For sweet the joy our songs to raise,
And glorious is the work of praise.
2 Our children live secure and blest;
Our shores have peace, our cities rest;
He feeds our sons with finest wheat,
And adds his blessings to their meat.
3 The changing seasons he ordains,

The early and the latter rains;
His flakes of snow like wool he sends,
And thus the springing corn defends.

4 With hoary frost he strews the ground;
His hail descends with dreadful sound;
His icy bands the rivers hold,
And terror arms his wintry cold.
5 He bids the warmer breezes blow,
The ice dissolves, the waters flow;
But he hath nobler works and ways
To call his people to his praise.

6 Through all our land his laws are shown; His gospel through our borders known; He hath not thus revealed his word land-Praise ye the Lord!

To every

86

HYMN. C. M.

1 WITH songs and honours sounding loud, Address the Lord on high;

Over the heavens he spreads his cloud,
And waters veil the sky.

2 He sends his showers of blessings down To cheer the plains below;

He makes the grass the mountains crown, And corn in valleys grow.

3 He gives the grazing ox his meat, He hears the ravens cry;

But man, who tastes his finest wheat,
Should raise his honours high.

4 His steady counsels change the face
Of the declining year;

He bids the sun cut short his race,
And wintry days appear.

5 His hoary frost, his fleecy snow,
Descend and clothe the ground;
The liquid streams forbear to flow,
In icy fetters bound.

6 When from his dreadful stores on high He pours the sounding hail,

The wretch that dares his God defy
Shall find his courage fail.

7 He sends his word, and melts the snow, The fields no longer mourn;

He calls the warmer gales to blow,
And bids the spring return.

8 The changing wind, the flying cloud, Obey his mighty word;

With songs and honours sounding loud, Praise ye the sov'reign Lord.

THE SPREAD OF THE GOSPEL.

HYMN. 8's, 7's, 4's.

Prayer for a Revival. Ps. lxxxv. 6.

87

1 SAVIOUR, visit thy plantation:
Grant us, Lord, a gracious rain!
All will come to desolation,

Unless thou return again,
Lord, revive us;

All our help must come from thee. 2 Keep no longer at a distance;

Shine upon us from on high,
Lest, for want of thine assistance,
Ev'ry plant should droop and die.
3 Let our mutual love be fervent,

Make us prevalent in pray'rs;
Let each one esteem'd thy servant,
Shun the world's bewitching snares.
4 Break the tempter's fatal power;
Turn the stony heart to flesh;
And begin from this good hour
To revive thy work afresh.

88

HYMN. H. M.

1 SOV'REIGN of worlds above,
And Lord of all below,
Thy faithfulness and love,
Thy pow'r and mercy show:
Fulfil thy word;
Thy Spirit give;

Let heathens live And praise the Lord. 2 On lands that lie beneath

Foul superstition's sway,
Whose horrid shades of death
Admit no heav'nly ray,

Blest Spirit! shine,
Their hearts illume;
Dispel the gloom
With light divine.

3 Father, who to thy Son

Thy steadfast word hast giv'n,
That thro' the earth shall run
The news of peace with heav'n,
Extend his fame;
Thy grace diffuse;

And let the news
The world reclaim.

4 Few be the years that roll, Ere all shall worship thee; The travail of his soul,

Soon let the Saviour see;

O God of grace!
Thy pow'r employ,
Fill earth with joy,
And heav'n with praise.

89

HYMN. C. M.

1 OH, when shall Afric's sable sons
Enjoy the heav'nly word;
And vassals, long enslav'd, become
The freemen of the Lord?

2 When shall the untutor'd Heathen tribes,
A dark, bewilder'd race,

Sit down at our Immanuel's feet,
And learn and sing his grace?

3 Haste, sov'reign mercy, and transform Their cruelty to love:

Soften the tiger to a lamb,

The vulture to a dove.

90

HYMN. 8, 7, 4.

1 O'ER the gloomy hills of darkness;
Cheer'd by no celestial ray,
Sun of Righteousness, arising,

Bring the bright, the glorious day;
Send the gospel

To the earth's remotest bound.

2 Kingdoms wide that sit in darkness!
Grant them, Lord, the glorious light;
And from eastern coast to western,
May the morning chase the night;
And redemption,

Freely purchas'd, win the day.
3 Fly abroad, thou mighty gospel-
Win and conquer, never cease;
May thy lasting, wide dominions
Multiply and still increase;

Sway thy sceptre,

Saviour, all the world around.

91

HYMN. L. M.

1 SOV'REIGN of worlds! display thy pow'r,
Be this thy Zion's favour'd hour;
Bid the bright morning Star arise,
And point the nations to the skies.

2 Set up thy throne where Satan reigns,
On Afric's shore, on India's plains,
On wilds and continents unknown;
And be the universe thine own.

3 Speak! and the world shall hear thy voice; Speak! and the desert shall rejoice;

Scatter the gloom of heathen night,
And bid all nations hail the light.

HYMN. 8, 7, 4.

For the Influence of the Spirit.

92

1 WHO, but thou, almighty Spirit,
Can the heathen world reclaim?
Men may preach, but till thou favour,
Heathens will be still the same:

Mighty Spirit!

Witness to the Saviour's name.

2 Thou hast promis'd by the prophets,
Glorious light in latter days:
Come, and bless bewilder'd nations,
Change our pray'rs and tears to praise;
Promis'd Spirit!

Round the world diffuse thy rays.

3 All our hopes, and pray'rs, and labours
Must be vain without thine aid:
But thou wilt not disappoint us—
All is true that thou hast said:

Faithful Spirit!

O'er the world thine influence shed.

93

HYMN. 7, 6.

1 FROM Greenland's icy mountains,
From India's coral strand;
Where Afric's sunny fountains

Roll down their golden sand;
From many an ancient river,

From many a palmy plain,
They call us to deliver

Their land from error's chain. 2 What tho' the spicy breezes

Blow soft o'er Ceylon's isle,
Tho' ev'ry prospect pleases,

And only man is vile;
In vain with lavish kindness

The gifts of God are strown;
The heathen in his blindness

Bows down to wood and stone.