Book of Hymns for Public and Private Devotion Part 73

3 Sow thy seed and reap in gladness!

Man himself is all a seed; Hope and hards.h.i.+p, joy and sadness, Slow the plant to ripeness lead.

433. L. M. Flint.

Remembrance of Our Fathers.

1 In pleasant lands have fallen the lines That bound our goodly heritage, And safe beneath our sheltering vines Our youth is blest, and soothed our age.

2 What thanks, O G.o.d, to Thee are due, That Thou didst plant our fathers here, And watch and guard them as they grew, A vineyard to the planter dear!

3 The toils they bore our ease have wrought; They sowed in tears,--in joy we reap; The birthright they so dearly bought We'll guard, till we with them shall sleep.

4 Thy kindness to our fathers shown, In weal and woe, through all the past, Their grateful sons, O G.o.d, shall own, While here their name and race shall last.

434. 8 & 6s. M. Heber.

Prayer for Our Country.

1 From foes that would our land devour; From guilty pride and l.u.s.t of power; From wild sedition's lawless hour; From yoke of slavery;

2 From blinded zeal, by faction led; From giddy change, by fancy bred; From poisoned error's serpent head; Good Lord, preserve us free!

435. L. M. Whittier.

The Day of Freedom.

1 O Thou, whose presence went before Our fathers in their weary way, As with Thy chosen moved of yore The fire by night, the cloud by day!

2 When, from each temple of the free, A nation's song ascends to heaven, Most holy Father, unto Thee Now let our humble prayer be given.

3 Sweet peace be here; and hope and love Be round us as a mantle thrown, As unto Thee, supreme above, The knee of prayer is bowed alone.

4 And grant, O Father, that the time Of earth's deliverance may be near, When every land, and tongue, and clime, The message of Thy love shall hear;--

5 When, smitten as with fire from heaven, The captive's chain shall sink in dust, And to his fettered soul be given The glorious freedom of the just.

436. C. M. *

American Slavery.

1 The land our fathers left to us Is foul with hateful sin; When shall, O Lord, this sorrow end, And hope and joy begin?

2 What good, though growing might and wealth Shall stretch from sh.o.r.e to sh.o.r.e, If thus the fatal poison-taint Be only spread the more?

3 Wipe out, O G.o.d, the nation's sin, Then swell the nation's power; But build not high our yearning hopes, To wither in an hour!

4 No outward show nor fancied strength From Thy stern justice saves; There is no liberty for them Who make their brethren slaves!

437. 7s. M. J. R. Lowell.

Anti-Slavery Hymn.

1 Men! whose boast it is that ye Come of fathers brave and free, If there breathe on earth a slave, Are ye truly free and brave?

If ye do not feel the chain, When it works a brother's pain, Are ye not base slaves indeed, Slaves unworthy to be freed?

2 Is true freedom but to break Fetters for our own dear sake, And with leathern hearts forget That we owe mankind a debt?

No! true freedom is to share All the chains our brothers wear, And with heart and hand to be Earnest to make others free.

3 They are slaves, who fear to speak For the fallen and the weak; They are slaves, who will not choose Hatred, scoffing, and abuse, Rather than, in silence, shrink From the truth they needs must think; They are slaves, who dare not be In the right with two or three.

438. L. M. Caroline Sewall.

Remember Them Who Are in Bonds.

1 Lord, when Thine ancient people cried, Oppressed and bound by Egypt's king, Thou didst Arabia's sea divide, And forth Thy fainting Israel bring.

2 Lo, in these latter days, our land Groans with the anguish of the slave: Lord G.o.d of hosts! stretch forth Thy hand, Not shortened that it cannot save.

3 Roll back the swelling tide of sin, The l.u.s.t of gain, the l.u.s.t of power; The day of freedom usher in: How long delays the appointed hour?

4 As Thou of old to Miriam's hand The thrilling timbrel didst restore, And to the joyful song her land Echoed from desert to the sh.o.r.e;

5 O let Thy smitten ones again Take up the chorus of the free,-- Praise ye the Lord! His power proclaim, For He hath conquered gloriously!