Hymns, Songs, and Fables, for Young People | Page 3

good! Each perfumed flower,?Waving fields, the dark green wood,?The insect fluttering for an hour,--?All things proclaim that God is good.
I hear it in each breath of wind;?The hills that have for ages stood,?And clouds with gold and silver lined,?All still repeat that God is good.
Each little rill, that many a year?Has the same verdant path pursued,?And every bird, in accents clear,?Joins in the song that God is good.
The restless sea, with haughty roar,?Calms each wild wave and billow rude,?Retreats submissive from the shore,?And swells the chorus, "God is good."
The countless hosts of twinkling stars,?That sing his praise with light renewed;?The rising sun each day declares,?In rays of glory, God is good.
The moon, that walks in brightness, says,?That God is good! and man, endued?With power to speak his Maker's praise,?Should still repeat that God is good.
EVENING.
How beautiful the setting sun!?The clouds how bright and gay!?The stars, appearing one by one,?How beautiful are they!
And when the moon climbs up the sky,?And sheds her gentle light,?And hangs her crystal lamp on high,?How beautiful is night!
And can it be I am possessed?Of something brighter far??Glows there a light within this breast?Outshining every star?
Yes; should the sun and stars turn pale,?The mountains melt away,?This flame within shall never fail,?But live in endless day.
This is the soul that God has given,--?Sin may its lustre dim;?While goodness bears it up to heaven,?And leads it back to him.
ROBINSON CRUSOE'S HYMN.
My Heavenly Father! all I see,?Around me and above,?Sends forth a hymn of praise to thee,?And speaks thy boundless love.
The clear blue sky is full of thee,?The woods so dark and lone;?The soft south-wind, the sounding sea,?Worship the Holy One.
The humming of the insect throng,?The prattling, sparkling rill,?The birds, with their melodious song,?Repeat thy praises still.
And thou dost hear them every one,--?Father, thou hearest me;?I know that I am not alone,?When I but think of thee.
HYMN.
It was my Heavenly Father's love?Brought every being forth;?He made the shining worlds above,?And every thing on earth.
Each lovely flower, the smallest fly,?The sea, the waterfall,?The bright green fields, the clear blue sky,--?'Tis God that made them all.
He gave me all my friends, and taught?My heart to love them well,?And he bestowed the power of thought,?And speech my thoughts to tell.
My father and my mother dear,--?He is their father too;?He bids me all their precepts hear,?And all they teach me, do.
God sees and hears me all the day,?And 'mid the darkest night;?He views me when I disobey,?And when I act aright.
He guards me with a parent's care,?When I am all alone;?My hymn of praise, my humble prayer,?He hears them every one.
God hears what I am saying now,--?O, what a wondrous thought!?My Heavenly Father, teach me how?To love thee as I ought.
ON PRAYER.
As through the pathless fields of air?Wandered forth the timid dove,?So the heart, in humble prayer,?Essays to reach the throne of love.
Like her it may return unblest,?Like her again may soar,?And still return and find no rest,?No peaceful, happy shore.
But now once more she spreads her wings,?And takes a bolder flight,?And see! the olive-branch she brings,?To bless her master's sight.
And thus the heart renews its strength,?Though spent and tempest-driven,?And higher soars, and brings at length?A pledge of peace with Heaven.
"THE SPIRIT GIVETH LIFE."
What was in the viewless wind,?Wild rushing through the oak,?Seemed to my listening, dreaming mind?As though a spirit spoke?
What is it to the murmuring stream?Doth give so sweet a song,?That on its tide my thoughts do seem?To pour themselves along?
What is it on the dizzy height,?What in each glowing star,?That speaks of things beyond the sight,?And questions what they are?
What in the rolling thunder's voice,?What in the ocean's roar,?Hears the grand chorus, "O, rejoice!"?Echo from shore to shore?
What in the gentle moon doth see?Pure thoughts and tender love,?And hears delicious melody?Around, below, above?
What bids the savage tempest speak?Of terror and dismay,?And wakes the agonizing shriek?Of guilt that fears to pray?
It is this ever-living mind;?This little throb of life?Hears its own echoes in the wind,?And in the tempest's strife;
To all that's sweet, and bright, and fair,?Its own affections gives;?Sees its own image everywhere,?Through all creation lives.
It bids the everlasting hills?Give back the solemn tone;?This boundless arch of azure fills?With accents all its own.
What is this life-inspiring mind,?This omnipresent thought??How shall it ever utterance find?For all itself hath taught?
To Him who breathed the heavenly flame,?Its mysteries are known;?It seeks the source from whence it came,?And rests in God alone.
WE NEVER PART FROM THEE.
God, who dwellest everywhere?God, who makest all thy care,?God, who hearest every prayer,
Thou who see'st the heart;
Thou to whom we lift our eyes.?Father, help our souls to rise,?And, beyond these narrow skies,
See thee as thou art!
Let our anxious thoughts be still,?Holy trust adore thy will,?Holy love our bosoms fill,
Let our songs ascend!?Dearest friends may parted be,?All our earthly treasures flee,?Yet we never part from thee,
Our eternal Friend.
"I WILL ARISE AND GO