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SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK
POETICAL ILLUSTRATIONS, AND APPROPRIATE SELECTIONS FOR SPEAKING.
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TWELVE EXERCISES,
ONE FOR EACH MONTH IN THE YEAR
BOSTON:
HENRY .A.. YOUNG & CO.,
No. 24 Coiinhill.
1872.
Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1872,
By HENRY A. YOUNG & CO.,
In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.
Stereotyped at the Boston Stereotj'pe Foundry, No. 19 Spring Lane.
PREFACE.
The object of the editor in compiling this work has been to supply a want that has been felt for a number of years by the officers of the best conducted Sunday schools :
To furnish exercises of harmonized Scripture texts, by which the principal teachings and illus- trations of the Bible on select and important sub- jects may be presented to an audience in a con- nected and attractive manner.
To furnish suitable illustrations of the selected subjects from the best devotional poetry.
The Sunday School Concert has become one of the most attractive meetings for the young, and ought to be made one of the most profitable. In no better way can the truths and beauties of the Bible be illustrated and explained. But Sunday school officers often find it a severe tax upon their
3
4 PREFACE.
time to arrange the scriptural exercises in a con- nected and satisfactory manner for public use, and to find appropriate hymns for singing, and poems and selections for recitation.
It has been the editor's aim to assist such officers in their work.
The poetical selections have been made with great care from the best religious periodicals, from the Hymns of the Ages, and from German religious poetry.
It has been the editor's purpose to select noth- ing that would not repay the speaker for the learning, and the audience for its attention.
The book is designed both as a Sabbath School Concert Question Book and as a Sabbath School Exhibition Book.
Hezekiah Butterworth. Warren, R. I., Jan. 1, 1872.
CONTENTS.
PAGE
OPENING EXERCISES: for Sunday School
Concerts 7
I.
THE SINGING CONCERT : a Tribute of Praise. 15 OLD TUNES : for the Singing Concert. ... 89
II.
OPENING EXERCISES: for the Floral Con- cert 45
POETRY OF THE OLD TESTAMENT: for
the Floral Concert. 53
III.
OPENING EXERCISES : for the Christmas Con- cert 57
GOD : a Recitation for a Christmas Concert. . 67
IV.
THE BEATITUDES OF THE BIBLE 73
V.
FAITH 83
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6 CONTENTS.
VI.
PRAYER 107
VII.
THE NECESSITY OF CONVERSION 131
VIII.
THE SABBATH 151
IX.
THE PROMISES OF THE BIBLE: Temporal
Blessings 169
X.
THE PROMISES OF THE BIBLE: Spiritual
Blessings 181
XI.
THE ATONEMENT : the Cross and Crown. . 189
XII.
THE HEAVENLY COUNTRY 209
SELECTIONS FOR SPEAKING 229
entitg wmtxm
FOR
SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERTS.
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I.
THE LORD'S PRAYER.
Superintendent. Blessed be thou, Lord God of Israel, our Father forever and ever. 1 Chron. 29 : 10.
School, in concert. Our Father, which art in heaven.
Supt. His name shall endure forever ; his name shall be continued as long as the sun : and men shall be blessed in him ; all nations shall call him blessed. Ps. 22 : IT.
8ch. Hallowed be thy name.
Supt. Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all genera- tions. Ps. 145 : 13.
Sell. Thy KINGDOM COME.
Supt. I delight to do thy will, 0 my God.
Sch. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven.
Supt. And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life : he that cometh to me shall never hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. John 6 : 35.
Sch. Give us this day our daily bread.
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10 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
Supt. For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Matt. 6 : 14, 15.
Sch. And forgive us our debts, as we for- give our debtor's.
Supt. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations. 2 Pet. 9 : 9.
Sch. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Supt. Thine, 0 Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty : for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine ; thine is the kingdom, 0 Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all.
Both riches and honor come of thee, and thou reignest over all ; and in thine hand is power and might, and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all.
Now, therefore, our God we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name. 1 Chron. 29 : 11, 12, 13.
Sch: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
OPENING EXERCISES. 11
II.
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
Superintendent. Arid God spake all these words, saying :
School. Thou shalt have no other gods be- fore me. Exodus 20 : 1.
Supt. Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Luke 4 : 8.
Sell. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth be- neath, or that is in the water under the earth : Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them ; for I the Lord »thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me ; and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments. Ver. 2.
Supt. I say unto you, Swear not at all ; nei- ther by heaven : for it is God's throne : Nor by the earth : for it is his footstool : neither by Jeru- salem : for it is the city of the great King. Nei- ther shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. But let
12 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
your communication be, Yea, yea ; Nay, nay : for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil. Matt. 5 : 34-31.
Sell. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain ; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. Ver. 3.
Supt. Ye shall keep my Sabbaths, and rever- ence my sanctuary : I am the Lord. Deut. 19 : 30.
Soli. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work : But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God ; in it thou shalt nbt do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daugh- ter, thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates : For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day : wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath clay and hallowed it. Ver. 4.
Supt. Children, obey your parents in all things ; for this is well-pleasing unto the Lord. Col. 3 : 20.
Sch. Honor thy father and thy mother : that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. Ver. 5.
Supt. Whosoever hateth his brother is a mur- derer : and ye know that no murderer hath eter- nal life abiding in him. 1 John 3 : 15.
Sch. Thou shalt not kill. Ver. 6.
OPENING EXERCISES. 13
Supt. Know ye not that ye are the temple of God ? ... If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy. 1 Cor. 3 : 16, 17.
Sch. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Ver. 7.
Supt. Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunk- ards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 1 Cor. 6 : 10.
JSch. Thou shalt not kill. Ver. 8.
Supt. Thou shalt not raise a false report : put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unright- eous witness. Ex. 23 : 1.
jSch. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. Ver. 9.
Supt. Take heed, and beware of covetousness : for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth, Luke 12 : 15.
JSch. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbor's. Ver. 10.
14 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
III.
PRAYERS COMPOSED OF VERSES OF SCRIPTURE.
(1.) Lord, thou hast been our dwelling-place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.
0, satisfy us early with thy mercy, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us, and es- tablish thou the work of our hands upon us ; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it. Amen.
Superintendent. (2.) 0 come, let us worship and bow down : let us kneel before the Lord our maker. For he is our God : and we are the peo- ple of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. Ps. 95 : 6, 7.
School. O God, thou art the strength of our hearts, and our portion forever. Thy mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens, and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds : therefore the chil- dren of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. O Lord our God, we give thanks to thee forever. Let the words of our lips, and the meditations of our' hearts, be ac- ceptable in thy sight. O Lord our strength and our Redeemer. Amen.
®lje Singing €owtt,
A TRIBUTE OF PRAISE.
" Sing unto the Lord, bless his name : Show forth his salvation from day to day." — Ps. 95 : 2.
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O COME, LET US SING.
Tune — " O Come, Come Away."
1 O come, let us sing !
Our youthful hearts now swelling To God above, a<*od of love,
0 come, let us sing ! Our joyful spirits, glad and free, Now rise, our gracious Lord, to thee In heavenly melody, —
0 come, let us sing !
2 0 swell, swell the song, His praises oft repeating :
His Son he gave our souls to save —
0 swell, swell the song. The humble heart's devotion bring, Whence gushing streams of love do spring, And make the welkin ring
With sweet-swelling song.
3 All full chorus join, To Jesus condescending,
To bless our race with heavenly grace,
All full chorus join ! To God, whose mercy on us smiled, And Holy Spirit, reconciled By Christ, the meek and mild,
All full chorus join !
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18 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK. II.
RESPONSIVE READING.
Superintendent. 0 come, let us sing unto the Lord : let us make a joyful noise unto the rock of our salvation. Ps. 95.
School. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. Ver. 2.
Supt. For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods. Ver. 3.
Sch. In his hand are the deep places of the earth : the strength of the hills is his also. Ver. 4.
Supt. 0 come, let us worship and bow down : let us kneel before the Lord our maker. Ver. 6.
Sch, For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. Ver. 7.
III.
SINGING.
The Lord's Prayer.
1 Our Father in heaven, We hallow thy name, Thy kingdom most holy, On earth be the same.
THE SINGING CONCERT. 19
0, give to us daily
Our portion of bread ; It is from thy bounty
That all must be fed.
Forgive our transgressions,
And teach us to know- That humble compassion
That pardons each foe. Keep us from temptation,
From weakness and sin, And thine be the glory
Forever. Amen.
IV.
RECITATIONS.
" I WILL SING "
First Pupil. I will sing unto the Lord, because he hath dealt bountifully with me. Ps. 13 : 6.
Second Pupil. But I will sing of thy power ; yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morn- ing ; for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble.
Unto thee, 0 my Strength, will I sing : for God is my defence, and the God of my mercy. Ps. 59 : 16, IT.
Third Pupil. I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live ; I will sing praise unto my God while I have my being.
20 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
My meditation of him shall be sweet ; I will be glad in the Lord.
Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless thou the Lord, 0 my soul. Praise ye the Lord. Ps. 104 : 33-35.
Sing unto the Lord.
Fourth Pupil. 0 sing- unto the Lord a new song- ; sing unto the Lord all the earth.
Sing unto the Lord, bless his name ; shew forth his salvation from day to day.
Declare his glory among the heathen, his won- ders among all people.
For the Lord is great, and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods.
For all the gods of the nations are idols ; but the Lord made the heavens.
Honor and majesty are before him ; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. Ps. 96 : 1—6.
Fifth Pupil. Sing unto the Lord, 0 ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.
For his anger endureth but a moment ; in his favor is life : weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. Ps. 30 : 4, 5.
Sixth Pupil 0 sing unto the Lord a new song ; for he hath done marvellous things : his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory.
The Lord hath made known his salvation : his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen.
THE SINGING CONCERT. 21
He hath remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel : all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the eaTtli : make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise. Ps. 98 : 1-4.
Seventh Pupil. Sing unto the Lord with the harp ; with the harp, and the voice of a psalm.
With trumpets, and sound of cornet, make a joyful noise before the Lord, the King.
Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.
Let the floods clap their hands : let the hills be joyful together
Before the Lord; for he cometh to judge the earth : with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity. Ps. 98 : 5—9.
A Psalm op Praise.
Eighth Pupil. Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.
Serve the Lord with gladness ; come before his presence with singing.
Know ye that the Lord he is God ; it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves : we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise : be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
Por the Lord is good ; his mercy is everlasting ; and his truth endureth to all generations. Ps. 100 : 1-5.
22 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
Excellency of Christ. Ninth Pupil.
1.0, could we speak the matchless worth, 0, could we sound the glories forth,
Which in our Saviour shine, We'd soar, and touch the heavenly strings, And vie with Gabriel, while he* sings, In notes almost divine.
Tenth Pupil.
2 We'd sing the precious blood he spilt — • Our ransom from the dreadful guilt
Of sin and wrath divine ; We'd sing hi? glorious righteousness, In which all-perfect, heavenly dress
We shall forever shine.
Eleventh Pupil.
3 We'd sing the characters he bears, And all the forms of love he wears,
Exalted on his throne : In loftiest songs of sweetest praise, We would, to everlasting days,
Make all his glories known.
Twelfth Pupil
4 Well, the delightful day will come, When our dear Lord will bring us home,
And we shall see his face : Then with our Saviour,- Brother, Friend, A blest eternity we'll spend,
Triumphant in his grace.
THE SINGING CONCERT. 23
V.
SINGING.
Tune — Hosatma.
Come, 0 my soul, in joyous lays Attempt thy great Redeemer's praise : But 0, what tongue can speak his fame ? What verse can reach the lofty theme ? Chorus.
Glory, glory let us sing, While heaven and earth with glory ring Hosanna ! Hosanna ! Hosanna to the Lamb of God.
Enthroned amid the radiant spheres, He glory like a garment wears ; To form a robe of light divine, Ten thousand suns around him shine. Glory, glory, &c.
Raised on devotion's lofty wing, Do thou, my soul, his glories sing ; And let his praise employ my tongue Till listening worlds shall join the song\ Glory, glory, &c.
24 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
VI.
ADDEESS.
The Temple's Choir.
VII.
SINGING.
A Tribute of Praise.
Tune — Turner. C. M.
When all thy mercies, 0 my God,
My rising soul surveys, Transported with the view, I'm lost
In wonder, love, and praise.
. VIII.
SHOKT RECITATIONS BY MEMBERS OF THE INFANT DEPARTMENT.
I will praise Thee.
First Pupil Praise ye the Lord. I will praise the Lord with my whole heart in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation. Ps. 3:1.
Second Pupil. I will praise thee with my whole heart ; before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.
THE SINGING CONCERT. 25
I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy loving-kindness, and for thy truth : for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name. Ps. 138 : 1, 2.
Third Pupil. I will give thee thanks in the great congregation : I will praise thee among much people. Ps. 35 : 18.
Fourth Pupil. I will praise thee, 0 Lord, with my whole heart ; I will shew forth all thy marvel- lous works.
I will be glad and rejoice in thee : I will sing praise to thy name, 0 thou Most High. Ps. 9 : 1, 2.
Fifth Pupil. Open to me the gates of right- eousness : I will go in to them, and I will praise the Lord :
This gate of the Lord, into which the righteous shall enter.
1 will praise thee ; for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation. Ps. 118 : 19, 20, 21.
Sixth Pupil. 1 will praise thee with upright- ness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments. Ps. 119 : 7.
Seventh Pupil. I will praise thee ; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made : marvellous are thy works ; and that my soul knoweth right well. Ps. 139 : 14.
Eighth Pupil. In God will I praise his word ; in the Lord will I praise his word.
In God have I put my trust ; I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.
Thy vows are upon me, 0 God : I will render praises unto thee.
26 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
For thou hast delivered my soul from death ; wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living ? Ps. 56 : 10, 11, 12, 13.
Ninth Pupil.
It here must pleasure be, J 0 Father, Son, and Spirit,
To all who grace inherit, Their praise to offer thee. But when to us in heaven Angelic notes are given, What must our pleasure be ! Tenth Pupil.
Praise ye the Lord ! the Father, and the Son,
And Holy Spirit praise ! To him be everlasting honors done,
For matchless power and grace ! Our life — 'tis he who gave it,
;Tis his to take away ; — Our soul — 'tis his to save it, And bless with endless day. Eleventh Pupil.
1 My soul, repeat his praise,
Whose mercies are so great, Whose anger is so slow to rise, So ready to abate.
2 His power subdues our sins,
And his forgiving love, Far as the east is from the west, Doth all our guilt remove.
3 High as the heavens are raised
Above the ground we tread, So far the riches of his grace Our highest thoughts exceed.
THE SINGING CONCERT. 27
IX.
SINGING.
Song of Children.
S. S. Bell.
Once was heard the song of children
By the Saviour when on earth ; Joyful in the sacred temple
Shout of youthful praise had birth, And hosanila, And hosanna, Loud to David's Son broke forth !
X.
CLASS RECITATION.
" 0 that Men would praise the Loud for his Goodness. "
Teacher. 0, give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good ; for his mercy endureth forever, &c. Ps. 107 : 1-31.
First Pupil. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy, &c. Ver. 2-8.
Glass. 0 that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men. Ver. 8.
28 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
Second Pupil. For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness, &c. Ver. 9-15.
Class. 0 that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men. Ver. 15.
Third Pupil. For he hath broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder, &c. Ver.- 16-21.
Class. 0 that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men. Ver. 21.
Fourth Pupil. And let them sacrifice the sacri- fices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing, &c. Ver. 22-31.
Class. 0 that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men. Ver. 31.
XI.
RECITATION BY A CLASS OF GIRLS.
The God of Abraham praise.
First Pupil.
1 The God of Abraham praise, Whose all-sufficient grace Shall guide me all my happy days In all his ways :
THE SINGING CONCERT. 29
He calls a worm his friend ;
He calls himself my God ; And he shall save me to the end
Through Jesus' blood.
2 He by himself hath sworn ;
I on his oath depend ; I shall, on eagle's wiugs upborne,
To heaven ascend. I shall behold his face ;
I shall his power adore ; And sing the wonders of his grace
Forevermore.
3 The God of Abrah'm praise,
Whose all-sufficient grace Shall guide me all my happy da}s
In all his ways : He calls a worm his friend ;
He calls himself my God ; And he shall save me to the end
Through Jesus' blood. Second Pupil.
1 The God of Abrah'm praise,
Who reigns enthroned above ; Ancient of everlasting- days,
And God of love : Jehovah, Great I AM !
By earth and heaven confessed : I bow and bless the sacred Name,
Forever blest.
2 Though nature's strength decay,
And earth and hell withstand, To Canaan's bounds I urge my way At his command.
30 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
The watery deep I pass With Jesus in my view,
And through the howling wilderness My way pursue.
3 The goodly land I see
With peace and plenty blest ; A land of sacred liberty,
And endless rest>. There milk and honey flow,
And oil and wine abound, And trees of life forever grow,
With mercy crowned.
4 There dwells the Lord our King,
The Lord our Eighteousness, Triumphant o'er the world and sin,
The Prince of Peace ; On Zion's sacred height
His kingdom still maintains, And glorious with his saints in light
Forever reigns.
5 The God of Abraham praise,
Who reigns enthroned above, Ancient of everlasting days,
And God of love. Jehovah, Great I AM,
By earth and heaven confessed ; I bow and bless the sacred name,
Forever blest. Third Pupil.
1 The God of Abrah'm praise,
At whose supreme command From earth I rise, and seek the joys
At his nVht hand.
THE SINGING CONCERT. 31
I all on earth forsake,
Its wisdom, fame, and power;
And him my only portion make, My shield and tower.
2 He keeps his own secure ;
He guards them by his side ; Arrays in garments white and pure
His spotless bride ; With groves of living joys,
With streams of sacred bliss, With all the fruits of paradise,
He still supplies.
3 The God of Abrah'm praise,
At whose supreme command From earth I rise, aud seek the joys
At his right hand ; I all on earth forsake,
Its wisdom, fame, and power ; And him my only portion make,
My shield and bower. Fourth Pupil.
1 The God who reigns on high
The great archangels sing, And Holy, holy, holy, cry,
Almighty King ! Who was and is the same,
And evermore shall be ; Jehovah, Father, Great I AM,
We worship thee.
2 Before the Saviour's face
The ransomed nations bow, Overwhelmed at his almighty grace, Forever new :
32 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
He shows his prints of love, —
They kindle to a flame, And sound, through all the worlds above,
The slaughtered Lamb.
3 Before the great Three One
They all exulting stand, And tell the wonders he hath done
Through all their land : The listening spheres attend,
And swell the growing fame, And sing, in songs which never end,
The wondrous Name. Glass.
4 The God of Abrah'm praise,
Who reigns enthroned aboye : Ancient of everlasting days,
And God of love. Jehovah, Great I AM,
By earth and heaven confessed, We bow and bless the sacred Name,
Forever blest.
XII.
CLASS RECITATION.
"I SHALL YET PRAISE HlM."
First Pupil. As the hart panteth after the water-brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, 0 God, &c Ps. 42 : 1-4.
Glass. Why art thou cast down, 0 my soul ? and why art tfyou disquieted in me ? hope thou in
THE SINGING CONCERT. 33
God ; for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance. Ps. 42 : 5.
Second Pupil. 0 my God, my soul is cast down within me : therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar, &c. Ps. 42 : 6-10.
Glass. Why art thou cast down, 0 my soul ? and why art thou disquieted within me ? hope thou in God ; for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God. Ps. 42: 11.
Third Pupil. Judge me, 0 God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation : 0, deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man, &c. Ps. 43: 1-4.
Class. Why art thou cast down, 0 my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me ? hope God ; for I shall yet praise him, who is the lies of my countenance, and my God. Ps. 43 : 5.
in
health
Praise to Christ.
Superintendent. What did Mary say when the angel had announced to her that she should be- come the mother of Christ ?
Response. And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour, &c. Luke 1 : 46-55.
Supt. What did Zacharias prophesy after the birth of John the Baptist ?
Response. And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel ; 3
34 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
for he hath visited and redeemed his people, &c. Luke 1 : 67-79.
Supt. What did Simeon say when the Holy Family brought Jesus to the temple ?
Response. And he came by the Spirit into the temple ; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the cus- tom of the law, then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, ac- cording to thy word : for mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people ; a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. Luke 2 : 27-32.
Supt. What did the angels say to the shep- herds at Bethlehem on the night of the nativity ?
Response. And the angel said unto them, Fear not ; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of £Teat joy, which shall be to all peo- ple, &c. Luke 2 : 10-14.
Supt. What is said of the universal praise ascribed to Christ in Eevelation, fifth chapter ?
Response. And they sung a new song, say- ing, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation ; and hast made us unto our God kings and priests : and we shall reign on the earth. Eev. 5 : 9-14.
THE SINGING CONCERT. 35
XIII. RECITATION.
Heavenly Praise.
And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great, &c. Rev. 19 : 5-9.
XIV. SINGING.
Tune — Isadore. ( See " The Jubilee.'5)
1 Hark ! ten thousand harps and voices
Sound the note of praise above ; Jesus reigns, and heaven rejoices ;
Jesus reigns, the God of love : See, he sits on yonder throne ; Jesus rules the world alone.
2 Jesus, hail ! whose glory brightens
All above, and gives it worth ; Lord of life, thy smile enlightens,
Cheers, and charms thy saints on earth : When we think of love like thine, Lord, we own it love divine.
3 Saviour, hasten thine appearing ;
Bring, 0, bring the glorious day, When, the awful summons hearing,
Heaven and earth shall pass away : Then, with golden harps, we'll sing, " Glory, glory to our King."
36 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
XV.
Closing Exercise.
CLASS RECITATIONS.
Christus Victor.
BY REV. RAY PALMER, D. D.
First Pupil,
1 Praise Him ! Praise the conquering King !
Christ our Lord is Lord of all ; Nations ! joyful tribute bring ;
Princes ! low before him fall. See unfurled his royal banner !
On he cometh to subdue ; Earth's long wail becomes — Hosanna ;
Lo ! he maketh all things new ; Hallelujah !
Reign, 0 Christ, thou just and true.
Second Pupil.
2 Praise Him ! Praise the Prince of Peace !
Angels ! wake your strain again ; Chant his triumphs, ne'er to cease
Till our God shall dwell with men. Christ hath heard the ages sighing ;
Christ hath pitied mortal grief; At his coming tears are drying,
Millions hail the glad relief; Hallelujah !
Hell ! thy reign shall now be brief.
THE SINGING CONCERT. 37
Third Pupil.
3 Praise Him ! Praise the Lord of Life I
Him that liveth and was dead : Past the cross arid dying strife,
Vanquished Death he captive led. Ever-living ! Life-bestowing !
In thee all the holy live ; Fount exhaustless, overflowing !
Health and gladness thou dost give ; Hallelujah !
Earth and heaven from thee receive.
Fourth Pupil.
4 Praise Him ! Praise the Lamb enthroned !
Radiant at his Father's side ; Him who by his blood atoned ;
Him who names the church his Bride ! Thou, 0 Lamb of God, forever,
Where eternal noontide glows, Thine own flock wilt feed, and never
Cease to guard their sweet repose ; Hallelujah !
Thou hast crushed their mighty foes.
Fifth Pupil.
5 Praise Him ! Praise Incarnate Love I
Ranks seraphic, legions bright, Souls redeemed, who, fixed above,
Glow in his eternal light ; All on earth who, upward gazing,
See his beauty and adore, One far-sounding chorus raising,
Speak that Name forevermore ; Hallelujah !
Crown him ! Once the cross he bore !
38 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
Superintendent. Praise ye the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary ; praise him in the firma- ment of his power. Praise him for his mighty acts : praise him according to his excellent great- ness. Praise him with the sound of the trum- pet : praise him with the psaltery and harp. Praise him with the timbrel and dance : praise him with stringed instruments and organs. Praise him upon the loud cymbals : praise him upon the high-sounding cymbals. Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord. Ps: 150.
'lir % lines.
SPEAKING WITH SINGING.
FOR THE SINGING CONCERT.
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OLD TUNES.
To be spoken. Y
The good old tunes of other days, In which we sang our Maker's praise, When life with us was young, When music flowed from heart and tongue, 0, how to memory now they rise, Like angel notes from yonder skies ! For oft we sang them with the blest Who now in heavenly mansions rest.
My father sang them ; when a boy I heard their notes with glowing joy ; And round his dying bed we raised The words and notes in which he praised The name of God, and sang of bliss In purer, brighter worlds than this.
And oft, when pensive evening falls,
The past returns again, As memory to my ear recalls
That old familiar strain :
To be sung by the speaker or the school.
How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord, Is laid for your faith in this excellent word ; What more can he say than to you he hath said, You who unto Jesus for refuge have fled.
In every condition, in sickness and health, In poverty's vale, or abounding in wealth,
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42 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
At home or abroad, on the land or the sea,
As thy days shall demand, shall thy strength ever be.
Spoken. II#
My mother sang them, soft and sweet, And oft her tones my spirit greet, When dreams, beyond the upper air, My soul on wings of fancy bear, To that bright world to which she rose, When, leaving life, with all its woes, Oppressed with grief, of joy bereft, An orphan I was early left.
And oft, when pensive evening falls,
The past returns again, As memory to my mind recalls
This old, familiar strain :
To be sung.
Though troubles assail,
And though dangers affright, Though friends should all fail,
And foes all unite, Yet one thing secures us, —
Whatever betide, The promise assures us
The Lord will provide.
Spoken. m#
I sang them with a brother flown Where sin and sorrow are unknown, And with a sister, 0, how dear ! Whose notes now greet her mother's ear ; I sang them with a youthful bride, Who early withered by my side ; They cheered her when life's setting sun Shone on her heaven on earth begun,
OLD TUNES. 43
And only ceased her soul to cheer When heavenly music met her ea,r, I sang them with a manly son, Whose race on earth was early run, And with a daughter, bright and fair, Who knows in heaven a mother's care,
And oft, when pensive evening falls,
The past returns again, As memory to my mind recalls
This old, familiar strain : Sung.
0, land of rest, for thee I sigh ;
When will the moment come, When I shall lay my armor by,
And dwell with Christ at home ?
Spoken, * IV-
I've sung them in the forest wild, Where nature lovely towered and smiled. I've sung them on the rolling sea, Whose deep-toned surges joined with me In sounding forth their Maker's praise, Whose word can check, or wildly raise The surging billows to the skies, Or still them when to heaven they rise. Fve sung them in far distant lands, Where roll the waves on classic strands ; And tears of grief would quickly come, At thoughts of distant friends and homo, With whom, and where, I sang these lays, The good old tunes of other days.
And oft, when pensive evening falls,
The past returns again, As memory to my ear recalls
This old, familiar strain :
44 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
Sung.
When the dreams of life are fled, When its wasted lamps are dead, When in cold oblivion's shade Beauty, wealth, and fame are laid ; Where immortal spirits reign, There may we all meet again.
Spoken. v*
How dear to me those noble lays, The good old tunes of other days ! On earth I've sung them with the blest ; And when I reach the heavenly rest, I hope to sing them there with those Who know no more life's cares or woes ; Where golden harps the notes shall raise, That fill all heaven with endless praise.
And oft, when pensive evening falls,
The past returns again, As memory to my ear recalls
This old, familiar strain :
Sung by the school. Tune — " Sweet Home."
The days of my exile are passing away ; The time is approaching when Jesus will say, Well done, faithful servant ; sit down on my throne, And dwell in my presence, forever at home. Affliction, and sorrow, and death shall be o'er ; The saints will unite, to be parted no more ; Their loud hallelujahs fill heaven's high dome, They dwell with their Saviour, forever at home.
Home, home, sweet, sweet home !
Prepare me, dear Saviour, for glory, my home.
luttg (Bnttim
FOR
THE FLORAL CONCERT.
" I am the Rose of Sharon." — Cant. 2 : 1.
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OPENING EXERCISE.
(Let the Superintendent read 1 Kings chapter 7, in which is de- scribed the lily-work of Solomon's Temple; and let him explain the Saviour's allusion, in the Sermon on the Mount, to the glory of the house of Solomon.)
The Garden Hymn.
1 The Lord into his garden comes : The spices yield a rich perfume ;
The lilies grow and thrive ; Refreshing showers of grace divine From Jesus flow to every vine,
Which makes the clead revive.
2 0 that this dry and barren ground In springs of water may abound,
A fruitful soil become ; The desert blossoms as the rose When Jesus conquers all his foes,
And makes his people one.
3 The glorious time is rolling on, The gracious work is now begun ;
My soul a witness is : I taste and see the pardon free ; For all mankind, as well as me,
Who come to Christ may live.
Recitation, by a class of girls dressed in white.
First Pupil (bringing to the desk a bouquet of roses) . I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys. Solomon's Song 2:1.
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48 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
Second Pupil {bringing a bouquet of lilies).
And why take ye thought for raiment ? Con- sider the lilies of the field, how they grow ; they toil not, neither do they spin : and yet I say unto you, that even Solomon, in all his glory, was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, 0 ye of little faith ? Matt. 6 : 28-30.
Third Pupil (bringing o, bouquet of roses).
The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them.; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with* joy and singing ; the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon ; they shall see the glory of the Lord, and the excellency of our God. Isa. 35 : 1, 2,
Fourth Pupil (ivith a bouquet).
For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace : the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their -hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree : and it shall be to the Lord for a name, for an everlasting sign, that shall not be cut off. Isa, 55 : 12, 13.
Fifth Pupil (with a bouquet of flowers).
I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely : for mine anger is turned away from him. I will be as the dew unto Israel : he shall grow
THE FLORAL CONCERT. 49
as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon. His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon. They that dwell under his shadow shall return ; they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine : the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon. Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols ? I have heard him, and observed him : I am like a green fir tree : from me is thy fruit found. Who is wise, and he shall understand these things ? prudent, and he shall know them ? for the ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them : but the trans* gressors shall fall therein. Joel 14 : 4-9,
Sixth Pupil (with flowers) .
For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone ; the flowers appear on the earth ; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land. The fig tree put- teth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away. 0 my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice ; for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely. Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines ; for our vines have tender grapes. My beloved is mine, and I am his : he feedeth among the lilies. Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, turn, my beloved ; and be thou like a roe, or a young hart, upon the mountains of Bether. Solomon's Song 2 : 11-17.
4
50 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
Seventh Pupil (with flowers) .
I am the Vine, ye are the branches. He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit ; for without me ye can do noth- ing. John 15 : 5.
Eighth Pupil (with flowers).
Love is the sweetest flower that blows —
Its beauty never dies ; On earth among the saints it grows,
And ripens in the skies. 0, what a garden will be seen
When all the flowers of grace Appear in everlasting green
Before the Planter's face !
Superintendent.
Earth, the Place of Fading Flowers.
0 Father, Lord !
The All-beneficent ! We bless thy name,
That thou hast mantled the green earth with
flowers, Linking pur hearts to Nature.
Superintendent,
Jesus, the Rose of Sharon.
His name yields the richest perfume, And sweeter than music his voice ;
His presence disperses my gloom, And makes all within me rejoice.
THE FLORAL CONCERT. 51
I should, were he always thus nigh, Have nothing to wish or to fear ;
No mortal so happy as I —
My summer would last all the year.
Superintendent.
Heaven, the Celestial Garden.
When beautiful flowers impart their perfume, And sweet is their fragrance and lovely their
bloom, I think of the summer that endlessly glows, And the unwasting fragrance of Sharon's bright
rose."
Singing, by the pupils who have brought the flowers.
Siloam, (Four stanzas.) C. M.
By cool Siloam's shady rill
How fair the lily grows ! How sweet the breath, beneath the hill,
Of Sharon's dewy rose !
Subject for an Address — The story of Jotham, illustrating the following fable : —
The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them ; and they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us. But the olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honor God and man, and go to be pro- moted over the trees ? And the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, and reign over us. But the fig tree said unto them, Should I forsake my sweet- ness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees ? Then said the trees unto the
52 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
vine, Come thou, and reign over us. And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be pro- moted over the trees ? Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us. And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, then come and put your trust in my shadow ; and if not, let fire come out of the bramble and devour the cedars of Lebanon. Judg. 9 : 8-15.
foefrg of ijjt §h Testament.
A CLASS RECITATION.
FOR THE FLORAL CONCERT.
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ADDRESS.
by the superintendent.
Hebrew Poetry.
II.
READINGS.
Old Testament Poetry. Ps. 102 : 25-28. The Prayeh of Moses. Ps. 90. Job 14.
III.
RECITATIONS.
"BY PUPILS,
First Pupil. The Lord is my strength and song, Ac. Ex. 16 : 2-19.
Second Pupil. Remember the days of old, con- sider the years of many generations : ask thy fa- ther, and he will show thee ; thy elders, and they will tell thee, &c. Deut. 32 : 1-15.
Third Pupil. The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the oveiiasting arms : and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee, and shall say, Destroy them.
Israel then shall dwell in safety alone : the
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56 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine ; also his heavens shall drop down dew. Happy art thou, 0 Israel ; who is like unto thee,
0 people saved by the Lord, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency ! and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee, and thou shalt tread upon their high places. Deut. 33 : 27-29.
Fourth Pupil. And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul, and over Jonathan his son. 2 Sam. 1 : 17.
Fifth Pupil 2 Sam. 22 : 1-21.
Sixth Pupil. And he came thither unto a cave, &c. 1 Kings 19 : 9-18.
Seventh Pupil. Let the heavens be glad, &c.
1 Chron. 16 : 31-36.
Eighth Pupil. Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, &c. Job 38 : 1-17.
Ninth Pupil. Hath the rain a father? &c. Job 38 : 28-38.
Tenth Pupil. Hast thou given, &c. Job 39 : 19-30. %
Eleventh Pupil. The heavens declare, &c. Ps. 19 : 1-9.
Twelfth Pupil. Kemember now thy Creator, &c. Eccl. 12 : 1-7.
Thirteenth Pupil. And it shall come to pass, &c. Isa. 14 : 3-17.
Fourteenth Pupil. Look upon Zion, &c. Isa. 33 :20, 21.
Fifteenth Pupil. And it shall come to pass afterward, &c. Joel 2 : 28-32.
citing (Bnttim
FOR
THE CHRISTMAS CONCERT.
" Peace on earth : good will to men."
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I.
SINGING.
Tune — Sherburne.
While shepherds watched their flocks by night,
All seated on the ground, The angel of the Lord came down,
And glory shone around.
II.
EESPONSIVE READING.
Superintendent, Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Isa. 40 : 1.
School. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusa- lem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned : for she hath received of the Lord's hand double for all her sins. Ver. 2.
Supt. The voice of him that crieth in the wil- derness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Ver. 3.
Sch. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low : and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain. Ver. 4.
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60 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
Supt. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth : because the spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it : surely the people is grass. Ver. 7.
Sch. The grass withereth, the flower fad- eth : but the word of our God shall stand forever. Ver. 8.
Supt. 0 Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain ; 0 Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength ; lift it up, be not afraid, say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God ! Yer. 9.
Sch. Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance : behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing. And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof suf- ficient for a burnt offering, Ver. 15, 16.
Supt. To whom then will ye liken God ? or what likeness will ye compare unto him ? Yer. 18.
Sch. Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the be- ginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth? Ver, 21.
Supt. Why sayest thou, 0 Jacob, and speakest, 0 Israel, My way is hid from the Lord, and my judgment is passed over from my God ? Yer. 27.
Superintendent and School in concert. He giveth power to the faint ; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall : But they that
THE CHRISTMAS CONCERT. 61
wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength ; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, aiid not faint. Ver. 29-31.
III.
RECITATION OF SCRIPTURAL TEXTS.
the prophecy and the fulfilment.
The Prophecy. First Pupil. Sing, 0 barren, &c. Isa. 54 : 1-14.
The Fulfilment.
Second Pupil. There was a man in the days of Herod, &c. Luke 1 : 5-19.
Third Pupil. And in the sixth month the an- gel Gabriel, &c. Ver. 26-33.
Fourth Pupil. Now Elisabeth's full time, &c. Ver. 57-79.
The Prophecy.
Fifth Pupil. Arise, shine ; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee, &c. Isa. 60 : 1-7.
Sixth Pupil. Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows ? Ver. 8.
Seventh Pupil. Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them,
62 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
unto the name of the Lord thy God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because he hath glorified thee. And the sons of strangers shall build up thy walls, and their kings shall minister unto thee : for in my wrath I smote thee, but in my favor have I had mercy on thee. Therefore thy gates shall be open continually ; they shall not be shut day nor night, that men may bring unto thee the forces of the Gentiles, and that their kings may be brought. Ver. 9-11.
Class in concert. The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, the fir-tree, the pine-tree, and the box together, to beautify the place of my sanctu- ary ; and I will make the place of my feet glo- rious. The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee ; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet ; and they shall call thee, The city of the Lord, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel. Ver. 13, 14.
Eighth Pupil. But thou, Beth-lehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Ju- dah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be Ruler in Israel ; whose goings forth have been from old, from everlasting. Micah 5 : 2.
Ninth Pupil. How beautiful upon the moun- tains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace ; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation ; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth ! &c. Isa. 42 : 7-10.
Class in concert. The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, the fir tree, the pine tree, and the
THE CHRISTMAS CONCERT. 63
box together, to beautify the place of my sanctu- ary ; and I will make the place of my feet glori- ous. The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee ; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet ; and they shall call thee, The City of the Lord, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel. Isa. 60 : 13, 14.
The Fulfilment.
Tenth Pupil. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God, &c. John 1 : 1-16.
1 Of the Father's Love begotten
Ere the worlds began to be, He is Alpha and Omega,
He the source, the ending He, Of the things that are, that have been,
And that future years shall see, Evermore and evermore !
2 At his word the worlds were framed ;
He commanded ; it was done : Heaven and earth and depths of ocean
In their threefold order one ; All that grows beneath the shining
Of the moon and burning sun, Evermore and evermore !
3 He is found in human fashion,
Death and sorrow here to know, That the race of Adam's children, Doomed by Law to endless woe,
64 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
May not henceforth die and perish In that dreadful gulf below, Evermore and evermore !
Eleventh Pupil. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her first-born son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger ; because there was no room for them in the inn, &c. Luke 2 : 6-14.
1 0, that birth forever blessed,
When the Virgin, full of grace, By the Holy Ghost conceiving,
Bare the Saviour of our race ; And the babe, the world's Redeemer,
First revealed his sacred face, Evermore and evermore !
2 This is He whom seers in old time
Chanted of with one accord ; Whom the voices of the prophets
Promised in their faithful word ; Now he shines, the long-expected :
Let creation praise its Lord, Evermore and evermore !
3 0 ye heights of heaven, adore Ilim I
Angel-hosts, his praises sing ! All dominions, bow before him,
And extol our God and King : Let no tongue on earth be silent,
Every voice in concert ring, Evermore and evermore !
THE CHRISTMAS CONCERT. 65
Twelfth Pupil
1 Calm on the listening ear of night
Come heaven's melodious strains, Where wild Judea stretches far Her silver-mantled plains.
2 Celestial choirs, from courts above,
Shed sacred glories there, And angels, with their sparkling lyres, Make music on the air.
3 The joyous hills of Palestine
Send back the glad reply, And greet, from all their holy heights, The day spring from on high.
4 O'er the blue depths of Galilee
There comes a holier calm, And Sharon waves, in solemn praise, Her silent groves of palm.
5 " Glory to God ! " the sounding skies
Aloud with anthems ring ; " Peace to the earth, good-will to men, From heaven's eternal King ! "
Thirteenth Pupil. Now, when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, Where is he that is born king of the Jews ? for we have seen his star in the east, and have cpme to worship him^ &c. Matt. 2 : 1-12.
5
66 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.'
IV.
SINGING.
Tune — Star in the East.
Hail the blest morn when the great Mediator Down from the region of glory descends ;
Shepherds, go worship the babe in the manger ; Lo ! for his guards, the bright angels attend.
Chorus.
0, thou brightest and best of the morning,
Shine on our darkness, and lend us thine aid ; Star in the East, the horizon adorning,
Guide where our infant Eedeemer was laid.
ob.
A KECITATION
FOE A CHRISTMAS CONCERT.
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RECITATION OF POETRY.
God.
BY REV. I. N. TAKBOX, D. D.
First Pupil.
1 This Being great and high,
This name majestic sounding through the earth, Who thought this thought, gave this conception birth, Beneath the vaulted sky ?
2 Who dreamed this wondrous dream
Of One that binds the worlds about his throne, And claims dominion for himself alone, Farther than light can gleam ?
3 Hiding in realms of air,
Making the unknown heavens his shining home, Or down the abyss deeper than thought can roam, Moving in mystery there :
4 Who gave this Being birth ?
Who, by his searching, found out such a God, And sent the marvellous story far abroad Over our fallen earth ?
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70 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
5 The deep and stormy sea, Kolling forever on its restless track,
From its mysterious caverns thunders back, " This thought came not from me."
6 Old empires in their might,
With kings in far succession on their thrones, Bowed down, in awe, to senseless stocks and stones In one long pagan night.
Second Pupil.
7 Egypt, with all her lore,
Lifting her ponderous pillars to the sky, Bent to the ox in low stupidity,
Worshipped, and knew no more.
8 Beneath the eastern sun,
Where Tigris hastes to join her sister stream, Assyria sat, and dreamed her mighty dream, Till her long race was run.
9 But not in all her thought
Did God, the unseen Spirit, find a place ;
Nebo and Bel, and all their hideous race,
Were the poor gods she sought.
10 And Greece, the young and fair, Brightest of nations, with her keen-eyed
thought, In all her mystic dreamings vainly sought This highest thought to share.
11 Wondering and overawed,
Searching for something which she could not find, She built her altar, with bewildered mind, To One — the Unknown God.
GOD. 71
Third Pupil.
12 In Judah God was known :
While the wide earth lay wrapt in heathen
night, O'er her rough hills — around fair Salem's
height — A heavenly glory shone.
13 In Zion was his place;
With Israel's marshalled hosts his name was
great ; He sat a Monarch, throned in royal state, Amid his chosen race,
Class.
14 Lift up your heads, ye gates 1
That God, whose power the highest heaven fills, Comes to his temple, built on Zion's hills — The King of Glory waits J
Fourth Pupil.
15 Lift up your heads, ye gates 1 And be ye lift, ye everlasting doors 1
The Monarch comes, whom highest heaven adores — The King of Glory waits 3
•
16 On through the circling years, While mighty kingdoms hasted to decay, And the broad lands in pagan darkness lay,
Wrapt in their gloomy fears, —
IT This light on Zion shone ;
It sparkled in her glancing mountain rills, It bathed in splendor Judah's rugged hills, And rested there alone, —
72 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
18 Till the set time was come —
Till the glad angels sang Messiah's birth ; Then this great name went forth to fill the earth, And make the world its home.
Class.
19 Lift up your heads, ye gates ! And be ye lift, ye everlasting doors !
The Monarch comes, whom highest heaven- adores — The King of Glory waits !
Sjje ^eatiinhs
OF
THE BIBLE.
** Blessed are the pure in heart.''
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SINGING.
Blessedness of the Eighteous.
1 Blest are the men whose mercies move To acts of kindness and of love ; From Christ, the Lord, shall they obtain Like sympathy and love again.
2 Blest are the pure, whose hearts are clean, Who never tread the ways of sin ;
With endless pleasure they shall see A God of spotless purity.
II.
RESPONSIVE READING.
Superintendent. And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain :
Response. And when he was set, his dis- ciples came unto him :
Supt. And he opened his mouth :
Response. And taught them, saying :
Supt. Blessed are the poor in spirit :
Response. For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (75)
76 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
Supt. Blessed are they that mourn :
Response. For they shall be comforted.
Supt. Blessed are the meek :
Response. For they shall inherit the earth.
Supt. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness :
Response. For they shall be filled.
Supt. Blessed are the merciful :
Response. For they shall obtain mercy.
Supt. Blessed are the pure in heart :
Response. For they shall see God.
Supt. Blessed are the peacemakers :
Response. For they shall be called the chil- dren of God.
Supt. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake :
Response. For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matt. 5 : 1-10.
Supt. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house.
Response (by members of the Infant School) . Blessed are they that dwell in thy house : they will be still praising thee. Fs. 84 : 4.
Supt. Blessed are they that do his command- ments.
Response. (Infant School.) Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may
THE BEATITUDES OF THE BIBLE. 77
enter in through the gates into the city. Rev. 22:14.
Supt. Blessed is he that considereth the poor.
Response. (Infant School.) Blessed is he that considereth the poor : the Lord will de- liver him in time of trouble. Ps. 41 : 1.
Supt. Blessed is the man that endureth temp- tation.
Response. (Infant School.) Blessed is the man that endureth temptation : for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. James 1 : 12.
Supt. Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth.
Response. (Infant School.) And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth : Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors ; and their works do follow them. Rev. 14 : 13.
III.
RECITATION.
BY A LITTLE CHILD.
And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them ; and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. But when Jesus saw
78 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not : for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.
IV.
SINGING.
Praise to the Saviour.
Tune — " I do believe."
0 for a thousand tongues to sing
My dear Redeemer's praise, The glories of my God and King, The triumphs of his grace ! Immanuel, Immanuel, Our souls shall ever bless The love divine That made us thine, Thou Lord, our righteousness.
V.
CLASS RECITATION.
First Class, in concert. Blessed is the man, &c. Ps. 1.
Second Class, in concert. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, &c. Ps. 32.
THE BEATITUDES OF THE BIBLE. 79
Third Glass, in concert. Blessed is he that con- sidereth the poor, &c. Ps. 41.
Fourth Class.
First Pupil. Praise ye the Lord, &c. Ps. 112 : 1-10.
Second Pupil. Praise ye the Lord, &c. Ps. 113 : 1-4.
Third Pupil. Blessed are the undefiled in the way, &c. Ps. 119 : 1-9.
Fourth Pupil. Blessed be the God and Father, &c. 1 Peter 1 : 3-6.
Fifth Pupil. Blessed are they that do his com- mandments, &c. Rev. 22 : 14, to the close.
VI.
CLASS RECITATION.
Blessed is the Man.
First Papil. Blessed is the man that walketh, &c. Ps. 1:1,2.
Second Pupil. Blessed is the man unto whom, &c. Ps. 32 : 2.
Third Pupil. 0 taste and see that the Lord is good, &c. Ps. 34 : 8.
Fourth Pupil. Blessed is the man, &c. Ps. 40 :4.
Fifth Pupil. Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, &c. Ps. 65 : 4.
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Sixth Pupil. Blessed is the man, &c." Ps. 84 : 12.
Seventh Pupil. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, &c. Ps. 112 : 1.
Eighth PupM. Blessed is the man that trusteth, &c. Jer. H : 1.
Supt. And the Lord spake unto Moses, &c. Num. 6 : 22, to close.
VII.
RECITATION.
" Blessed are the Pure in Heart. "
They who have kept their spirits' virgin white- ness, Undimmed by folly and unstained by sin, And made their foreheads radiant with the bright- ness Of the pure truth whose temple is within — , They shall see God.
Freed from the thrall of every sinful passion, Around their pathway beams celestial light ;
They drink with joy the waters of salvation, And in his love whose love is infinite They shall see God.
They shall see God ! 0, glorious fruition Of all their hopes and longings here below !
They shall see God in beatific vision, And evermore into his likeness grow — Children of God.
THE BEATITUDES OF THE BIBLE. 81
So when the measure of their faith is meted, And angels beckon from the courts on high —
Filled with all grace, the work divine completed, They shall put on their immortality, And dwell with God.
School, in concert. Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. Rev. 22 : 14.
Pastor. Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ ; to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
6
JfaHIj.
" Have faith in God." — Mark 11 : 22.
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I.
SINGING.
Tune — Italian Hymn.
My faith looks up to thee, Thou Lamb of Calvary :
Saviour divine, Now hear me while I pray ; Take all my guilt away ; 0, let me, from this day,
Be wholly thine.
Rev. Ray Palmer.
Written during ill health in youth. II.
READING.
Romans 5.
III.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.
Superintendent. What is the subject of our concert ?
School. Faith.
Supt. Why is this a subject of the greatest importance ?
Sch. Because without faith it is impossible to please God.
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86 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
Supt. What is faith ?
Sch. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Supt. How may we be justified in the sight of God?
Sch. By faith.
Supt. What spiritual blessing follows justifica- tion by faith ?
Sch. The Bible says, "Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."
Note. — Let the Pastor or the Superintendent briefly explain the doctrine of Justification by Faith.
IV.
SINGING.
BY A CLASS OF GIRLS.
Note. — The same class may close the exercise on Faith by singing
the following hymn : — g
Tune — Boylston.
1 0, where shall rest be found —
Rest for the weary soul ? 'Twere vain the ocean depths to sound, Or pierce to either pole.
2 The world cam never give
The bliss for which we sigh : 7Tis not the whole of life to live, Nor all of death to die.
FAITH. 87
3 Beyond this vale of tears, There is a life above, Unmeasured by the flight of years ; And all that life is love.
SHORT VERSES OF SCRIPTURE.
BY MEMBERS OF THE INFANT DEPARTMENT.
First Pupil. Jesus saith, Have faith in God. Mark 11: 22.
Second Pupil. Fight the good fight of faith : lay hold on eternal life. 1 Tim. 6 : 12.
Third Pupil. Follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. 1 Tim. 6: 11.
Fourth Pupil. The just shall live by his faith. Hah. 2:4.
Fifth Pupil. Add to your faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge. 2 Peter 1: 5.
Sixth Pupil. By grace ye are saved through faith. Eph. 2 : 8.
Seventh Pupil. Faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. James 2 : 17.
Eighth Pupil. Him that is weak in faith receive ye. Rom. 14 : 1.
Supt. What did Jesus say to the two blind men who prayed, " Thou Son of David, have mercy on us? "
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Answer by a Pupil. He said, w According to your faith be it unto you." Matt. 9 : 2\).
Supt. What did Jesus say to the diseased woman who touched the hem of his garment ?
Ans. K Daughter, be of good comfort ; thy faith hath made thee whole."
Supt. What did Jesus say to the penitent woman who bathed his feet with her tears, and anointed them with ointment ?
Ans. "Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace."
Supt. What is said of the prayer of faith in James 5:15?
Ans. ?" The prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up."
Supt. What ought to be our daily prayer? Ans. "Increase our faith."
VI.
SINGING.
by a little girl.
"Were not the sinful Mary's Tears."
Air — Stevenson.
1 Were not the sinful Mary's tears An offering worthy heaven, When o'er the faults of former years She wept, and was forgiven ? —
FAITH. 89
When, bringing every balmy sweet
Her day of luxury stored, She o'er her Saviour's hallowed feet
The precious perfume poured, —
And wiped them with that golden hair, Where once the diamond shone,
Though now those gems of grief were there Which shine for God alone !
Were not those sweets so humbly shed,
That hair, those weeping eyes, And the sunk heart, that inly bled,
Heaven's noblest sacrifice ?
Thou that hast slept in error's sleep, 0, wouldst thou wake in heaven,
Like Mary kneel, like Mary weep, " Love much," and be forgiven !
VII.
RECITATION.
BY A MEMBER OF THE INFANT SCHOOL.
1 0 for a faith that will not shrink,
Though pressed by every foe, That will not tremble on the brink Of any earthly woe ! —
2 That will not murmur nor complain
Beneath the chastening rod,
But, in the hour of grief or pain,
Will lean iipon its God ; —
3 A faith that shines more bright and clear
When tempests rage without ;
That when in danger knows no fear,
In darkness feels no doubt ; —
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4 That bears, unmoved, the world's dread frown,
Nor heeds its scornful smile ; That seas of trouble cannot drown, Nor Satan's arts beguile ; —
5 A faith that keeps the narrow way
Till life's last hour is fled, And with a pure and heavenly ray Lights up a dying bed.
6 Lord, give us such a faith as this,
And then, whatever may come, We'll taste, e'en here, the hallowed bliss Of an eternal home.
VIII. SINGING.
BY THE INFANT SCHOOL.
1 I'll try to prove faithful, I'll try to prove faithful,
I'll try to prove faithful, faithful, faithful, T^ll we all shall meet above.
2 There we shall see Jesus, There we shall see Jesus,
There we shall see Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, When we all shall meet above.
3 There we shall sing praises, There we shall sing praises,
There we shall sing praises, praises, praises, When we ail shall meet above.
A Short Address to the Infant School, con- taining" an illustration of faith.
FAITH. 91
IX.
KEADING.
BY THE SUPERINTENDENT.
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word* of God ; so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. Heb. 11: 1, 3.
X.
RECITATIONS.
First Pupil. In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep : and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. Gen. 1:1,2.
Second Pupil. And God said, Let there be light : and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good ; and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. Gen. 1 : 3-5.
Third Pupil. And God said, Let there be a firmament, &c. Gen. 1 : 6-9.
Fourth Pupil. And God said, Let the wa- ters under the heaven, &c. Gen. 1 : 9—14.
92 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
Superintendent. By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying . of his gifts; and by it he, being- dead, yet speaketh. Ileb. 11:4.
Fifth Pupil. And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock, and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel, and to his offering: But unto Cain, and to his offering, he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted ? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. Gen. 4 : 3-7.
Supt. By faith Enoch was translated, that he should not see death ; and was not found, be- cause God had translated him : for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please him : for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a re warder of them that dili- gently seek him. Ileb. 11 : 5, 6.
Sixth Pupil. And Enoch walked with God, after he begat Methuselah, three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters. And' all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years. And Enoch walked with
FAITH. • 93
God, and he was not; for God took him. Gen. 5 : 22-24.
Supt. By faith Noe, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house ; by the which lie condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. Heb. 11 : 7.
Seventh Pupil. And the Lord said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark ; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation, &c. Gen. 7:1-7.
Eighth Pupil. And God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle that was with him in the ark : and God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the wraters assuaged, &c. Gen. 8 : 1-6.
Supt. By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after re- ceive for an inheritance, obeyed ; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. • Heb. 11:8.
Ninth Pupil. Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will show thee, &c. Gen. 12 : 1-10.
Supt. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tab- ernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise : for he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. Heb. 11 : 9, 10.
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Tenth Pupil. And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God : walk before me, and be thou perfect, &c. Gen. 17:1-9.
Supt. Through faith also Sarah herself re- ceived strength to conceive seed, and was deliv- ered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised, &c. Heb. 11 : 11-18.
Eleventh Pupil. And Sarah was an hun- dred and seven and twenty years old : these were the years of the life of Sarah, &c. Gen. 23: 1-7.
Supt. By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac : and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, that in Isaac shall thy seed be called : accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead ; from whence also he received him in a figure. Heb. 11 : 1*7—19.
Twelfth Pupil. And Isaac spake unto Abra- ham his father, and said, My father; and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Be- hold the fire and the wood ; but where is the lamb for a burnt-offering? Gen. 22 : 7-13.
Thirteenth Pupil. And the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, &c. Gen. 22 : 15-19.
Supt. By faith Isaac blessed Jacob' and Esau concerning things to come. Heb. 11 : 20.
FAITH. 95
Fourteenth Pupil.
And Esau said unto his father, Hast thou but one blessing, my father ? Bless me, even me also, 0 my father ! And Esau lifted up his voice, and wept. And Isaac, his father, answered and said unto him, Behold, thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above ; and by thy sword shaft thou live, and shalt serve thy brother ; and it shalt come to pass, when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck. Gen. 21 : 38-40.
Fifteenth Pupil.
And Isaac called Jacob, and .blessed him, and charged him, and said unto him, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan. Gen. 28 : 1-6.
Supt. By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph ; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff. Heb. 11 : 21.
Sixteenth Pupil.
And Israel beheld Joseph's sons, and said, Who are these? And Joseph said unto his father, They are my sons whom God hath given me in this place. And he said, Bring them, I pray thee, unto me, and I will bless them. (Now the eyes of Israel were dim for age, so that he could not see.) And he brought them near unto him ; and he kissed them and embraced them. And Israel said unto Joseph, I had not thought to see thy face; and, lo, God hath showed me also thy seed. Gen. 48 : 8-12.
96 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
Seventeenth Pupil.
And he blessed them that day, saying, In thee shall Israel bless, saying, God make thee as Ephraim, and as Manasseh. And he set Ephraim before Manasseh. And Israel said unto Joseph, Behold, I die : but God shall be with you, and bring you again unto the land of your fathers. Gen. 48 : 20, 21.
Supt. By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Is- rael, and gave commandment concerning his bones. Heb. 11 : 22.
Eighteenth Pupil.
And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die; and God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land unto the land which he sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit yon, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence. Gen. 50:24, 25.
Supt. By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child ; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment. Heb. 11 : 23.
Nineteenth Pupil.
And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive. And there went a man of the house of Levi and took to wife a daughter of Levi. Ex. 1:22; 2: 1-9.
FAITH. 97
Supi. By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter ; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season ; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt : for he had respect unto the recompense of the re- ward. Heb. 11 : 24-26.
Twentieth Pupil.
And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt? And he said, Certainly I will be with thee ; and this shall be a token unto thee that I have sent thee : When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain. And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you ; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? And God said unto Moses, 1 AM THAT I AM : and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath
sent me unto vou. Ex. 3 : 11-19.
*j
Supt. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king : for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible. Heb. 11 : 27
Tiventy-first Pupil.
But God led the people about, through the
way of the wilderness of the Red Sea ; and
the children of Israel went up harnessed out
of the land of Egypt. And Moses took the
1
98 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK,
bones of Joseph with him ; for he had straitly sworn the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you; and ye shall carry up my bones away hence with you. And they took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness. And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud to lead them the way--; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light, to go by day and night. He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people. Ex. 13 : 13-22.
Supt. Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling- of blood, lest he that destroyed the first-born should touch them. Heb. 11 : 28.
Twenty-second Pupil.
Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto them, Draw out and take you a lamb, according to vour families, and 'kill the passover. Ex. 12 : 21-28.
Supt. By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land : which the Egyptians assaying to do, were drowned. Hebrews 11 : 29.
Twenty-third Pupil.
And the Eg}^ptians pursued, and went in after them to the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horse- men. Ex. 14:23-28.
Twenty-fourth Pupil.
By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days. Heb. 11:30-35.
FAITH. 99
Women received their dead raised to life again : and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection : And others had trial of cruel Blockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword : they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins : being destitute, afflicted, tormented : Of whom the world was not worthy : they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise : God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect. Heb. 11 : 35, to close.
XI.
SINGING.
BY A CLASS OF GIRLS.
" Fve found Abiding Rest."
See " Singing- Pilgrim."
I now have found abiding rest,
For which 1 long was sighing ; Now on my Saviour's faithful breast
My weary head is lying : This is the place where sin no more,
And death and hell, alarm me ; I now am safe, by Jesus' power,
From all that else would harm me.
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XII. RECITATION.
BY A CHILD.
The Demonstration.
A man of subtle reasoning asked
A peasant if he knew Where was th' internal evidence
That proved the Bible true. The terms of disputative art
Had never reached his ear ; He laid his hand upon his heart,
And only answered, "Here."
XIII. RECITATION.
Faith.
From the German of Neumeister. Horse Germanics^.
1 Lord Jesus Christ, my spirit's health, My highest good, my only wealth,
Whatever shall betide me, — My heart's delight thou'lt ever b ; No joy or sorrow shall from thee
And from thy love divide me. Thou makest me to know thy way, Thy hand of mercy is my stay ; It guides my course in all its length, In all my weakness gives me strength.
Lord Jesus Christ, Be thou my light through nature's night, And never hide thee from my sight !
FAITH. 101
My portion, governed by thy will, Keveals thy sovereign mercy still,
And to my good is tending ; It oft my wish may strangely cross, But soon I see what seemed a loss
In gain as strangely ending. With weary steps, by dreary road, I yet may reach thy bright abode ; There, with the saints in endless bliss, To wear the crown of righteousness.
Thou, Jesus Christ, Art my desire — All I require : My warmest hopes to thee aspire.
On thee alone I rest my all, — With thee, for nothing else I call,
When evils here oppress me : Nay, what were heaven, aside from thee ? 'Twould be a thankless gift to me,
Unless my Saviour bless me. What then has earth, without thy love, That could my soul's affections move ? Throughout the universe, beside, There's none in whom I can confide.
Lord Jesus Christ, My life and peace, my faith increase, That love and joy may never cease.
And were it so, that I beneath Shame, torture, agony, and death,
Must, soul and bod}7, perish, — Should pains and fears still onward swell, Till all around me were a Hell, —
My faith I yet would cherish. But thou wilt be my spirit's health, My chosen good, my only wealth ;
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And I too shall — must ever be, Both soul and body, blest in thee.
Lord Jesus Christ, Thy word I take. And those who make Their trust in thee thou'lt ne'er forsake.
XIV. KECITATION AND SINGING.
Note. — This exercise maybe rendered by four singers, standing- near the instrument of music — the speaker of the scriptural introduc- tion being- one of the quartet.
And when he was entered into a ship, his dis- ciples followed him. And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves : but he was asleep. And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us : we perish. And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, 0 ye of little faith ? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea ; and there was a great calm. But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him? Matt. 8:23-27.
SlNGING." • For music, see " Jubilate," p. 225.
1 When through the torn sail the wild tempest is
streaming, When o'er the dark wave the red lightning is
gleaming, Nor hope lends a ray the poor seaman to
cherish, We fly to our Maker — "Save, Lord, or we
perish. "
FAITH. 103
2 0 Jesus, once rocked on the breast of the
billow, Aroused bj^ the shriek of despair from thy
pillow, — Now, seated in glory, the mariner cherish, Who cries, in his anguish, " Save, Lord, or we
perish."
3 And 0, when the whirlwind of passion is raging, When sin in our hearts its sad warfare is waging, Then send down thy grace, thy redeemed to
cherish ; Rebuke the destroyer. " Save, Lord, or we perish. "
Recitation by a Young Lady. .
Mark 5 : 21-24, 35-13. THE HEALING OF JAIRUS'S DAUGHTER.
It was night,
And, softly, o'er the Sea of Galilee Danced the breeze-ridden ripples to the shore, Tipped with the silver sparkles of the moon. The breaking waves played low upon the beach Their constant music, but the air beside Was still as starlight, and the Saviour's voice, In its rich cadences unearthly sweet, Seemed like some just born harmony in the air, Waked by the power of wisdom. On a rock, With the broad moonlight falling on his brow, Lay his small scrip, and pilgrim's scallop-shell, And staff — for they had waited by the sea Till he came o'er from Gadarene, and prayed For his wont teachings as he came to land. His hair was parted meekly on his brow,
104 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
And the long curls from off his shoulders fell,
As he leaned forward earnestly, and still ■
The same calm cadence, passionless and deep —
And in his looks the same mild majesty —
And in his mien the sadness mixed with power —
Filled them with love' and wonder. Suddenly,
As on his words entrancedly they hung,
The crowd divided, and among them stood
Jairus the Ruler. With his flowing robe
Gathered in haste about his loins, he came,
And fixed his eyes on Jesus. Closer drew
The twelve disciples to their Master's side ;
And silently the people shrunk away,
And left the haughty Ruler in the midst
Alone. A moment longer on the face
Of the meek Nazarene he kept his gaze,
And, as the twelve looked on him, by the light
Of the clear moon, they saw a glistening tear
Steal to his silver beard ; and, drawing nigh
Unto the Saviour's feet, he took the hem
Of his coarse mantle, and with trembling hands
Pressed it upon his lips, and murmured low,
"Master! my daughter ! " —
The same silvery light,
That shone upon the lone rock by the sea,
Slept on the Ruler's lofty capitals,
As at the door he stood, and welcomed in
Jesus and his disciples. All was still.
The echoing vestibule gave back the slide
Of their loose sandals, and the arrowy beam
Of moonlight slanting to the marble floor,
Lay like a spell of silence in the rooms,
As Jairus led them on. With hushing steps
He trod the winding stair ; but ere he touched
FAITH. 105
The latchet, from within a whisper came, n Trouble the Master not — for she is dead ! ;7 And his faint hand fell nerveless at his side, And his steps faltered, and his broken voice Choked in its utterance ; — but a gentle hand Was laid upon his arm, and in his ear The Saviour's voice sank thrillingly and low, " She is not dead — but sleepeth."
They passed in. The spice-lamps in the alabaster urns Burned dimly, and the white and fragrant smoke Ciuied indolently on the chamber walls. The silken curtains slumbered in their folds — Not even a tassel stirring in the air — And as the Saviour stood beside the bed, And prayed inaudibly, the Ruler heard The quickening division of his breath As he grew earnest inwardly. There came A gradual brightness o'er his calm, sad face ; And drawing nearer to the bed, he moved The silken curtains silently apart, And looked upon the maiden.
Like a form Of matchless sculpture in her sleep she lay — The linen vesture folded on her breast, And over it her white, transparent hands, The blood still rosy in their tapering nails. A line of pearl ran through her parted lips, And, in her nostrils, spiritually thin, The breathing curve was mockingly like life ; And round beneath the faintly-tinted skin Ran the light branches of the azure veins — And on her cheek the jet lash overlay, Matching the arches pencilled on her brow.
106 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
Her hair had been unbound, and falling loose Upon her pillow? hid her small, round ears In curls of glossy blackness ; and about Her polished neck, scarce touching it, they hung', Like airy shadows, floating as they slept. ;Twas heavenly beautiful. The Saviour raised Her hand from off her bosom, and spread out The snowy fingers in his palm, and said, " Maiden, arise ! ;? — and suddenly a flush Shot o'er her foreliead and along her lips, And through her cheek the rallied color ran ; And the still outline of her graceful form Stirred in the linen vesture ; and she clasped The Saviour's hand, and fixing her dark eyes Full on his beaming countenance — arose !
frajur.
" Prayer moves the Hand that moves the world. ,!
(107)
CHANT.
Humble Devotion.
BOWRING.
From the recesses of a lowly spirit, •
Our humble prayer ascends, — O
Borne on the trembling wings of
For-
Fa . . ther, | hear it ; — fear . . and | meekness ; give . . its | weakness.
We know — we feel how mean and how unworthy The lowly sacrifice we | pour . . be- | fore thee ; — What can we offer thee, — O | thou . . most | holy, — But | sin . . and | folly ?
We see thy hand — it leads us — it supports us : —
We hear thy voice — it | counsels, . . and it | courts us ; —
And then we turn away! — yet | still . . thy j kindness
For- | gives . . our | blindness.
Who can resist thy gentle call, — appealing
To every generous thought, and | grate . . ful | feeling? —
O, who can hear the accents | of . . thy | mercy, —
And | nev . . er | love thee ?
Kind Benefactor ! — plant within this bosom The | seeds . . of | holiness, — || and let them blossom In fragrance, — and in beauty j bright . . and | vernal, — And j spring . . e- | ternal.
Then place them in those everlasting gardens Where angels walk, — and | seraphs . . are the | wardens ; — Where every flower, — brought safe through | death's . . dark | portal, —
Be- | comes . . im- | mortal. (109)
110 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK. II.
EESPONSIVE READINGS.
Psalms of Degrees.
Note. — Let the Superintendent explain the- meaning- of " a psalm of degrees," showing how the thought or expression of one verse is resumed and carried forward in the next succeeding verse, and adapted to the ancient manner of singing.
Psalms 121-124.
Superintendent: I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.
School. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.
Supt. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved : he that keepeth thee will not slumber.
Sch. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
Supt. The Lord is thy keeper; the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand.
Seh. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.
Supt: The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil ; he shall preserve thy soul.
Sch. The Lord shall preserve thy going out, and thy coming in, from this time forth, and even for evermore.
PRAYEK. Ill
III.
RESPONSIVE READING.
Superintendent. And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are : for they love to pray standing in the synagogues, and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward, &c. Matt. 6 : 5-9.
School. Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be clone in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation ; but deliver us from evil : for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
IV. SINGING.
Tune— Boylston.
1 Our heavenly Father, hear
The prayer we offer now ; Thy name be hallowed far and near, To thee all nations bow.
2 Thy kingdom come; thy will
On earth be done in love, As saints and seraphim fulfil Thy perfect law above.
112 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
3 Oar daily bread supply-
While by thy word we live ; The guilt of our iniquity Forgive, as we forgive.
4 From dark temptation's power,
From Satan's wiles, defend ; Deliver in the evil hour, And guide us to the end.
5 Thine shall forever be
Glory and power divine ; The sceptre, throne, and majesty Of heaven and earth are thine.
6 Thus humbly taught to pray
By thy beloved Son, Through him we come to thee, and say, " All for his sake be done."
V.
SHORT RECITATIONS OF SCRIPTURE AND POETRY.
BY MEMBERS OF THE INFANT DEPARTMENT. I.
Pray without ceasing. 1 Thess. 5 : IT.
1 Prayer is the simplest form of speech
That infant lips can try ; Prayer, the sublimest strains that reach The majesty on high.
2 Prayer is the Christian's vital breath,
The Christian's native air, His watchword at the gates of death ; He enters heaven with prayer.
PRAYER. 113
II.
The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers. 1 Pe- ter 3 : 12.
Eocks of granite, gates of brass,
Alps, to heaven soaring, Bow to let the wishes pass
Of a soul imploring.
in.
Watch and pray, that ye enter not into tempta- tion. Matt. 26 : 41.
Guide me, 0 thou great Jehovah, Pilgrim through this barren land ;
I am weak, but thou art mighty ; Hold me with thy powerful hand :
Bread of heaven, Feed me till I want no more.
. IV.
The prayer of the upright is his delight. Prov. 15 : 8.
MARGARET MERCER.
Not to a prayerless bed, not to a prayerless bed Compose thy weary limbs to rest ; For they alone are blest
With balmy sleep,
Whom angels keep.
Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and crv aloud ; and he shall hear my voice. Ps. 55: It.
114 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
Spoken or sung,
1 Go when the morning- shineth,
Go when the noon is bright, Go when the eve declineth,
Go in the hush of night, Go with pure mind and feeling,
Fling earthly thought away, And, in thy closet kneeling,
Do thou in secret pray.
2 0, not a joy or blessing
With this can we compare — The grace our Father gave us
To pour our souls in prayer : Whene'er thou pin'st in sadness,
Before his footstool fall ; Remember, in thy gladness,
His love who gave thee all.
VI.
Pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you. Matt. 5 : 4l.
Spoken or sung.
Remember all who love thee,
All who are loved by thee ; Pray, too, for those who hate thee,
If any such there be ; Then for thyself, in meekness,
A blessing humbly claim, And blend with each petition
Thy great Redeemer's name.
VII.
Is any among you afflicted ? let him pray. James 5 : 13.
PRAYER. 115
MRS. STEELE.
1 Father, whatever of earthly bliss
Thy sovereign will denies, Accepted at thy throne of grace Let this petition rise : —
2 Give me a calm, a thankful heart,
From every murmur free ; The blessings of thy grace impart, And make me live to thee.
3 Let the sweet hope that thou art mine
My life and death attend ; Thy presence through my journey shine, And crown my journey's end.
VIII.
He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer.
NEWTON.
Thy ways, thou Only Wise,
Our thoughts and ways transcend Far as the arched skies Above this earth extend. Such pleas as mine men would not hear, But God receives a beggar's prayer.
IX.
The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. James 5 : 16.
DR. WATTS.
1 0, keep my soul from death, Nor put my hope to shame; For I have placed my only trust In my Redeemer's name.
116 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
2 With humble faith I wait To see thy face again ; Of Israel it shall ne'er be said, " He sought the Lord in vain."
x. The prayer of faith shall save the sick. James 5:15.
DR. COTTON.
1 Why, 0 my soul, 0, why depressed ?
And whence thine anxious fears ? Let former favors fix thy trust, And check thy rising tears.
2 Affliction is a stormy deep,
Where wave succeeds to wave ; Though o'er my head the billows roll, I know the Lord can save.
3 On him I trust, and build my hope,
Nor murmur at his rod : In vain the waves of trouble roll While he is still my God.
XI.
Ask, and it shall be given you ; seek, and ye shall find ; knock, and it shall be opened unto you : for every one that asketh receiveth ; and he that seeketh findoth ; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Matt. 7 : 7, 8.
1 The voice of melody is hushed,
Silent the hour of prayer ; But songs are echoing in heaven — The gates are open there.
2 Darkness hath locked the outer door,
Guards the untrodden stair ; The " many mansions " are not dark, The gates are open there ; —
PRAYER. 1
3 Open for angels to descend And minister to thee ; Open for prayer to enter in ; Open for you and me.
XII.
A Child's Evening Prayer.
A. L. WARING.
1 Lord, a happy child of thine,
Patient in the love of thee, In the light, the life divine, Lives and walks at liberty.
2 Leaning on thy tender care,
Thou hast led my soul aright ; Fervent was my morning prayer, Joyful is my soul to-night.
3 0 my Saviour, Guardian true,
All my life is thine to keep ; At thy feet my work I do, In thy arms I fall asleep.
xm. The Bird Let Loose.
SIR THOMAS MOORE.
1 The bird, let loose in eastern skies,
When hastening fondly home, Ne'er stoops to earth her wing, nor flies Where idle warblers roam.
2 But high she shoots through air and light,
Above all low delay, Where nothing earthly bounds her flight, Nor shadow dims her way.
118 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
3 So grant me, God, from every care,
And stain of passion free, Aloft, through Virtue's purer air, To hold my course to thee.
4 No sin to cloud, no lure to stay
My soul, as home she springs, Thy sunshine on her joyful way, Thy freedom in her wings.
XIV.
The Lord's Prayer.
Our Father, throned where angels bow, Thy name be hallowed here below ; Thy kingdom come ; thy will be done
On earth, as done in heaven ; Give us our bread, each day its own ;
And be our sins forgiven, As we forgive the wrongs we bear ; Our weakness from temptation spare ; From evil save : for thine's the power, The kingdom, glory evermore. Amen !
VI.
SINGING.
CHARLES WESLEY.
Love divine, all love excelling,
Joy of heaven, to earth come down ; Fix in us thy humble dwelling ;
All thy faithful mercies crown : Jesus, thou art all compassion ;
Pure, unbounded love thou art ; Visit us with th}r salvation ;
Enter every trembling heart.
PRAYER. 119
VII.
RECITATION.
by little children.
Samuel Praying.
First Pupil. And the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord, &c. 1 Sam. 3 : 2-5.
Second Pupil. And he ran unto Eli, and said, Here am I, &c. 1 Sam. 3 : 5-8.
Third Pupil. And the Lord called Samuel again the third time, &c. 1 Sam. 3 : 8—11.
Fourth Pupil. And the Lord said to Samuel, Behold, &c. 1 Sam. 3 : 11-15.
Fifth Pupil. And Samuel lay until the morn- ing, &c. 1 Sam. 3 : 15-19.
Sixth Pupil. And when the Philistines heard that, &c. 1 Sam. 1 : 1-13.
Seventh Pupil.
Samuel Praying.
CAWOOD.
1 In Israel's fane, by silent night,
The lamp of God was burning bright, And there, by viewless angels kept, Samuel, the child, securely slept.
2 A voice unknown the stillness broke ;
" Samuel/7 it called, and thrice it spoke : He rose, he asked whence came the word : From Eli ? No — it was the Lord.
120 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
3 Thus early called to serve his God, In paths of righteousness he trod ; Prophetic visions fired his breast, And all the chosen tribes were blest.
4 Speak, Lord mf and from our earliest days Incline our hearts to love thy ways : Thy wakening voice hath reached our ear Speak, Lord, to us ; thy servants hear.
VIII.
SINGING.
Tune — Lily Dale.
1 0 Jesus, thou the beauty art
Of angel worlds above ; Thy Name is music to the heart, ■ Inflaming it with love. Chorus. 0 Jesus,
Dear Jesus, Thy love untold Shall lead my feet, With singing sweet, To the tuneful city of gold.
2 Celestial sweetness unalloyed !
Who eat thee hunger still ; Who drink of thee still feel a void Which nought but thou can fill. 0 Jesus, &c.
3 0 most sweet Jesus, hear the. sighs
Which unto thee we send ; To thee our inmost spirit cries, To thee our prayers ascend. 0 Jesus, &c.
PRAYER. 12]
4 Abide with us, and let thy light
Shine, Lord, on every heart ; Dispel the darkness of our night, And joy to all impart.
0 Jesus, &c.
5 Jesus, our love and joy, to thee,
The Virgin's holy Son, All might, and praise, and glory be, While endless ages run.
0 Jesus, &c.
Singing. " Fading, still fading. "
IX.
CLASS RECITATION.
The Prayer of Moses.
Teacher. Lord, thou hast been our dwelling- place in all generations. Ps. 90 : 1.
Class in concert. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God. Thou turnest man to destruction, and sayest, Return, ye children of men. For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a wrateh in the night. Thou carriest them away as with a flood ; they are as a sleep : in the morning they are like grass which grow- eth up. In the morning it flourisheth, and
122 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
groweth up ; in the evening it is cut clown, and withereth. For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled. Ver. 2-7.
Teacher. Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy counte- nance. Ver. 8.
Class in concert. For all our days are passed away in thy wrath ; we spend our j^ears as a tale that is told. The days of our years are threescore years and ten ; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labor and sorrow ; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away. Ver. 9, 10.
Teacher. Who -knoweth the power of thine anger ? even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath. . Ver. 11.
Class in concert. So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. Ver. 12.
Teacher. Return, 0 Lord, how long ? and let it repent thee concerning thy servants. Ver. 13.
Class in concert. O, satisfy us early with thy mercy, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us, and the years wherein wre have seen evil. Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children. And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us ; and establish thou the work of our hands upon us ; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.tt Ver. 14-17.
PRAYER. 123
The Prayer of David, after having been re- proved by Nathan the Prophet.
First Pupil. Have mercy upon me, 0 God, &c. Ps. 51 : 1-5.
Second Pupil. Behold, I was shapen in iniqui- ty, &c. Ps. 51 : 5-10.
Third Pupil. Create in me a clean heart, &c. Ps. 51 : 10-14.
Fourth Pupil. Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, 0 God, &c. Ps. 51 : 14-17.
Fifth Pupil. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, &c. Ps. 51 : 17, to close.
The Prayer of Habakkuk.
Teacher. A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, &c. Hab. 3 : 1-3.
First Pupil. God came from Teman, &c. 3 : 3-7.
Second Pupil. I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction, &c. 3 : 7-10.
Third Pupil. The mountains saw thee, and they trembled, &c. 3 : 10-14.
Fourth Pupil. Thou didst strike through with his staves, &c. 3 : 14-17.
Fifth Pupil. Although the fig tree shall not blossom, &c. 3 : 17, to close.
Christ's Prayer to the Father.
JTeacher. These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes, &c. John 17 : 1-3.
124 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK. ,
First Pupil. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee, &c. 11 : 3-6.
Second Pupil. I have manifested thy name unto the men, &c. IT : 6-9.
Third Pupil. I pray for them : I pray not for the world, &c. 11 : 9-12.
Fourth Pupil. While I was 'with them in the world, &c. 11 : 12-14.
Fifth Pupil. I have given them thy word, &c. 11 : 14-16.
Sixth Pupil. They are not of the world, &c. H : 16-20.
Seventh Pupil. Neither pray I for these alone,
&c. 11 : 20-24.
Eighth Pupil. Father, I will that they also whom thou, &c. 11 : 24, to close.
The Prayer of Hezekiah.
In those days was Hezekiah sick, &c. Kings 20:1--?.
The Prayer of Paul and Silas.
First Pupil. And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains, &c. Acts 16 : 19-25.
Second Pupil. And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, &c. 16 : 25-28.
Third Pupil. But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, &c. 16 : 28-34.
PRAYER. 125
X.
EXERCISES.
The Lord's Prayer.
Note. — The following acrostic was written by a pious man during imprisonment.
First Pupil.
Our Lord and King, who reign'st enthroned on
high ! Father of Light ! Mysterious Deity ! Which art the great I AM — the last, the first — Art righteous, holy, merciful, and juSt — In realms of glory, scenes where angels sing — Heaven is thy dwelling-place, 0 God, our King ! Hallowed be thy name, which doth all names
transcend ; Be thou adored, our great, Almighty Friend ; Thy glory shines beyond creation's space, Named in the book of justice and of grace ; Thy kingdom towers beyond the starry skies ; — Kingdoms satanic fall, but thine shall rise ; — Come, set thy empire, 0 thou Holy One ; Thy great and everlasting will be done ! Will God make known his will, his power dis- play ? Be it the work of mortals to obey
Second Pupil.
Done is the great, the wondrous work of love ; In Calvary's mount he died, but reigns above ;
126 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
Earth bears the record in his holy Word ; As heaven adores thy love, let earth, 0 Lord ; It shines transcendent in th' eternal skies — Is praised in heaven ; for man the Saviour dies ; In songs immortal angels laud his name ; Heaven shouts with joy, and saints his love pro- claim.
Third Pupil.
Give us, 0 Lord, our bread, nor cease to give Us proper food on which our souls may live. This be our boon to-day, and days to come, Day without end, in our eternal home ; Our needy souls supply from day to day ; Daily assist and aid us when we prsij ; Bread though we ask, yet, Lord, thy blessing lend, And make us grateful when thy gifts descend.
Fourth Pupil.
Forgive our sins, which in destruction place Us — the vile rebels of a sinful race ; Our follies, faults, and trespasses forgive — Debts which we can ne'er repay nor thou receive — - As we, 0 Lord, our neighbors faults overlook, We beg blot ours from out thy memory-book ; Forgive our enemies ; extend thy grace Our souls to save, e'en Adam's guilty race, Debtors to thee in gratitude and love, And in that duty paid by saints above.
Fifth Pupil.
Lead us not into sin, and in thy mercy raise Us from the tempter and His hellish ways. Not in our own, but in His name who bled, Into thine ear we pour our every need.
PRAYER. 127
Temptation's fatal charms help us to shun,
But may we conquer through thy conquering
Son! Deliver us from all which can annoy Us in this world, or might our souls destroy ; From all calamities which men betide, Evil and death, 0 turn our feet aside ! For we are mortal worms, and cleave to clay ;
Sixth Pupil.
Thine ?tis to rule, and mortals to obey. Is not thy mercy, Lord, forever free ? The whole creation knows no God but thee. Kingdoms and empires in thy presence fall ; And the King eternal reigneth King of all. Power is with thee — to thee be glory given, And be thy name adored by earth and heaven. The praise of saints and angels is thy own ; Glory to thee, the Everlasting One ; Forever be the Triune name adored, Amen. Hosanna ! Blessed be the Lord !
Supt. Wherefore David blessed the Lord before all the congregation : and David said, Blessed be thou, Lord God of Israel our father, forever and ever. 1 Chron. 29 : 10.
Response by the School. Oar Father, which art in heaven.
Superintendent. His name shall endure forever; his name shall be continued as long as the sun : and men shall be blessed in him ; all nations shall call him blessed. Ps. 22 : H.
Response. Hallowed be thy name.
128 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
Supt. And the seventh angel sounded ; and there was a great voice in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ ; and he shall reign forever and ever. Rev. 11 : 15.
Response. Thy kingdom come.
Supt. I delight to do thy will, 0 my God. Ps. 40 : 8.
Response. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven.
Supt. Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, veri- ly, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven ; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven, &c. John 6 : 32-35.
Response. Give us this day our daily bread,
Supt. Then came Peter unto him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him ? till seven times ? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times ; but, Until seventy times seven. Matt. 18 : 21, 22.
Response. And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.
Supt. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment, to be punished. 2 Pe- ter 11 : 9.
Response. And lead us not into tempta- tion, but deliver us from evii.
Supt. Thine, 0 Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the
PRAYER. 129
majesty ; for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine ; thine is the kingdom, 0 Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all, &c. 1 Chron. 29 : 11-13.
Response. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
Address on the Lord's Prayer.
Note. — Let the speaker ask the school how many are sure that they can repeat the Lord's Prayer correctly. Then let him call upon individual scholars to make the recitation. A large number of them will be likely to say, " Our Father who art," &c, and, " forgive us our trespasses," and to omit the and between " the kingdom " and " the power." Many children use the phrase " on earth "instead of " in earth."
It was found in a flourishing- school in one of our large cities that scarcely a pupil could recite correctly the Lord's Prayer.
Recitation.
1 Abide with me ; fast falls the even-tide :
The darkness deepens ; Lord, with me abide ; When other helpers fail, and comforts flee, Help of the helpless, 0, abide with me.
2 Swift to its close ebbs out life's little day, Earth's joys grow dim ; its glories pass away ; Change and decay in all around I see j
0 Thou who changest not, abide with me.
3 I need thy presence every passing hour ; What but thy grace can foil the tempter's
power ? Who like thyself my guide and stay can be ? Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with
me. 9
130 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
4 I fear no foe with thee at hand to bless ; Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness ; Where is death's sting ? where, grave, thy vic- tory ?
I triumph still, if thou abide with me.
5 Hold thou thy cross before my closing eyes ; Shine through the gloom, and point me to the
skies ; Heaven's morning breaks, and earth's vain
shadows flee ; In life, in death, 0 Lord, abide with me. Amex.
%\t Itumiig of ficnbersion.
" What must I do to be saved ? " — Acts 16 : 30.
" Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved."— Acts 16:31.
(131)
I.
KEADING.
At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, 0 Father, Lord of heaven and earth, be- cause thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes, &c. Matt. 11 : 25-30.
II.
SINGING.
" Come to Me."
[BY PERMISSION OF BIGLOW AND MAINE.]
Note. — Let the words " Come to Me " be echoed softly from four voices in the gallery.
1 With tearful eyes I look around ;
Life seems a dark and | stormy | sea ; Yet 'midst the gloom I hear a sound,
A heavenly | whisper, | " Come to ] me."
2 It tells me of a place of rest —
It tells me where my | soul may | flee ; 0, to the weary, faint, oppressed,
How sweet the | bidding, | "Come to | me."
3 When nature shudders, loath to part
From all I love, en- | joy, and | see, When a faint chill steals o'er my heart,
A sweet voice | utters, | " Come to | me."
(133)
134 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
4 Come, for all else must fail and die ;
Earth is no resting- | place for | thee ; Heavenward direct thy weeping eye ; I am thy j portion, | " Come to [ me."
5 0 voice of mercy ! voice of love !
In conflict, grief, and ] ago- ( ny. Support me, cheer me from above,
And gently j whisper, | '-'Come to | me."
Note. — Let the Superintendent and the teachers relate, between the parts of this Concert Exercise, their early Christian experiences. In no way can the subject of conversion be better illustrated, or bet- ter impressed upon the youthful mind, than by detailed accounts of the manner in which religious teachers themselves were brought to a knowledge of the truth. Efforts like this have resulted in revivals of religion.
It will be well also, in this connection, to ask some of the older scholars to read accounts of conversion from biography. The early religious experience of Jonathan Edwards, of George Whitenelcl. of the poet Cowper. and of Madame Guyon. are very striking and inter- esting.
III.
CLASS RECITATION.
The Necessity or Conversion.
First Pupil. Jesus answered, Verily, verily. I say unto thee. Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God, Ac. John 3 : 6-S.
Second Pupil. And Jesus called a little child unto him. and set him in the midst of them, and said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be con- verted, and become as little children, ye shall not
NECESSITY OF CONVERSION. 135
enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Matt. 18 : 2-6.
Note. — Let the Superintendent explain the meaning- of the word " offend " in the 6th verse.
Third Pupil. Repent ye, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. Acts 3 : 19.
Fourth Pupil. There were present at that sea- son some that told him of the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices, &c. Luke 13 : 1-5.
Fifth Pupil. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter, and to the rest of the apostles, Men and breth- ren, what shall we do ? &c. Acts 2 : 3T-39.
Sixth Pupil. And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved ; but he that believeth not shall be damned. Mark 16 : 15, 16.
Seventh Pupil. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life : and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life ; but the wrath of God abideth on him. John 3 : 36.
136 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
IV.
SINGING.
From the " Singing Pilgrim."
Come to Jesus just now.
Superintendent. Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matt. 11 : 28.
1 Come to Jesus, just now, &c.
Supt. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved. Acts 16 : 31.
2 He will save you, just now, &c.
Supt. God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16.
3 0, believe him, just now, &c.
Supt. He is able to save them to the utter- most that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for us. Heb. 7 : 25.
4 He is able, just now, &c.
Supt. The Lord is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 2 Pet. 3 : 9.
5 He is willing, just now, &c.
Supt. Him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out. John 6 : 37.
6 He'll receive you, just now, &c.
NECESSITY OF CONVERSION. 137
V.
CLASS RECITATION.
The Way of Life.
First Pupil. Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down be- fore Paul and Silas, and brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved ? &c. Acts 16 : 29-33.
Second Pupil. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up, &c. John 3 : 14-16.
Third Pupil. Verily, verily, I say%unto you, He that heareth my word, and belie veth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not coma into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life, &c. John 5 : 24.
Fourth Pupil. I am the living bread which came down from heaven : if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world, &c. John 6 : 51, 56-58.
Fifth Pupil. Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day, &c. Matt. 11 : 24-26.
Sixth Pupil. Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the^ light of the world : he that folio weth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. John 8 : 12.
138 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
Seventh Pupil. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that be- lieveth not God, hath made him a liar ; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son, &c. 1 John 5 : 10-14.
Eighth Pupil Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life : no man cometh unto the Father but by me. John 14 : 6.
VI.
CLASS EECITATION.
The Living Waters.
First Pupil. How excellent is thy loving-kind- ness, 0 God ! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings, &c. Ps. 36 : 7-9.
Second Pupil. Behold, God is my salvation ; I will trust, and not be afraid : for the Lord Je- hovah is my strength and my song ; he also is become my salvation. Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. Isa. 12 : 2, 3.
Third Pupil. Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters ; and he that hath no money ; come ye, buy and eat ; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price, &c. Isa. 55 : 1-3.
Fourth Pupil. There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the
NECESSITY OF CONVERSION. 139
holy place of the tabernacles of the Most High. God is in the midst of her ; she shall not be moved : God shall help her, and that right early. Ps. 46:4, 5.
Fifth Pupil. The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water? &c. John 4: 11-14.
Sixth Pupil. In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink, &c. John 7 : 37-39.
Seventh Pupil. But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water, &c. John 19 : 34-37.
Eighth Pupil. And one of the elders an- swered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes ? and whence came they ? &c. Rev. 7 : 13-17.
Ninth Pupil. And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. Rev. 21 : 6.
Tenth Pupil. And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb, &c. Rev. 22 : 1-5.
Eleventh Pupil. I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the
140 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
bright and morning star. And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. Rev. 22 : 16, IT.
Class in concert.
The Lord is my shepherd ; I shall not want, &c. Ps. 23 : 1-4.
VII.
RECITATION.
Paul's Account of his Conversion, as related to King Agrippa.
My manner of life from my youth, &c. Acts 26:4-21.
VIII.
SINGING.
How happy every child of grace,
Who knows his sins forgiven ! This earth, he cries, is not my place ;
I seek my place in heaven : A country far from mortal sight,
Yet, 0, by faith I see ; The land of rest, the saints' delight,
The heaven prepared for me.
NECESSITY OF CONVERSION. 141
IX.
EEC1TATIONS.
What then.
1 After the joys of earth, After its songs and mirth, After its hours of sight, After its dreams so bright —
What then ?
2 Only an empty name, Only a weary frame, Only a conscious smart, Only an aching heart.
3 After this empty name, After this weary frame, After this conscious smart, After this aching heart —
What then ?
4 Only a sad farewell
To a world loved too well ;
Only a silent bed
With the forgotten dead.
5 After this sad farewell
To a world loved too well ; After this silent bed With the forgotten dead — What then ?
142 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK,
"The Harvest is past, the Summer is ended."
J. B. HAGUE.
1 Hark, sinner, while God from on high doth entreat thee,
And warnings with accents of mercy doth blend;
Give ear to his voice, lest in judgment he meet thee;
ki The harvest is passing, the summer will end."
2 How oft of thy danger and guilt he hath told thee !
How oft still the message of mercy doth send ! Haste, haste, while he waits in his arms to infold thee; " The harvest is passing, the summer will end."
3 Despised, rejected, at length he may leave thee :
What anguish and horror thy bosom will rend! Then haste thee, O sinner, while he will receive thee ; " The harvest is passing, the summer will end."
4 Ere long, and Jehovah will come in his power;
Our God will arise, with his foes to contend : Haste, haste thee, O sinner ; prepare for that hour ; " The harvest is passing, the summer will end."
5 The Saviour will call thee in judgment before him :
O, bow to his sceptre, and make him thy Friend; Now yield him thy heart, and make haste to adore him ; " Thy harvest is passing, thy summer will end."
X.
SINGING.
Invitation. by a little girl.
To the old ballad music of " Robin Adair."
1 0 careless sinners, come ; Pray now attend ; This world is not tyour home ; It soon will end ;
NECESSITY OF CONVERSION. 143
Jehovah calls aloud; Forsake the thoughtless crowd ; Pursue the road to God, And happy be.
No happiness you'll find
While thus you go ; No peace unto your mind,
But pain and woe Attend you every day, While far from God you stray ; 0 sinner, come away,
And ever live.
How many calls you've had !
I call again ; How can you be so bad,
So full of sin, As to refuse that voice, Which calls you to rejoice, In making heaven your choice,
And shunning hell ?
Nor do I call alone ;
The Saviour, too, Even with his dying groans,
Cries, Bid adieu To all your lovers now, And to his sceptre bow, And he will tell you how
To live anew.
141 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK,
5 But if you will refuse, Down, down you'll go, And with the wicked choose
The road to woe ; Alas ! how can you slight The rays of gospel light, And sink in endless night, Where silence reigns ?
DIALOGUE.
Hopeful7 s Account of his Conversion.
From " The Pilgrim's Progress."
Christian. Now, friend Hopeful, let us fall into good discourse.
Hopeful. With all my heart.
G. Where shall we begin ?
H. Where God began with us.
G. Well, how came you to think of doing as you do now ?
H. Do you mean how came I to look after the welfare of my soul ?
G. Yes, that is my meaning.
H. I continued a great while to delight in the treasures and riches of the world, and alsoinlaose sinful pleasures that tend to destroy the soul. But I saw at last that the end of these things is death.
G. And did you at once fall under the power of this conviction ?
NECESSITY OF CONVERSION. 145
H. No, I was not at first willing to know the evil of sin, nor the condemnation that follows its commission.
G. But why did you shut your eyes when the workings of God's blessed Spirit was upon you ?
H. I was ignorant ; sin was sweet to me, and I was loath to leave my old companions.
G. Did you not sometimes throw off these convictions ?
H. Yes ; they would, however, come to my mind again.
G. Why, what was it that brought your sins to mind again?
H. Many things.
1. If I met a good man in the streets.
2. If I heard any read the Bible.
3. If I heard the bell toll.
4. If I thought of dying.
5. If I heard of sudden death.
6. If I thought of the judgment.
G. But could you with ease throw off the sense of the guilt of sin ?
H. No, not I, for then they got faster hold of my conscience ; and then, if I did but think of going back to sin (though my mind was turned against it), it would be double torment to me.
G. And how did you do then ?
H. I thought I must endeavor to mend my life ; for else, thought I, I am sure to be damned.
G. And did you endeavor to mend ?
H. Yes ; and fled from not only my sins, but sinful company, too ; and betook me to religious duties, as prayer, reading, weeping for sin, speak- ing truth to my neighbors, &c. These things did I, with many others, too much here to relate. 10
146 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
G. And did you think yourself well then ?
H. Yes, for a while ; but at the last my trouble came tumbling upon me again, and that over the neck of all my reformations.
G. How came that about, since you were now reformed ?
H. There were several things brought it upon me, especially such sayings as these : " All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags." "By the works of the law shall no flesh be justified." " When ye shall have done all those things, say, We are unprofitable ; " with many more such like. From whence I began to reason with myself thus: If all my righteousnesses are filthy rags ; if, by the deeds of the law, no man can be justified ; and if, when we have done all, we are yet unprof- table, then it is but a folly to think of heaven by the law. I further thought thus : If a man runs a hundred pounds into the shopkeeper's debt, and after that shall pay for all that he shall fetch, yet, if this old debt stands still in the book uncrossed, for that the shopkeeper may sue him, and cast him into prison till he shall pay the debt.
(7. Well, and how did you apply this to your- self ?
H. Why, I thought thus with myself : I have, by my sins, ran a great way into God's book, and that my now reforming will not pay off that score ; therefore I should think still, under all my present amendments, But how shall I be freed from that damnation that I have brought myself in danger of, by my former transgressions ?
G. A very good application ; but pray go on.
H. Another thing that hath troubled me, even since my late amendments, is, that if I look nar-
NECESSITY OF CONVERSION. 147
rowly into the best of what I do now, I still see sin, new sin, mixing itself with the best of that 1 do ; so that now I am forced to conclude, that notwithstanding my former fond conceits of my- self and duties, I have committed sin enough in one day to send me to hell, though my former life had been faultless.
G. And what did you do then ?
//. Do ! I could not tell what to do, until I brake my mind to Faithful, for he and I were well acquainted. And he told me, that unless I could obtain the righteousness of a man that never had sinned, neither mine own, nor all the righteous- ness of the world could save me.
G. And did you think he spake true ?
H. Had he told me so when I was pleased and satisfied with mine own amendment, I had called him fool for his pains ; but now, since I see mine own infirmity, and the sin that cleaves to my best performance, I have been forced to be of his opinion.
G. But did you think, when at first he sug- gested it to you, that there was such a man to be found, of whom it "might justly be said, that he never committed sin ?
If. I must confess the words at first sounded strangely ; but after a little more talk and compa- ny with him, I had fall conviction about it.
G. And did you ask him what man this was, and how you must be justified by him ?
H. Yes ; and he told me it was the Lord Jesus, that dwelleth on the right hand of the Most High. And thus, said he, you must be justified by him, even by trusting to what he hath done by himself, in the days of his flesh, and suf-
148 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
fered when he did hang- on the tree. I asked him further, how that man's righteousness could be of that efficacy to justify another before God ? And he told me he was the mighty God, and did what he did, and died the death also, not for himself, but for me ; to whom his doings, and the worthi- ness of them, should be imputed, if I believed on him.
G. t And what did you do then ?
H. I made my objections against my believ- ing, for that I thought he was not willing to save me.
G. And what said Faithful to you then ?
H. He bid me go to him and see. Then I said it was presumption ; but he said, No, for I was invited to come. Then he gave me a book of Jesus' inditing, to encourage me the more free- ly to come ; and he said, concerning that book, that every jot and tittle thereof stood firmer than heaven and earth. Then I asked him, what I must do when I came ; and he told me, I must entreat upon my knees, with all my heart and soul, the Father to reveal him to me. Then I asked him further, how I must* make my applica- tion to Him ? And h'e said, Go, and thou shalt find him upon a mercy-seat, where he ever sits to give pardon and forgiveness to them that come. But, I said, What shall I say ? And he bid me say, " God be merciful to me a sinner. "
G. And did you do as you were bidden?
H. Yes, over and over again.
G. And did the Father reveal his Son to you ?
H. Not at first.
G. And how was he revealed to you ?
H. One day I was very sad, thinking of the
NECESSITY OF CONVERSION. 149
vileness of my sins, and looking for nothing but destruction, when suddenly, as I thought, I saw the Lord Jesus looking down from heaven upon me, and saying, " Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved. " 1 replied, "I am a great sinner. " And he answered, "My grace is sufficient for thee." Then I said, " But what, Lord, is believing ? " And then I saw from that saying, " He that cometh to me shall never hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never thirst, " that believing and coming was all one ; and that he that came, that is, ran out in his heart and affections after salvation by Christ, he indeed believed in Christ. Then the water stood in mine eyes, and I asked further, But, Lord, may such a great sinner as I am be indeed accepted of thee, and be saved by thee ? And I heard hirn say, " And him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out." Then I said, " But how, Lord, must I consider of thee in my coming to thee, that my faith may be placed aright upon thee ? " Then he said, " Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." " He is the end of the law for right- eousness to every one that believeth." " He died for our sins, and rose again for our justification." " He loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood." " He is mediator betwixt God and us." "He ever liveth to make intercession for us." From all which I gathered, that I must look for righteousness in his person, and for satisfac- tion for my sins by his blood ; that what he >did in obedience to his Father's law, and in submitting to the penalty thereof, was not for himself, but for him that will accept it for his salvation, and be thankful. And now was my heart full of joy,
150 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
mine eyes full of tears, and mine affections run- ning over with love to the name, people, and ways of Jesus Christ.
C. This was a revelation of Christ to your soul indeed ; but tell me particularly what effect this had upon your spirit.
H. It made me see that all the world, notwith- standing all the righteousness thereof, is in a state of condemnation. It made me see that God the Father, though he be just, can justly justify the coming sinner. It made me greatly ashamed of the vileness of my former life, and confounded me with the sense of mine own ignorance ; for there never came thought into my heart before now, that showed me so the beauty of Jesus Christ. It made me love a holy life, and long to do some- thing for the honor and glory of the name of the Lord Jesus. And so I was brought to the knowl- edge of the truth.
Cjje Satiaijj.
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SINGING.
Chant.
Psalm 122 : 1-4, 6-9.
MI was glad when they said unto me, — -< Let us go into the | house . . of the | Lord.
(2 Our feet shall stand within thy | gates, . . 0 Je- | rusalem.
II.
RESPONSIVE READING.
Superintendent. And God spake all these words, saying, —
School repeats the ten commandments.
Thou shalt have no other gods before me, &c. Ex. 20.
Supt. 0 come, let us worship and bow down ; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. For he is our God ; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. Ps. 95 : 6, 7.
School repeats the Lord's Prayer.
Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven. Give us this
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154 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen. Matt. 6 : 11-13.
III. SINGING.
WATTS.
Tune — Silver Street.
Welcome, sweet day of rest, That saw the Lord arise ;
Welcome to this reviving breast, And these rejoicing eyes. .
IV.
RECITATIONS.
Texts and Hymns.
i. Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made ; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it ; because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made. Gen. 2 : 1-3.
THE SABBATH. 155
BULFINCH.
1 Hail to the Sabbath da}7 !
The day divinely given, When men to God their homage pay, And earth draws near to heaven.
2 Lord, in this sacred hour,
Within thy courts we bend, And bless thy love, and own thy power, Our Father and our Friend.
3 But thou art not alone
In courts by mortals trod ; Nor only is the day thine own
When man draws near to God : —
4 Thy temple is the arch
Of yon unmeasured sky ; Thy Sabbath, the stupendous march Of vast eternity.
5 Lord, may that holier day
Dawn on thy servants' sight ; And purer worship may we pay In heaven's unclouded light.
ii.
Keep the Sabbath day to sanctify it, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee. Six da}rs thou shalt labor and do all thy work, &c. Deut. 5 : 12-15.
MRS. BARBAULD.
1 When, as returns this solemn day,
Man comes to meet his Maker, God, What rites, what honors shall he pay ? How spread his sovereign name abroad ?
156 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
2 From marble domes and gilded spires
Shall curling clouds of incense rise, And gems, and gold, and garlands, deck The costly pomp of sacrifice ?
3 Vain, sinful man ! creation's Lord
Thy golden offerings well may spare ; But give thy heart, and thou shalt find Here dwells a God who heareth prayer.
in. I am the Lord your God ; walk in my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them. And hal- low my Sabbaths, and they shall be a sign be- tween me and you, that ye may know that I am the Lord your God. Ezek. 20 : 19, 20.
This heavenly calm within the breast Is the dear pledge of glorious rest, Which for the Church of God remains The end of cares, the end of pains.
IV.
> Ye shall keep my Sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary : I am the Lord. Levit. 19 : 30.
I love thy kingdom, Lord, The house of thine abode,
The church our blest Redeemer saved With his own precious blood.
I love thy church, 0 God ;
Her walls before thee stand, Dear as the apple of thine eye,
And graven on thy hand.
THE SABBATH. 157
3 For her my tears shall fall ;
For her my prayers ascend ; To her my cares and toils be given, Till toils and cares shall end.
4 Beyond my highest joy
I prize her heavenly ways, Her sweet communion, solemn vows, Her hymns of love and praise.
v.
EDMESTON.
1 When the worn spirit wants repose,
And sighs her God to seek, How sweet to hail the evening's close That ends the weaiy week.
2 How sweet to hail the early dawn,
That opens on the sight, When first that soul-reviving morn Sheds forth new rays of light.
3 Sweet day ! thine hours too soon will cease ;
Yet, while they gently roll, Breathe, heavenly Spirit, source of peace, A Sabbath o'er my soul.
4 When will my pilgrimage be done,
The world's long week be o'er ? That Sabbath dawn which needs no sun, That day, which fades no more ?
158 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCEKT BOOK,
V.
CLASS RECITATION.
FirSt Plipil. RAFFLES.
Blest hour, when mortal man retires To hold communion with his God ;
To send to heaven his warm desires, And listen to the sacred word.
Second Pupil.
Blest hour, when earthly cares resign
Their empire o?er his anxious breast, While, all around, the calm divine
Proclaims the holy day of rest.
Third Pupil.
Blest hour, when God himself draws nigh,
Well pleased his people's voice to hear, To hush the penitential sigh,
And wipe away the mourner's tear.
Fourth Pupil.
Blest hour ! for, where the Lord resorts,
Foretastes of future bliss are given, And mortals find his earthly courts
The house of God, the gate of heaven.
All.
Might I enjoy the meanest place Within thy house, 0 God of grace, Not tents of ease, nor thrones of power, Should tempt my feet to loave thy door.
THE SABBATH. 159
First Pupil WATTS-
Thine earthly Sabbaths, Lord, we love ; But there's a nobler rest above ; To that our longing souls aspire, With cheerful hope and strong desire.
Second Pupil.
No more fatigue, no more distress, Nor sin nor death shall reach the place ; No groans shall mingle with the songs AVhich dwell upon immortal tongues ; —
Third Pupil.
No rude alarms of angry foes ; No cares, to break the long repose ; No midnight shade, no clouded sun, But sacred, high, eternal noon.
All.
Might I enjoy the meanest place Within thy house, 0 God of grace, Not tents of ease, nor thrones of power, Should tempt my feet to leave thy door.
VI.
CLASS RECITATION.
Superintendent. What blessings are promised to those who keep the Sabbath ?
First Pupil. Thus saith the Lord, Keep ye judgment, and do justice, &c. Isa. 56 : 1—8.
Second Pupil. The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, the fir tree, &c. Isa. 58 : 13, to the close.
160 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
Third Pupil. Thus saith the Lord unto me, Go and stand in the gate, &c. Jer. 17 : 19, to the
close.
Fourth Pupil. Think not that I am come to destroy the law, &c. Matt. 5 : 11-21.
VII.
CLASS KECITATION.
Superintendent. What evils are threatened against those who break the Sabbath ?
First Pupil. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak thou also unto the children of Is- rael, saying, Verily, my Sabbaths ye shall keep ; for it is a sign between me and you, throughout your generations ; that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you, &c. Ex. 31 : 12-17.
Second Pupil. Moreover also, I gave them my Sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctify them, &c. Ezek. 20 : 12-16.
Tliird Pupil. Nevertheless, mine eye spared them from destroying them, neither did I make an end of them in the wilderness, &c. Ezek. 20 : 17-25.
Fourth Pupil. And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, say unto her, Thou art the land that is not cleansed, nor rained upon in the day of indignation, &c. Ezek. 22 : 23, to the close.
THE SABBATH* 161
VIII.
CLASS KECITATION.
Superintendent. May works of necessity and mercy be performed on the Sabbath ?
First Pupil. At that time Jesus went on the Sabbath day through the corn ; and his disciples were an hungered, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat, &c. Matt. 12 : 1-14.
Second Pupil. And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath, &c. Luke 13 : 10-18.
Third Pupil. After this there was a feast of the Jews, &c. John 5 : 1-22.
IX.
CLASS RECITATION.
The Apostolic Sabbath.
Teacher. But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and sat down, &c. Acts 13 : 14-15.
First Pupil. Then Paul stood up, and beck- oning with his hand, said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience, &c. Acts 13: 16-23.
Second PupiL Of this man's seed hath God, according to his promise, raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus, &c. Acts 13 : 23-27. 11
162 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK,
Third Pupil. For they that dwell at Jerusa- lem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every Sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning, him, &c. Acts 13 : 27-38.
Fourth Pupil. Be it known unto you, there- fore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins, &c. Acts 13 : 38-42.
Fifth Pupil. And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the" next Sabbath, &c. Acts 13 : 42-44.
Sixth Pupil. And the next Sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God, &c. Acts 13 : 44, to the close,
X.
SINGING.
The Heavenly Sabbath.
Tune — Lily Dale.
1 Jerusalem ! my glorious home ! Name ever dear to me ! When shall my labors have an end, In joy, and peace, and thee ? Chorus.
When heaven, Bright heaven, Shall I behold,
And with singing sweet, When follow the feet That hare gone to the city of gold ?
THE SABBATH. 1G3
2 When shall these eyes thy heaven-built walls
And pearly gates behold ? Thy bulwarks, with salvation strong, And streets of shining gold ? Chorus.
3 0 when, thou city of my God,
Shall I thy courts ascend, Where congregations ne'er break up, And Sabbaths have no end ? Chorus.
4 There happier bowers than Eden's bloom,
Nor sin nor sorrow know : Blest seats ! through rude and stormy scenes I onward press to you.
Chorus.
5 Why should I shrink at pain and woe,
Or feel at death dismay ? I've Canaan's goodly land in view, And everlasting day.
Chorus.
6 Apostles, martyrs, prophets, there
Around my Saviour stand ; And soon my friends in Christ below Will join the glorious band. Chorus.
7 Jerusalem, my happy home,
My soul still pants for thee ; Then shall my sorrows have an end, When I thy joys shall see.
Chorus.
Then heaven, Bright heaven, &c.
164 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
XI.
ADDRESS.
God's Claim to our Service during the Sabbath.
[Illustration. — Jeremiah Horrox, a devout youth, was the first astronomer who correctly calculated the date of the transit of the planet Venus across the disk of the sun. He made the calculation in his boyhood, and awaited the event for years. It took place on Sun- day, December 4, 1639. Just as he expected to note the appearance of the planet on the sun's disk, the church bells rang-. Horrox went to the house of God, reasoning that the worship of the Creator ought not to be neglected to witness even the most wonderful phenomena. When he returned from the sanctuary, he beheld, what no human eye had ever seen before, the planet Venus, like a dark spot, on the sun's image. " I observed it " (the sun), he says in his report, a from sun- rise till nine o'clock; again, a little before ten; and lastly, at noon, and from one to two o'clock— -the rest of the day being devoted to higher duties, which one ought not neglect for such pastimes."]
A DIALOGUE.
Thomas Brown and the Evangelist.
BY
GEORGE MOGRIDGE. (Old Humphrey.)
Part I.
Evangelist. Where have you been wandering about, Thomas Brown, In your jacket so out of repair? Thomas Brown. A rambler I've been in the meadows so green, And I work in the jacket I wear.
THE SABBATH. 165
Evan, Who have you been rambling with, pray, Thomas Brown, All as dirty as they can well be ? T. B. They are wife, Will, and Sue, who had nothing to do, So they all came a rambling with me.
Evan. But do you not hear the church bell, Thomas Brown? O, why not the Sabbath regard? T. B. We a living must seek, and we work all the week, — If we can't play on Sunday, 'tis. hard.
Evan. But what would all your work do for you, Thomas Brown, Were you not by your Maker befriended? T. B. As to that, I don't know. If to church I should go, Mayhap matters would not be much mended.
Evan. What I say, I intend for your good, Thomas Brown, And your friend am desirous to be. T. B. Why, that I suppose, or your time you'd not lose In discourse with a poor man like me.
Evan. This world is fast hastening away, Thomas Brown, And short are the pleasures of man. T. B. Then there's no time to spare ; let us drive away care, And merrily live while we can.
Evan. But what, when this world has gone by, Thomas Brown, If your soul in deep sorrow should lie ? T. B. Why, that, to be sure, would be hard to endure, But I cannot help it, not I.
Evan. Seek in time for the kingdom of God, Thomas Brown, Arid your pleasures will never decay. T. B. I feel half inclined to become of your mind, And I think I shall do as you say.
166 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
Evan. "Wash your face, and put on your best clothes, Thomas Brown, Come to me at the church on the hill. T. B. I am far from my home, and to-day cannot come ; If I live till next Sunday, I will.
Evan. Remember the promise you give, Thomas Brown ; Bring your wife, and your daughter, and son. T. B. Wife and children to bring will be no easy tiling ; But I'll try and see what may be done.
Evan. May the God of all peace give you grace, Thomas Brown, In his fear and his favor to dwell! T. B. Your wish I take kind, and will bear it in mind, And so, for the present, farewell.
Part II.
Evan. "Whither go you, so clean and well clad, Thomas Brown? For your jacket's a new one, I see. T. B. Sir, I go with good will to the church on the hill, To thank God for his goodness -to me.
Evan. Indeed! this is what I have wished, Thomas Brown; But how long will the practice prevail ? T. B. I have much, sir, to say : the first time you can stay, I will tell you the whole of my tale.
Evan. To hear it will do my heart good, Thomas Brown ; Come, begin, while together we walk. T. B. Well then, sir, I will, though I cannot but feel Half afraid you'll be tired of my talk.
You remember I promised, the next Sunday mora,
To the church on the hill I would go ; I went in with some more, when the church was lv.uf o'er,
And we sat on a bench all a-row.
THE SABBATH. 167
The people they all turned their eyes upon me, While together they sung, in a breath;
And the parson came next, and he gave out his text, That the " wages of sin it is death."
I listened a while, with a strange kind of fear;
A cloud seemed to hang over my head; A tear dropped from my eye, and, I hardly knew why,
But my heart was as heavy as lead.
I spoke on a Monday of what I had heard,
While my shopmates were lounging and lazy,
And I should have said more, but they set up a roar,
And cried out, " Poor Tom Brown is turned crazy."
Then I laughed and I sung with the best of them all,
And appeared to forget all the past ; But the thought came to me, what will this do for thee,
Sliouldst thou lose thy own soul at the last?
So, still, on a Sunday, I went to the church,
Though my shopmates thought fit to upbraid me ;
For I thought, why should I fear a man that shall die, And forget the Almighty, that made me ?
The parson he spoke up so loud and so plain, That the poorest might well understand;
" Repent ye," said he, — and he pointed at me, — " For the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
I felt myself vile, when he told me my sins;
That he knew them, I could not well doubt it; For it ran in my head, what to you I had said,
And I thought you had told all about it.
When I heard that my Saviour had suffered, alas !
I believed that he hung on a tree ; But O, blest be the hour when the word came with power,
Now I know that he hung there for me.
Every week from my wages a sixpence I spare,
To buy me a Bible — I need it ! At odd times I shall go, to a friend that I know,
Who has promised to learn me to read it.
168 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
While I live, as becomes a poor, weak, sinful man, I will pray for support from on high;
To leave all sinful ways, and to live for his praise, And to trust in my God till I die.
For, though poor, and unwise in the ways of the world,
I believe in the truth of his word, That true riches are they which will not pass away,
And true wisdom the fear of the Lord.
Cjj* |jr0ttum
OF
THE BIBLE.
5 Exceedingly great and precious Promises."
(169)
Temporal Mmsings.
i.
SINGING.
" Lord, Thou hast been our Kefuge from one Generation to another."
C. M.
0 God, our help in ages past, Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast, And our eternal home !
II.
RESPONSIVE READING.
Superintendent. My son, forget not my law ; but let thine heart keep my commandments, &c. Prov. 3 : 1-4.
School. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart ; and lean not unto thine own under- standing. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Note. — The Superintendent may read one verse and the school the next, alternately, to the close of the chapter.
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172 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK. III.
SINGING.
" He shall defend thee under His Wings. "
C. M.
Glory to thee, my God, this night, For all the blessings of the light ; Keep me, 0 keep me, King of kings, Under thine own Almighty wings.
Forgive me, Lord, for thy dear Son, The ills that I this day have done ; That with the world, myself, and thee, I, ere I sleep, at peace may be.
Teach me to live, that I may dread The grave as little as my bed ; Teach me to die, that so I may Eise glorious at the awful day.
IV.
Question by the Superintendent.
What are some of the general promises God has made to the good ?
Answers by Members of the Infant Department.
First. The Lord God is a sun and shield : the Lord will give grace and glory ; no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. Ps. 84: 11.
THE PROMISES OF THE BIBLE. 173
Second. Surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him. Eccl. 8 : 12.
Third. Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him, for they shall eat the fruit of their doings. Isa. 3 : 10.
Fourth. Verily, there is a reward for the right- eous. Thou, Lord, wilt bless the righteous ; with favor wilt thou compass him as with a shield. Ps. 58 : 11 ; 5 : 12.
Fifth. Salvation belcnpeth unto the Lord; thy blessing is upon thy people. Ps. 3 : 8.
He that followeth after righteousness and mer- cy, fmdeth life, righteousness, and honor. Prov. 21 : 21.
Sixth. Blessings are upon the head of the just. The desire of the righteous shall be granted. The hope of the righteous shall be gladness. To him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward. Righteousness tendeth to life. The righteous shall flourish as a branch. * Prov. 10 : 6 ; 24 : 28 ; 11 : 18, 19-28.
Seventh. His secret is with the righteous. A good man obtaineth favor of the Lord. Prov. 3 : 32 ; 12 : 2.
Eighth. — Infant School in concert. The Lord is my Shepherd ; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures : he leadeth me beside the still waters, &c. Ps. 23 : 1-6.
174 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
Question by the Superintendent.
What promises has God made to children who obey their parents ?
Answers by Members of the Infant Department.
First. Children, obey yonr parents in the Lord : for this is right. Honor thy father and thy mother (which is the first commandment with promise). That it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest live long on the earth. Eph. 6 : 1-3.
Children, obey your parents in all things : for this is well-pleasing unto the Lord. Col. 3 : 24.
Second, Thus saith the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, Because ye have obeyed the com- mandment of Jonadab your father, and kept all his precepts, and done according to all that he hath commanded you ; therefore, thus saith the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, Jonadab shall not want a man to stand before me forever. Jer, 35: 18, 19.
Third. My son, hear the instruction of thy father ; and forsake not the law of thy mother. For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck. My son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother. Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck, When thou goest, it shall lead thee ; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee ; and when thou wakest, it shall talk with thee. Prov. 1 : 8, 9 ; 6 : 21, 22.
THE PROMISES OF THE BIBLE. 175
Question by the Superintendent.
What does the Bible say concerning the wilful and disobedient ?
Answer.
The eye that mocketh at his father, and de- spiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the val- ley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it. Prov. 30 : 11.
V.
RECITATION.
A German Trust Song.
Just as God leads me, I would go ;
I would not ask to choose my way ; Content with what he will bestow, Assured he will not let me stray. So as he leads, my path I make, And step by step I gladly take — A child in him confiding.
Just as God leads, I am content ; I rest me calmly in his hands ; That which he has decreed and sent — That which his will for me commands. I would that he should all fulfil, That I should do his gracious will, In laving or in dying.
176 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
VI.
CLASS KECXTATION.
Question by the Superintendent.
What are the promises of long life that God has made to the righteous ?
Answers.
First. Ye shall walk in all the ways which the Lord your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and that he may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess. That thou mightest fear the Lord thy God, to keep all his statutes and his com- mandments, which I command thee ; thou, and thy son, and thy son's son, all the days of thy life-, and that thy days may be prolonged. Deut. 6:2; 5 : 33.
Second. Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age, like as a shock of corn cometh in in his sea- son. Job 5 : 26.
Third. What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good ? Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. Depart from evil, and do good ; seek peace, and pursue it. Ps. 34 : 12-14.
Fourth. With long life will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation. P«. 91 : 16.
Fifth. By me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased. The fear of the Lord prolongeth days. Prov. 9:11; 10-27.
THE PROMISES OF THE BIBLE. 177
Sixth. My son, forget not my law ; but let thy heart keep my commandments : for length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee. Prov. 3 : 12.
Question by the Superintendent.
What promises of security and protection has God made to the righteous ?
Answers.
First. I will both lay me down in peace and sleep ; for thou, Lord, only makest me to dwell in safety. He giveth his beloved sleep. Ps. 4:8; 127 :2.
When thou liest down thou shalt not be afraid ; yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet. Prov. 3 : 24.
He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness ; for by thy strength shall no man prevail. 1 Sam. 2 : 9.
Second. He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress ; my Gocl : in him will I trust. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust ; his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. Ps. 91 : 1, 2 ; 4 : 10.
Third. I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills,
from whence cometh my help. My help cometh
from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.
Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slum-
12
178 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
ber nor sleep. The Lord is thy keeper ; the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil ; he shall preserve thy soul. The Lord shall preserve thy going out, and thy coming in, from this time forth, and even for evermore. Ps. 121 : 1, 2, 4-8.
Fourth. As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about his people, from henceforth even forever. Ps. 125 : 2.
Fifth. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee ; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee ; when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burnt ; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Sav- iour. Isa. 43 : 2, 3.
Sixth. Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful, &c. Ps. 1 : 1-3.
Seventh. Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man, neither will he help the evil doers : till he fill thy mouth with laughing, and thy lips ' with rejoicing. Job 8 : 20, 21.
Eighth. The Lord will be a refuge for the op- pressed, a refuge in times of trouble. He hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the af- flicted ; neither hath he hid his face from him ; but when he cried unto him, he heard. Ps. 9:9; 22 : 24.
Ninth. Wait on the Lord ; be of good cour- age, and he shall strengthen thine heart ; wait, I
THE PROMISES OF THE BIBLE. 179
say, on the Lord. When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down : for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand. The salvation of the righteous is of the Lord : he is their strength in the time of trouble. Ps. 21 : 9, 10 ; 31 : 24-39.
Tenth. The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer : my God, my strength, in whom I will trust : my buckler, and the horn of my sal- vation, and my high tower. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea. Though the waters thereof roar, and be troubled ; though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah. Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee : he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. Ps. 18 : 2 ; 46 : 1-3 ; 55 : 22.
Eleventh. The Lord upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all that are bowed down. Ps. 145 : 14.
Thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall. Isa. 25 : 4.
Twelfth. The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble, and he knoweth them that trust in him. Nah. 1 : 1.
180 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
VII.
CLASS RECITATION.
Question by the Superintendent.
What promises has God made concerning the poor ?
Answers.
First. The needy shall not alway be forgotten ; the expectation of the poor shall not perish for- ever. Thou, 0 God, hast prepared of thy good- ness for the poor. The Lord heareth the poor. Ps. 9: 18; 68 : 10 ; 69: 33.
Second. He shall judge thy people with right- eousness, and thy poor with judgment. He shall deliver the needy when he crieth ; the poor also, and him that hath no helper. He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy. Ps. T2 : 2, 12, 13.
Third. He will regard the prayer of the desti- tute, and not despise their prayer. He setteth the poor on high from affliction, and maketh him families like a flock. Ps. 102 : 11 ; 107 : 41.
Fourth. He delivereth the poor in his affliction, and openeth their ears in oppression. Job 36 : 15.
Fifth. Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted. Hearken, my beloved breth- ren, hath not God chosen the poor of this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom, which he hath promised to them that love him ? Jas. 1:9; 2 :5.
Sixth. Blessed is he that remembereth the poor : the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble, &c.
THE PROMISES OF THE BIBLE. 181
Spiritual Blessings*
SINGING.
Opening of the School.
8s. & 7s.
We have met in peace together,
In this house of God again ; Constant friends have led us hither,
Here to chant the solemn strain ; Here to breathe our adoration,
Here the Saviour's praise to sing ; May the Spirit of salvation
Come with healing in his wing.
II.
RESPONSIVE READING.
Superintendent. Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters ; and he that hath no money, come ye, buy and eat ; yea, come, buy wine and milk, without money and without price, &c. Isa. 55 : 1-3.
School. Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander
182 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
to the people. Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not ; and nations-that knew not thee shall run unto thee, because of the Lord thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel ; for he hath glorified thee.
Question by the Superintendent.
What promises has God made in the Bible that he will answer prayer ?
Answers by Members of the Infant Department.
First Class. He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him ; he also will hear their cry, and will save them. Ps. 145 : 19.
The Lord is far from the wicked, but he heareth the prayer of the righteous. Prov. 15 : 29.
He will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry ; when he shall hear it, he will answer thee. Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer ; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer ; and while they are yet speak- ing, I will hear. Isa. 30 : 19 ; 58 : 9 ; 65 : 24.
Second Class. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. Jer. 29 : 12.
They shall call on my name, and I will hear them ; I will say, It is my people, and they shall say, The Lord is my God. Zech. 13 : 9.
Ask, and it shall be given you ; seek, and ye shall find ; knock, and it shall be opened unto
THE PROMISES OF THE BIBLE. 183
you. For every one that asketh, receiveth ; and he that seeketh, findeth ; and to him that knock- eth, it shall be opened. If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good gifts to them that ask him. Matt. 1 : 7, 8, 11.
Third Class. And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. And in that day ye shall ask me noth- ing : verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name ; ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. John 15 : 7 ; 16 : 23, 24.
Fourth Glass. The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him ; to all that call upon him in truth. Ps. 145 : 18.
Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou know- est not. Jer. 32 : 3.
Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord, shall be delivered. Joel 2 : 32.
The same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Kom. 10 : 12, 13.
Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. James 4 : 8.
184 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK, III.
CLASS EECITATION.
Superintendent. What are the promises of the Bible concerning the forgiveness of sin ?
First. Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow ; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. Isa. 1 : 18.
Second. The blood of Jesus Christ- cleanseth us from all sin. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins ; and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world ! 1 John 1:7,9; 2:1,2.
Third. He shall save his people from their sins. Matt. 1 :21.
The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world ! John 1 : 29.
Let the wicked forsake his way, and the un- righteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him ; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. Isa. 55 :#7.
Fourth. Then drew near unto him all the pub- licans and sinners, &c. Luke 15 : 1-8.
Fifth. And he said, A certain man had two sons, &c. Luke 15 : 11, to close.
THE PROMISES OF THE BIBLE. 185
IV.
CLASS RECITATION.
Superintendent. What promises has God made that he will manifest himself to those who seek him and serve him ?
First. My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest. Ex. 33 : 14.
The upright shall dwell in thy presence. Ps. 140 : 13.
The Lord his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them. Numb. 23 : 21.
Fear thou not, for I am with thee. Is. 41 : 10.
If a man love me, he will keep my words ; and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. John 14 : 23.
The Lord, he it is that doth go before thee, he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee. Deut. 31 : 8.
The Lord is with you while ye be with him ; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you. 2 Chron. 15 : 2.
Second. Behold I will pour out my Spirit unto you, and I will make known my words unto you. Prov. 1 : 23.
And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. Ezek. 36 : 27.
If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? Luke 11 : 13.
186 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
Third. Jesus answered and said unto her. If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink, thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him, shall never thirst, but the water that 1 shall give him, shall be in him a well of water, springing up into everlasting life. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive. John 4: 10, 14; T: 38, 39.
Fourth. I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever. Even the Spirit of tiuth, whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him ; but ye know him, for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. 1 will not leave you comfortless ; I will come to you. John 14 : 16-18.
Fifth. Then had the churches rest throughout all Judea, and Galilee, and Samaria, and were edified ; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multi- plied. Acts 9 : 31.
V.
CLASS RECITATION.
Teacher. Jesus answered them, and said, Verily, verily, &c. Ver. 26-28.
First Pupil. They said unto him, What shall we do ? &c. Ver. 28-30.
THE PROMISES OF THE BIBLE. 187
Second. They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then ? &c. Ver. 30-32.
Third. Then said Jesus unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, &c. Ver. 32-34.
Fourth. They said unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread, &c. Ver. 34-37.
Fifth. All that the Father giveth me shall come to me, &c. Ver. 37-41.
Sixth. The Jews then murmured at him, be- cause he said, &c. Ver. 41-47.
Seventh. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, &c. Ver. 47-52.
Eighth. The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat ? &c. Ver. 52-60, or to the close of the subject.
Supt. What promises has God made that his grace will support us at the hour of death ?
Answer.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil ; for thou art with me ; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. .Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright; for the end of that man is peace. For this God is our God, for ever and ever ; he will be our guide, even unto death. God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave ; for he shall receive me. My flesh and my heart faileth ; but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever. Ps. 23 : 4 ; 37 : 37 ; 48 : 14 ; 49 : 15 ; 73 : 26.
188 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
The righteous hath hope in his death. Prov. 14 : 32.
He will swallow up death in victory ; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces. Is. 25:8.
I will ransom them from the power of the grave ; I will redeem them from death : 0 death, i will be thy plague ! 0 grave, I will be thy destruction ! Hos. 13 : 14.
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Eom. 8 : 38, 39.
®{[e ^tenement.
THE
CROSS AND CROWN.
" Behold the Lamb of God."
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I.
CHANT.
BY THE CHOIR.
8s & 6s.
S. F. SMITH.
1 Beyond where Cedron's waters flow, Behold the suffering Saviour go
To sad Gethsemane ; His countenance is all divine, Yet grief appears in every line.
2 He bows beneath the sins of men ; He cries to God, and cries again,
In sad Gethsemane ; He lifts his mournful eyes above — " My Father, can this cup remove ? "
3 With gentle resignation still, He yielded to his Father's will,
In sad Gethsemane ; " Behold me here, thine only Son ; And, Father, let thy will be done."
4 The Father heard ; and angels, there, Sustained the Son of God in prayer,
In sad Gethsemane ; He drank the dreadful cup of pain, Then rose to life and joy again.
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192 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK. II.
RESPONSIVE READING.
Superintendent. Who hath believed our re- port ? and to whom is the arm of the Lord re- vealed ? Isa. 53 : 1.
School. For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground : he hath no form nor comeliness ; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. Ver. 2.
Note. — The Superintendent may read one verse and the school the next, alternately, to the close of the chapter.
III.
SINGING.
Ox the Cross.
1 Behold ! behold ! the Lamb of God,
On the cross, on the cross ; For you he shed his precious blood,
On the cross, on the cross. Now hear his all-important cry, Eloi, lama sa-bac-tha-ni ; Draw near, and see your Saviour die
On the cross, on the cross.
2 Where'er I go, I'll tell the story
Of the cross, of the cross ; In nothing else my soul shall glory, Save the cross, save the cross.
THE ATONEMENT. 193
Yes, this my constant theme shall be, Through time and in eternity, That Jesus suffered death for me, On the cross, on the cross.
3 Let every mourner come and cling
To the cross, to the cross ; Let every Christian come and sing,
Round the cross, round the cross. Here let the preacher take his stand, And, with the Bible in his hand, Proclaim the triumphs of the Lamb,
On the cross, on the cross.
IV.
RECITATION.
Matt. 26 : 36-47.
Scene in Gethsemane.
N. P. WILLIS.
The moon was shining yet. The Orient's brow, Set with the morning star, was not yet dim ; And the deep silence which subdues the breath Like a strong feeling, hung upon the world As sleep upon the pulses of a child. 'Twas the last watch of night. Gethsemane, With its bathed leaves of silver, seemed dissolved In visible stillness ; and as Jesus' voice, With its bewildering sweetness, met the ear Of his disciples, it vibrated on Like the first whisper in a silent world. They came on slowly. Heaviness oppressed The Saviour's heart, and when the kindnesses Of his deep love were poured, he felt the need Of near communion, for his gift of strength 13
194 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
Was wasted by the spirit's weariness.
lie left them there, and went a little on,
And in the depth of that hnshed silentness,
Alone with God, he fell upon his face,
And as his heart was broken with the rush
Of his surpassing agony, and death,
Wrung to him from a dying universe,
Was mightier than the Son of man could bear,
He gave his sorrows way — and in the deep
Prostration of his soul, breathed out the prayer,
" Father, if it be possible with thee,
Let this cup pass from me." 0, how a word,
Like the forced drop before the fountain breaks,
Stilleth the press of human agony !
The Saviour felt its quiet in his soul ;
And though his strength was weakness, and the lig'ht
Which led him on till now was sorely dim,
lie breathed a new submission- — " Not my will,
But thine be done, 0 Father ! ;? As he spoke,
Voices were heard in heaven, and music stole
Out from the chambers of the vaulted sky
As if the stars were swept like instruments.
No cloud was visible, but radiant wings
Were coming with a silvery rush to earth,
And as the Saviour rose, a glorious one,
With an illumined forehead, and the light
Whose fountain is the mystery of God,
Encalmed within his eye, bowed down to him,
And nerved him with a ministry of strength.
It was enough — and with his godlike brow
lie-written of his Father's messenger,
With meekness, whose divinity is more
Than power and glory, he returned again
To his disciples, and awaked their sleep,
For " he that should betray him was at hand."
THE ATONEMENT. 195
V.
CLASS KECITATION.
SINGING BY CLASS.
[BY PERMISSION OF BIGLOW AND MAINE.]
1 Soft be the gently breathing notes
That sing the Saviour's dying love ; Soft as the evening zephyr floats, And soft as tuneful lyres above.
2 Soft as the morning dews descend,
While warbling birds exulting soar ; So soft to our almighty Friend, Be every sigh our bosoms pour.
3. Pure as the sun's enlivening ray,- That scatters life and joy abroad, Pure as the lucid orb of day,
That wide proclaims its Maker, God.
First Pupil. And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand : and the}' bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews ! &c. Matt. 21 : 29-33.
1 See the destined day arise ! See a willing Sacrifice, Jesus, to redeem our loss, Hangs upon the shameful Cross !
2 Jesu, who but thou had borne, Lifted on that tree of scorn, Every pang and bitter throe, Finishing thy life of woe ?
196 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
3. Who but thou had dared to drain, Steeped in gall, the cup of pain, And with tender body bear Thorns, and nails, and piercing spear ?
Second. And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, A place of a skull, they gave him vinegar to drink, mingled with gall ; and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink, &c. Matt. 21 : 33-39.
1 Stretched on the cross, the Saviour dies ; Hark ! his expiring groans arise ;
See, from his hands, his feet, his side, Descends the sacred, crimson tide.
2 And didst thou bleed ? — for sinners bleed ? And could the sun behold the deed ?
No ; he withdrew his cheering ray, And darkness veiled the mourning day.
3 Can I survey this scene of woe, Where mingling grief and mercy flow, And yet my heart so hard remain, Unmoved by either love or pain ?
Third. And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads, and saying, Thou that de- stroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross, &c. Matt. 27 : 39-44.
1 For whom, for whom, my heart, Were all these sorrows borne ? Why did he feel that painful smart, And meet that various scorn ?
THE ATONEMENT. 197
2 For us he hung and bled,
For us in torture died ; ?Twas love that bowed his fainting head, And oped his gushing side.
3 I see, and I adore
In sympathy of love ; I feel the strong, attractive power To lift my soul above.
Fourth. Now, from the sixth hour, there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour, Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabacthani ? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me ? &c. Matt. 21 : 46-54.
1 He dies ! the Friend of sinners dies ;
Lo ! Salem's daughters weep around ; A solemn darkness veils the skies ;
A sudden trembling shakes the grounds
2 Ye saints approach ! the anguish view
Of him who groans beneath your load ; He gives his precious life for you ; For you he sheds his precious blood.
VI.
SINGING.
1 In the cross of Christ I glory,
Towering o'er the wrecks of time : All the lights of sacred story Gather round its head sublime.
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2 When the woes of life overtake me,
Hopes deceive, and fears annoy, Never shall the cross forsake me ; Lo ! it glows with peace and joy.
3 When the sun of bliss is beaming
Light and love upon my way, From the cross, the radiance streaming Adds new lustre to the day.
4 Bane and blessing, pain and pleasure,
By the cross are sanctified ; Peace is there, that knows no measure, Joys that through all time abide.
VII. EECITATION.
Now there stood by the cross of Jesus, &c. John 19:25-28.
1 Jews were wrought to cruel madness ; Christians fled with fear and sadness ;
Mary stood the cross beside. At its foot her foot she planted ; By the dreadful scene undaunted ;
Till the gentle Sufferer died.
2 Poets oft have sung her story, Painters decked her brow with glory,
Priests her name have deified ; But no worship, song, or glory, Touches like the simple story,
Mary stood the cross beside.
THE ATONEMENT. 199
And when, under fierce temptation, Goodness suffers like transgression,
Christ again is crucified ; But, if love be then true-hearted, By no grief or terror parted,
Mary stands the cross beside.
VIII.
CLASS RECITATION.
First Pupil. But Mary stood without at the sepulchre, weeping ; and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, &c. John 20: 11-19.
Second. Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus, and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you, &c. John 20 : 19-24.
Third. When they therefore were come to- gether, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel ? &c. Acts 1 : 6-9.
1 His rising form on Olivet
A summer shadow cast ; The branches of the hoary trees Drooped as the shadow passed.
2 Lift up your heads, eternal gates ;
Unfold the radiant scene ; Unfold the glory that awaits, And let the Vicar in.
200 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
IX.
RECITATION.
Easter Eve.
As for thee, also, by the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water. Zech. 9:11.
1 At length the worst is o'er, and thou art laid
Deep in thy darksome bed ; All still and cold, beneath yon dreary stone,
Thy sacred form is gone ; Around those lips where power and mercy hung,
The dews of death have clung ; The dull earth o'er thee, and thy foes around, Thou sleep'st a silent corse, in funeral fetters wound.
2 Sleep'st thou indeed ? or is thy spirit fled
At large among the dead ? Whether in Eden bowers thy welcome voice
Wake Abraham to rejoice, Or in some drearier scene thine eye controls
The thronging band of souls ; That, as thy blood won earth, thine agony Might set the shadowy realm from sin and sorrowfree.
3 Where'er thou roam'st, one happy soul, we know,
Seen at thy side in woe, Waits on thy triumph, even as all the blest
With him and thee shall rest. Each on his cross, by thee we hang a while,
Watching thy patient smile, Till we have learned to say, " 'Tis justly done ; Only in glory, Lord, thy sinful servant own."
THE ATONEMENT. 201
X.
CLASS RECITATION.
" Jesus lives. "
Superintendent. I know that my Eedeemer liveth. Job 19 : 25.
A CLASS OF EIGHT LITTLE GIRLS ARRANGED THUS:
1
2 3 4
1
2 3 4
CLASS IN CONCERT.
" I know that my Redeemer lives. " What comfort this sweet sentence gives ! He lives, he lives, who once was dead ; He lives, my ever-living head.
PUPILS ALTERNATELY.
First Pupil on the left.
1 He lives, triumphant from the grave, First Pupil on the right.
He lives, eternally to save ; Second Pupil on the left.
He lives, all glorious in the sky, Second Pupil on the right.
He lives, exalted far on high.
Note. — Let the following stanzas be recited in like manner : —
2 He lives, to bless me with his love, He lives, to plead my cause above ; He lives, my hungry soul to feed, He lives, to help in time of need.
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3 He lives, to banish all my fears, He lives, to wipe away my tears ; He lives, to calm my troubled heart, He lives, all blessings to impart.
4 He lives, my kind and gracious friend ; He lives, and loves me to the end ; He lives, and while he lives I'll sing; He lives, my Prophet, Priest, and King.
5 He lives, and grants me daily breath, He lives, to conquer sin and death ; He lives, my mansion to prepare, He lives, to bring me safely there.
6 He lives, all glory to his name, He lives, my Jesus, still the same ; 0, the sweet joy this sentence gives, " I know that my Redeemer lives ! ;?
CLASS IN CONCERT.
1 Ye mourning souls, dry up your tears ; Dismiss your gloomy doubts and fears ; With cheerful hope your hearts revive, For Christ, the Lord, is yet alive.
2 His saints he loves, and never leaves ; The contrite sinner he receives : Abundant grace will he afford,
Till all are present witii the Lord.
THE ATONEMENT. 203
XI.
CLASS RECITATION.
The Cross. First Pupil Matt. 10 : 38.
|
Second. |
Matt. 16 : 24. |
|
Third. |
Gal. 6 : 14. |
|
Fourth. |
Col. 1 : 16-21. |
|
Fifth. |
Heb. 12 : 1, 2. |
|
The Crown. |
|
|
First Pupil. |
Heb. 2 : 9. |
|
Second. |
2 Tim. 4 : 1, 8. |
|
Third. |
Jas. 1 : 12. |
|
Fourth. |
Rev. 2 : 10, last clause |
|
Class. |
Rev. 1 : 9-1 T. |
|
XII. |
|
|
SINGING |
OR RECITATION. |
Long Time Ago.
sung or spoken by a little child.
1 Jesus died on Calvary's mountain, Long time ago ; And salvation's rolling fountain Now freely flows.
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2 Once his voice, in tones of pity,
Melted in woe, And he wept o'er Judah's city, Long time ago.
3 On his head the dews of ^idnight
Fell, long ago ; Now a crown of dazzling sunlight Sits on his brow.
4 Jesus died, yet lives forever,
No more to die ; Bleeding Jesus ! blessed Saviour ! Now reigns on high.
5 Now in heaven he's interceding
For dying men ; Soon he'll finish all his pleading, And come again.
6 Budding fig trees tell that summer
Dawns o'er the land ; Signs portend that Jesus' coming Is near at hand.
7 Children, let your lights be burning,
In hope of heaven,
Waiting for our Lord's returning
At dawn or even.
8 When he comes, a voice from heaven
Shall pierce the tomb : "Come, ye blessed of my Father, Children, come home."
THE ATONEMENT. 205
XII.
CLASS RECITATION. Conversion.
First Pupil. s* s* MALLORY-
Fll sing of Jesus crucified ;
The Lamb of God who bled and died ;
A healing balm, a crimson tide,
Flowed from his head, his feet, his side. Above the rest this note shall swell, " My Jesus hath done all things well."
Second.
He sought me in the wilderness, And found me there in deep distress ; He changed and washed this heart of mine, And filled me with his love divine.
Above the rest this note shall swell, "My Jesus hath done all things well."
Third.
For what the Lord hath done for me, For boundless grace, so rich and free, For all his mercies that are past, Fll praise him while my life shall last. Above the rest this note shall swell, " My Jesus hath done all things well."
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Fourth.
When sorrow's waves around me rull,
His promises my mind console ;
When earth and hell my soul assail,
His grace and mercy never fail.
Above the rest this note shall swell, u My Jesus hath done all things well."
Fifth,
When death shall steal upon my frame, To damp and quench the vital flame, I'll turn me to my Saviour's breast, And there recline and sweetly rest.
Above the rest this note shall swell " My Jesus hath done all things well."
Sixth.
And when we join the ransomed throng, To chant the sweet, immortal song, With tuneful heart, and voice, and tongue, We'll roll the lofty note along.
Above the rest this note shall swell, " My Jesus hath done all things well."
Seventh.
To Him who washed us in his blood, And made us kings and priests to God, Hosanna we will ever sing, And make the heavenly arches ring.
Above the rest this note shall swell, " My Jesus hath done all things well."
THE ATONEMENT. 207
XIII.
SINGING.
Christian Hope.
Tune — " On the Cross."
1 Hope in the dear Redeemer's love,
Blessed hope ! blessed hope ! Raises the soul to joys above,
Blessed hope ! blessed hope ! Bids all the shadows flee away, Sheds on the mind a heavenly ray, Beaming with all the light of day,
Blessed hope ! blessed hope !
2 Hope, like a balm of sovereign power,
Joyful hope ! joyful hope ! ' Heals in the sad, distressing hour,
Joyful hope ! joyful hope ! Hope is an anchor cannot fail, Reaching to that within the veil ; It guides the helm, it spreads the sail —
Joyful hope ! joyful hope !
3 Hope in the dear Redeemer's love,
Precious hope ! precious hope ! Well may the saints rejoice in God,
Precious hope ! precious hope ! Hope will support our latest breath, Will take away the sting of death, Waft us triumphant from the earth,
Px^ecious hope ! precious hope !
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4 Farewell to hope, we there shall sing, Safe in heaven ! safe in heaven !
We'll tune our harps with golden strings, Safe in heaven ! safe in heaven !
Hope there no more our spirits fires,
Hope in eternal bliss expires,
We there shall join the heavenly choirs, Safe in heaven ! safe in heaven !
THE
Peafanlg Comtirg,
u The righteous shall shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father."
14 (209)
I.
SINGING.
When for eternal worlds we steer, And seas are calm, and skies are clear, And faith in lively exercise, And distant hills of Canaan rise, The soul for joy then claps her wings, And loud her lovely sonnet sings, Vain world, adieu !
II.
RESPONSIVE READING.
Superintendent. The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.
School. For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.
Supt. Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord ? and who shall stand in his holy place ?
Sch. He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart ; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully : he shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
Supt. This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, 0 Jacob. Selah.
Sch. Lift up your heads, O ye gates ; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors ; and the Kins; of glory shall come in.
(211)
212 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
Supt. Who is this King of glory ?
Sclt. The Lord, strong and mighty ; the Lord, mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O ye gates ; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors ; and the King of glory shall come in.
Supt. Who is this King of glory ? /Sch. The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah.
Note. — Or, let the Superintendent read John's address to the seven churches in Asia, contained in the second and third chapters of Revelation, and let the school respond with the words, " And he that overeometh," &c.
III.
EECITATIONS.
First Pupil. Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 1 Cor. 2 : 9.
EDEN OF LOVE.
1 How sweet to reflect on the joys that await me
In yon blissful region, the haven of rest, Where glorified spirits with welcome shall greet me,
And lead me to mansions prepared for the blest. Encircled in light, and with glory enshrouded, My happiness perfect, my mind's sky unclouded, I'll bathe in the ocean of pleasure unbounded.
And range with delight through the Eden of love.
2 While angelic legions, with harps tuned celestial,
Harmoniously join in the concert of praise. The saints, as they flock from the regions terrestrial,
In loud hallelujahs their voices will raise. Then songs to the Lamb shall re-echo through heaver1,, My soul will respond, To Emmanuel be given, All glory, all honor, all might, and dominion,
Who brought us through grace to the Eden of love.
THE HEAVENLY COUNTRY. 213
Second. In my Father's house are many man- sions : if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. John 14 : 2, 3.
1 My Father's house on high !
Home of my soul ! how near, At times, to faith's foreseeing eye, Thy golden gates appear !
2 I hear at morn and even,
At noon and midnight hour, The choral harmonies of heaven Seraphic music pour.
3 0, then my spirit faints
To reach the land I love — The bright inheritance of saints, My glorious home above.
Montgomery.
Third. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. Heb. 4:9.
1 There is an hour of hallowed peace
For those with cares oppressed, When sighs and sorrowing tears shall cease, And all be hushed to rest.
2 ?Tis then the soul is freed from fears,
And doubts which here annoy ; Then they that oft had sown in tears, Shall reap again in joy.
W* B. Tappan.
Fourth. After this I beheld, and lo ! a great multitude, which no man could number, of all
214 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands ; and cried with a loud voice, saying, Sal- vation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. Kev. T : 9, 10.
1 Why should I shrink at pain and woe,
Or feel at death dismay ? I've Canaan's goodly land in view, And realms of endless day.
2 Apostles, martyrs, prophets, there
Around my Saviour stand ; And soon my friends in Christ below Will join the glorious band.
3 Jerusalem, my glorious home,
My soul still pants for thee ; Then shall my labors have an end, When I thy joys shall see.
Fifth. And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, saying, Amen : blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever •and ever. Amen. Rev. *l : 11, 12.
1 We speak of the home of the blest,
That country so bright and so fair ; And oft are its glories confessed, But what must it be to' be there ?
2 We speak of its freedom from sin,
From sorrow, temptation, and care, From trials without and within, But what must it be to be there ?
THE HEAVENLY COUNTRY. 215
3 0 Lord, amidst pleasures or woe, For glory our spirits prepare ; That shortly we also may know, And feel what it is to be there.
Sixth. And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes ? and whence came they ? &c. Rev. 1 : 13-15.
1 Now with triumphal palms they stand
Before the throne on high, And serve the God they love amidst The glories of the sky.
2 His presence fills each heart with joy,
Tunes every lip to sing ; By day, by night, the sacred courts With glad hosannas ring.
Watts.
Seventh. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more ; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb, which is in the midst of the throne, shall feed them, avid shall lead them unto living fountains of waters ; and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. Rev. 7 : 16, 11.
1 0, what hath Jesus bought for me ?
Before my ravished eyes Rivers of life divine I see,
And trees of Paradise ; I see a world of spirits bright,
Who taste the pleasures there ; They all are robed in spotless white,
And conquering palms they bear.
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2 0, what are all my sufferings here,
If, Lord, thou count me meet With that enraptured host to appear,
And worship at thy feet ? Give joy or grief, give ease or pain,
Take life or friends away, But let me find them all again,
In that eternal day.
Wesley.
Eighth. And there shall be no night there, and they need no candle, neither light of the sun ; for the Lord God giveth them light, and they shall reign for ever and ever. Rev. 22 : 5.
Out of my last home, dark and cold,
1 shall pass to a city whose streets are gold ;
From the silence that falls upon sin and pain,
To the deathless joy of the angels' strain.
Well shall be ended what ill began,
Out of the shadow into the sun.
Ninth. Thy sun shall no more go down ; nei- ther shall thy moon withdraw itself ; for the Lord shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended. Isa. 60 : 20.
1 Ye stars are but the shining dust
Of my divine abode, The pavement of those heavenly courts Where I shall see my God.
2 The Father of eternal light
Will there his beams display ; Nor shall one moment's darkness blend With that unvaried day.
Doddridge.
THE HEAVENLY COUNTRY. 217
Tenth. I have fought a good fight, I have fin- ished my course, I have kept the faith, &c. 2 Tim. 4: 7, 8.
There shall I wear a starry crown, And triumph in almighty grace,
While all the armies of the skies Join in my glorious Leader's praise.
Watts.
Supt. To what did our Saviour liken the king- dom of heaven ?
Answer. Then were there brought unto him little children,- that he should put his hands on them, and pray; and the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me ; for of such is the kingdom of heaven. And he laid his hands on them, and departed thence. Matt. 19 : 13-15.
Supt. What did Jesus say of those who should become humble and believing, like little children ?
A.ns. At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? &c. Matt. 18 : 1-5.
Singing.
Around the throne of God in heaven,
Thousands of children stand ; Children whose sins are all forgiven, A holy, happy band,
Singing glory, glory, Glory be to God on high.
218 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
Recitation by a Teacher.
THE LAND OF LIGHT.
1 That clime is not like this dull clime of ours ;
All, all is brightness there ; A sweeter influence breathes around its flowers,
And a far milder air. No calm below is like that calm above ; No region here is like that realm of love ; Earth's softest spring ne'er shed so soft a light ; Earth's brightest summer never shone so bright.
2 That sky is not like this sad sky of ours,
Tinged with earth's change and care ; No shadow dims it, and no rain-cloud lowers;
No broken sunshine there ! One everlasting stretch of azure pours Its stainless splendor o'er those sinless shores ; For there Jehovah shines with heavenly ray; There Jesus reigns, dispensing heavenly day.
S The dwellers there are not like those of earth ;
No mortal stain they bear ; And yet they seem of kindred blood and birth —
Whence came they there ? Earth was their native soil ; from sin and shame, Through tribulation they to glory came ; Bond slaves delivered from sin's crushing load ; Brands plucked from burning by the hand of God.
4 Those robes of theirs are not like these below ;
No angel's half so bright ! Whence came that beauty ? whence that living glow ?
Whence came that radiant white? Washed in the blood of the atoning Lamb, Fair as the light those robes of theirs became; x\nd now, all tears wiped off from every eye, They wander where the freshest pastures lie, Through all the nightless day of that unfading sky!
Address.
THE HEAVENLY COUNTRY. 219
IV.
CLASS EECITATION.
Superintendent. What has God promised to those who serve him ?
Teacher. Eternal life.
First Pupil, The righteous shall go away into life eternal. Matt. 25 : 46.
Second. Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me hath everlasting life. John 6 : 47.
Third. The gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Rom. 6 : 23.
Fourth. This is the promise that he hath prom- ised us, even eternal life. 1 John 2 : 25.
Fifth. God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 1 John 5 : 11.
Recitation continued.
Superintendent. What are the descriptions giv- en in the Bible of the heavenly country ?
First Teacher. It is a country of joy and peace.
First Pupil. God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes : and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain : for the former things are passed away. Rev. 21 : 4.
Second. The Lord shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be end- ed. Isa. 60 : 20.
220 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
Third. Thou wilt show me the path of life ; in thy presence is fulness of joy ; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. Ps. 16 : 11.
Fourth. I will make thee ruler over many things ; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. Matt. 25 : 21.
Fifth. He is able to present you faultless be- fore the presence of his glory, with exceeding joy. Jude 24.
Singing.
jerusalem the golden.
1 Jerusalem the golden !
With milk and honey blest ; Beneath thy contemplation
Sink heart and voice oppressed.
2 I know not, 0, I know not
What joys await us there ; What radiancy of glory, What bliss beyond compare.
3 They stand, those halls of Zion,
All jubilant with song, And bright with many an angel, And all the martyr throng.
4 The Prince is ever in them,
The daylight is serene ; The pastures of the blessed Are decked in glorious sheen.
5 There is the throne of David ;
And there, from care released, The shout of them that triumph, The song of them that feast.
THE HEAVENLY COUNTKY. 221
6 And they, who with their Leader Have conquered in the fight, Forever and forever
Are clad in robes of white.
Recitation continued.
Second Teacher. It is a land of glory.
First Pupil. The righteous shall shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Matt. 13 : 43.
Second. They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament ; and they that turn many to righteousness, as the stars forever and ever. Dan. 12 : 3.
Third. If children, then heirs ; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ ; if so be that we suf- fer with him, that we also may be glorified to- gether. The sufferings of this present life are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. Rom. 8 : It, 18.
Fourth. Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen : for the things which are seen, are temporal ; but the things which are not seen, are eternal. 2 Cor. 4 : 11.
Fifth. Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders ; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise, &c. Isa. 60 : 18-21.
Sixth. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. Ps. 13 : 24.
222 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
Seventh. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them ; that they may be one, even as we are one, &c. John 16 : 22-24.
Eecitatiox continued.
Third Teacher. It is the dwelling-place of God, of Christ, of holy angels, and o*f the souls of the redeemed.
First Pupil. And I saw no temple therein : for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it, &c. Eev. 21 : 22-2T.
Second. And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb, &c, Eev. 22 : 1-5.
Third. But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, and said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right- hand of Gocl. Acts 1 : 55, b§.
Fourth. And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs, and ever- lasting joy upon their heads : they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. Isa. 35 : 10.
Fifth. They which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage, &c. Luke 20 : 35, 36.
Sixth. Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again, &c. John 11 : 23-26.
THE HEAVENLY COUNTRY. 223
Seventh. There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial : but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another, &c. 1 Cor. 15 : 40-58.
Eighth, lie will swallow up death in victory ; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces ; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth : for the Lord hath spoken it, &c. Isa. 25 : 8, 9.
Ninth. And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us, &c. Luke 23 : 39—43.
Tenth. We know, that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens, &c. 2 Cor. 5 : 1—5.
SlXCxING. - TT .
Tune — Home, Sweet Home.
O, where shall the soul find her rest and her home?
Whose wings will protect her ? How long must she roam ?
Does not the world offer one city of peace,
One spot free from sin, where our labors may cease?
No, no, no, no ! Far out of sight,
Beyond is our home in the kingdom of light.
We'll leave, then, the world and its darkness behind,
And walk in the light, if our home we may find ;
The great New Jerusalem God has prepared,
His word has been given, his counsel declared.
Yes, yes, yes, yes ! Yonder must be
Those mansions made ready for you and for me.
And Jesus, our Saviour, our Brother, is there; No sin shall oppress us, no death, pain, nor care; But melodies, sweeping from angel harps, roll A welcome of triumph to each ransomed soul. Rest, rest, rest, rest! There we may rest. Forever with Christ, in the home of the blest.
224 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
4 For we, who have loved his appearing below
By faith, then by sight our Redeemer shall know. In garments of holiness, free from each taint, Shall worship before him the lowliest saint. Free, free, free, free ! Freed from our sin, From fightings and temptations within.
5 Dear Saviour, our hearts burn within, and we long To join in the angels' victorious song: Hallelujah to Him who hath bought us, they cry, The Lamb who hath loved us, who reigneth on high! Wait, wait, wait, wait ! Soon shall we hear
The voice of the Master, who bids us appear.
6 Then courage, our souls ! For the warfare is short, Our armor is strong, and secure is our fort;
And when we have triumphed, and each has his crown, At the feet of the Lord we will cast them down. Joy, joy, joy, joy ! Safe home at last ! The battle is over, the peril is past.
V. EECITATION.
HEAVEN, O LORD, I CANNOT LOSE.
EDNA DEAN PROCTOR.
1 Now summer finds her perfect prime,
Sweet blows the wind from western calms, On every bower red roses climb,
The meadows sleep in mingled balms. Nor stream nor bank the wayside by,
But lilies float, and daisies throng, Nor space of blue and sunny sky,
That is not cleft with soaring song. O flowery morns, O tuneful eves,
Fly swift ! my soul ye cannot fill ! Bring the ripe fruit, the garnered sheaves,
The drifting snows on plain and hilL Alike to me fall frosts and dews ; But heaven, O Lord, I cannot lose.
THE HEAVENLY COUNTRY. 225
2 Warm hands to-day are clasped in mine ;
Fond hearts my mirth or mourning share; And, over hope's horizon line,
The future dawns, serenely fair. Yet still, though fervent vow denies,
I know the rapture will not stay ; Some wind of grief or doubt will rise,
And turn my rosy sky to gray. I shall awake in rainy morn
To find my hearth left lone and drear; Thus, half in sadness, half in scorn,
I let my life burn on as clear, Though friends grow cold, or fond love woos ; But heaven, O Lord, I cannot lose.
3 In golden hours, the angel Peace
Comes down and broods me with her wings. I gain from sorrow sweet relaase,
I mate me with divinest things ; When shapes of guilt and gloom arise,
And far the radiant angel flees, My song is lost in mournful sighs,
My wine of triumpii left but leus. In vain for me her pinions shine,
And pure, celestial days begin; Earth's passion-flowers I still must twine,
Nor braid one beauteous lily in. Ah, is it good or ill I choose? But heaven, O Lord, I cannot lose.
4 So wait I. Every day that dies
With flush and fragrance born of June, I know shall more resplendent rise.
Where is no need of sun nor moon. And every bud on love's low tree,
Whose mocking crimson flames and falls, In fullest flower I yet shall see,
High blooming by the jasper walls. Nay, every sin that dims my days,
And wild regrets that veil the sun, • Shall fade before those dazzling rays,
And my long glory be begun. Let the years come to bless or bruise, Thy heaven, O Lord, I shall not lose.
15 Independent,
226 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
VI.
RECITATION.
JERUSALEM ABOVE IS FREE.
" Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all." - Gal. 4 : 26.
1 I would not stay the years that wingv
Howe'er iny lot be east, Nor say, O sun, look back, and bring
One day from out the past. He ever will my portion be,
Whose goodness I recall ; Jerusalem "above is free,
And mother of us all.
2 Free are her happy gates to prayer,
And open night and day ; The holy lyres are tuneful there,
When earth- worn pilgrims pray. There wakes the strain ox jubilee, * When helpless sinners call ; Jerusalem above is free,
And mother of us alb
3 Free are the fadeless bowers of rest,
And free their joys untold ; Free are the mansions of the blest,
And free the streets of gold, Though hidden long the glories be,
Salvation is the wall ; Jerusalem above is free,
And mother of us all.
4 Home of my soul ! I praise the Lord
That made thy comforts free, And led me by his faithful word
To seek my rest in thee. Though circumscribed my way may be,
I know, whate'er befall, Jerusalem above is free,
And mother of us alb
THE HEAVENLY COUNTRY. 227
I would not stay the years that wing,
Howe'er my lot be cast; Nor say, O sun, look back, and bring
One day from out the past. He ever will my portion be,
Whose goodness I recall ; Jerusalem above is free,
And mother of us all.
Congregationalist .
VII.
RECITATION.
THE CITY OF REST.
1 O birds from out the east, O birds from out the west, Have ye found that happy city in all your weary quest? Tell me, tell me, from earth's wandering may the heart
find glad surcease ? Can ye show me as an earnest any olive branch of peace ? I am weary of life's troubles, of its sin, and toil, and care ; I am faithless, crushing in my heart so many a fruitless
prayer. O birds from out the east, O birds from out the west, Can ye tell of that city, the name of which is Rest?
2 Say, doth a dreamy atmosphere that blessed city crown ? Are there couches spread for sleeping, softer than the
eider down ? Does the silver sound of waters, falling 'twixt its marble
walls, Hush its solemn silence even into stiller intervals ? Doth the poppy shed its influence there, or doth the fabled
moly, With its leafy-laden Lethe lade the eye with slumber holy? Do they never wake to sorrow, who, after toilsome quest, Have entered in that city, the name of which is Rest?
3 Doth the fancy wile not there for aye? Is the restless
soul's endeavor
Hushed in a rhythm of solemn calm forever and forever?
Are human natures satisfied of their intense desire ?
Is there no more good beyond to seek, or do they not as- pire?
228 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
But weary, weary of the ore within its yellow sun,
Do they lie and eat its lotus-leaves, and dream life's toil
is done? O, tell me, do they there forget what here hath made
them blest, Nor sigh again for home and friends, in the city named
Rest?
4 O little birds, fly east again, 0 little birds, fly west; Ye have found no happy city in all your weary quest. Still shall ye find no spot of rest, wherever ye may stray, And still like you the human soul must wing its weary
way. There sleepeth no such city within the wide earth's bound, Nor hath the dreaming fancy yet its blissful portals found. We are but children crying here upon a mother's breast, For life, and peace, and blessedness, and for eternal rest.
5 Bless God, I hear a still, small voice, above life's clam-
orous din, Saying, Faint not, O weary one ; thou yet may'st enter in. That city is prepared for those who well do win the fight, Who tread the wine-press tf 11 its blood hath washed their
garments white. Within it is no darkness, nor any baleful flower Shall there oppress thy weeping eyes with stupefying
power ; It lieth calm within the light of God's peace-giving breast ; Its walls are called Salvation, the city's name is Rest.
Household Words.
Note. — Close by singing BanJcside .• —
'• One sweetly solemn thought."
>eIutioits in Speaking.
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
1 On Sunday morning early, While yet the grass is pearly,
The air is bright and cool, All clad in our best graces, With rosy morning faces,
We go to Sunday school.
2 We sun us in its brightness, We clothe us in its whiteness,
As doth the wayside pool That holds from morn to even Its little bit of heaven —
The gladsome Sunday school.
3 The summer earth rejoices, With hers we lift our voices,
And heaven blends the whole ; And when God's angels cover us, Drawing the darkness over us,
They bless the Sunday school.
Gerald Massey.
THE BURIAL OF MOSES.
By Nebo's lonely mountain,
On this side Jordan's wave, In a vale in the land of Moab,
There lies a lonely grave ; And no man dug the sepulchre,
And no man saw it e'er; For the angel of God upturned the sod,
And laid the dead man there.
(229)
230 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
2 That was the grandest funeral
That ever passed on earth : But no man heard the tramping,
Or saw the train go forth. Noiselessly as the daylight
Comes when the night is done, And the crimson streak on ocean's cheek
Grows into the great sun.
3 Noiselessly as the spring-time
Her crown of verdure weaves, And all the trees on all the hills
Open their thousand leaves ; So, without sound of music,
Or voice of them that wept, Silently down from the mountain's crown
The great procession swept.
4 Perchance the bald old eagle,
On gray Beth-peor's height, Out of his rocky eyrie
Looked on the wondrous sight. Perchance the lion, stalking,
Still shuns that hallowed spot; For beast and bird have seen and heard
That which man knoweth not.
5 Amid the noblest of the land,
Men lay the sage to rest, And give the bards an honored place,
With costly marble dressed, In that great minster transept,
Where lights like glories fall; And the choir sings and the organ rings
Along the emblazoned wall.
6 This was the bravest warrior
That ever buckled sword; This the most gifted poet
That ever breathed a word : And never earth's philosopher
Traced with his golden pen On the deathless page truth half so sage
As he wrote down for men.
7 x\nd had he not high honor?
The hill-side for his pall! To lie in state while angels wait, And stars for tapers tall ;
SELECTIONS FOR SPEAKING. 231
And the dark rock-pines, like tossing plumes.
Over his bier to wave, And God's own hand in that lonely land
To lay him in the grave.
8 In that deep grave, without a name,
Whence his uncoffined clay Shall break again — most wondrous thought ! — ■
Before the judgment-day; And stand with glory wrapped around
On the hill he never trod, And speak of the strife that won our life
With the incarnate Son of God.
9 O, lonely tomb in Moab's land!
O, dark Beth-peor's hill! Speak to these curious hearts of ours.
And teach them to be still. God hath his mysteries of grace,
Ways that we cannot tell ; He hides them deep, like the sacred sleep
Of him he loved so well.
HAGAR IN THE WILDERNESS.
Gen. 21 : 14-21.
The morning past, and Asia's sun rode up In the clear heaven, and every beam was heat. The cattle of the hills were in the shade, And the bright plumage of the Orient lay On beating bosoms in her spicy trees. It was an hour of rest ; but Hagar found No shelter in the wilderness, and on She kept her weary way, until the boy Hung down his head, and opened his parched lips For water; but she could not give it him. She laid him down beneath the sultry sky, — For it was better than the close, hot breath Of the thick pines, — and tried to comfort him ; But he was sore athirst, and his blue eyes Were dim and bloodshot, and he could not know Why God denied him water in the wild. She sat a little longer, and he grew Ghastly and faint, as if he would have died.
It was too much for her. She lifted him, And bore him farther on, and laid his head
232 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
Beneath the shadow of a desert shrub ;
And, shrouding up her face, she went away,
And sat to watch where he could see her not,
Till he should die ; and, watching him, she mourned,
"God stay thee in thine agony, my bpy ! I cannot see thee die ; I cannot brook
Upon thy brow to look, And see death settle on my cradle joy. How have I drunk the light of thy blue eye !
And could I see thee die?
"I did not dream of this when thou wast straying, Like an unbound gazelle, among the flowers ;
Or wiling the soft hours By the rich gush of water sources, playing, Then sinking weary to thy smiling sleep,
So beautiful and deep!
" 0, no ! and when I watched by thee the while, And saw thy bright lip curling in thy dream,
And thought of the dark stream In my own land of Egypt, the far Nile, How prayed I that my father's land might be
An heritage for thee !
" And now the grave for its cold breast hath won thee, And thy white, delicate limbs the earth will press ;
And O, my last caress Must feel thee cold, for a chill hand is on thee. How can I leave my boy, so pillowed there
Upon his clustering hair ! "
She stood beside the well her God had given To gush in that deep wilderness, and bathed The forehead of her child, until he laughed In his reviving happiness, and lisped His infant thought of gladness at the sight Of the cool plashing of his mother's hand.
BELSHAZZAR.
1 Hour of an empire's overthrow I
The princes from the feast were gone; The idol flame was burning low ; — - 'Twas midnight upon Babylon,
SELECTIONS FOR SPEAKING. 233
2 That night the feast was wild and high ;
That night was Zion's gold profaned ; The seal was set to blasphemy ;
The last deep cup of wrath was drained.
3 'Mid jewelled roof and silken pall,
Belshazzar on his couch was flung ; A burst of thunder filled the hall, —
He heard, — but 'twas no mortal tongue : —
4 " King of the East ! the trumpet calls,
That calls thee to a tyrant's grave ; A curse is on thy palace walls, — A curse is on thy guardian wave.
5 " A surge is in Euphrates' bed,
That never filled its bed before ; A surge that, ere the morn be red,
Shall load with death its haughty shore.
6 " Behold a tide of Persian steel !
A torrent of the Median car ; Like flame their gory banners wheel ; Rise, king, and arm thee for the war! "
7 Belshazzar gazed ; the voice was past, —
The lofty chamber filled with gloom ; But echoed on the sudden blast The rushing of a mighty plume.
8 He listened; all again was still;
He heard no chariot's iron clang; He heard the fountain's gushing rill, The breeze that through the roses sang.
9 He slept ; in sleep wild murmurs came :
A visioned splendor fired the sky ; He heard Belshazzar's taunted name ; He heard again the Prophet cry, —
10 " Sleep, sultan ! 'tis thy final sleep,
Or wake, or sleep, the guilty dies. The wrongs of those who watch and weep, Around thee and thy nation rise."
11 He started : 'mid the battle's yell,
He saw the Persian rushing on :
He saw the flames around him swell ;
Thou'rt ashes, King of Babylon !
George Croty.
234 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
And it came to pass the day after, that he went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him, and much people, &c. Luke 7 : 11-16.
THE WIDOW OF NAIN.
The Roman sentinel stood helmed and tall Beside the gate of Nain. The busy tread Of comers to the city mart was done, For it was almost noon, and a dead heat Quivered upon the fine and sleeping dust, And the cold snake crept panting from the wall, And basked his scaly circles in the sun. Upon his spear, the soldier leaned, and kept His idle watch, and, as his drowsy dream Was broken by the solitary foot Of some poor mendicant, lie raised his head To curse him for a tributary Jew, And slumberously dozed on.
'Twas now high noon. The dull, low murmur of a funeral Went through the city, — the sad sound of feet Unmixed with voices, — and the sentinel Shook off his slumber, and gazed earnestly Up the wide streets, along whose paved way The silent throng crept slowly. They came on, Bearing a body heavily on its bier; And by the crowd that in the burning sun Walked with forgetful sadness, 'twas of one Mourned with uncommon sorrow. The broad gate^ Swung on its hinges, and the Roman bent His spear-point downwards as the bearers passed, Bending beneath their burden. There was one — Only one mourner. Close behind the bier, Crumpling the pall up in her withered hands, Followed an aged woman. Her short steps Faltered with weakness, and a broken moan Fell from her lips, thickened convulsively As her heart bled afresh. The pitying crowd Followed apart, but no one spoke to her. She had no kinsmen. She had lived alone — A widow with one son. He was her all, — The only tie she had in the wide world, — And he was dead. They could not comfort her.
SELECTIONS FOR SPEAKING. 235
Jesus drew near to Nain, as from the gate The funeral came forth. His lips were pale With the noon's sultry heat. The beaded sweat Stood thickly on his brow, and on the worn And simple latchets of his sandals lay, Thick, the white dust of travel. He had come Since sunrise from Capernaum, staying not To wet his lips by green Bethsaida's pool, Nor wash his feet in Kishon's silver springs, Nor turn him southward upon Tabor's side To catch Gilboa's light and spicy breeze. Genesareth stood cool upon the east, Fast by the sea of Galilee, and there The weary traveller might bide till eve ; And on the alders of Bethulia's plains The grapes of Palestine hung ripe and wild ; Yet turned he not aside, but gazing on, From every swelling mount, he saw afar Amid the hills the humble spires of Nain, The place of his next errand, and the path Touched not Bethulia, and a league away Upon the east lay pleasant Galilee.
Forth from the city gate the pitying crowd
Followed the stricken mourner. They came near
The place of burial, and, with straining hands,
Closer upon her breast she clasped the pall,
And with a gasping sob, quick as a child's,
And an inquiring wildness flashing through
The thin, gray lashes of her fevered eyes,
She came where Jesus stood beside the way.
He looked upon her, and his heart was moved.
" Weep not! " lie said; and as they stayed the bier,
And at his bidding laid it at his feet,
He gently drew the pall from out her grasp,
And laid it back in silence from the dead.
With troubled wonder the mute throng drew near,
And gazed on his calm looks. A minute's space
He stood and prayed. Then, taking the cold hand,
He said, " Arise ! " And instantly the breast
Heaved in its cerements, and a sudden flush ■
Han through the lines of the divided lips,
And with a murmur of his mother's name,
He trembled, and sat upright in his shroud.
And, while the mourner hung upon his neck,
Jesus went calmly on his way to Nain.
N. P.
236 SUNDAY SCHOOL COXCERT BOOK.
And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the Lord, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Amnion into mine hands, &c. Judg. 11 : 30-40.
JEPHTHAH'S DAUGHTER.
The mighty Jephthah led his warriors on
Through Mizpeh's streets. His helm was proudly set,
And his stern lip curled slightly, as if praise
Were for the hero's scorn. His step was firm,
But free as India's leopard; and his mail.
Whose shekels none in Israel might hear,
Was like a cedar's tassel on his frame.
His crest was Judah's kingliest; and the look
Of his dark, lofty eye, and bended brow,
Might quell the lion. He led on : but thoughts
Seemed gathering round which troubled him. The veins
Grew visible upon his swarthy brow,
And his proud lip was pressed as if with pain.
He trod less firmly ; and his restless eye
Glanced forward frequently, as if some ill
He d .red not meet were there. His home was near;
And men were thronging, with that strange delight
They have in human passions, to observe
The struggle of his feelings with his pride.
He gazed intensely forward. The tall firs
Before his tent were motionless. The leaves
Of the sweet aloe, and the clustering vines
Which half concealed his threshold, met his eye,
unchanged and beautiful ; and one by one,
The balsam, with its sweet- distilling stems,
And the Circassian rose, and all the crowd
Of silent and familiar things, stole up,
Like the recovered passages of dreams.
He strode on rapidly. A moment more,
And he had reached his home ; when, lo ! there sprang
One with a bounding footstep, and a brow
Of light, to meet him. O, how beautiful! —
Her dark eye flashing like a sun-lit gem — -
And her luxuriant hair ! — 'twas like the sweep
Of a swift wing in visions. He stood still,
As if the sight had withered him. She threw
Her arms about his neck — -he heeded not.
She called him " Father! " — but he answered Dot.
She stood and gazed upon him. Was he wroth?
There was no anger in that bloodshot eye.
Had sickness seized him? She unclasped his helm,
SELECTIONS FOU SPEAKING. 237
And laid her white hand gently on his brow,
And the large veins felt stiff and hard, like cords.
The touch aroused him. He raised up his hands,
And spoke the name of God in agony.
She knew that he was stricken then ; and rushed
Again into his arms ; and, witli a flood
Of tears she could not bridle, sobbed a prayer
That he would tell her of his wretchedness,
He told her — and a momentary flush
Shot o'er her countenance ; and then the soul
Of Jephthah's daughter wakened ; and she stood
Calmly and nobly up, and said 'twas well —
And she would die. v . . .
The sun had well nigh set. The fire was on the altar ; and the priest Of the High God was there. A wasted man Was stretching out his withered hands to heaven, As if he would have prayed, but had no words — And she who was to die, the calmest one In Israel at that hour, stood up alone, Arid waited for the sun to set. Her face Was pale, but very beautiful — her lip Had a more delicate outline, and the tint Was deeper ; but her countenance was like The majesty of angels.
The sun set — And she was dead — but not by violence.
' N. P. Willis.
THE HOUR OF DEATH. First Pupil.
1 Leaves have their time to fall,
And flowers to wither at the north wind's breath,
And stars to set — but all, Thou hast all seasons for thine own, O Death.
Second Pupil.
2 True, all we know must die,
Though none can tell the exact, appointed hour;
Nor should it cost the virtuous heart a sigh. Whether death doth crush the oak, or nip the opening flower.
First Pupil.
3 Day is for mortal care.
Eve for glad meetings round the joyous hearth.
Night for the dreams of sleep, the voice of prayer, But all for thee, thou mightiest of the earth.
238 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
4 The banquet hath its hour,
Its feverish hour of mirth, and song, and wine ;
There comes a day for grief's overwhelming power, A time for softer tears, — but all are thine.
5 Youth and the opening rose
May look like things too glorious for decay,
And smile at thee — but thou art not of those That wait the ripened bloom to seize their prey.
6 Leaves have their time to fall,
And flowers to wither at the north wind's breath,
And stars to set — but all, Thou hast all seasons for thine own, O Death.
Second Pupil.
7 The Christian is prepared, Though others tremble at the hour of gloom.
His soul is always ready on its guard ; His lamps are lighted 'gainst the bridegroom come.
8 It matters not the time
When we shall end our pilgrimage below ;
Whether in youth's bright morn, or manhood's prime, Or when the frost of age has whitened o'er our brow.
9 The child has blossomed fair, And looked so lovely on its mother's breast,
The source of many a hope, and many a prayer ; Why murmur that it sleeps, when all at last may rest?
10 Snatched from a world of woe, Where they must suffer most who longest dwell,
It vanished like a flake of early snow, That melts into the sea, pure as from heaven it fell.
11 The youth whose pulse beats high, Eager through glory's brilliant course to run, —
Why should we shed a tear, or breathe a sigh, That the bright goal is gained, the prize thus early won ?
12 The Christian is prepared, Though others tremble at the hour of gloom;
His soul is always ready on his guard ; His lamps are lighted 'gainst the bridegroom come.
Note. — The part of the first pupil is from Mrs. Hemans, and that o: the second from Mrs. Wilson; arranged by the Editor.
SELECTIONS FOR SPEAKING. 239
HATE OF THE BOWL.
For Sunday School Temperance Meeting*.
1 Go, feel what I have felt ;
Go, bear what I have borne ; Sink 'neath the blow a father dealt,
And the cold, proud world's scorn; Thus struggle on, from year to year, Thy sole relief the scalding tear.
2 Go, weep as I have wept,
O'er a loved father's fall; See every cherished promise swept,
Youth's sweetness turned to gall; Hope's faded flowers strewn all the way, That led me up to woman's day.
3 Go, kneel as I have kneit,
Implore, beseech, and pray, Strive the besotted heart to melt,
The downward course to stay ; Be cast, with bitter tears, aside, Thy prayers burlesqued, thy tears defied,
4 Go, stand where I have stood,
And see the strong man bow, With gnashing teeth, lips bathed in blood,
And cold the livid brow ; Go, catch his wandering glance, and see There mirrored, his soul's misery.
5 Go, hear what I have heard,
The sobs of sad despair, As memory's feeling fount hath stirred,
And its revealing there Have told him what he might have been, Had he the drunkard's fate foreseen.
6 Go, to my mother's side,
And her crushed spirit cheer; Thine own deep anguish hide,
Wipe from her cheek the tear; Mark her dimmed eye, her furrowed brow, The gray that streaks her dark hair now, Her toil-worn frame, her trembling limb, And trace the ruin back to him Whose plighted faith, in early youth, Promised eternal love and truth ;
240 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
7 But who, forsworn, hath yielded up This promise to the deadly cup,
And led her down from love and light. From all that made her pathway bright. And chained her there, 'mid .want and strife, That lowly thing, a drunkard's wife; And stamped on childhood's brow so mild, That withering blight, a drunkard's child.
8 Go, hear and see, and feel and know,
All that my soul hath felt and known ; Then look upon the wine-cup's glow,
See if its brightness can atone. Think, if its flavor you will try, If all proclaimed, " 'Tis drink and die."
9 Tell me I hate the bowl;
Hate is a feeble word ; I loathe, abhor — «my very soul
With strong disgust is stirred, Whene'er I see, or hear, or tell, Of that dark beverage of hell.
THE VOICE.
J. K. LOMBARD.
First Pupil.
1 '• Write," said the voice, " all the truths of thy vision,
That which is coming, and that which hath been." "Nay," said the seer, " the meaning is hidden:
How shall sense fathom what spirit hath seen ? " "The spirit gives life, though the letter destroys; Silence were sinful. Write," said the Voice.
Second Pupil.
2 ". Speak," said the Voice ; " if the word hath come to thee,
Go thou to Nineveh, utter thy cry." " Nay," said the prophet, "the message were fruitless;
Who will regard such a babbler as I? " "He who hath called thee his chosen employs; Silence were fatal. Speak," said the Voice.
Third Pupil.
3 " Sing," said the Voice; "if the harmonies in thee
Leap to thy lips, and thrill on thy lyre." "Nay," said the singer; "'twere needless presuming; What is one strain in the manv-voiced choir?"
SELECTIONS FOR SPEAKING. 241
" If it be given thee, venture no choice ; Silence were thankless. Sing," said the Voice.
Fourth Pupil.
4 " Shine," said the Voice; " let the light that is burning,
Buried within thee, illumine the way." " Nay," said the Christian ; " the light is uncertain ;
What if it lead my weak brother astray? " " Herald the dawning, and earth shall rejoice; Darkness is danger. Shine," said the Voice.
Fifth Pupil.
5 " Work," said the Voice ; " the day is swift passing;
Soon shall the sounds of all labor be still." "Nay," said the toiler, " my hands are a-weary,
And vain is the striving my tasks to fulfil." "Not the faint-hearted the harvest enjoys; Rest is inglorious. Work," said the Voice.
Sixth Pupil.
6 "Wait," said the Voice. "If the mists thicken round
thee,
Hiding the stars, and obscuring the way." "Nay," said the traveller; " home is far distant,
And dangers fast gather to threaten delay." " Yet wisdom detains thee, nor vainly annoys ;
Blind is impatience. Wait," said the Voice.
Seventh Pupil. .
7 "Hope," said the Voice. "Though the present be
dreary,
Beauty, and glory, and peace are beyond." "Nay," said the doubter, " I trust not the promise ;
Fools may be hopeful, the wise must despond." " Yet soon the great scales shall recover their poise ; Doubt is impiety. Hope," said the Voice.
Eighth Pupil.
8 List to the Voice that comes echoed from Eden,
Whispering soft, or in thunderous roll ; Say it not nay in thy proud self-distrusting,
Welcome the message that wakens thy soul. What if brief failure thy triumph alloys ? Faithful thy service, — " Well done," saith the Voice.
\§ Congregatlonalist.
242 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
GOD HELP THE POOR FELLOWS AT SEA.
1 Far away inland, when tempests blow,
While through the darkening night, We list to the roar of the winds as they go
On their hurricane steeds to the fight; For the hosts of the storm-king are gathering fast,
Where the white-crested waters flee, And our hearts breathe this prayer, as he rushes past, On the winds or the howling northern blast,
" God help the poor fellows at sea."
2 We wake in the night with a shivering fear,
For our dream ears have thrilled to the shriek Of the drowning seamen, and many a tear
Gathers fast on the whitening cheek ; For the light of the mind's swift lightnings flash
Seems to show us the rock-bound sea, And we pray to our God, as the billows dash, And in thunder the iron breakers lash,
" God help the poor fellows at sea."
3 In many a home there are fainting hearts,
Sorely stirred by the moan of the wind, Fainting down when the light of day departs,
Leaving darkness and clouds behind ; For the loved ones are out on the foam-capped wave,
Where the tempests hold revelry, And they breathe up this prayer, for the loved and the
brave, To the Infinite Grace that can succor and save,
" God help the poor fellows at sea."
4 So He moves to grand deeds many noble souls,
That his love may be known on earth, And the fruit of that love, where the storm-wave rolls,
Giveth hope in men's hearts new birth ; For the life-boat away to the sinking bark
Flies swiftly to save, and we Pray God speed the lightly bounding ark, With its precious freight, o'er the waters dark,
From the perilous paths of the sea.
SELECTIONS FOR SPEAKING. 243
Recitations with Singing.
I. — MY CHILDHOOD.
To be spoken.
1 As I rummaged through the attic,
Listening to the falling rain, As it pattered on the shingles,
And against the window-pane ; Peeping over chests and boxes,
Which with dust were thickly spread, Saw I in the farthest corner
What was once my trundle-bed.
2 So I drew it from the recess
Where it had remained so long. Hearing all tiie while the music
Of my mother's voice in song; As she sung, in sweetest accents,
What I since have often read, — To be sung.
" Hush, my dear; lie still and slumber;
Holy angels guard thy bed."
To be spoken.
3 As I listened, recollections
That I thought had been forgot, Came with all the gush of memory,
Rushing, thronging to the spot; And I wandered back to childhood,
To those merry days of yore, When I knelt beside my mother,
By this bed upon the floor.
4 Then it was, with hands so gently
Placed upon my infant head, That she taught my lips to utter
Carefully the words she said. Never can they be forgotten,
Deep are they in memory riven, —
To be sung.
"Hallowed be thy name, O Father! Father ! Thou who art in heaven."
Note. — The words marked for singing are to be sung as the last two lines of the stanzas in " Nettleton," or, —
" Come, thou Fount of every blessing."
244 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
II. — NO TEARS IN HEAVEN.
To be spoken,
1 I met a child, his feet were bare,
His weak frame shivered with the cold ; His youthful brow was knit with care,
His flashing eye his sorrow told. Said I, " Poor boy, why weepest thou? "
" My parents both are dead," he said;
" I have not where to lay my head; O, I am lone and friendless now." To be sung.
Not friendless, child; a Friend on high
For you his precious blood has given ; Cheer up, and bid each tear be dry, —
" There are no tears, no tears in heaven."
To be spoken.
2 I saw a man in life's gay noon
* Stand weeping o'er his young bride's bier; " And must we part," he cried, " so soon? "
As down his cheek there rolled a tear; " Heart- stricken one," said I, " weep not."
" Weep not! " in accent wild, he cried;
" But yesterday my loved one died, And shall she be so soon forgot? " To be sung.
Forgotten ! No ; still let her love
Sustain thy heart with anguish riven ; Strive thou to meet thy bride above,
And dry your tears, your tears in heaven.
To be spoken.
3 I saw a gentle mother weep,
As to her throbbing heart she pressed An infant, seemingly asleep
On its kind mother's sheltering breast. " Fair one," said I, " pray weep no more."
Sobbed she, " The idol of my hope I now am called to render up.
My babe has reached death's gloomy shore.1
To be sung.
Young mother, yield no more to grief, Nor be by passion's tempest driven ; But find in these sweet words relief,
" There are no tears, no tears in heaven."
SELECTIONS FOR SPEAKING. 245
To be spoken.
4 Poor traveller o'er life's troubled wave,
Cast down by grief, o'erwhelmed by care, There is an arm above can save, —
Then yield not thou to fell despair. Look upward, mourners, look above ; What though the thunders echo loud? The sun shines bright beyond the cloud.
To be sung.
Then trust to thy Redeemer's love,
Where'er thy lot in life be cast, Whate'er of toil or woe be given; Be firm — remember to the last, " There are no tears, no tears in heaven."
Note. — For music to the words marked to be sung, see "The Jubilee," p. 375, chorus. [By permission.]
III. — THAT BEAUTIFUL WORLD.
To be spoken.
1 We're going home, we soon shall be Where the sky is clear, and all are free ; Where the victor's song floats o'er the plains, And the seraph's anthems blend with its strains ; Where the sun rolls down its brilliant flood, And beams on a world that is fair and good; Where stars, once dimmed at nature's doom, Will ever shine o'er the new earth bloom.
To be sung. O, that beautiful world ! O, that beautiful world !
To be spoken.
2 'Mid the ransomed throng, 'mid the sea of bliss, 'Mid the holy city's gorgeousness,
'Mid the verdant plains, 'mid angels' cheer, 'Mid the saints that round the throne appear, Where the conqueror's song, as it sounds afar, Is wafted on the ambrosial air ; Through endless years we then shall prove The death of a Saviour's matchless love.
To be sung. 0, that beautiful world ! 0, that beautiful world !
246 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
THE BIBLE PEDLER.
1 " O lady fair, these silks of mine
Are beautiful and rare ; The richest web of the Indian loom
Which Beauty's self might wear; And these pearls are pure and mild to behold,
And with radiant light they vie ; I have brought them with me a weary way ;
Will my gentle lady buy ? "
2 The lady smiled on the worn old man,
Through the dark and clustering curls That veiled her brow, as she stooped to view
His silks and his glittering pearls ; And she placed their price in the old man's hand,
And lightly she turned away ; But she paused at the wanderer's earnest call,
" My gentle lady, stay.
3 " O lady fair, I have yet a gem
Which a purer lustre flings, Than the diamond flash in the jewelled crown
On the lofty brow of kings ; A wonderful pearl of exceeding price,
Whose virtues shall not decay, Whose light shall be as a spell to thee,
And a blessing on thy way."
4 The lady glanced at the mirroring steel,
Where her youthful form was seen ; Where her eyes shone bright, and her dark locks waved
Their clasping pearls between. " Bring forth thy pearl of exceeding price,
Thou traveller gray and old ; And name the price of thy precious gem,
And my pages shall count thy gold."
5 The cloud went off from the pilgrim's brow,
As a small and meagre book, Unchased by gold or diamond gem,
From his folding robe he took. " Here, lady fair, is the pearl of price,
May it prove as such to thee ; Nay, keep thy gold; I ask it not,
For the Word of God is free."
SELECTIONS FOR SPEAKING. 247
6 The hoary traveller went his way,
But the gift he left behind Hatli had its pure and perfect work
On the high-born maiden's mind; And she hath turned from the pride of sin
To the lowliness of truth, And given her human heart to God,
In the beauteous hour of youth.
7 And she hath left the old gray halls,
Where an evil faith has power, And the courtly knights of her father's train,
And the maidens of her bower ; And she hath gone to the Vaudois isle,
By lordly feet untrod, Where the poor and needy of earth are rich
In the perfect love of God.
JVhittier.
THE "AMEN" OF THE STONES.
The following poem was suggested by a similar illustration of the Scripture found in the German of Rosegarten : —
1 " Ah, Beda, old Beda! thy locks are all white, And blindness has followed thy dimness of sight And still must thou preach ? "
" Yes, the life-giving Word, While my soul is illumed with the smiles of the Lord."
2 Then Beda went forth, and there rode by his side A sunny-haired boy, his attendant and guide ; And Beda*was filled with a heavenly joy,
But careless and gay was the sunny-haired boy.
3 All airy and light was the morn, and they rode By the shepherd's retreat and the cotter's abode, And the lad, singing songs in the sweetest of tones, Led the silver-haired man to a valley of stones.
4 Said the boy, " There are gathered some worshippers
here." The tidings were sweet to the blind preacher's ear; He drew the rein gently, he bowed him in prayer — An anthem of forest birds floated in air.
5 He spake of the Saviour in rapturous tones, That were echoed anon from the valley of stones, Of the tears in the garden, the groans on the tree, Of the streams of salvation, full-flowing and free.
248 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
6 He told the sweet tale to the stones, and I ween His soul was illumined with glory unseen ;
He ended, " The power and the glory be thine." His very soul glowed with a rapture divine.
7 " Forever /" He lifted his hands at the word — " Amen ! " said the stones !
As the voices he heard, He uttered the strain of devotion again, — Each stone in the valley responded, " Amen."
8 " Ah, Beda, blind Beda ! this day I have erred, " Said the boy, as the rapturous responses he heard, "For only my ear has been reached by your tones, And the great i Amen ' comes from a valley of stones."
9 " And hast thou not read in the life-giving Word, That, if mortals refused to give praise to the Lord, The stones would cry out? "
All penitent then, The little boy answered, " Forever, Amen."
10 All silent the stones. The valley was calm, They heard the great forest brook singing a psalm, And the music of birds, and the humming of bees,
And the wind breathing low through the branches of trees. , CongregatiwiaMst.
THE CHAPEL.
From the German.
1 Peaceful from the hill the chapel
Looketh on the vale below ; Singing clear, by stream and meadow, Doth the joyous herd-boy go.
2 Hark! the little bell's sad tolling!
Hark the death-hymn's awful thrill ! And the boy's glad voice is silent, And he listens, grave and still.
3 Yonder to the grave are carried,
Who within the vale were gay ; Careless herd-boy, careless herd-boy, Thus they'll sing for thee one day.
Uhlan d.
SELECTIONS FOR SPEAKING. 249
Spoken by a child bearing violets*
THE VIOLET.
1 When April warmth unlocks the clod,
Softened by gentle showers, The violet pierces through the sod,
And blossoms first of flowers. So may /give my heart to God,
In childhood's early hours.
2 Some plants, in gardens only found,
Are raised with pains and care ; God scatters violets all around, —
They blossom everywhere. Tims may my love to all abound,
And all my fragrance share.
3 Sweet flower, be thou a type of me,
Of blameless joy and mirth; Of widely scattered sympathy,
Embracing all God's earth; Of early-blooming piety,
And unpretending worth.
G. G. Clark.
GOD'S PROTECTION.
1 When, courting slumber, The hours I number, And sad thoughts cumber
My weary mind, The thought will cheer me That thou art near me, Whose ear to hear me
Is well inclined.
2 My soul thou keepest, Who never sleepest : 'Mid gloom the deepest,
There's light above. Thine eyes behold me, Thine arms infold me ; Thy word has told me
" God is love."
250 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
DAISY'S PRAYER.
1 Darling little Daisy,
With her golden hair, Sitting at the table In her own high chair.
2 Closed the dewy eyelids
Over blue eyes bright ;
Drooped the golden lashes
Over cheeks so white.
3 Bent above the table,
Little head so fair; Daisy's supper's waiting Till she says her prayer.
4 So she clasps her fingers
As when wont to pray ; " O, dear me ! " sighs Daisy, " What does papa say ? "
5 Lower bows her forehead
O'er the table then ; And she whispers softly, "Jesus' sake. Amen."
6 Darling little Daisy,
With your winsome face, May the blessed Saviour Daily give his grace.
7 May you never venture
Any path to take, Till you ask God's blessing For dear Jesus' sake.
8 When the light of childhood
Shall have left your brow, May your faith in Jesus Be as pure as now.
9 From all sin and wandering
May good angels keep ; And at last in Jesus May you fall asleep.
SELECTIONS FOR SPEAKING. 251
THE UNFINISHED PRAYER.
"Now I lay me," — say it, darling;
" Lay me," lisped the tiny lips Of my daughter, kneeling, bending
O'er her folded finger tips.
2 " Down to sleep." " To sleep," she murmured,
And the curly head dropped low ; " I pray the Lord," I gently added ; " You can say it all, I know."
3 " Pray the Lord " — the words came faintly,
Fainter still — " my soul to keep." Then the tired head fairly nodded, And the child was fast asleep.
4 But the dewy eyes half opened,
When I clasped her to my breast, And the dear voice softly whispered, "Mamma, God knows all the rest."
5 O, the trusting, sweet confiding
Of the child-heart ! Would that I Thus might trust my heavenly Father, He who hears my feeblest cry.
"MY FATHER'S AT THE HELM."
1 'Twas when the sea's tumultuous roar
The little bark assailed, And pallid fear, with awful power, O'er all on board prevailed ;
2 Save one, the captain's darling son,
Who fearless viewed the storm. And playful, with composure smiled At danger's threatening form.
3 "Why sparking thus," a seaman cried,
While sorrows overwhelm?" " Why yield to grief?" the boy replied, " My father's at the helm."
4 Despairing soul, from hence be taught
How groundless is thy fear; Think on what wonders Christ has wrought. And he is always near.
252 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
LET JESUS WEAR THE CROWN.
•
1 I know whatever good is mine
To Jesus' grace I owe ;• I know his beams of mercy shine
Upon my path below. His loving kindness still I view,
When chastened by his frown; All that I am to him I owe,
Let Jesus wear the crown.
2 He led me to his mercy-seat,
He met my soul in prayer, And showed to me his bleeding feet,
Pierced for my ransom there. My spirit, give to love divine
The glory and renown ; No starry diadem be mine,
Let Jesus wear the crown.
3 Too oft I've wandered from my King
To claim a royal seat ; Content am I to sit and sing
Crownless before his feet. Content to bear my soul away,
When comes his angel down ; To take the lowest place, and say,
Let Jesus wear the crown.
Congregationalist.
JERUSALEM.
1 Our feet shall stand within thy gate,
Jerusalem, Jerusalem. Though here a while we lowly wait, In poor and pilgrim-like estate, Soon shall we see thy splendor great,
Jerusalem, Jerusalem.
2 Soon shall we hail with joyful cry,
Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Thy bulwarks, which the foe defy; But to the sons of God most high, Tby gates of pearl wide open fly, ,
Jerusalem, Jerusalem.
SELECTIONS FOR SPEAKING. 253
THE ETERNAL YEARS.
1 How slialt thou bear the cross that now
So dread a weight appears? Keep quietly to God, and think Upon Eternal Years.
2 0, many things are good for souls,
In proper times and spheres ; Thy present good is in the thought Of the Eternal Years.
3 Bear gently ; suffer like a child,
Nor be ashamed of tears ; Kiss the sweet cross, and in thy heart Sing of Eternal Years.
4 One cross can sanctify a soul ;
Late saints and ancient seers Were what they were, because they mused Upon the Eternal Years.
Frederick Faber.
JESUS BIDS US SHINE.
1 Jesus bids us shine,
First of all for him ; Well he sees and knows it,
If our light grows dim. He looks down from heaven
To see us shine, You in your small corner,
And I in mine.
2 Jesus bids us shine,
Then for all around ; Many kinds of darkness
In the world abound. Sin, and want, and sorrow,
So we must shine, You in your small corner,
And I in mine.
THE SABBATH.
A Sabbath well spent
Brings a week of content, And plenty of joy for the morrow;
In a Sabbath profaned,
There is nought to be gained; 'Tis a certain precursor of sorrow.
254 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
HAPPY THE CHILD.
1 Happy the child whose early years
Receive instruction well ; Who hates the sinner's path, and fears The road that leads to hell.
2 When we devote our youth to God,
'Tis pleasing in his eyes ; A flower, when offered in the bud, Is no vain sacrifice.
3 'Tis easy work, if we begin
To fear the Lord betimes, While sinners who grow old in sin Are hardened in their crimes.
4 'Twill save us from a thousand snares
To mind religion young; Grace will preserve our following years, And make our virtue strong.
5 To thee, Almighty God, to thee
Our childhood we resign; 'Twill please us to look back and see That our whole lives were thine.
LITTLE CHATTERBOX.
1 They call me " Little Chatterbox; "
My name is little May ; I have to talk so much, because I have so much to say.
2 xlnd O, I have so many friends !
So many ! and you see I can't help loving them, because They, every one, love me.
3 I love my papa and mamma,
I love my sisters, too ; And if you're very, very good, I guess that I'll love you.
SELECTIONS FOR SPEAKING. 255
4 But I love God the best of all ;
He keeps me all the night, And when the morning comes again, He wakes me with the light.
5 I think it is so nice to' live,
And yet, if I should die, The Lord would send his angels down To take me to the sky.
CHILDISH WISDOM.
1 'Twas the hour of prayer, and the farmer stood,
With a thankful heart and a lowly mind, And prayed to the Author of every good,
That the Father of all would be very kind, And bless his creatures with raiment and food ; That the blessings each day might be renewed; That every man might find relief, And plenty for hunger, joy for grief, Be measured by the Merciful One, To all who suffer beneath the sun.
2 The prayer concluded, the godly man
Went forth in peace to inspect his farm ; And by his side, delighted, ran,
Glowing with every healthful charm, His little son, a sprightly boy, Whose home was love, and whose life was joy ; And the father said, " The harvest yields A plentiful crop, my son, this year ; My barns are too small for my grain, I fear."
3 And they wandered on, through row upon row
Of plumy sheaves : and at length the child, With earnest look, and a rosy glow
On his shining cheek, looked up and smiled, And said, " My father, do you not pray For the poor and needy, day by day, That God, the good, would the hungry feed?" " I do, my son." " Well, I think, as you plead," — His eye waxed bright, for his soul shone through it, - 44 That God, if he had your wheat, would do it."
256 SUNDAY SCHOOL CONCERT BOOK.
GOOD NIGHT.
Good night !
Thus the weary we invite.
Waning clay in silence flows,
Now all busy hands repose,
Till the darkness wakes to light.
Good night !
Seek repose ! Let the weary eyelids close. Silence reigneth in the streets ; With his horn the watchman greets, And the night cries, as it flows, Seek repose !
Good night ! Sleep till day-spring wakes on high, Fearlessly, until the day Strews new cares upon thy way; Watchful is the Father's eye. Good night !
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