Of all my bliss the spring;
More fulness in Thy grace is found,
Than when the corn and wine abound,
And all the world can bring.
I
The time is drawing near,
It cannot tarry long,
When they who face the conflict here,
Shall join the glorious throng,
Where gladness fills each heart,
And honour crowns each brow;--
For tireless service fit me, Lord,
By willing service now.
II
Let no depressing thought
My brooding mind depress;
But let me hear, in winning tones,
What they who serve possess,
Where gladness fills each heart, etc.
III
Let sunshine flood the soul,
When threatening night descends,
That I may see the light serene
No sunset ever ends.
Where gladness fills each heart, etc.
IV
Let strength my spirit nerve,
That, with each labour done,
I may, like those who serve above,
See some new task begun;
Where gladness fills each heart, etc.
V
The time is drawing near,--
Till that bright morning break,
May I, with those who see Thy face,
Thy will, my pleasure make:
Where gladness fills each heart, etc.
I
I will not yield my sword,
I will not bow the knee,
But I would hear the blessed word
That calls my soul to Thee;
And through the din of war,
And in the midst of strife,
That word shall be the guiding star
To lead me on to life.
II
And in the midst of snares
Which subtle fingers lay,
I shall not stumble unawares
Upon the upward way;
But keep before my eyes
The goal before me set,
Lest I should miss the glorious prize
Which loyal victors get.
III
O Christ, Who art my King,
Thy cause I make mine own,
Till proud rebellious foes shall bring
Their homage to Thy throne;
Till then my heart revive
With courage brave and strong,
And steel my feeble arm to strive
Against the power of wrong.
IV
When from the fateful field
I hail my rightful King,
To Him my trusty sword I'll yield,
And all my trophies bring;
And He shall crown my head
With honours richer far
Than trophies from the conquered dead,
And all the spoils of war.
I
If in the cause of right I must,
Do battle with the sword,
Then, let me follow Him I trust,
My chosen King and Lord.
II
As Captain in the mortal fight,
He knows the foe I fear;
His presence fires my soul with might,
And fills my heart with cheer.
III
If I should see Him ever near,
When blows unceasing fall,
I shall no flaunting banner fear,
Nor loudest battle call.
IV
And in the thickest of the strife,
No polished shaft I'll dread,
For He preserves my soul in life,
In battle shields my head.
V
No power shall in the fight prevail,
No subtle gin ensnare,
Though all the hosts of hell assail,
And guile the fraud prepare.
VI
Lord, gird me with Thy armour bright,
And lead me forth to win,
For I would battle for the right
Against the might of sin.
I
The Christ on Olive's mount in prayer
His heart to God exprest;
And as they held sweet converse there,
His soul with peace was blest.
II
Far from the din of troubled life,
The tumult, and the swell,
A silence, stilling earthly strife,
Upon His spirit fell.
III
And there a voice whose soothing tone
The trusting spirit filled,
Came with that grace by which alone
Our great unrest is stilled.
IV
O may the blessed thought, divine,
That moved the Christ to prayer,
Our weary, anxious souls incline
Like peace and joy to share;
V
And on the mount where God is met,
May we the solace know,
That found His soul on Olivet,
Who shared our life below.
I
Like music at the stilly hour,
When twilight veils the light of day,
A gentle voice, with winning power,
Allured me from the world away.
II
It made me sad, because I thought
That love undying I could spurn;
It made me glad, because it brought
A loving message in return.
III
Ah, then the Christ my sin revealed,
And bade me cast the barrier down,
And rise to things from eyes concealed,
More lasting than the world's renown.
IV
I found the pathway to the cross,
And lo, my blindness passed away,
For radiant sunlight swept across
The darkness that had led astray.
V
'Twas then that Christ, in all His love,
In all His beauty won my soul;--
Now, for the treasures stored above,
I thrust aside the world's control.
I
O Lord, Thou in the hour of need,
Didst succour those who sought Thine aid,--
The faint revive, the hungry feed,--
And on the sick thine hand was laid.
II
Our needy souls Thy help would crave,
For faint they droop, and hungry pine,--
Lord, from their mortal sickness save,
And heal them by Thy power divine.
III
Where memories weave a sombre web,
And sighs reveal the heart distressed,
Where joys that flowed, in murmurs ebb,
And buoyant souls are sore oppressed;
IV
Come as of yore, all helpful, come,
And let Thy loving kindness bless,
That, where the voice of praise is dumb,
Songs may arise of thankfulness.
I
My harp upon the willows, grave,
In weeping days is sadly hung,
For, Lord, the joy Thy presence gave,
Is from my soul in anguish wrung.
II
I think upon the peaceful hours,
With Thy companionship to please;
But now the world is shorn of flowers,
And birds are mute among the trees.
III
Wilt Thou not come as morning light?
As spring that wakes the sleeping earth?
As zephyrs on the tuneless night,
To stir my soul to holy mirth?
IV
O matchless Love! for me expressed,
O gift of Love surpassing great!
Wake love responsive in my breast,
And make my drooping soul elate.
V
My heart is strung; up heart, proclaim
In joyful strains the Love divine,
That stooped from highest heaven, and came
To earth to save this soul of mine;
VI
To free my heart from carking cares,
From trusting aught to fleshly aid;
To shew me sin's seductive snares,
That for unwary feet are laid.
VII
Blest Spirit of my God, return,
And o'er my life resume Thy sway,
That love within my soul may burn,
And quicken joy from day to day.
I
To Thee my soul enraptured sings,
O Thou, Immortal King of kings
Enthroned where glory shines;
The garland of the praises sweet,
That I would offer at Thy feet,
My grateful heart entwines.
II
More rare Thy beauty than the best
By highest heaven or earth possessed;
More radiant than the sun,
The glory shining from Thy face
That fills with light the holy place,
O Thou Immortal One!
III
Greater Thy might than lord of war,--
Thy vast dominions stretch afar
Beyond a kingly sway;
Thy hand upholds the earth and sea,
And heaven, and all that therein be,
Thy wise decrees obey.
IV
But not by rule of power alone
Are subjects loyal to Thy throne,
Thy love their fealty wins,--
A love that, by its winning grace
Allured our fallen, guilty race
From their rebellious sins.
V
Lord, by Thy cross that won my soul,
From bondage to benign control,
My every power possess;
That, daily, I my cross may bear,
And find, to serve Thee everywhere,
Is praising Thee the best.
VI
To Thee my soul enraptured sings,
O Thou Immortal King of kings,
But I would join the song,
Of myriad souls in realms of light,
Who praise their King by day and night,
Through all the ages long.
MODERN GREEK HYMNS
{Christos ho Logos me theoi sarkoumenos.}
The following is a close rendering of a hymn to Christ The Word, taken
from a collection of hymns to The Three One God, by Bishop Nektarios,
Metropolitan of Pentapolis (_vide_ Introduction, page xxi). The hymn,
which is in anapaests, is at page 10 of the author's collection, where it
bears the title, {Ode eis ton kyrion hemon Iesoun Christon.} The volume
was published at Athens, 1909, and is one of many similar collections
written by hymn-writers in the communion of the Greek Church.
I
Christ The Word! Thine Incarnation
Links my nature to Thine own;
By Thy sore Humiliation,
I am lifted to Thy throne;
By Thy suffering Thou hast fired me
With a zeal to sacrifice,
And to noble life inspired me,--
Hence my grateful songs arise.
II
Word of God! Thy Crucifixion
Hath upraised me from the earth;
By Thy death and dereliction,
Thou hast given me nobler birth;
By Thy Resurrection glorious,
Life immortal now I own,--
Hence ascend my songs victorious
To Thy praise, O Christ the Son.
III
By Thy hand at the creation,
Thou didst form me from the ground,
And, to mark my kingly station,
With Thine image I was crowned;
And that hand, when pierced and bleeding,
Raised me from corruption's mire,
And, though all this love unheeding,
Decked me with divine attire.
IV
Thou who gav'st my soul its being,
Breathing in me life divine,
Didst, by Thine all-wise decreeing,
Unto death Thy life resign;
And from death my soul defending,
Thou didst sojourn with the dead,
That Thou mightst, my fetters rending,
Raise me up, Thou Glorious Head!
V
Shame be on your heads abiding,
Disobedient people now,
Who to death, and vile deriding,
Caused the Word of God to bow!
Shame! for death, nor powers infernal,
Nor the dark of hades' gloom,
Could retain the King Eternal
In the bondage of the tomb.
{Deute kai mimesometha en te parouse heorte.}
Another rendering from the Greek of Bishop Nektarios. The original is on
page 68 of his collection, where it is entitled, {Hymnos eis ten baptisin
tou kyriou hemon Iesou Christou}. The hymn is obviously based on the
troparian and contakion for the Feast of the Theophany, or Epiphany
(January 6), and the contakion for the Feast of St. John Baptist (January
7). The latter contakion reads thus:--
"At Thy bodily presence Jordan was driven back in fear; John shook with
trembling as he fulfilled his prophetic ministry; the host of angels were
amazed at seeing the Baptized in the flesh, and all that were in the dark
shades [of hades] received light, and praised Thee Who hast appeared, and
hast lightened everything." (Menaeon, Venice edition, page 81.)
I
Come, keep this Feast, who holy things revere,
And with pure minds, your Lord adore with fear.
II
Lo, to the Jordan on this sacred day,
The Bridegroom from His chamber took His way.
III
Jordan affrighted, on its course was stayed;
The Baptist heard His voice and was dismayed.
IV
"How can I hold that sacred Head of Thine,
O Word of God, Immortal, and Divine?"
V
Then, from the Father, in the heaven above,
The Holy Ghost descended as a Dove.
VI
While on the Christ the dove-like form abode,
And Jordan's parted waters o'er Him flowed.
VII
"This is my Son," the Father spake from heaven,
"Who, for the lost of Adam's race was given."
VIII
Illumine us, we sing, O Christ the Lord,
Glory to Thee, O Thou Incarnate Word!
_BY THE SAME AUTHOR. Crown 8vo. Price 3/6 each nett._
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HYMNS FROM THE EAST, being Centos and Suggestions from the Service Books
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HYMNS FROM THE GREEK OFFICE BOOKS, together with Centos and Suggestions.
HYMNS OF THE HOLY EASTERN CHURCH, translated from the Service Books. With
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