ON THE APPOINTMENT OF A MINISTER. JAMES MONTGOMERY. WE bid thee welcome in the name Of Jesus our exalted Head! And we receive thee in His stead. Come as a shepherd; guard and keep This fold from hell, and earth, and sin; Come as a watchman; take thy stand And when the sword comes on the land, Come as an angel, hence to guide A band of pilgrims on their way, We fail not, faint not, turn nor stray. Come as a teacher sent from God, Charged his whole counsel to declare; Lift o'er our ranks the prophet's rod, While we uphold thy hands with prayer. Come as a messenger of peace, Fill'd with the Spirit, fired with love; Live to behold our large increase, And die to meet us all above! (Original.) THE REFUGE. HAST thou thy God forsaken Hast thou thy gold been spending For that which is not bread, Have all thy comforts fled? Yet there is balm in Gilead, He waiteth near to heal thee, Hast found all drear and dark; With Jesus for thine ark. Accept His invitation : He says "Return to me The living bread from Heaven Oh! turn no more away, Within that Ark once shelter'd, Floods that o'erwhelm the sinner THE PASSION-FLOWER. BERNARD BARTON. WE roam the seas—give new-found isles We soar to heaven; and to outlive Then may not one poor floweret's bloom The holier memory share Of Him who, to avert our doom, And may not e'en a simple flower Its form from earth to raise ? |