Ministry of Christ

Verse 1

A voice by Jordan’s shore,
A summons stern and clear:
“Reform; be just, and sin no more:
God’s judgment draweth near!”

Verse 2

A voice by Galilee,
A holier voice I hear:
“Love God; thy neighbor love: for see
God’s mercy draweth near!”

Verse 3

O voice of Duty, still
Speak forth: I hear with awe;
In thee I own the sovereign will,
Obey the sovereign law.

Verse 4

Thou higher voice of Love,
Yet speak thy word in me;
Through duty, let me upward move
To thy pure liberty.

Verse 1

Behold! the blind their sight receive;
Behold! the dead awake and live;
The dumb speak wonders, and the lame
Leap, like the hart, and bless his name.

Verse 2

Thus doth th’ eternal Spirit own
And seal the mission of the Son;
The Father vindicates his cause,
While he hangs bleeding on the cross.

Verse 3

He dies! the heavens in mourning stood;
He rises, the triumphant God!
Behold the Lord ascending high,
No more to bleed, no more to die.

Verse 4

Hence, and forever, from my heart,
I bid my doubts and fears depart;
And to those hands my soul resign,
Which bear credentials so divine.

Verse 1

Behold, the Master passeth by!
O seest thou not His pleading eye?
With low sad voice He calleth thee,
“Leave this vain world, and follow Me.”

Verse 2

O soul, bowed down with harrowing care,
Hast thou no thought for heaven to spare?
From earthly toils lift up thine eye;
Behold, the Master passeth by!

Verse 3

One heard Him calling long ago,
And straightway left all things below,
Counting his earthly gain as loss
For Jesus and His blessed cross.

Verse 4

That “Follow Me” his faithful ear
Seemed every day afresh to hear:
Its echoes stirred his spirit still,
And fired his hope, and nerved his will.

Verse 5

God gently calls us every day:
Why should we then our bliss delay?
Thou, Lord, e’en now art calling me;
I will leave all, and follow Thee.

Verse 1

Behold where, in the Friend of man,
Appears each grace divine!
The virtues all in Jesus meet,
With mildest radiance shine.

Verse 2

To spread the rays of heavenly light,
To give the mourner joy,
To preach glad tidings to the poor,
Was his divine employ.

Verse 3

In the last hour of deep distress,
Before his Father’s throne,
With soul resigned, he bowed, and said,
“Thy will, not mine, be done!”

Verse 4

Be Christ our pattern and our guide,
His image may we bear;
Oh, may we tread his sacred steps,
And his bright glories share.

Verse 1

Did Christ o’er sinners weep,
And shall our cheeks be dry?
Let floods of penitential grief
Burst forth from every eye.

Verse 2

The Son of God in tears
The wondering angels see:
Be thou astonished, O my soul;
He shed those tears for thee.

Verse 3

He wept that we might weep;
Each sin demands a tear;
In heaven alone no sin is found,
And there’s no weeping there.

Verse 1

Did Christ o’er sinners weep,
And shall our cheeks be dry?
Let floods of penitential grief
Burst forth from every eye.

Verse 2

The Son of God in tears
The wondering angels see:
Be thou astonished, O my soul;
He shed those tears for thee.

Verse 3

He wept that we might weep;
Each sin demands a tear;
In heaven alone no sin is found,
And there’s no weeping there.

Verse 1

Did Christ o’er sinners weep,
And shall our cheeks be dry?
Let floods of penitential grief
Burst forth from every eye.

Verse 2

The Son of God in tears
The wondering angels see:
Be thou astonished, O my soul;
He shed those tears for thee.

Verse 3

He wept that we might weep;
Each sin demands a tear;
In heaven alone no sin is found,
And there’s no weeping there.

Verse 1

Ever would I fain be reading,
In the ancient holy Book,
Of my Savior’s gentle pleading,
Truth in ev’ry word and look.
How to all the sick and tearful
Help was ever gladly shown;
How he sought the poor and fearful,
Called them brothers and his own.

Verse 2

How no contrite soul e’er sought him,
And was bidden to depart;
How, with gentle words he taught him,
Took the death from out his heart.
Still I read the ancient story,--
And my joy is ever new,--
How for us he left his glory,
How he still is kind and true.

Verse 3

How the flock he gently leadeth,
Whom his Father gave him here;
How his arms he widely spreadeth,
To his heart to draw us near.
Let me kneel, my Lord! before thee,
Let my heart in tears o’erflow,
Melted by thy love adore thee,
Blessed in thee, mid joy or woe.

Verse 1

Fierce was the wild billow,
Dark was the night;
Oars labored heavily,
Foam glimmered white;
Trembled the mariners,
Peril was nigh:
Then said the God of God,
“Peace! It is I.”

Verse 2

Ridge of the mountain-wave,
Lower thy crest!
Wail of Euroclydon,
Be thou at rest!
Sorrow can never be,
Darkness must fly,
Where saith the Light of Light,
“Peace! It is I.”

Verse 3

Jesus, Deliverer,
Come Thou to me;
Soothe Thou my voyaging
Over life’s sea:
Thou, when the storm of death
Roars, sweeping by,
Whisper, O Truth of Truth,
“Peace! It is I.”

Verse 1

Hark the glad sound! the Savior comes--
The Savior promised long;
Let every heart prepare a throne,
And every voice a song.

Verse 2

He comes, the prisoners to release,
In Satan’s bondage held;
The gates of brass before him burst,
The iron fetters yield.

Verse 3

He comes, the broken heart to bind,
The bleeding soul to cure;
And, with the treasures of his grace,
T’ enrich the humble poor.

Verse 4

Our glad hosannas, Prince of Peace,
Thy welcome shall proclaim;
And heaven’s eternal arches ring
With thy beloved name.

Verse 1

How shall I follow Him I serve?
How shall I copy Him I love?
Nor from those blessed footsteps swerve,
Which lead me to His seat above?

Verse 2

Privations, sorrows, bitter scorn,
The life of toil, the mean abode,
The faithless kiss, the crown of thorn,—
Are these the consecrated road?

Verse 3

’Twas thus He suffered, though a Son,
Foreknowing, choosing, feeling all,
Until the perfect work was done,
And drunk the bitter cup of gall.

Verse 4

Lord, should my path through suffering lie,
Forbid it I should e’er repine;
Still let me turn to Calvary,
Nor heed my griefs, remembering Thine.

Verse 5

O let me think how Thou didst leave
Untasted every pure delight,
To fast, to faint, to watch, to grieve,
The toilsome day, the homeless night:—

Verse 6

To faint, to grieve, to die for me!
Thou camest, not Thyself to please;
And, dear as earthly comforts be,
Shall I not love Thee more than these?

Verse 7

Yes, I would count them all but loss,
To gain the notice of Thine eye:
Flesh shrinks and trembles at the cross,
But Thou canst give the victory.

Verse 1

Joy to the world the Lord is come:
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare him room, And heaven and nature sing.

Verse 2

Joy to the earth the Savior reigns
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains,
Repeat the sounding joy.

Verse 3

No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make his blessings flow,
Far as the curse is found.

Verse 4

He rules the world with truth and grace, And makes the nations prove
The glories of his righteousness,
And wonders of His love.

Verse 1

Lord, as to Thy dear cross we flee,
And plead to be forgiven,
So let Thy life our pattern be,
And form our souls for heaven.

Verse 2

Help us, through good report and ill,
Our daily cross to bear;
Like Thee, to do our Father’s will,
Our brethren’s griefs to share.

Verse 3

Let grace our selfishness expel,
Our earthliness refine;
And kindness in our bosoms dwell,
As free and true as Thine.

Verse 4

If joy shall at Thy bidding fly,
And grief’s dark day come on,
We, in our turn, would meekly cry,
“Father, Thy will be done.”

Verse 5

Should friends misjudge, or foes defame,
Or brethren faithless prove,
Then, like Thine own, be all our aim
To conquer them by love.

Verse 6

Kept peaceful in the midst of strife,
Forgiving and forgiven,
O may we lead the pilgrim’s life,
And follow Thee to heaven.

Verse 1

Lord, Thou in all things like wast made
To us, yet free from sin,
Then how unlike to us, O Lord,
Replies the voice within.

Verse 2

Our faith is weak; O Light of Light,
Clear Thou our clouded view;
That Son of Man, and Son of God,
We give Thee honor due.

Verse 3

O Son of Man, Thyself hast proved
Our trials and our tears;
Life’s thankless toil and scant repose,
Death’s agonies and fears.

Verse 4

O Son of God, in glory raised,
Thou sittest on Thy throne:
Thence, by Thy pleadings and Thy grace,
Still succoring Thine own.

Verse 5

Brother and Saviour, Friend and Judge!
To Thee, O Christ, be given
To bind upon Thy crown the names
Most blest in earth and heaven.

Verse 1

My dear Redeemer and my Lord,
I read my duty in thy Word;
But in thy life the law appears,
Drawn out in living characters.

Verse 2

Such was thy truth, and such thy zeal,
Such deference to thy Father’s will,
Such love and meekness so divine,
I would transcribe and make them mine.

Verse 3

Cold mountains and the midnight air
Witnessed the fervor of thy prayer;
The desert thy temptations knew;
Thy conflict and thy victory too.

Verse 4

Be thou my pattern, make me bear
More of thy gracious image here;
Then God, the Judge, shall own my name
Among the followers of the Lamb.

Verse 1

My dear Redeemer and my Lord,
I read my duty in Thy word;
But in Thy life the law appears
Drawn out in living characters.

Verse 2

Such was Thy truth, and such Thy zeal,
Such deference to Thy Father’s will,
Such love, and meekness so Divine,
I would transcribe and make them mine.

Verse 3

Cold mountains and the midnight air
Witnessed the fervor of Thy prayer;
The desert Thy temptations knew,
Thy conflict and Thy victory too.

Verse 4

Be Thou my Pattern; make me bear
More of Thy gracious image here:
Then God the Judge shall own my name
Amongst the followers of the Lamb.

Verse 1

O love, how deep, how broad, how high,
How passing thought and fantasy,
That God, the Son of God, should take
Our mortal form for mortals’ sake!

Verse 2

He sent no angel to our race,
Of higher or of lower place,
But wore the robe of human frame,
And He Himself to this world came.

Verse 3

For us baptized, for us He bore
His holy fast, and hungered sore,
For us temptations sharp He knew,
For us the tempter overthrew.

Verse 4

For us He preaches and He prays,
Would do all things, would try all ways;
By words, and signs, and actions, thus
Still seeking not Himself, but us.

Verse 5

For us to wicked men betrayed,
Scourged, mocked, in crown of thorns arrayed;
For us He bore the cross’s death,
For us at length gave up His breath.

Verse 6

For us He rose from death again,
For us He went on high to reign,
For us He sent His Spirit here
To guide, to strengthen, and to cheer.

Verse 7

All honor, laud, and glory be,
O Jesus, Virgin-born, to Thee;
All glory, as is ever meet,
To Father, and to Paraclete.

Verse 1

O Master, let me walk with Thee
In lowly paths of service free;
Tell me Thy secret; help me bear
The strain of toil, the fret of care.

Verse 2

Help me the slow of heart to move
By some clear winning word of love;
Teach me the wayward feet to stay,
And guide them in the homeward way.

Verse 3

Teach me Thy patience; still with Thee
In closer, dearer company,
In work that keeps faith sweet and strong,
In trust that triumphs over wrong;

Verse 4

In hope that sends a shining ray
Far down the future’s broadening way;
In peace that only Thou canst give,
With Thee, O Master, let me live.

Verse 1

O mean may seem this house of clay,
Yet ’twas the Lord’s abode;
Our feet may mourn this thorny way,
Yet here Emmanuel trod.

Verse 2

This fleshly robe the Lord did wear,
This watch the Lord did keep,
These burdens sore the Lord did bear,
These tears the Lord did weep.

Verse 3

Our very frailty brings us near
Unto the Lord of heaven;
To every grief, to every tear,
Such glory strange is given.

Verse 4

But not this fleshly robe alone
Shall link us, Lord, to Thee;
Not only in the tear and groan
Shall the dear kindred be.

Verse 5

We shall be reckoned for Thine own
Because Thy heaven we share,
Because we sing around Thy throne
And Thy bright raiment wear.

Verse 6

O mighty grace, our life to live,
To make our earth Divine:
O mighty grace, Thy heaven to give,
And lift our life to Thine.

Verse 1

On Jordan’s bank the Baptist’s cry
Announces that the Lord is nigh;
Come then and hearken, for he brings
Glad tidings from the King of kings.

Verse 2

E’en now the air, the sea, the land,
Feel that their Maker is at hand;
The very elements rejoice,
And welcome Him with cheerful voice.

Verse 3

Then cleansed be every Christian breast,
And furnished for so great a Guest;
Yea, let us each our hearts prepare
For Christ to come and enter there.

Verse 4

For Thou art our Salvation, Lord,
Our Refuge and our great Reward;
Without Thy grace our souls must fade,
And wither like a flower decayed.

Verse 5

Stretch forth Thy hand to heal our sore,
And make us rise, to fall no more;
Once more upon Thy people shine,
And fill the world with love Divine.

Verse 6

To Him, who left the throne of heaven
To save mankind, all praise be given;
Like praise be to the Father done,
And Holy Spirit,—Three in One.

Verse 1

O where is He that trod the sea,
O where is He that spake,
And demons from their victims flee,
The dead their slumbers break:
The palsied rise in freedom strong,
The dumb men talk and sing,
And from blind eyes, benighted long,
Bright beams of morning spring?

Verse 2

O where is He that trod the sea,
O where is He that spake,
And piercing words of liberty
The deaf ears open shake;
And mildest words arrest the haste
Of fever’s deadly fire,
And strong ones heal the weak who waste
Their life in sad desire?

Verse 3

O where is He that trod the sea,
O where is He that spake,
And dark waves rolling heavily
A glassy smoothness take;
And lepers, whose own flesh has been
A solitary grave,
See with amaze that they are clean,
And cry, “’Tis He can save”?

Verse 4

O where is He that trod the sea?
’Tis only He can save;
To thousands hungering wearily
A wondrous meal He gave;
Full soon, celestially fed,
Their rustic fare they take;
’Twas springtide when He blest the bread,
And harvest when He brake.

Verse 5

O where is He that trod the sea?
My soul, the Lord is here;
Let all thy fears be hushed in thee,
To leap, to look, to hear.
Be thine: thy needs He’ll satisfy,
Art thou diseased or dumb,
Or dost thou in thine hunger cry?
”I come,” saith Christ, “I come.”

Verse 1

O who like Thee so calm, so bright,
Thou Son of Man, Thou Light of Light!
O who like Thee did ever go
So patient through a world of woe!

Verse 2

O who like Thee so humbly bore
The scorn, the scoffs of men before;
So meek, forgiving, Godlike, high,
So glorious in humility!

Verse 3

And all Thy life’s unchanging years,
A man of sorrows and of tears,
The cross, where all our sins were laid,
Upon Thy bending shoulders weighed.

Verse 4

And death, which sets the prisoner free,
Was pang, and scoff, and scorn to Thee;
Yet love through all Thy torture glowed,
And mercy with Thy life-blood flowed.

Verse 5

O in Thy light be mine to go,
Illuming all this way of woe;
And give me ever on the road
To trace Thy footsteps, Son of God.

Verse 1

O ye immortal throng
Of angels round the throne,
Join with our feeble song,
To make the Saviour known:
On earth ye knew
His wondrous grace;
His glorious face
In heaven ye view.

Verse 2

Ye saw the heaven-born Child
In human flesh arrayed,
Benevolent and mild,
While in the manger laid:
And “Praise to God,
And peace on earth,”
For such a birth,
Proclaimed aloud.

Verse 3

Around the bloody tree
Ye pressed with strong desire
That wondrous sight to see,
The Lord of life expire:
And could your eyes
Have known a tear,
Had dropped it there
In sad surprise.

Verse 4

Around His sacred tomb
A willing watch ye keep
Till the blest moment come
To rouse Him from His sleep:
Then rolled the stone,
And all adored
Your rising Lord
With joy unknown.

Verse 5

When, all arrayed in light,
The shining Conqueror rode,
Ye hailed His rapturous flight
Up to the throne of God,
And waved around
Your golden wings,
And struck your strings
Of sweetest sound.

Verse 6

The warbling notes pursue,
And louder anthems raise,
While mortals sing with you
Their own Redeemer’s praise:
And thou, my heart,
With equal flame,
And joy the same,
Perform thy part.

Verse 1

Teach me, O Lord, Thy holy way,
And give me an obedient mind;
That in Thy service I may find
My soul’s delight from day to day.

Verse 2

Guide me, O Saviour, with Thy hand,
And so control my thoughts and deeds,
That I may tread the path which leads
Right onward to the blessed land.

Verse 3

Help me, O Saviour, here to trace
The sacred footsteps Thou hast trod;
And, meekly walking with my God,
To grow in goodness, truth, and grace.

Verse 4

Guard me, O Lord, that I may ne’er
Forsake the right, or do the wrong:
Against temptation make me strong,
And round me spread Thy sheltering care.

Verse 5

Bless me in every task, O Lord,
Begun, continued, done for Thee:
Fulfil Thy perfect work in me,
And Thine abounding grace afford.

Verse 1

Thine arm, O Lord, in days of old
Was strong to heal and save;
It triumphed o’er disease and death,
O’er darkness and the grave.
To Thee they went, the blind, the dumb,
The palsied and the lame,
The leper with his tainted life,
The sick with fevered frame.

Verse 2

And lo, Thy touch brought life and health,
Gave speech, and strength, and sight;
And youth renewed and frenzy calmed
Owned Thee, the Lord of light:
And now, O Lord, be near to bless,
Almighty as of yore,
In crowded street, by restless couch,
As by Gennesareth’s shore.

Verse 3

Though Love and Might no longer heal
By touch, or word, or look;
Though they who do Thy work must read
Thy laws in nature’s book;
Yet come to heal the sick man’s soul,
Come, cleanse the leprous taint;
Give joy and peace where all is strife,
And strength where all is faint.

Verse 4

Be Thou our great Deliverer still,
Thou Lord of life and death;
Restore and quicken, soothe and bless
With Thine almighty breath:
To hands that work and eyes that see
Give wisdom’s heavenly lore,
That whole and sick, and weak and strong,
May praise Thee evermore.

Verse 1

Thou art the Way: to Thee alone
From sin and death we flee;
And he who would the Father seek
Must seek Him, Lord, by Thee.

Verse 2

Thou art the Truth: Thy word alone
True wisdom can impart;
Thou only canst inform the mind,
And purify the heart.

Verse 3

Thou art the Life: the rending tomb
Proclaims Thy conquering arm,
And those who put their trust in Thee
Nor death nor hell shall harm.

Verse 4

Thou art the Way, the Truth, the Life:
Grant us that Way to know,
That Truth to keep, that Life to win,
Whose joys eternal flow.

Verse 1

Thou say’st, “Take up thy cross, O man, and follow Me:”
The night is black, the feet are slack,
Yet we would follow Thee.

Verse 2

But, O dear Lord, we cry,
That we Thy face could see!
Thy blessed face one moment’s space—
Then might we follow Thee!

Verse 3

Dim tracts of time divide
Those golden days from me;
Thy voice comes strange o’er years of change;
How can I follow Thee?

Verse 4

Comes faint and far Thy voice
From vales of Galilee;
Thy vision fades in ancient shades;
How should we follow Thee?

Verse 5

O heavy cross—of faith
In what we cannot see!
As once of yore Thyself restore,
And help to follow Thee.

Verse 6

If not as once Thou cam’st
In true humanity,
Come yet as Guest within the breast
That burns to follow Thee.

Verse 7

Within our heart of hearts
In nearest nearness be:
Set up Thy throne within Thine own:
Go, Lord: we follow Thee.

Verse 1

We may not climb the heavenly steeps
To bring the Lord Christ down;
In vain we search the lowest deeps,
For him no depths can drown.

Verse 2

But warm, sweet, tender, even yet
A present help is he;
And faith has yet its Olivet,
And love its Galilee.

Verse 3

The healing of the seamless dress
Is by our beds of pain;
We touch him in life’s throng and press,
And we are whole again.

Verse 4

Through him the first fond prayers are said
Our lips of childhood frame;
The last low whispers of our dead
Are burdened with his name.

Verse 5

O Lord and Master of us all,
Whate’er our name or sign,
We own thy sway, we hear thy call,
We test our lives by thine!

Verse 1

What grace, O Lord, and beauty shone
Around Thy steps below;
What patient love was seen in all
Thy life and death of woe!

Verse 2

For ever on Thy burdened heart
A weight of sorrow hung;
Yet no ungentle, murmuring word
Escaped Thy silent tongue.

Verse 3

Thy foes might hate, despise, revile,
Thy friends unfaithful prove;
Unwearied in forgiveness still,
Thy heart could only love.

Verse 4

O give us hearts to love like Thee,
Like Thee, O Lord, to grieve
Far more for others’ sins than all
The wrongs that we receive.

Verse 5

One with Thyself, may every eye
In us, Thy brethren, see
That gentleness and grace that spring
From union, Lord, with Thee.

Verse 1

What grace, O Lord! and beauty shone
Around thy steps below!
What patient love was seen in all
Thy life and death of woe!

Verse 2

Thy foes might hate, despise, revile,
Thy friends unfaithful prove;
Unwearied in forgiveness still,
Thy heart could only love.

Verse 3

Oh, give us hearts to love like thee;
Like thee, O Lord! to grieve
Far more for others’ sins, than all
The wrongs that we receive.

Verse 4

One with thyself, may every eye,
In us, thy brethren, see
That gentleness and grace that springs
From union, Lord, with thee.