INCE Jesus freely did appear
To grace a marriage feast;
O Lord, we ask thy presence here,
To make a wedding guest.
2 Upon the bridal pair look down,
Who now have plighted hands;
Their union with thy favor crown,
And bless the nuptial bands.
3 In purest love these souls unite,
That they with christian care,
May make domestic burdens light,
By taking mutual share.
4 And when that solemn hour shall come,
And life's short space be o'er;
May they in triumph reach that h me,
Where they shall part no more.
HYMN 529. L. M.
1W We bow before th' Eternal throne, ITH grateful hearts and tuneful lays,
And offer up our humble praise,
To him whose name is God alone. 2 On this auspicious eve, draw near, And shed thy richest blessings down; Fill ev'ry heart with love sincere, And all thy faithful mercies crown.
3 Grant now thy presence, gracious Lord,
And hearken to our fervent pray'r;
The nuptial vow in heav'n record,
And bless the newly married pair.
4 Oh, guide them safe, this desert through,
Mid all the cares of life and love;
At length with joy thy face to view,
In fairer, better worlds above.
7ITH cheerful voices rise and sing
The praises of our God and King;
For he alone can minds unite,
And bless with conjugal delight.
2 Oh, may this pair increasing find
Substantial pleasures of the mind;
Happy together may they be,
And both united, Lord, to thee.
3 So may they live as truly one;
And when their work on earth is done,
Rise, hand in hand, to heav'n, and share
The joys of love forever there.
Welcome to christian friends.
BRETHREN, belov'd for Jesus' sake,
A hearty welcome here receive;
May we together now partake
The joys which he alone can give!
2 May he, by whose kind care we meet,
Send his good Spirit from above;
Make our communications sweet,
And cause our hearts to burn with love!
3 Forgotten be each worldly theme,
When thus we meet to pray and praise,
We only wish to speak of him,
And tell the wonders of his grace.
4 We'll talk of all he did and said,
His suff'rings and his dying love,
The path he mark'd for us to tread,
And how he triumphs now above.
5 Thus as the moments pass away,
We'll love, and wonder, and adore;
Then hasten on the glorious day,
When we shall meet to part no more.
HYMN 532.
1ORD, when together here we meet, And taste thy heav'nly grace;
Thy smiles are so divinely sweet,
We're loth to leave the place.
2 But, Father, since it is thy will,
That we must part again;
Oh, may thy special presence still,
With ev'ry one remain.
3 And let us all in Christ be one,
Bound with the cords of love; Till we, before thy glorious throne, Shall joyful meet above.
4 All sin and sorrow from each heart, Shall then forever fly;
Nor shall a thought that we must part, Once interrupt our joy.
LEST be the tie that binds
Our hearts in Christian love;
The fellowship of kindred minds,
Is like to that above.
2 Before our Father's throne
We pour our ardent pray'rs ;
Our fears, our hopes, our aims are one,
Our comforts and our cares,
3 We share our mutual woes;
Our mutual burdens bear;
And often for each other flows
The sympathizing tear.
4 When we asunder part,
It gives us inward pain;
But we shall still be join'd in heart,
And hope to meet again.
5 This glorious hope revives
Our courage by the way;
While each in expectation lives,
And longs to see the day.
6 From sorrow, toil and pain,
And sin, we shall be free;
And perfect love and friendship reign
Through all eternity.
1T in singleness of heart,
HRO' Christ when we together came
We met, O Jesus, in thy name;
And in thy name we part.
2 We part in body, not in mind,
Our minds continue one;
And each to each, in Jesus join'd,
We happily go on.
3 Present in spirit still we are,
And intimately nigh;
While on the wings of faith and pray'r
We Abba, Father! cry.
4 Oh, may thy Spirit, dearest Lord,
In all our travels still
Direct and be our constant guard
To Zion's holy hill.
5 Oh! what a joyful meeting there,
Beyond these changing shades;
White are the robes we then shall wear,
And crowns upon our heads.
6 Haste, Lord, and bring us to the day
When we shall dwell at home;
Come, O Redeemer, come away;
O Jesus, quickly come.
HOME, christian brethren! ere we part
Join every voice and every heart,
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