William Bathurst Archives

264 – O for That Flame of Living Fire

1
O for that flame of living fire
Which shone so bright in saints of old;
Which bade their souls to heaven aspire,
Calm in distress, in danger bold!

2
Where is that spirit, Lord, which dwelt
In Abram’s breast, and sealed Him Thine?
Which made Paul’s heart with sorrow melt,
And glow with energy divine?

3
That spirit which from age to age
Proclaimed Thy love, and taught Thy ways?
Brightened Isaiah’s vivid page,
And breathed in David’s hallowed lays?

4
Is not Thy grace as mighty now
As when Elijah felt its power?
When glory beamed from Moses’ brow,
Or Job endured the trying hour?

5
Remember, Lord, the ancient days;
Renew Thy work, Thy grace restore;
And while to Thee our hearts we raise,
On us Thy Holy Spirit pour.

264

533 – O for a Faith

1
O, for a faith that will not shrink,
Though pressed by many a foe,
That will not tremble on the brink of poverty,
Of poverty or woe; Of poverty or woe;

2
That will not murmur or complain
Beneath the chastening rod,
But in the hour of grief or pain, of grief or pain
Can lean upon its God; Can lean upon its God.

3
A faith that shines more bright and clear
When tempests rage without;
That when in danger knows no fear, knows of no fear,
In darkness feels no doubt; In darkness feels no doubt.

4
That bears unmoved the world’s dread frown,
Nor heeds its scornful smile;
That sin’s wild ocean cannot drown, no, cannot drown,
Nor its soft arts beguile; Nor its soft arts beguile.

5
Lord, give me such a faith as this,
And then, whate’er may come
I’ll taste, e’en here the hallowed bliss, the hallowed bliss
Of an eternal home; Of an eternal home.