Independent and Happy Man.
1 How happy is he born or taught,
Who serveth not another's will;
Whose armor is his honest thought,
And simple truth his highest skill;
2 Whose passions not his masters are; Whose soul is still prepared for death: Not tied unto the world with care
Of prince's ear or vulgar breath;
3 Who God doth late and early pray
More of his grace than goods to lend,
And walks with man from day to day,
As with a brother and a friend.
4 This man is freed from servile bands
Of hope to rise, or fear to fall;
Lord of himself, though not of lands,
And having nothing, yet hath all.
10 HAPPY is the man who hears
Instruction's faithful voice;
And who celestial wisdom makes
His early, only choice.
2 Her treasures are of more esteem
Than east or west unfold;
And her rewards more precious are
Than all their mines of gold.
3 She guides the young with innocence
In pleasure's path to tread;
A crown of glory she bestows
Upon the hoary head.
4 According as her labors rise,
So her rewards increase;
Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
And all her paths are peace.
1 HEAVEN is here. Its hymns of gladness
Cheer the true believer's way,
In this world where sin and sadness
Often change to night our day.
2 Heaven is here; where misery lightened
Of its heavy load is seen,
Where the face of sorrow brightened
By the deed of love hath been.
3 Where the bound, the poor, despairing,
Are set free, supplied, and blest;
Where, in others' anguish sharing,
We can find our surest rest.
4 Where we heed the voice of duty
Rather than man's praise, or rod;
This is heaven,-its peace, its beauty,
Radiant with the smile of God.
1 WHEREFORE should man, frail child of clay, Who, from the cradle to the shroud, Lives but the insect of a day,—
O, why should mortal man be proud? 2 His brightest visions just appear,
Then vanish, and no more are found;
The stateliest pile his pride can rear,
A breath may level with the ground.
3 Follies and crimes, a countless sum,
Are crowded in life's little span:
How ill, alas, does pride become
That erring, guilty creature, man!
4 God of our lives, Father divine,
Give us a meek and lowly mind;
In modest worth, O may we shine,
And peace in humble virtue find.
1 AUTHOR of good, we rest on thee;
Thine ever-watchful eye
Alone our real wants can see,
Thy hand alone supply.
20 let thy fear within us dwell,
Thy love our footsteps guide:
That love shall vainer loves expel;
That fear all fears beside.
3 And since, by passion's force subdued,
Too oft, with stubborn will,
We blindly shun the latent good,
And grasp the specious ill,-
4 Not what we wish, but what we want,
Let mercy still supply;
The good, unasked, O Father, grant;
The ill, though asked, deny.
1 FAR from mortal cares retreating,
Sordid hopes and vain desires,
Here our willing footsteps meeting,
Every heart to heaven aspires.
2 From the fount of glory beaming,
Light celestial cheers our eyes,
Mercy from above proclaiming
Peace and pardon from the skies.
3 Who may share this great salvation?
Every pure and humble mind,
Every kindred, tongue, and nation,
From the stains of guilt refined.
4 Blessings all around bestowing,
God withholds his care from none,
Grace and mercy ever flowing
From the fountain of his throne.
1 FAITH, hope, and charity, these three,
Yet is the greatest charity;
Father of Lights, these gifts impart
To mine and every human heart.
2 Faith, that in prayer can never fail,
Hope, that o'er doubting must prevail,
And charity, whose name above
Is God's own name, for God is Love.
3 The morning-star is lost in light,
Faith vanishes at perfect sight,
The rainbow passes with the storm,
And hope with sorrow's fading form.
4 But charity, serene, sublime,
Beyond the reach of death and time,
Like the blue sky's all-bounding space,
Holds heaven and earth in its embrace.
1 WHEN Christ, among the sons of men,
In humble form was found,
With cruel slanders, false and vain,
They compassed him around.
2 Their miseries his compassion moved,
Their peace he still pursued:
They rendered hatred for his love,
And evil for his good.
3 Their malice raged without a cause;
Yet, with his dying breath,
He prayed for murderers on his cross,
And blessed his foes in death.
4 0 may his conduct, all divine,
To us a model prove:
Like his, O God, our hearts incline,
Our enemies to love.
1 0 THOU, at whose almighty word,
Fair light at first from darkness shone,
Teach us to know our glorious Lord,
And trace the Father in the Son.
2 As the bright sun's meridian blaze
O'erwhelms and pains our feeble sight,
But cheers us with his softer rays,
When shining with reflected light,—
3 So, in thy Son, thy power divine,
Thy wisdom, justice, truth, and love,
With mild and pleasing lustre shine,
Reflected from thy throne above.
4 Whilst we thine image, there displayed,
With love and admiration view,
Form us in likeness to our Head,
That we may bear thine image too.
1 HUSHED be the battle's fearful roar,
The warrior's rushing call!
Why should the earth be drenched with gore?
Are we not brothers all?
2 Want, from the starving poor depart!
Chains, from the captive fall!
Great God, subdue th' oppressor's heart!
Are we not brothers all?
3 Sect, clan and nation, O strike down
Each mean partition-wall!
Let love the voice of discord drown,—
Are we not brothers all?
4 Let grace, and truth, and peace, alone
Hold human hearts in thrall,
That heaven its work at length may own,
And men be brothers all.
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