When penitence has wept in vain
Over some foul, dark spot,
One only stream, a stream of blood,
Can wash away the blot.
'Tis Jesu's blood that washes white, His hand that brings relief;
His heart that's touched with all our joys, And feeleth for our grief.
Lift up Thy bleeding hand, O Lord,
Unseal that cleansing tide;
We have no shelter from our sin,
But in Thy wounded side.
HYMN FOR ADVENT.
WHEN Jesus came to earth of old,
He came in weakness and in woe;
He wore no form of angel mould,
But took our nature poor and low.
But when He cometh back once more,
There shall be set the great white throne,
And earth and heaven shall flee before
The face of Him that sits thereon.
O Son of God, in glory crown'd,
The Judge ordain'd of quick and dead
O Son of man, so pitying found,
For all the tears Thy people shed,
Be with us in this darken'd place,
This weary, restless, dangerous night;
And teach, O teach us by Thy grace,
To struggle onward into light.
And since, in God's recording book,
Our sins are written, every one,-
The crime, the wrath, the wandering look,
The good we knew, and left undone.
Lord, ere the last dread trump be heard,
And ere before Thy face we stand,
Look Thou on each accusing word,
And blot it with Thy bleeding hand.
And by the love that brought Thee here,
And by the cross, and by the grave,
Give perfect love for conscious fear,
And in the day of judgment save.
And lead us on while here we stray,
And make us love our heavenly home,
Till from our hearts we love to say,
"Even so, Lord Jesus, quickly come."
FAITH AND HEAVEN.
THE roseate hues of early dawn,
The brightness of the day,
The crimson of the sunset sky,
How fast they fade away!
Oh for the pearly gates of heaven!
Oh for the golden floor!
Oh for the Sun of righteousness
That setteth never more!
The highest hopes we cherish here,
How fast they tire and faint!
How many a spot defiles the robe
That wraps an earthly saint!
Oh for a heart that never sins!
Oh for a soul washed white!
Oh for a voice to praise our King,
Nor weary day or night!
Here faith is ours, and heavenly hope,
And grace to lead us higher;
But there are perfectness and peace
Beyond our best desire.
Oh by Thy love and anguish, Lord!
Oh by Thy life laid down,
Oh that we fall not from Thy grace,
Nor cast away our crown!
WILLIAM LINDSAY ALEXANDER, D.D.
AN eminent minister of the Scottish Congregational Church, the REV. WILLIAM LINDSAY ALEXANDER, was born at Leith, near Edinburgh, on the 24th August, 1808. He studied at the Universities of Edinburgh and St. Andrews. At the completion of his university studies, he became classical tutor in the Independent Theological Academy, at Blackburn. His first ministerial charge was at Norrington Chapel, Liverpool. In 1835, he became pastor of the Argyle Square Chapel, Edinburgh. In 1861, a new place of worship was erected for him by his congregation, at the cost of about £15,000. In this elegant structure, which has been styled the "Augustine Church," Dr. Alexander now ministers. He likewise holds a professorship in the Theological Hall of the Scottish Independents. Among Dr. Alexander's numerous writings, the following are the more conspicuous, "The Connection and Harmony of the Old and New Testaments," "Switzerland and the Swiss Churches," "Christ and Christianity," "Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Ralph Wardlaw, D.D.," "Christian Thought and Work," and "St. Paul at Athens." He has contributed hymns to the Scottish Congregational Hymn-book. The following hymns from his pen have appeared in different collections. Dr. Alexander has kindly permitted their insertion in the present work.
SPIRIT of power, and truth, and love!
Who sitt'st enthroned in light above,
Descend, and bear us on Thy wings,
Far from these low and fleeting things.
'Tis Thine the wounded soul to heal;
'Tis Thine to make the harden'd feel;
Thine to give light to blinded eyes,
And bid the grovelling spirit rise.
Compass'd by foes on every side,
By sin and sore temptation tried;
Where can we look or whither flee,
If not, Great Strengthener, to Thee?
When faith is weak and courage fails,
When grief or doubt our soul assails ;
Who can, like Thee, our spirits cheer?
Great Comforter, be ever near.
Like captives at their prison grate,
We mourn our languishing estate :
Thou only canst our bonds untie;
Great Sanctifier, hear our cry.
Come, Holy Spirit, like the fire,
With burning zeal our souls inspire;
Come, like the south wind, breathing balm,
Our joys refresh, our passions calm;
Come like the sun's enlightening beam;
Come like the cooling, cleansing stream;
With all Thy graces present be-
Spirit of God, we wait for Thee.
No more, no more of the cares of time!
Speak to me now of that happy clime,
Where the ear never lists to the sufferer's moan,
And sorrow and care are all unknown :
Now when my pulse beats faint and slow,
And my moments are numbered here below,
With thy soft, sweet voice, my sister, tell
Of that land where my spirit longs to dwell.
Oh yes, let me hear of its blissful bowers,
And its trees of life, and its fadeless flowers;
Of its crystal streets and its radiant throng,
With their harps of gold and their endless song;
Of its glorious palms and its raiment white,
And its streamlets all lucid with living light;
And its emerald plains, where the ransom'd stray,
'Mid the bloom and the bliss of a changeless day.
And tell me of those who are resting there,
Far from sorrow, and free from care-
The loved of my soul, who pass'd away
In the roseate bloom of their early day;
Oh, are they not bending around me now,
Light in each eye, and joy on each brow,
Waiting until my spirit fly,
To herald me home to my rest on high?
Thus, thus, sweet sister, let me hear
Thy loved voice fall on my listening ear,
Like the murmur of streams in that happy grove
That circles the home of our early love;
And so let my spirit calmly rise,
From the loved upon earth, to the blest in the skies,
And lose the sweet tones I have loved so long,
In the glorious burst of the heavenly song.
FROM distant corners of our land,
Behold us, Lord, before Thee stand,
Once more prepared to Thee to raise
Our humble prayer, our grateful praise.
Blest be the Hand whose guardian power
Has kept us to this present hour;
Blest be the grace that bids us meet
Thus round the throne, in union sweet.
We meet to seek, in faith and zeal,
The brethren's good, the Church's weal;
Oh, whilst for Zion's cause we stand,
May Zion's King be near at hand!
We meet, O God, that through our land
The Churches planted by Thy hand,
From error, weakness, discord free,
May bloom like gardens blest by Thee.
Smile on us, Lord, and through this place
Diffuse the glory of Thy face;
Here to our gather'd tribes be given
A brightening antepast of heaven.
PRAISE TO THE HOLY TRINITY.
THRICE holy and thrice potent God,
Incomprehended Trine!
Perennial Light, through whose abode
No borrow'd splendours shine;
O Unity for ever true!
O Truth for ever one!
O Love, that spreads all being through,
Creation's Source and Sun :-
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