou hast died for me,
O may my love to thee

Pure, warm, and changeless be,

A living fire!

While life's dark maze I tread,

And griefs around me spread,
Be thou my guide;
Bid darkness turn to day,

Wipe sorrow's tears away,

Nor let me ever stray

From thee aside.

When ends life's transient dream,

When death's cold, sullen stream

Shall o'er me roll,

Blest Saviour, then, in love,

Fear and distrust remove!

O bear me safe above,

A ransomed soul!

A SUN-DAY HYMN

OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES
[1809-1894]

LORD of all being, throned afar,
Thy glory flames from sun and star;
Centre and soul of every sphere,
Yet to each loving heart how near!
Sun of our life, thy quickening ray
Sheds on our path the glow of day:
Star of our hope, thy softened light
Cheers the long watches of the night.

Our midnight is thy smile withdrawn;
Our noontide is thy gracious dawn;
Our rainbow arch, thy mercy's sign:
All, save the clouds of sin, are thine.

Lord of all life, below, above,

Whose light is truth, whose warmth is love;
Before thy ever-blazing throne

We ask no lustre of our own.

Grant us thy truth to make us free,

And kindling hearts that burn for thee,

Till all thy living altars claim

One holy light, one heavenly flame.

THE PILGRIMS OF THE NIGHT

FREDERICK WILLIAM FABER

[1814-1863]

HARK, hark, my soul! angelic songs are swelling
O'er earth's green fields and ocean's wave-beat shore:
How sweet the truth those blessèd strains are telling
Of that new life when sin shall be no more!

Angels of Jesus, angels of light,

Singing to welcome the pilgrims of the night!

Darker than night life's shadows fall around us,
And like benighted men we miss our mark:
God hides himself, and grace hath scarcely found us,
E'er death finds out his victims in the dark.

Angels of Jesus, etc.

Far, far away, like bells at evening pealing,
The voice of Jesus sounds o'er land and sea,
And laden souls by thousands meekly stealing,
Kind Shepherd, turn their weary steps to thee.
Angels of Jesus, etc.

Onward we go, for still we hear them singing,
"Come, weary souls, for Jesus bids you come;"
And through the dark, its echoes sweetly ringing,
The music of the gospel leads us home.

Angels of Jesus, etc.

Rest comes at last; though life be long and dreary,
The day must dawn, and darksome night be past;
All journeys end in welcomes to the weary,

And heaven, the heart's true home, will come at last. Angels of Jesus, etc.

Cheer up, my soul! faith's moonbeams softly glisten
Upon the breast of life's most troubled sea,

And it will cheer thy drooping heart to listen

To those brave songs which angels mean for thee. Angels of Jesus, etc.

Angels! sing on, your faithful watches keeping; Sing us sweet fragments of the songs above, While we toil on, and soothe ourselves with weeping, Till life's long night shall break in endless love. Angels of Jesus, etc.