236.-Looking to Jesus.

JOHN i. 29.

"was

HIS Hymn," says Dr. Palmer, written because it was born in my heart, and demanded expression. I recollect I wrote the stanzas with very tender emotion, and ended the last lines with tears." The Hymn was first given (in 1831 or 1832) to Dr. Lowell Mason, at his request, to be set to music. "On sitting down at home and looking it over, he became so much interested in it that he wrote for it the tune 'Olivet,' to which it has almost universally been sung. Two or three days afterwards we met in the street, when scarcely waiting to salute the writer, he earnestly exclaimed: 'Mr. Palmer, you may live many years, and do many good things; but I think you will be best known to posterity as the author of "My faith looks up to Thee." In 1840 the Hymn was introduced into England through Dr. Andrew Reed's Collection, and it now appears in almost every approved Hymnal. In its simplicity, truthfulness, and fervour, as well as in its fitness and grace of expression, it ranks among the chief of modern Hymns.

"During the American civil war, and on the evening preceding one of the most terrible of the battles, some six or eight Christian young men, who were looking forward to the deadly strife, met together in one of their rooms for prayer. After spending, some time in committing themselves to God and in Christian conversation, and freely speaking together of the probability that they would not all of them survive the morrow, it was suggested by one of the number that they should draw up a paper expressive of the feelings with which they went to stand face to face with death, and all sign it; and that this should be left as a testimony to the friends of such of them as might fall. This was unanimously agreed to; and after consultation it was decided that a copy of 'My faith looks up to Thee' should be written out, and that each should subscribe his name to it, so that father, mother, brother, or sister, might know in what spirit they laid down their lives. Of course they did not all meet again."

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 !

DR. RAY PALMER, 1830.

237.-Turning to God.

PSALM XXV. 2.

ROM Poems by Currer, Acton, and Ellis Bell, 1846, the pseudonyms of the three sisters Brontè. Anne was the youngest. The story of the brave, sorrowful lives of these children of genius is known wherever the English language is spoken. The author of this Hymn, and of another poem beginning:

"I hoped that with the brave and strong
My portioned task would lie,"

died at Scarborough, 1849. "When near her end, being asked if she felt easier, she replied, It is not you who can give me ease; but soon all will be well, through the merits of our Redeemer."

The word "cherish" in the last line is altered in most hymn-books to "welcome." Readers can judge for themselves whether this would be an improvement; we have thought it best to give the line as originally written.

Strained were the cords of love by my sad will,

I would have broke them had I had my

way,

But, Lord, it was Thy love, not mine, that still

Held my heart back, my tottering steps did stay.

And now the crumbs that from Thy table fall

Are all I ask, more than is meet for me ; Yet kiss and banquet, ring and robe, are all

Waiting me, Father, in my home with

Thee.

Back to the door which ever open lay;

Back to the table where the feast still

stood;

Back to the heart which never, night or day,

Forgot me in my most forgetful mood.

Drawn by Thy love, that found me when a child,

And never for a moment let me go; Still, still Thine own, though soiled and defiled,

I come, and Thou wilt make me clean,
I know.

There feed me with Thyself, until I grow
Into the stature of the life divine;
My right to plead, my privilege to know,
That Christ is God's, and I, O Christ,
am Thine.

Feed me and set me up upon the Rock

Higher than I, my shelter and my stay Against the rudest winter-tempest's shock, Against the fiercest sultry summer's day.

Thus let my life in ceaseless progress move,

On into deeper knowledge, Lord, of
Thee,

The length, the breadth, the height, the depth of Love,

That first could care for, then did stoop

to me.

DR. J. S. B. MONSELL

241. He first loved Us.
I JOHN iv. 10.

HIS Hymn may perhaps be thought
of an unusual strain. But it well
expresses the truth which, of all that
accompany salvation," is best fitted
"Not that we loved

to awaken grateful praise. God; but that He loved us."

L.M.

NOT upon our waiting eyes, Lord, did the heavenly lustre break; Not to our love's beseeching cries

Did Love divine slow answer make.

We made no haste to seek Thy face; Thy angels found no listening ear; We did not urge Thy lingering grace, Nor win Thy distant glory near.

Oh, no! Thy voice was first to speak, Thy glory, Lord, was swift to come, Thy love made gracious haste to seek And sweetly urge the wanderers home.

The heavenly glory would descend

Ere angel-wings to us were given ; And Love divine would earthward bend To make our souls in love with heaven.

Oh! if with holy fire we burn,

'Tis from the flame celestial caught; Yes! heavenward now we sometimes yearn, Since heaven our souls so sweetly sought.

T. H. GILL.

242.-The Great Change.

2 CORINTHIANS V. 17.

L.M.

LORD! I was blind, I could not see

In Thy marred visage any grace; But now the beauty of Thy face In radiant vision dawns on me!

Lord! I was deaf, I could not hear
The thrilling music of Thy voice;
But now I hear Thee and rejoice,
And sweet are all Thy words, and dear!

Lord! I was dumb, I could not speak
The grace and glory of Thy name;
But now, as touched with living flame,
My lips Thine eager praises wake!

Lord! I was dead, I could not stir
My lifeless soul to come to Thee;
But now, since Thou hast quickened me,
I rise from sin's dark sepulchre !

For Thou hast made the blind to see,
The deaf to hear, the dumb to speak,
The dead to live; and lo, I break
The chains of my captivity!

WILLIAM TIDD MATSON.

But yet how much must be destroyed,
How much renewed must be,
Ere we can fully stand complete
In likeness, Lord, to Thee!

Thou, only Thou, must carry on
The work Thou hast begun;

Of Thine own strength Thou must impart
In Thine own ways to run.

When the flesh sinks, then strengthen Thou
The spirit from above;

Make us to feel Thy service sweet,
And light Thy yoke of love.

So shall we faultless stand at last
Before Thy Father's throne,
The blessedness for ever ours,
The glory all Thine own!

C. 7. P. SPITTA.
Translated by Mrs. Findlater.